Justice for Angel Families Act
Bill: H.R.9013 | Sponsor: Rep. Nehls, Troy E. (R-TX)
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement

Summary:
Justice for Angel Families Act
This bill expands the allowable uses of state compensation payments for crime victims to include certain expenses for angel families. Angel family refers to the immediate family members of any individual who is a victim of homicide committed by (1) an individual who is unlawfully present in the United States, or (2) a member of an international criminal organization involved in the unlawful trafficking of controlled substances.
The bill also reestablishes the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement Office within the Department of Homeland Security.

To authorize grants for crime victims to be distributed to angel 
                   families, 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 ``Justice for Angel Families Act''.

SEC. 2. GRANTS FOR ANGEL FAMILIES.

    Section 1403 of the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 (34 U.S.C. 20102) 
is amended--
            (1) in subsection (b), by amending paragraph (1) to read as 
        follows:
            ``(1) such program is operated by a State and offers 
        compensation to--
                    ``(A) victims and survivors of victims of criminal 
                violence, including drunk driving and domestic 
                violence, for--
                            ``(i) medical expenses attributable to a 
                        physical injury resulting from a compensable 
                        crime, including expenses for mental health 
                        counseling and care;
                            ``(ii) loss of wages attributable to a 
                        physical injury resulting from a compensable 
                        crime; and
                            ``(iii) funeral expenses attributable to a 
                        death resulting from a compensable crime; or
                    ``(B) angel families for--
                            ``(i) medical expenses attributable to any 
                        injury resulting from a compensable crime, 
                        including expenses for mental health counseling 
                        and care;
                            ``(ii) loss of wages attributable to 
                        emotional distress resulting from a compensable 
                        crime; and
                            ``(iii) funeral expenses attributable to a 
                        death resulting from a compensable crime;''; 
                        and
            (2) in subsection (d)--
                    (A) in paragraph (4), by striking ``; and'' and 
                inserting a semicolon;
                    (B) in paragraph (5), by striking the period at the 
                end and inserting ``; and''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(6) the term `angel family' means the immediate family 
        members of any individual who is a victim of homicide committed 
        by--
                    ``(A) an alien described in section 212(a)(6)(A)(i) 
                of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
                1182(a)(6)(A)(i)) who is unlawfully present in the 
                United States; or
                    ``(B) any member of an international criminal 
                organization involved in the unlawful trafficking of 
                controlled substances (as defined in section 102 of the 
                Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 802), including an 
                international drug cartel.''.

SEC. 3. VICTIMS OF IMMIGRATION CRIME ENGAGEMENT OFFICE.

    (a) Establishment.--Title I of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 
U.S.C. 111 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 104. VICTIMS OF IMMIGRATION CRIME ENGAGEMENT OFFICE.

    ``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Alien.--The term `alien' means an individual who--
                    ``(A) is described in section 212(a)(6)(A)(i) of 
                the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
                1182(a)(6)(A)(i)); and
                    ``(B) is unlawfully present in the United States.
            ``(2) Director.--The term `Director' means the Director of 
        the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement Office established 
        pursuant to subsection (b).
    ``(b) In General.--The Secretary shall establish, within the Office 
of the Secretary, the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement Office to 
provide proactive, timely, and professional services to victims of 
crimes committed by aliens who are inadmissible under section 212(a), 
deportable under section 237(a), or otherwise unlawfully present in the 
United States, and to the family members of such victims.
    ``(c) Duties.--The Office shall be headed by a Director, who 
shall--
            ``(1) create a hotline for victims described in subsection 
        (b) and for the family members of such victims--
                    ``(A) to ensure that such victims and family 
                members receive the support they need, including by--
                            ``(i) providing information available to 
                        help victims and their family members 
                        understand the immigration enforcement and 
                        removal process;
                            ``(ii) liaising with social service 
                        professionals to assist in providing support 
                        services referral information; and
                            ``(iii) directing victims and their family 
                        members to a wide range of available resources;
                    ``(B) to assist victims and family members of 
                victims to register for automated custody status 
                information related to the criminal alien;
                    ``(C) to provide victims and their family members 
                with releasable criminal or immigration history about 
                the criminal alien; and
                    ``(D) to provide immediate services to victims and 
                their family members and collect metrics and 
                information to determine additional resource needs and 
                how to improve services to victims; and
            ``(2) conduct a case study on providing proactive, timely, 
        and professional services to victims of crimes, and the family 
        members of such victims, that are committed by aliens who are 
        inadmissible under section 212(a), deportable under section 
        237(a), or otherwise unlawfully present in the United States.
    ``(d) Annual Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the 
enactment of the Justice for Angel Families Act, and annually 
thereafter, the Director shall submit to Congress a report regarding 
the impact on victims of crimes committed by aliens who are 
inadmissible under section 212(a), deportable under section 237(a), or 
otherwise unlawfully present in the United States that includes--
            ``(1) a summary of the case study described in subsection 
        (c)(2); and
            ``(2) information regarding--
                    ``(A) the demographics of such victims and criminal 
                aliens;
                    ``(B) the locations of such crimes;
                    ``(C) the type of crimes committed; and
                    ``(D) whether the criminal aliens have committed 
                multiple crimes.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents of the Homeland 
Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 101 et seq.) is amended by inserting 
after the item relating to section 103 the following:

``Sec. 104. Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement Office.''.
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