Border Crisis Prevention Act of 2021
Bill: H.R.709 | Sponsor: Rep. Lesko, Debbie (R-AZ)
Policy area: Immigration

Summary:
Border Crisis Prevention Act of 2021
This bill imposes additional requirements on asylum seekers, increases certain time limits related to detained aliens, and addresses other immigration-related issues.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) must detain certain aliens, such as an alien convicted of an aggravated felony or believed to be a trafficker of controlled substances, beyond certain time limits for detaining an alien.
The bill also provides for additional instances when DHS may extend the 90-day removal period (generally the window in which DHS has to remove an alien after a final order of removal). An alien choosing to appeal mandatory detention or detention as part of a removal period extension may do so only by filing for a writ of habeas corpus.
DHS shall establish a process to determine whether an alien not subject to mandatory detention and who has tried to comply with a removal order should be detained or released with conditions.
Furthermore, under this bill, an alien's credible fear of persecution must be more probable than not in order to be eligible for asylum.
DHS may also deny asylum to an applying alien and remove the alien to a country that is not the alien's country of nationality, if the alien would be safe and would be able to apply for asylum from that country. (Currently, an asylum applicant may be removed to a third country only if that country is party to an agreement allowing for such removal.)
The Department of Justice may appoint 100 additional immigration judges.

To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to reform certain asylum 
                  procedures, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Border Crisis Prevention Act of 
2021''.

SEC. 2. CREDIBLE FEAR INTERVIEWS.

    (a) Determination of Probability of Claim Truth.--Section 
235(b)(1)(B)(v) of the Immigration and Nationality 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 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.''.
    (b) 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).
    (c) Recording Expedited Removal and Credible Fear Interviews.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of Homeland Security shall 
        establish quality assurance procedures and take steps to 
        effectively ensure that questions by employees of the 
        Department of Homeland Security exercising expedited removal 
        authority under section 235(b) of the Immigration 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.
            (2) 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 Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
        1225(b)(1)(A)) shall be accompanied by a recording of the 
        interview which served as the basis for that sworn statement.
            (3) Interpreters.--The Secretary shall ensure that a 
        competent interpreter, not affiliated with the government of 
        the country from which the alien may claim asylum, is used when 
        the interviewing officer does not speak a language understood 
        by the alien.
            (4) Recordings in immigration proceedings.--There shall be 
        an audio or audio visual recording of interviews 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 involving the alien.
            (5) No private right of action.--Nothing in this subsection 
        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, entities, officers, 
        employees, or agents, or any person, nor does this subsection 
        create any right of review in any administrative, judicial, or 
        other proceeding.

SEC. 3. SAFE THIRD COUNTRY.

    Section 208(a)(2)(A) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 
U.S.C. 1158(a)(2)(A)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``Attorney General'' each place it appears 
        and inserting ``Secretary of Homeland Security''; and
            (2) by striking ``removed, pursuant to a bilateral or 
        multilateral agreement, to'' and inserting ``removed to''.

SEC. 4. DETENTION SPACES.

    There is authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be 
necessary to provide for sufficient detention spaces as the Secretary 
of Homeland Security determines necessary to enforce the immigration 
laws.

SEC. 5. IMMIGRATION JUDGES.

    (a) In General.--The Attorney General may appoint 100 additional 
immigration judges in addition to immigration judges currently serving 
as of the date of enactment of this Act.
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section.

SEC. 6. ASYLUM PROCEDURES RELATED TO FILING FRIVOLOUS APPLICATIONS.

