I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 517 
To close loopholes in the immigration laws that serve as incentives to aliens 
to attempt to enter the United States unlawfully, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 11, 2019 
Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana introduced the following bill; which was referred 
to the Committee on the Judiciary 
A BILL 
To close loopholes in the immigration laws that serve as 
incentives to aliens to attempt to enter the United States 
unlawfully, 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 ‘‘Closing Asylum Loop-
holes Act’’. 
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. 
Æ 
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