I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3217 
To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to tighten asylum laws, 
and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 11, 2023 
Mr. CARTER of Texas introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on the Judiciary 
A BILL 
To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to tighten 
asylum laws, 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. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Updated Standards 
for Asylum Act of 2023’’ or the ‘‘USA Act of 2023’’. 
SEC. 2. CREDIBLE FEAR INTERVIEWS. 
Section 235(b)(1)(B)(v) of the Immigration and Na-
tionality Act (8 U.S.C. 1225(b)(1)(B)(v)) is amended by 
striking ‘‘claim’’ and all that follows, and inserting ‘‘claim, 
as determined pursuant to section 208(b)(1)(B)(iii), and 
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such other facts as are known to the officer, that the alien 
could establish eligibility for asylum under section 208, 
and it is more probable than not that the statements made 
by, and on behalf of, the alien in support of the alien’s 
claim are true.’’. 
SEC. 3. JURISDICTION OF ASYLUM APPLICATIONS. 
Section 208(b)(3) of the Immigration and Nationality 
Act (8 U.S.C. 1158) is amended by striking subparagraph 
(C). 
SEC. 4. RECORDING EXPEDITED REMOVAL AND CREDIBLE 
FEAR INTERVIEWS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Homeland Secu-
rity shall establish quality assurance procedures and take 
steps to effectively ensure that questions by employees of 
the Department of Homeland Security exercising expe-
dited removal authority under section 235(b) of the Immi-
gration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1225(b)) are asked 
in a uniform manner, to the extent possible, and that both 
these questions and the answers provided in response to 
them are recorded in a uniform fashion. 
(b) FACTORS RELATING TO SWORN STATEMENTS.— 
Where practicable, any sworn or signed written statement 
taken of an alien as part of the record of a proceeding 
under section 235(b)(1)(A) of the Immigration and Na-
tionality Act (8 U.S.C. 1225(b)(1)(A)) shall be accom-
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panied by a recording of the interview which served as the 
basis for that sworn statement. 
(c) INTERPRETERS.—The Secretary shall ensure that 
a competent interpreter, not affiliated with the govern-
ment of the country from which the alien may claim asy-
lum, is used when the interviewing officer does not speak 
a language understood by the alien. 
(d) RECORDINGS IN IMMIGRATION PROCEEDINGS.— 
There shall be an audio or audio visual recording of inter-
views of aliens subject to expedited removal. The recording 
shall be included in the record of proceeding and shall be 
considered as evidence in any further proceedings involv-
ing the alien. 
(e) NO PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION.—Nothing in this 
section shall be construed to create any right, benefit, 
trust, or responsibility, whether substantive or procedural, 
enforceable in law or equity by a party against the United 
States, its departments, agencies, instrumentalities, enti-
ties, officers, employees, or agents, or any person, nor does 
this section create any right of review in any administra-
tive, judicial, or other proceeding. 
SEC. 5. SAFE THIRD COUNTRY. 
Section 208(a)(2)(A) of the Immigration and Nation-
ality Act (8 U.S.C. 1158(a)(2)(A)) is amended— 
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(1) by striking ‘‘Attorney General’’ each place 
it appears and inserting ‘‘Secretary of Homeland Se-
curity’’; and 
(2) by striking ‘‘removed, pursuant to a bilat-
eral or multilateral agreement, to’’ and inserting 
‘‘removed to’’. 
SEC. 6. RENUNCIATION OF ASYLUM STATUS PURSUANT TO 
RETURN TO HOME COUNTRY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 208(c) of the Immigration 
and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1158(c)) is amended by 
adding at the end the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(4) RENUNCIATION OF STATUS PURSUANT TO 
RETURN TO HOME COUNTRY.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in 
subparagraph (B), any alien who is granted 
asylum under this Act, who, absent changed 
country conditions, subsequently returns to the 
country of such alien’s nationality or, in the 
case of an alien having no nationality, returns 
to any country in which such alien last habit-
ually resided, and who applied for such status 
because of persecution or a well-founded fear of 
persecution in that country on account of race, 
religion, nationality, membership in a particular 
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social group, or political opinion, shall have his 
or her status terminated. 
‘‘(B) WAIVER.—The Secretary has discre-
tion to waive subparagraph (A) if it is estab-
lished to the satisfaction of the Secretary that 
the alien had a compelling reason for the re-
turn. The waiver may be sought prior to depar-
ture from the United States or upon return.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 208(c)(3) 
of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
1158(c)(3)) is amended by inserting after ‘‘paragraph 
(2)’’ the following: ‘‘or (4)’’. 
SEC. 7. NOTICE CONCERNING FRIVOLOUS ASYLUM APPLI-
CATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 208(d)(4) of the Immi-
gration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1158(d)(4)) is 
amended— 
(1) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), 
by inserting ‘‘the Secretary of Homeland Security 
or’’ before ‘‘the Attorney General’’; 
(2) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘and of 
the consequences, under paragraph (6), of knowingly 
filing a frivolous application for asylum; and’’ and 
inserting a semicolon; 
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(3) in subparagraph (B), by striking the period 
and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(4) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(C) ensure that a written warning ap-
pears on the asylum application advising the 
alien of the consequences of filing a frivolous 
application, which written warning shall serve 
as notice to the alien of the consequence of fil-
ing a frivolous application.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 208(d)(6) 
of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
1158(d)(6)) is amended by striking ‘‘If the’’ and all that 
follows and inserting: 
‘‘(A) DETERMINATION.—If the Secretary 
of Homeland Security or the Attorney General 
determines that an alien has knowingly made a 
frivolous application for asylum and the alien 
has received the notice under paragraph (4)(C), 
the alien shall be permanently ineligible for any 
benefits under this Act, effective as the date of 
the final determination of such an application. 