    (a) Notice Concerning Frivolous Asylum Applications.--
            (1) In general.--Section 208(d)(4) of the Immigration and 
        Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1158(d)(4)) is amended--
                    (A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by 
                inserting ``the Secretary of Homeland Security or'' 
                before ``the Attorney General'';
                    (B) 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;
                    (C) in subparagraph (B), by striking the period and 
                inserting ``; and''; and
                    (D) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(C) ensure that a written warning appears on the 
                asylum application advising the alien of the 
                consequences of filing a frivolous application and 
                serving as notice to the alien of the consequence of 
                filing a frivolous application.''.
            (2) 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) 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 chapter, effective as the date of the final 
                determination of such an application.
                    ``(B) An application is frivolous if the Secretary 
                of Homeland Security or the Attorney General 
                determines, consistent with subparagraph (C), that--
                            ``(i) it is so insufficient in substance 
                        that it is clear that the applicant knowingly 
                        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 regulations issued pursuant 
                        to paragraph (2), or to seek issuance of a 
                        Notice to Appear in order to pursue 
                        Cancellation of Removal under section 240A(b); 
                        or
                            ``(ii) any of the material elements are 
                        knowingly fabricated.
                    ``(C) In determining that an application is 
                frivolous, the Secretary or the Attorney General must 
                be satisfied that the applicant, during the course of 
                the proceedings, has had sufficient opportunity to 
                clarify any discrepancies or implausible aspects of the 
                claim.
                    ``(D) For purposes of this section, a finding that 
                an alien filed a frivolous asylum application shall not 
                preclude the alien from seeking withholding of removal 
                under section 241(b)(3) or protection pursuant to the 
                Convention Against Torture.''.
    (b) Anti-Fraud Investigative Work Product.--
            (1) Asylum credibility determinations.--Section 
        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''.
            (2) Relief for removal credibility determinations.--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 government officials''.

SEC. 7. DETENTION OF DANGEROUS ALIENS.

