Congress 114 - HR 5850 - Secure the Northern Triangle Act

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Administrative remedies Alternative and renewable resources Assault and harassment offenses Border security and unlawful immigration Child health Child safety and welfare Congressional oversight Crime prevention Crime victims Crimes against children Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation Criminal justice information and records Customs enforcement Department of Homeland Security Department of the Treasury Detention of persons Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad Disability and paralysis Domestic violence and child abuse Drug trafficking and controlled substances Due process and equal protection Economic development Education programs funding El Salvador Elections, voting, political campaign regulation Elementary and secondary education Employment and training programs Employment discrimination and employee rights Evidence and witnesses Federal officials Foreign aid and international relief Foreign loans and debt Fraud offenses and financial crimes Government ethics and transparency, public corruption Government information and archives Guatemala Health care coverage and access Honduras Human rights Human trafficking Immigration status and procedures Intelligence activities, surveillance, classified information Inter-American Foundation International Affairs International organizations and cooperation Judges Judicial procedure and administration Labor standards Latin America Law enforcement administration and funding Law enforcement officers Lawyers and legal services Mental health Mexico Multilateral development programs Organized crime Political parties and affiliation Pornography Protest and dissent Public contracts and procurement Refugees, asylum, displaced persons Rule of law and government transparency Sex offenses Sex, gender, sexual orientation discrimination Small business Smuggling and trafficking Sovereignty, recognition, national governance and status Tax administration and collection, taxpayers Teaching, teachers, curricula Trade agreements and negotiations U.S. and foreign investments Violent crime Vocational and technical education

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Summary

Secure the Northern Triangle Act

This bill expresses the sense of Congress that the United States must address the violence and humanitarian crisis resulting in the elevated numbers of unaccompanied children, women, and refugees from the Northern Triangle (El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras) arriving at the southwestern border of the United States.

The bill authorizes appropriations for the United States Strategy for Engagement in Central America.

Funds are made available for combating criminal violence and corruption and advancing economic development.

The President shall designate a senior official to coordinate federal and international efforts to strengthen the rule of law and economic prosperity in Central America.

The Millenium Challenge Corporation may fund concurrent compacts for regional integration.

The Department of State shall submit a three-year strategy to secure international and regional support for the Plan of the Alliance for Prosperity in the Northern Triangle.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shall expand law enforcement partnership efforts in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico to combat human smuggling and trafficking.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) and DHS shall expand collaborative programs aimed at human smugglers and traffickers targeting Central American children and families.

The bill provides for: (1) increased sanctions against foreign narcotics traffickers and their foreign supporters operating in Central or South America; (2) increased resources for, and expedited processing under, the Central American Minors (CAM) program; and (3) strengthening the capacity of Mexico and other regional countries to provide asylum and global resettlement.

The Office of Refugee Resettlement of the Department of Health and Human Services shall perform record checks of prospective sponsors prior to placing an unaccompanied alien child with a sponsor.

DHS shall: (1) monitor unaccompanied alien children after placement, and (2) provide funds to states for criminal registry and child abuse searches of prospective sponsors.

The Department of Education shall provide funds to eligible school districts for unaccompanied alien children.

A local educational agency shall: (1) ensure that unaccompanied alien children in the area are immediately enrolled in school following placement, and (2) remove enrollment and participation barriers.

DHS shall: (1) ensure that legal orientation programs are available for all DHS-detained aliens, and (2) consult with the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees to develop a child-centered repatriation process.

DOJ may appoint or provide legal counsel to individuals in immigration proceedings and shall appoint legal counsel for children and vulnerable individuals in such proceedings.

DOJ shall increase the number of immigration judges and Board of Immigration Appeals attorneys.

Actions

Sep 19, 2016

Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.
Jul 14, 2016

Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Financial Services, Education and the Workforce, Armed Services, and Intelligence (Permanent Select), for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Jul 14, 2016

Introduced in House

Amendments

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