‘‘(B) CRITERIA.—An application is frivo-
lous if the Secretary of Homeland Security or 
the Attorney General determines, consistent 
with subparagraph (C), that— 
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‘‘(i) it is so insufficient in substance 
that it is clear that the applicant know-
ingly filed the application solely or in part 
to delay removal from the United States, 
to seek employment authorization as an 
applicant for asylum pursuant to regula-
tions issued pursuant to paragraph (2), or 
to seek issuance of a Notice to Appeal in 
order to pursue Cancellation of Removal 
under section 240A(b); or 
‘‘(ii) any of the material elements of 
the application are knowingly fabricated. 
‘‘(C) OPPORTUNITY
TO
CLARIFY.—The 
Secretary of the Attorney General may not 
make a determination under this paragraph 
that an application is frivolous unless, during 
the course of the proceedings, the applicant has 
had sufficient opportunity to clarify any dis-
crepancies or implausible aspects of the claim. 
‘‘(D) AVAILABILITY
OF
CERTAIN
RE-
LIEF.—A finding under this paragraph that an 
alien filed a frivolous asylum application shall 
not preclude the alien from seeking withholding 
of removal under section 241(b)(3) or protec-
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tion pursuant to the Convention Against Tor-
ture.’’. 
SEC. 8. ANTI-FRAUD INVESTIGATIVE WORK PRODUCT. 
(a) ASYLUM CREDIBILITY DETERMINATIONS.—Sec-
tion 208(b)(1)(B)(iii) of the Immigration and Nationality 
Act (8 U.S.C. 1158(b)(1)(B)(iii)) is amended by inserting 
after ‘‘all relevant factors’’ the following: ‘‘, including 
statements made to, and investigative reports prepared by, 
immigration authorities and other government officials’’. 
(b) RELIEF
FOR REMOVAL CREDIBILITY DETER-
MINATIONS.—Section 240(c)(4)(C) of the Immigration 
and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1229a(c)(4)(C)) is amended 
by inserting after ‘‘all relevant factors’’ the following: ‘‘, 
including statements made to, and investigative reports 
prepared by, immigration authorities and other govern-
ment officials’’. 
SEC. 9. PENALTIES FOR ASYLUM FRAUD. 
Section 1001 of title 18, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(d) Whoever, in any matter before the Secretary of 
Homeland Security or the Attorney General pertaining to 
an application for asylum or the adjudication of an appli-
cation for asylum under section 208 of the Immigration 
and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1158) or withholding of re-
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moval under section 241(b)(3) of such Act (8 U.S.C. 
1231), knowingly and willfully— 
‘‘(1) makes any materially false, fictitious, or 
fraudulent statement or representation; or 
‘‘(2) makes or uses any false writings or docu-
ment knowing the same to contain any materially 
false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or entry, 
shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 
10 years, or both.’’. 
SEC. 10. STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS FOR ASYLUM FRAUD. 
Section 3291 of title 18, United States Code, is 
amended by striking ‘‘1544,’’ and inserting ‘‘1544, and 
section 1546,’’. 
SEC. 11. TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS. 
Section 208 of the Immigration and Nationality Act 
(8 U.S.C. 1158) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) in paragraph (2)(D), by inserting 
‘‘Secretary of Homeland Security or the’’ before 
‘‘Attorney General’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (3), by inserting ‘‘Sec-
retary of Homeland Security or the’’ before 
‘‘Attorney General’’; 
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(2) in subsection (b)(2), by inserting ‘‘Secretary 
of Homeland Security or the’’ before ‘‘Attorney Gen-
eral’’ each place such term appears; 
(3) in subsection (c)— 
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘Attor-
ney General’’ each place such term appears and 
inserting ‘‘Secretary of Homeland Security’’; 
(B) in paragraph (2), in the matter pre-
ceding subparagraph (A), by inserting ‘‘Sec-
retary of Homeland Security or the’’ before 
‘‘Attorney General’’; and 
(C) in paragraph (3), by inserting ‘‘Sec-
retary of Homeland Security or the’’ before 
‘‘Attorney General’’; and 
(4) in subsection (d)— 
(A) in paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘Sec-
retary of Homeland Security or the’’ before 
‘‘Attorney General’’ each place such term ap-
pears; 
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘Attor-
ney General’’ and inserting ‘‘Secretary of 
Homeland Security’’; and 
(C) in paragraph (5)— 
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(i) in subparagraph (A), by striking 
‘‘Attorney General’’ and inserting ‘‘Sec-
retary of Homeland Security’’; and 
(ii) in subparagraph (B), by inserting 
‘‘Secretary of Homeland Security or the’’ 
before ‘‘Attorney General’’. 
Æ 
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