    Section 241(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
1231(a)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``Attorney General'' each place it appears, 
        except for the first reference in paragraph (4)(B)(i), and 
        inserting ``Secretary of Homeland Security'';
            (2) in paragraph (1), by amending subparagraph (B) to read 
        as follows:
                    ``(B) Beginning of period.--The removal period 
                begins on the latest of the following:
                            ``(i) The date the order of removal becomes 
                        administratively final.
                            ``(ii) If the alien is not in the custody 
                        of the Secretary on the date the order of 
                        removal becomes administratively final, the 
                        date the alien is taken into such custody.
                            ``(iii) If the alien is detained or 
                        confined (except under an immigration process) 
                        on the date the order of removal becomes 
                        administratively final, the date the alien is 
                        taken into the custody of the Secretary, after 
                        the alien is released from such detention or 
                        confinement.'';
            (3) in paragraph (1), by amending subparagraph (C) to read 
        as follows:
                    ``(C) Suspension of period.--
                            ``(i) Extension.--The removal period shall 
                        be extended beyond a period of 90 days and the 
                        Secretary may, in the Secretary's sole 
                        discretion, keep the alien in detention during 
                        such extended period if--
                                    ``(I) the alien fails or refuses to 
                                make all reasonable efforts to comply 
                                with the removal order, or to fully 
                                cooperate with the Secretary's efforts 
                                to establish the alien's identity and 
                                carry out the removal order, including 
                                making timely application in good faith 
                                for travel or other documents necessary 
                                to the alien's departure or conspires 
                                or acts to prevent the alien's removal 
                                that is subject to an order of removal;
                                    ``(II) a court, the Board of 
                                Immigration Appeals, or an immigration 
                                judge orders a stay of removal of an 
                                alien who is subject to an 
                                administratively final order of 
                                removal;
                                    ``(III) the Secretary transfers 
                                custody of the alien pursuant to law to 
                                another Federal agency or a State or 
                                local government agency in connection 
                                with the official duties of such 
                                agency; or
                                    ``(IV) a court or the Board of 
                                Immigration Appeals orders a remand to 
                                an immigration judge or the Board of 
                                Immigration Appeals, during the time 
                                period when the case is pending a 
                                decision on remand (with the removal 
                                period beginning anew on the date that 
                                the alien is ordered removed on 
                                remand).
                            ``(ii) Renewal.--If the removal period has 
                        been extended under subparagraph (C)(i), a new 
                        removal period shall be deemed to have begun on 
                        the date--
                                    ``(I) the alien makes all 
                                reasonable efforts to comply with the 
                                removal order, or to fully cooperate 
                                with the Secretary's efforts to 
                                establish the alien's identity and 
                                carry out the removal order;
                                    ``(II) the stay of removal is no 
                                longer in effect; or
                                    ``(III) the alien is returned to 
                                the custody of the Secretary.
                            ``(iii) Mandatory detention for certain 
                        aliens.--In the case of an alien described in 
                        subparagraphs (A) through (D) of section 
                        236(c)(1), the Secretary shall keep that alien 
                        in detention during the extended period 
                        described in clause (i).
                            ``(iv) Sole form of relief.--An alien may 
                        seek relief from detention under this 
                        subparagraph only by filing an application for 
                        a writ of habeas corpus in accordance with 
                        chapter 153 of title 28, United States Code. No 
                        alien whose period of detention is extended 
                        under this subparagraph shall have the right to 
                        seek release on bond.'';
            (4) in paragraph (3)--
                    (A) by adding after ``If the alien does not leave 
                or is not removed within the removal period'' the 
                following: ``or is not detained pursuant to paragraph 
                (6) of this subsection''; and
                    (B) by striking subparagraph (D) and inserting the 
                following:
                    ``(D) to obey reasonable restrictions on the 
                alien's conduct or activities that the Secretary 
                prescribes for the alien, in order to prevent the alien 
                from absconding, for the protection of the community, 
                or for other purposes related to the enforcement of the 
                immigration laws.'';
            (5) in paragraph (4)(A), by striking ``paragraph (2)'' and 
        inserting ``subparagraph (B)''; and
            (6) by striking paragraph (6) and inserting the following:
            ``(6) Additional rules for detention or release of certain 
        aliens.--
                    ``(A) Detention review process for cooperative 
                aliens established.--For an alien who is not otherwise 
                subject to mandatory detention, who has made all 
                reasonable efforts to comply with a removal order and 
                to cooperate fully with the Secretary of Homeland 
                Security's efforts to establish the alien's identity 
                and carry out the removal order, including making 
                timely application in good faith for travel or other 
                documents necessary to the alien's departure, and who 
                has not conspired or acted to prevent removal, the 
                Secretary shall establish an administrative review 
                process to determine whether the alien should be 
                detained or released on conditions. The Secretary shall 
                make a determination whether to release an alien after 
                the removal period in accordance with subparagraph (B). 
                The determination shall include consideration of any 
                evidence submitted by the alien, and may include 
                consideration of any other evidence, including any 
                information or assistance provided by the Secretary of 
                State or other Federal official and any other 
                information available to the Secretary of Homeland 
                Security pertaining to the ability to remove the alien.
                    ``(B) Authority to detain beyond removal period.--
                            ``(i) In general.--The Secretary of 
                        Homeland Security, in the exercise of the 
                        Secretary's sole discretion, may continue to 
                        detain an alien for 90 days beyond the removal 
                        period (including any extension of the removal 
                        period as provided in paragraph (1)(C)). An 
                        alien whose detention is extended under this 
                        subparagraph shall have no right to seek 
                        release on bond.
                            ``(ii) Specific circumstances.--The 
                        Secretary of Homeland Security, in the exercise 
                        of the Secretary's sole discretion, may 
                        continue to detain an alien beyond the 90 days 
                        authorized in clause (i)--
                                    ``(I) until the alien is removed, 
                                if the Secretary, in the Secretary's 
                                sole discretion, determines that there 
                                is a significant likelihood that the 
                                alien--
                                            ``(aa) will be removed in 
