I 
108TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4644
To make aliens ineligible to receive visas and exclude aliens from admission 
into the United States for nonpayment of child support. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 22, 2004
Mrs. JOHNSON of Connecticut (for herself, Mr. PRICE of North Carolina, and 
Mr. CARDOZA) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Ways 
and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, 
in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the juris-
diction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To make aliens ineligible to receive visas and exclude aliens 
from admission into the United States for nonpayment 
of child support.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Parental Responsibility 
Obligations Met through Immigration System Enforce-
ment Act’’ or ‘‘PROMISE Act’’.
SEC. 2. ALIENS INELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE VISAS AND EX-
CLUDED 
FROM 
ADMISSION 
FOR 
NON-
PAYMENT OF CHILD SUPPORT. 
Section 212(a)(10) of the Immigration and Nation-
ality Act (8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(10)) is amended by adding 
at the end the following: 
‘‘(F) NONPAYMENT OF CHILD SUPPORT.—
‘‘(i) IN
GENERAL.—Except as pro-
vided in clause (ii), an alien who is legally 
obligated under a judgment, decree, or 
order to pay child support and whose fail-
ure to pay such child support has resulted 
in an arrearage is inadmissible. 
‘‘(ii) EXCEPTION.—An alien described 
in clause (i) may be admissible when child 
support payments under the judgment, de-
cree, or order are satisfied or the alien is 
in compliance with an approved payment 
agreement.’’. 
SEC. 3. EFFECT OF NONPAYMENT OF CHILD SUPPORT ON 
ESTABLISHMENT OF GOOD MORAL CHAR-
ACTER. 
Section 101(f) of the Immigration and Nationality 
Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(f)) is amended—
(1) in paragraph (8), by striking the period at 
the end and inserting ‘‘; or’’; and
(2) by inserting after paragraph (8) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(9) one who is legally obligated under a judg-
ment, decree, or order to pay child support (as de-
fined in section 212(a)(10)), and whose failure to 
pay such child support has resulted in any arrear-
age, unless support payments under the judgment, 
decree, or order are satisfied or the alien is in com-
pliance with an approved payment agreement.’’. 
SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION TO SERVE LEGAL PROCESS IN 
CHILD SUPPORT CASES ON CERTAIN ARRIV-
ING ALIENS. 
Section 235(d) of the Immigration and Nationality 
Act (8 U.S.C. 1225(d)) is amended by adding at the end 
the following: 
‘‘(5) AUTHORITY TO SERVE PROCESS IN CHILD 
SUPPORT CASES.—
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—To the extent con-
sistent with State law, immigration officers are 
authorized to serve on any alien who is an ap-
plicant for admission to the United States, legal 
process with respect to any action to enforce a 
legal obligation of an individual to pay child 
support (as defined in section 459(i) of the So-
cial Security Act).
‘‘(B) DEFINITION.—For purposes of sub-
paragraph (A), the term ‘legal process’ means 
any writ, order, summons, or other similar 
process that is issued by—
‘‘(i) a court or an administrative 
agency of competent jurisdiction in any 
State, territory, or possession of the 
United States; or 
‘‘(ii) an authorized official pursuant to 
an order of such a court or agency or pur-
suant to State or local law.’’. 
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION TO OBTAIN INFORMATION ON 
CHILD SUPPORT PAYMENTS BY ALIENS. 
Section 453(h) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
653(h)) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(4) PROVISION TO ATTORNEY GENERAL AND 
SECRETARY OF STATE OF INFORMATION ON PER-
SONS
DELINQUENT
IN
CHILD
SUPPORT
PAY-
MENTS.—On request by the Attorney General, Sec-
retary of Homeland Security, or the Secretary of 
State, the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
shall provide the requestor with such information as 
the Secretary of Health and Human Services deter-
mines may aid them in determining whether an alien 
is delinquent in the payment of child support.’’.
SEC. 6. EFFECTIVE DATE. 
This Act and the amendments made by this Act shall 
take effect on the date that is 90 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act and shall apply to aliens who apply 
for benefits under the Immigration and Nationality Act 
(8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.) on or after such effective date.
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