Freedom for Families Act
Latest action · Apr 29, 2021 Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
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.
- IntroducedApr 29, 2021
- Passed SenateNot reached
- Passed HouseNot reached
- To the PresidentNot reached
- Became lawNot reached
Summary
Freedom for Families Act
This bill prohibits using federal funds for facilities used to detain noncitizen families and addresses related issues.
Specifically, no funds made available may be used to operate or construct a family detention center, whether operated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement or a contractor. This prohibition shall also apply to funds made available before this bill's enactment.
Funds obligated to operate such centers must instead be used for implementing and developing nondetention programs that are community-based and consistent with international best practices.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) may place an apprehended noncitizen family into such a nondetention program if DHS makes an individualized determination that doing so will facilitate the family's compliance with immigration laws. The programs must provide to participants a legal orientation and meaningful access to counsel.
Cosponsors 4
Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Apr 29, 2021 to May 11, 2021; 3 are original cosponsors, there from the day it was introduced.
| Seat | Cosponsor | Signed on | |
|---|---|---|---|
| D-NJ | Cory A. Booker | Original | Apr 29, 2021 |
| D-MA | Edward J. Markey | Original | Apr 29, 2021 |
| D-OR | Ron Wyden | Original | Apr 29, 2021 |
| D-HI | Mazie K. Hirono | May 11, 2021 |
Committees 1
Where it was sent and what each committee and subcommittee did with it, in order.
| Chamber | Committee | What it did |
|---|---|---|
| Senate | Judiciary Committee | Referred Apr 29, 2021 |
Actions 2
Everything that happened, newest first.
- Apr 29, 2021Introduced in Senate
- Apr 29, 2021Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Related bills 1
Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.
| Bill | Title | Relationship | Latest action |
|---|---|---|---|
| HR 2925 | Freedom for Families Act | Related bill | Nov 9, 2021 |
Titles 2
Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.
- Official Title as Introduced
- A bill to prohibit the use of funds for the operation or construction of family detention centers, and for other purposes.
- Short Title(s) as Introduced
- Freedom for Families Act
Subjects
Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Immigration.
- Border security and unlawful immigration
- Child safety and welfare
- Community life and organization
- Detention of persons
- Family relationships
- Government buildings, facilities, and property
- Government studies and investigations
- Immigrant health and welfare
- Immigration
- Immigration status and procedures
- Lawyers and legal services
- Public contracts and procurement
- Refugees, asylum, displaced persons
Text 1
Each version as it was printed, newest first.
- Apr 29, 2021Introduced in Senate
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.