                                        the reasonably foreseeable 
                                        future; or
                                            ``(bb) would be removed in 
                                        the reasonably foreseeable 
                                        future, or would have been 
                                        removed, but for the alien's 
                                        failure or refusal to make all 
                                        reasonable efforts to comply 
                                        with the removal order, or to 
                                        cooperate fully with the 
                                        Secretary's efforts to 
                                        establish the alien's identity 
                                        and carry out the removal 
                                        order, including making timely 
                                        application in good faith for 
                                        travel or other documents 
                                        necessary to the alien's 
                                        departure, or conspires or acts 
                                        to prevent removal;
                                    ``(II) until the alien is removed, 
                                if the Secretary of Homeland Security 
                                certifies in writing--
                                            ``(aa) in consultation with 
                                        the Secretary of Health and 
                                        Human Services, that the alien 
                                        has a highly contagious disease 
                                        that poses a threat to public 
                                        safety;
                                            ``(bb) after receipt of a 
                                        written recommendation from the 
                                        Secretary of State, that 
                                        release of the alien is likely 
                                        to have serious adverse foreign 
                                        policy consequences for the 
                                        United States;
                                            ``(cc) based on information 
                                        available to the Secretary of 
                                        Homeland Security (including 
                                        classified, sensitive, or 
                                        national security information, 
                                        and without regard to the 
                                        grounds upon which the alien 
                                        was ordered removed), that 
                                        there is reason to believe that 
                                        the release of the alien would 
                                        threaten the national security 
                                        of the United States; or
                                            ``(dd) that the release of 
                                        the alien will threaten the 
                                        safety of the community or any 
                                        person, conditions of release 
                                        cannot reasonably be expected 
                                        to ensure the safety of the 
                                        community or any person, and 
                                        either (AA) the alien has been 
                                        convicted of one or more 
                                        aggravated felonies (as defined 
                                        in section 101(a)(43)(A)) or of 
                                        one or more crimes identified 
                                        by the Secretary of Homeland 
                                        Security by regulation, or of 
                                        one or more attempts or 
                                        conspiracies to commit any such 
                                        aggravated felonies or such 
                                        identified crimes, if the 
                                        aggregate term of imprisonment 
                                        for such attempts or 
                                        conspiracies is at least 5 
                                        years; or (BB) the alien has 
                                        committed one or more crimes of 
                                        violence (as defined in section 
                                        16 of title 18, United States 
                                        Code, but not including a 
                                        purely political offense) and, 
                                        because of a mental condition 
                                        or personality disorder and 
                                        behavior associated with that 
                                        condition or disorder, the 
                                        alien is likely to engage in 
                                        acts of violence in the future; 
                                        or
                                    ``(III) pending a certification 
                                under subclause (II), so long as the 
                                Secretary of Homeland Security has 
                                initiated the administrative review 
                                process not later than 30 days after 
                                the expiration of the removal period 
                                (including any extension of the removal 
                                period, as provided in paragraph 
                                (1)(C)).
                            ``(iii) No right to bond hearing.--An alien 
                        whose detention is extended under this 
                        subparagraph shall have no right to seek 
                        release on bond, including by reason of a 
                        certification under clause (ii)(II).
                    ``(C) Renewal and delegation of certification.--
                            ``(i) Renewal.--The Secretary of Homeland 
                        Security may renew a certification under 
                        subparagraph (B)(ii)(II) every 6 months, after 
                        providing an opportunity for the alien to 
                        request reconsideration of the certification 
                        and to submit documents or other evidence in 
                        support of that request. If the Secretary does 
                        not renew a certification, the Secretary may 
                        not continue to detain the alien under 
                        subparagraph (B)(ii)(II).
                            ``(ii) Delegation.--Notwithstanding section 
                        103, the Secretary of Homeland Security may not 
                        delegate the authority to make or renew a 
                        certification described in item (bb), (cc), or 
                        (dd) of subparagraph (B)(ii)(II) below the 
                        level of the Director of Immigration and 
                        Customs Enforcement.
                            ``(iii) Hearing.--The Secretary of Homeland 
                        Security may request that the Attorney General 
                        or the Attorney General's designee provide for 
                        a hearing to make the determination described 
                        in item (dd)(BB) of subparagraph (B)(ii)(II).
                    ``(D) Release on conditions.--If it is determined 
                that an alien should be released from detention by a 
                Federal court, the Board of Immigration Appeals, or if 
                an immigration judge orders a stay of removal, the 
                Secretary of Homeland Security, in the exercise of the 
                Secretary's discretion, may impose conditions on 
                release as provided in paragraph (3).
                    ``(E) Redetention.--The Secretary of Homeland 
                Security, in the exercise of the Secretary's 
                discretion, without any limitations other than those 
                specified in this section, may again detain any alien 
                subject to a final removal order who is released from 
                custody, if removal becomes likely in the reasonably 
                foreseeable future, the alien fails to comply with the 
                conditions of release, or to continue to satisfy the 
                conditions described in subparagraph (A), or if, upon 
                reconsideration, the Secretary, in the Secretary's sole 
                discretion, determines that the alien can be detained 
                under subparagraph (B). This section shall apply to any 
                alien returned to custody pursuant to this 
                subparagraph, as if the removal period terminated on 
                the day of the redetention.
                    ``(F) Review of determinations by secretary.--A 
                determination by the Secretary under this paragraph 
                shall not be subject to review by any other agency.''.
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