Stop Cruelty to Migrant Children Act
Latest action · Aug 6, 2019 Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship.
Progress
Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.
- IntroducedJul 23, 2019
- Passed HouseNot reached
- Passed SenateNot reached
- To the PresidentNot reached
- Became lawNot reached
Summary
Stop Cruelty to Migrant Children Act
This bill establishes limitations on separating alien children from parents and on detaining families, and also addresses other immigration-related matters.
A child may be separated from a parent or legal guardian at or near a port of entry or U.S. border only if (1) a state court has made a relevant ruling, such as terminating the parent's rights; (2) a qualified child welfare agency official has ruled that separation is in the child's best interest; or (3) a specified official makes certain determinations, such as concluding that a child is a trafficking victim.
A child may not be separated from a parent or guardian solely to deter migration or promote compliance with immigration laws.
This bill establishes presumptions (1) in favor of family unity and keeping siblings together, and (2) against detention.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shall (1) document all child separations, (2) develop training for officers handling separations, (3) publish guidance on how to locate a separated child, (4) periodically provide a parent or guardian information about a separated child, and (5) pay for counsel to represent unaccompanied alien children in removal proceedings.
The Flores settlement (an agreement imposing conditions on the treatment of detained alien minors) and a related court holding shall apply to the detention of families.
The bill also contains provisions relating to the detention of aliens, including (1) requiring medical assessments of detained children, (2) imposing health-related standards for detention facilities, and (3) requiring DHS to provide sufficient funds for alternatives to detention programs.
Cosponsors 33
Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Jul 23, 2019 to Jan 29, 2020, with 20 there on the day it was introduced.
| Seat | Cosponsor | Signed on | |
|---|---|---|---|
| D-NY | Adriano Espaillat | Original | Jul 23, 2019 |
| D-IN | André Carson | Original | Jul 23, 2019 |
| D-AZ | Ann Kirkpatrick | Original | Jul 23, 2019 |
| D-CA | Barbara Lee | Original | Jul 23, 2019 |
| D-IL | Bobby L. Rush | Original | Jul 23, 2019 |
| D-MD | C. A. Dutch Ruppersberger | Original | Jul 23, 2019 |
| D-NM | Debra A. Haaland | Original | Jul 23, 2019 |
| D-OR | Earl Blumenauer | Original | Jul 23, 2019 |
| D-DC | Eleanor Holmes Norton | Original | Jul 23, 2019 |
| D-FL | Frederica S. Wilson | Original | Jul 23, 2019 |
| D-CA | Grace F. Napolitano | Original | Jul 23, 2019 |
| D-NY | Gregory W. Meeks | Original | Jul 23, 2019 |
| D-WI | Gwen Moore | Original | Jul 23, 2019 |
| D-MA | James P. McGovern | Original | Jul 23, 2019 |
| D-CA | Jim Costa | Original | Jul 23, 2019 |
Actions 5
Everything that happened, newest first.
- Aug 6, 2019Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship.
- Aug 2, 2019Referred to the Subcommittee on Border Security, Facilitation, and Operations.
- Jul 23, 2019Introduced in House
- Jul 23, 2019Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Homeland Security, and Financial Services, 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 23, 2019Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (E965-966)
Related bills 4
Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.
| Bill | Title | Relationship | Latest action |
|---|---|---|---|
| S 292 | Keep Families Together Act | Related bill | Jan 31, 2019 |
| S 662 | Fair Day in Court for Kids Act of 2019 | Related bill | Mar 5, 2019 |
| S 1733 | Protecting Families and Improving Immigration Procedures Act | Related bill | Jun 5, 2019 |
| S 2113 | Stop Cruelty to Migrant Children Act | Identical bill | Jul 15, 2019 |
Subjects
Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Immigration.
- Administrative law and regulatory procedures
- Aging
- Appropriations
- Border security and unlawful immigration
- Child care and development
- Child safety and welfare
- Congressional oversight
- Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
- Criminal justice information and records
- Department of Health and Human Services
- Department of Homeland Security
- Detention of persons
- Disability and paralysis
- Domestic violence and child abuse
- Employment and training programs
- Family relationships
- Government buildings, facilities, and property
- Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
- Government studies and investigations
- Health technology, devices, supplies
- Immigrant health and welfare
- Immigration
- Immigration status and procedures
- Judges
- Judicial procedure and administration
- Law enforcement officers
- Lawyers and legal services
- Medical tests and diagnostic methods
- Members of Congress
- Mental health
- News media and reporting
- Nutrition and diet
- Performance measurement
- Prescription drugs
- Public contracts and procurement
- Refugees, asylum, displaced persons
- Specialized courts
- Women's health
Text 1
Each version as it was printed, newest first.
- Jul 23, 2019Introduced in House
Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov.