I 
115TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4796 
To provide relief from removal and adjustment of status of certain individuals 
who are long-term United States residents and who entered the United 
States before reaching the age of 18, improve border security, foster 
United States engagement in Central America, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 16, 2018 
Mr. HURD (for himself, Mr. AGUILAR, Mr. UPTON, Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN, Mr. 
DENT, Mr. AMODEI, Mr. BARTON, Ms. STEFANIK, Mr. VALADAO, Mr. 
FASO, Mr. DENHAM, Mr. LANCE, Mr. KATKO, Mr. FITZPATRICK, Mrs. 
LOVE, Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana, Miss GONZA´LEZ-COLO´N of Puerto Rico, 
Mr. NEWHOUSE, Mr. STIVERS, Mr. SHUSTER, Mr. COSTELLO of Pennsyl-
vania, Mr. KING of New York, Mr. KNIGHT, Mr. REICHERT, Mr. FLO-
RES, Mr. BACON, Ms. SEWELL of Alabama, Mr. WELCH, Ms. CLARKE of 
New York, Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD, Ms. MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM of 
New Mexico, Mr. O’HALLERAN, Mr. CRIST, Mr. CARBAJAL, Ms. SINEMA, 
Ms. ROSEN, Mr. RUIZ, Mr. CUELLAR, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of 
Texas, Ms. JUDY CHU of California, Mr. PETERS, Mr. SCHNEIDER, Ms. 
LOFGREN, Mr. GOTTHEIMER, Mrs. BUSTOS, Mr. HIMES, Mr. POLIS, Mr. 
RICHMOND, Miss RICE of New York, and Ms. DELBENE) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and 
in addition to the Committees on Homeland Security, Education and the 
Workforce, Energy and Commerce, and Foreign Affairs, for a period to 
be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consider-
ation of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
concerned 
A BILL 
To provide relief from removal and adjustment of status 
of certain individuals who are long-term United States 
residents and who entered the United States before 
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reaching the age of 18, improve border security, foster 
United States engagement in Central America, and for 
other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Uniting and Securing America Act of 2018’’ or as the 
‘‘USA Act of 2018’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 
this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
TITLE I—ADJUSTMENT OF STATUS FOR CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS 
WHO ENTERED THE UNITED STATES AS CHILDREN 
Sec. 101. Definitions. 
Sec. 102. Permanent resident status on a conditional basis for certain long- 
term residents who entered the United States as children. 
Sec. 103. Terms of permanent resident status on a conditional basis. 
Sec. 104. Removal of conditional basis of permanent resident status. 
Sec. 105. Documentation requirements. 
Sec. 106. Rulemaking. 
Sec. 107. Confidentiality of information. 
Sec. 108. Restoration of State option to determine residency for purposes of 
higher education benefits. 
TITLE II—SECURE MILES WITH ALL RESOURCES AND 
TECHNOLOGY 
Sec. 201. Definitions. 
Subtitle A—Infrastructure and Equipment 
Sec. 211. Strengthening the requirements for border security technology along 
the southern border. 
Sec. 212. Comprehensive southern border strategy. 
Sec. 213. Control or eradication of carrizo cane and salt cedar. 
Sec. 214. Air and Marine Operations flight hours. 
Sec. 215. Ports of entry infrastructure. 
Subtitle B—Grants 
Sec. 221. Operation Stonegarden. 
Sec. 222. Southern border region emergency communications grant. 
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TITLE III—REDUCING SIGNIFICANT DELAYS IN IMMIGRATION 
COURT 
Sec. 301. Eliminate immigration court backlogs. 
Sec. 302. Improved training for immigration judges and members of the Board 
of Immigration Appeals. 
Sec. 303. New technology to improve court efficiency. 
TITLE IV—ADVANCING REFORMS IN CENTRAL AMERICA TO 
ADDRESS THE FACTORS DRIVING MIGRATION 
Sec. 401. Definitions. 
Subtitle A—Effectively Coordinating United States Engagement in Central 
America 
Sec. 411. United States coordinator for engagement in Central America. 
Subtitle B—Targeting Assistance to Appropriate Communities in the 
Northern Triangle 
Sec. 421. Targeting assistance to appropriate communities. 
Subtitle C—Regional Millennium Challenge Corporation Compacts 
Sec. 431. MCC compacts. 
Subtitle D—United States Leadership for Engaging International Donors and 
Partners 
Sec. 441. Requirement for strategy to secure support of international donors 
and partners. 
TITLE I—ADJUSTMENT OF STA-
TUS FOR CERTAIN INDIVID-
UALS 
WHO 
ENTERED 
THE 
UNITED 
STATES 
AS 
CHIL-
DREN 
SEC. 101. DEFINITIONS. 
