Protect Asylum Seekers Act
Latest action · Dec 21, 2020 Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Homeland Security, 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.
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.
- IntroducedDec 21, 2020
- Passed HouseNot reached
- Passed SenateNot reached
- To the PresidentNot reached
- Became lawNot reached
Summary
Protect Asylum Seekers Act
This bill limits the separation of alien families and provides protections for asylum seekers.
Certain civil and criminal penalties related to improper entry into the United States shall not apply if, after entering the United States, an alien without delay communicates to an immigration or asylum officer a non-fraudulent (1) desire to seek asylum, or (2) fear of persecution.
The Departments of Homeland Security (DHS), Justice, and Health and Human Services shall not separate a child from a parent or legal guardian unless
- a state court terminates the parent or legal guardian's rights;
- a state child welfare agency or court determines it is in the child's best interests to be removed; or
- the child is determined to be a trafficking victim or at risk of becoming one, the accompanying adult is most likely not the parent or legal guardian, or the child is in danger of abuse or neglect.
An agency may not separate a child from a parent or legal guardian solely to deter migration into the United States or to promote compliance with immigration laws.
DHS shall develop (1) training related to the bill's family separation requirements, and (2) guidance for how parents and legal guardians may locate a separated child. DHS shall provide parents and legal guardians periodic status updates about a separated child.
The Government Accountability Office shall report to Congress on the criminal prosecution of asylum seekers.
Cosponsors
Members who signed on, in the order they did.
Committees 2
Where it was sent and what each committee and subcommittee did with it, in order.
| Chamber | Committee | What it did |
|---|---|---|
| House | Judiciary Committee | Referred Dec 21, 2020 |
| House | Homeland Security Committee | Referred Dec 21, 2020 |
Actions 2
Everything that happened, newest first.
- Dec 21, 2020Introduced in House
- Dec 21, 2020Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Homeland Security, 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.
Research
What has been written about this bill: committee reports, cost estimates, the sponsor’s authority statement, printed hearings and the Congressional Research Service’s work.
Constitutional authority
The sponsor’s statement, as printed in the Congressional Record, vol. 166, no. 218, December 21, 2020, page H7322.
Related bills 1
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 |
Titles 2
Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.
- Official Title as Introduced
- To protect aliens seeking asylum in the United States, and for other purposes.
- Short Title(s) as Introduced
- Protect Asylum Seekers Act
Subjects
Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Immigration.
- Border security and unlawful immigration
- Child care and development
- Child health
- Child safety and welfare
- Congressional oversight
- Crime victims
- Criminal justice information and records
- Criminal procedure and sentencing
- Department of Homeland Security
- Detention of persons
- Domestic violence and child abuse
- Family relationships
- Foreign language and bilingual programs
- Government information and archives
- Government studies and investigations
- Human trafficking
- Immigrant health and welfare
- Immigration
- Immigration status and procedures
- Juvenile crime and gang violence
- Law enforcement officers
- Public contracts and procurement
- Refugees, asylum, displaced persons
- Separation, divorce, custody, support
- Smuggling and trafficking
- State and local courts
Text 1
Each version as it was printed, newest first.
- Dec 21, 2020Introduced 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; cost estimates are the Congressional Budget Office's, and the hearings are the printed hearings GovInfo publishes, which can appear months after the hearing.
