I 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 5446 

To authorize grants for crime victims to be distributed to angel families, 

and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 13, 2023 

Mr. NEHLS (for himself, Mr. BACON, Mrs. CAMMACK, and Mr. GOSAR) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

A BILL 

To authorize grants for crime victims to be distributed to 

angel families, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Justice for Angel Fam5 ilies Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. GRANTS FOR ANGEL FAMILIES. 

7 Section 1403 of the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 

8 (34 U.S.C. 20102) is amended— 

9 (1) in subsection (b), by amending paragraph 

10 (1) to read as follows: 


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1 ‘‘(1) such program is operated by a State and 

2 offers compensation to— 

3 ‘‘(A) victims and survivors of victims of 

4 criminal violence, including drunk driving and 

5 domestic violence, for— 

6 ‘‘(i) medical expenses attributable to a 

7 physical injury resulting from a compen8 sable crime, including expenses for mental 

9 health counseling and care; 

10 ‘‘(ii) loss of wages attributable to a 

11 physical injury resulting from a compen12 sable crime; and 

13 ‘‘(iii) funeral expenses attributable to 

14 a death resulting from a compensable 

15 crime; or 

16 ‘‘(B) angel families for— 

17 ‘‘(i) medical expenses attributable to 

18 any injury resulting from a compensable 

19 crime, including expenses for mental health 

20 counseling and care; 

21 ‘‘(ii) loss of wages attributable to 

22 emotional distress resulting from a com23 pensable crime; and 


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1 ‘‘(iii) funeral expenses attributable to 

2 a death resulting from a compensable 

3 crime;’’; and 

4 (2) in subsection (d)— 

5 (A) in paragraph (4), by striking ‘‘; and’’ 

6 and inserting a semicolon; 

7 (B) in paragraph (5), by striking the pe8 riod at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 

9 (C) by adding at the end the following: 

10 ‘‘(6) the term ‘angel family’ means the imme11 diate family members of any individual who is a vic12 tim of homicide committed by— 

13 ‘‘(A) an alien described in section 

14 212(a)(6)(A)(i) of the Immigration and Nation15 ality Act (8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(6)(A)(i)) who is un16 lawfully present in the United States; or 

17 ‘‘(B) any member of an international 

18 criminal organization involved in the unlawful 

19 trafficking of controlled substances (as defined 

20 in section 102 of the Controlled Substances Act 

21 (21 U.S.C. 802)), including an international 

22 drug cartel.’’. 


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1 SEC. 3. VICTIMS OF IMMIGRATION CRIME ENGAGEMENT 

2 OFFICE. 

3 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Title I of the Homeland Se4 curity Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 111 et seq.) is amended by 

5 adding at the end the following: 

6 ‘‘SEC. 104. VICTIMS OF IMMIGRATION CRIME ENGAGEMENT 

7 OFFICE. 

8 ‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

9 ‘‘(1) ALIEN.—The term ‘alien’ means an indi10 vidual who— 

11 ‘‘(A) is described in section 212(a)(6)(A)(i) 

12 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 

13 U.S.C. 1182(a)(6)(A)(i)); and 

14 ‘‘(B) is unlawfully present in the United 

15 States. 

16 ‘‘(2) DIRECTOR.—The term ‘Director’ means 

17 the Director of the Victims of Immigration Crime 

18 Engagement Office established pursuant to sub19 section (b). 

20 ‘‘(b) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish, 

21 within the Office of the Secretary, the Victims of Immigra22 tion Crime Engagement Office to provide proactive, time23 ly, and professional services to victims of crimes com24 mitted by aliens who are inadmissible under section 

25 212(a), deportable under section 237(a), or otherwise unVerDate Sep 11 2014 03:56 Sep 15, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H5446.IH H5446

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1 lawfully present in the United States, and to the family 

2 members of such victims. 

3 ‘‘(c) DUTIES.—The Office shall be headed by a Direc4 tor, who shall— 

5 ‘‘(1) create a hotline for victims described in 

6 subsection (b) and for the family members of such 

7 victims— 

8 ‘‘(A) to ensure that such victims and fam9 ily members receive the support they need, in10 cluding by— 

11 ‘‘(i) providing information available to 

12 help victims and their family members un13 derstand the immigration enforcement and 

14 removal process; 

15 ‘‘(ii) liaising with social service profes16 sionals to assist in providing support serv17 ices referral information; and 

18 ‘‘(iii) directing victims and their fam19 ily members to a wide range of available 

20 resources; 

21 ‘‘(B) to assist victims and family members 

22 of victims to register for automated custody 

23 status information related to the criminal alien; 


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1 ‘‘(C) to provide victims and their family 

2 members with releasable criminal or immigra3 tion history about the criminal alien; and 

4 ‘‘(D) to provide immediate services to vic5 tims and their family members and collect 

6 metrics and information to determine additional 

7 resource needs and how to improve services to 

8 victims; and 

9 ‘‘(2) conduct a case study on providing 

10 proactive, timely, and professional services to victims 

11 of crimes, and the family members of such victims, 

12 that are committed by aliens who are inadmissible 

13 under section 212(a), deportable under section 

14 237(a), or otherwise unlawfully present in the 

15 United States. 

16 ‘‘(d) ANNUAL REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after 

17 the date of the enactment of the Justice for Angel Fami18 lies Act, and annually thereafter, the Director shall submit 

19 to Congress a report regarding the impact on victims of 

20 crimes committed by aliens who are inadmissible under 

21 section 212(a), deportable under section 237(a), or other22 wise unlawfully present in the United States that in23 cludes— 

24 ‘‘(1) a summary of the case study described in 

25 subsection (c)(2); and 


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1 ‘‘(2) information regarding— 

2 ‘‘(A) the demographics of such victims and 

3 criminal aliens; 

4 ‘‘(B) the locations of such crimes; 

5 ‘‘(C) the type of crimes committed; and 

6 ‘‘(D) whether the criminal aliens have com7 mitted multiple crimes.’’. 

8 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents 

9 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 101 et 

10 seq.) is amended by inserting after the item relating to 

11 section 103 the following: 

‘‘Sec. 104. Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement Office.’’. 

Æ 


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