In this title: 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as otherwise specifi-
cally provided, any term used in this title that is 
used in the immigration laws shall have the meaning 
given such term in the immigration laws. 
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(2) DACA.—The term ‘‘DACA’’ means de-
ferred action granted to an alien pursuant to the 
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program an-
nounced by President Obama on June 15, 2012. 
(3) DISABILITY.—The term ‘‘disability’’ has the 
meaning given such term in section 3(1) of the 
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 
12102(1)). 
(4) 
EARLY
CHILDHOOD
EDUCATION
PRO-
GRAM.—The term ‘‘early childhood education pro-
gram’’ has the meaning given such term in section 
103 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 1003). 
(5) ELEMENTARY SCHOOL; HIGH SCHOOL; SEC-
ONDARY SCHOOL.—The terms ‘‘elementary school’’, 
‘‘high school’’, and ‘‘secondary school’’ have the 
meanings given such terms in section 8101 of the 
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 
(20 U.S.C. 7801). 
(6) IMMIGRATION LAWS.—The term ‘‘immigra-
tion laws’’ has the meaning given such term in sec-
tion 101(a)(17) of the Immigration and Nationality 
Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(17)). 
(7) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—The 
term ‘‘institution of higher education’’— 
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(A) except as provided in subparagraph 
(B), has the meaning given such term in section 
102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 1002); and 
(B) does not include an institution of high-
er education outside of the United States. 
(8) PERMANENT RESIDENT STATUS ON A CON-
DITIONAL
BASIS.—The term ‘‘permanent resident 
status on a conditional basis’’ means status as an 
alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence on 
a conditional basis under this title. 
(9) POVERTY LINE.—The term ‘‘poverty line’’ 
has the meaning given such term in section 673 of 
the Community Services Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C. 
9902). 
(10) SECRETARY.—Except as otherwise specifi-
cally provided, the term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Sec-
retary of Homeland Security. 
(11) UNIFORMED SERVICES.—The term ‘‘Uni-
formed Services’’ has the meaning given the term 
‘‘uniformed services’’ in section 101(a) of title 10, 
United States Code. 
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SEC. 102. PERMANENT RESIDENT STATUS ON A CONDI-
TIONAL BASIS FOR CERTAIN LONG-TERM 
RESIDENTS 
WHO 
ENTERED 
THE 
UNITED 
STATES AS CHILDREN. 
(a) CONDITIONAL BASIS
FOR STATUS.—Notwith-
standing any other provision of law, and except as pro-
vided in subsection (c)(2) of section 104, an alien shall 
be considered, at the time of obtaining the status of an 
alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence under this 
section, to have obtained such status on a conditional basis 
subject to the provisions under this title. 
(b) REQUIREMENTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other 
provision of law, the Secretary shall cancel the re-
moval of, and adjust to the status of an alien law-
fully admitted for permanent residence on a condi-
tional basis, or without such conditional basis as 
provided in subsection (c)(2) of section 104, an alien 
who is inadmissible or deportable from the United 
States or is in temporary protected status under sec-
tion 244 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 
U.S.C. 1254a), if— 
(A) the alien has been continuously phys-
ically present in the United States since Decem-
ber 31, 2013; 
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(B) the alien was younger than 18 years of 
age on the date on which the alien initially en-
tered the United States; 
(C) subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), the 
alien— 
(i) is not inadmissible under para-
graph 
(2), 
(3), 
(6)(E), 
(6)(G), 
(8), 
(10)(A), (10)(C), or (10)(D) of section 
212(a) of the Immigration and Nationality 
Act (8 U.S.C. 1182(a)); 
(ii) has not ordered, incited, assisted, 
or otherwise participated in the persecution 
of any person on account of race, religion, 
nationality, membership in a particular so-
cial group, or political opinion; and 
(iii) other than an offense under State 
or local law for which an essential element 
was the alien’s immigration status, a 
minor traffic offense, or a violation of this 
title, has not been convicted of— 
(I) any offense under Federal or 
State law punishable by a maximum 
term of imprisonment of more than 1 
year; 
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(II) any combination of offenses 
under Federal or State law, for which 
the alien was sentenced to imprison-
ment for a total of more than 1 year; 
or 
(III) a crime of domestic violence 
(as such term is defined in section 
237(a)(2)(E)(i) of the Immigration 
and 
Nationality 
Act 
(8 
U.S.C. 
