REUNITE Act
Latest action · Mar 5, 2021 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.
- IntroducedJan 28, 2021
- Passed HouseNot reached
- Passed SenateNot reached
- To the PresidentNot reached
- Became lawNot reached
Summary
Reunite Every Unaccompanied Newborn Infant, Toddler and other children Expeditiously Act or the REUNITE Act
This bill directs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to reunite children and their parents or legal guardians who were apprehended for illegal entry into the United States.
DHS and HHS shall develop procedures and programs, including procedures to (1) identify separated family members, (2) allow apprehended parents or legal guardians to have frequent no-cost contact with their separated children, and (3) coordinate with foreign consulates to locate apprehended individuals.
DHS and HHS shall ensure immediate reunification of apprehended children with a parent or legal guardian, but may make exceptions for the child's safety.
DHS and HHS may use DNA testing to determine family relationships, but shall first use other methods, such as official documents. DHS and HHS shall develop procedures for instances where the aliens refuse to consent to DNA testing. Collected DNA information may not be used for any purpose other than family reunification, including criminal or immigration enforcement.
The bill restores the Family Case Management Program, an alternative to detention program that uses case managers to promote compliance with immigration law obligations. DHS, HHS, and the Department of Justice (DOJ) shall establish the Office for Locating and Reuniting Children with Parents.
Aliens shall have access to counsel inside immigration detention facilities, and DOJ may provide counsel for immigration proceedings. DOJ shall provide counsel if necessary for children and vulnerable individuals, and children's cases shall be heard individually.
Cosponsors 15
Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Jan 28, 2021 to Feb 18, 2021, with 4 there on the day it was introduced.
| Seat | Cosponsor | Signed on | |
|---|---|---|---|
| D-VA | Donald S. Beyer, Jr. | Original | Jan 28, 2021 |
| D-IL | Jesús G. "Chuy" García | Original | Jan 28, 2021 |
| D-WA | Pramila Jayapal | Original | Jan 28, 2021 |
| D-OR | Suzanne Bonamici | Original | Jan 28, 2021 |
| D-OR | Earl Blumenauer | Feb 4, 2021 | |
| D-NY | Grace Meng | Feb 4, 2021 | |
| D-MD | Jamie Raskin | Feb 4, 2021 | |
| D-IL | Janice D. Schakowsky | Feb 4, 2021 | |
| D-NY | Nydia M. Velázquez | Feb 4, 2021 | |
| D-AZ | Ruben Gallego | Feb 4, 2021 | |
| D-FL | Alcee L. Hastings | Feb 5, 2021 | |
| D-WI | Mark Pocan | Feb 5, 2021 | |
| D-TX | Sylvia R. Garcia | Feb 5, 2021 | |
| D-DC | Eleanor Holmes Norton | Feb 8, 2021 | |
| D-CT | Jahana Hayes | Feb 18, 2021 |
Actions 3
Everything that happened, newest first.
- Mar 5, 2021Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship.
- Jan 28, 2021Introduced in House
- Jan 28, 2021Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Subjects
Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Immigration.
- Administrative law and regulatory procedures
- Appropriations
- Arizona
- Border security and unlawful immigration
- California
- Child safety and welfare
- Congressional oversight
- Crime victims
- Crimes against children
- Criminal procedure and sentencing
- Department of Health and Human Services
- Department of Homeland Security
- Department of Justice
- Detention of persons
- Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad
- Domestic violence and child abuse
- Executive agency funding and structure
- Family relationships
- Genetics
- Human trafficking
- Immigration
- Immigration status and procedures
- Intergovernmental relations
- Latin America
- Lawyers and legal services
- Legal fees and court costs
- Mexico
- New Mexico
- Right of privacy
- Social work, volunteer service, charitable organizations
- State and local government operations
- Texas
Text 1
Each version as it was printed, newest first.
- Jan 28, 2021Introduced 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.