1227(a)(2)(E)(i))), unless— 
(aa) the alien has filed an 
application 
under 
section 
101(a)(15)(T), 
101(a)(15)(U), 
106, or 240A(b)(2) of the Immi-
gration and Nationality Act or 
section 244(a)(3) of such Act (as 
in effect on March 31, 1997); 
(bb) the alien is a VAWA 
self-petitioner for immigration re-
lief, 
as 
defined 
in 
section 
101(a)(51) of the Immigration 
and Nationality Act; 
(cc) the alien provides evi-
dence that the alien’s crime of 
domestic violence is related to her 
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or his having been a victim her-
self or himself of domestic vio-
lence, sexual assault, stalking, 
child abuse or neglect, elder 
abuse or neglect, human traf-
ficking, having been battered or 
subjected to extreme cruelty, hav-
ing been a victim of criminal ac-
tivity 
described 
in 
section 
101(a)(15)(U)(iii) of the Immi-
gration and Nationality Act; or 
(dd) the alien is a witness 
involved in a pending criminal or 
government agency investigation 
or prosecution related to the 
crime of domestic violence; and 
(D) the alien— 
(i) has been admitted to an institution 
of higher education; 
(ii) has earned a high school diploma 
or a commensurate alternative award from 
a public or private high school, or has ob-
tained a general education development 
certificate recognized under State law or a 
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high school equivalency diploma in the 
United States; or 
(iii) is enrolled in secondary school or 
in an education program assisting students 
in— 
(I) obtaining a regular high 
school diploma or its recognized equiv-
alent under State law; or 
(II) in passing a general edu-
cational development exam, a high 
school equivalence diploma examina-
tion, or other similar State-authorized 
exam. 
(2) WAIVER.—With respect to any benefit 
under this title, the Secretary may waive subclauses 
(I), (II), and (III) of subsection (b)(1)(C)(iii) of this 
section, and the grounds of inadmissibility under 
paragraph (2), (6)(E), (6)(G), or (10)(D) of section 
212(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 
U.S.C. 1182(a)) for humanitarian purposes, family 
unity, or if the waiver is otherwise in the public in-
terest. 
(3) 
TREATMENT
OF
EXPUNGED
CONVIC-
TIONS.—For purposes of cancellation of removal, ad-
justment to permanent resident status on a condi-
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tional basis, or other adjustment of status, the term 
‘‘conviction’’ does not include an adjudication or 
judgment of guilt that has been dismissed, ex-
punged, deferred, annulled, invalidated, withheld, 
sealed, vacated, pardoned, an order of probation 
without entry of judgment, or any similar rehabilita-
tive disposition. 
(4) DACA RECIPIENTS.—The Secretary shall 
cancel the removal of, and adjust to the status of an 
alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence on 
a conditional basis, an alien who was granted DACA 
unless the alien has engaged in conduct since the 
alien was granted DACA that would make the alien 
ineligible for DACA. 
(5) APPLICATION FEE.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall re-
quire an alien applying for permanent resident 
status on a conditional basis under this section 
to pay a reasonable fee that is commensurate 
with the cost of processing the application. 
(B) EXEMPTION.—An applicant may be 
exempted from paying the fee required under 
subparagraph (A) if the alien— 
(i)(I) is younger than 18 years of age; 
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(II) received total income, during the 
12-month period immediately preceding the 
date on which the alien files an application 
under this section, that is less than 150 
percent poverty line; and 
(III) is in foster care or otherwise 
lacking any parental or other familial sup-
port; 
(ii) is younger than 18 years of age 
and is homeless; 
(iii)(I) cannot care for himself or her-
self because of a serious, chronic disability; 
and 
(II) received total income, during the 
12-month period immediately preceding the 
date on which the alien files an application 
under this section, that is less than 150 
percent of the poverty line; or 
(iv)(I) during the 12-month period im-
mediately preceding the date on which the 
alien files an application under this sec-
tion, accumulated $10,000 or more in debt 
as a result of unreimbursed medical ex-
penses incurred by the alien or an imme-
diate family member of the alien; and 
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(II) received total income, during the 
12-month period immediately preceding the 
date on which the alien files an application 
under this section, that is less than 150 
percent of the poverty line. 
(6) SUBMISSION
OF
BIOMETRIC
AND
BIO-
GRAPHIC DATA.—The Secretary may not grant an 
alien permanent resident status on a conditional 
basis under this section unless the alien submits bio-
metric and biographic data, in accordance with pro-
cedures established by the Secretary. The Secretary 
shall provide an alternative procedure for aliens who 
are unable to provide such biometric or biographic 
data because of a physical impairment. 
(7) BACKGROUND CHECKS.— 
(A) 
REQUIREMENT
FOR
BACKGROUND 
CHECKS.—The Secretary shall utilize biometric, 
biographic, and other data that the Secretary 
determines appropriate— 
(i) to conduct security and law en-
forcement background checks of an alien 
seeking permanent resident status on a 
conditional basis under this section; and 
(ii) to determine whether there is any 
criminal, national security, or other factor 
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