Title: The Southern Border Communities Relief Act of 2019
Policy area: Immigration

Summary:
The Southern Border Communities Relief Act of 2019
This bill authorizes assistance to jurisdictions and organizations providing services for aliens released from Department of Homeland Security (DHS) custody. It also directs DHS to develop a standard protocol related to releasing aliens from custody and issuing notices to such aliens to appear in immigration proceedings.
The assistance authorized under this bill shall (1) be for FY2021, FY2022, and FY2023; (2) only be used to provide assistance for aliens released from DHS custody; (3) be distributed by the Emergency Food and Shelter Program National Board; and (4) only be given to jurisdictions that have experienced a significant influx of released aliens or organizations in such jurisdictions.
The protocols related to releasing aliens and issuing notices to appear shall include requirements related to (1) coordinating with local governments and organizations on a release date and time, (2) releasing aliens in locations where organizations can provide assistance, and (3) ensuring that notices to appear contain complete and accurate information.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4599 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 4599

  To provide resources for jurisdictions and organizations that have 
   experienced a significant influx of migrant aliens, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 1, 2019

  Ms. Torres Small of New Mexico (for herself, Ms. Roybal-Allard, Mr. 
   Lujan, Mr. Vargas, Mrs. Kirkpatrick, Ms. Escobar, Mr. Gonzalez of 
Texas, Mr. Grijalva, Ms. Haaland, Mr. Peters, and Mr. Crow) introduced 
    the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the 
Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Financial Services, for 
a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
                          committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To provide resources for jurisdictions and organizations that have 
   experienced a significant influx of migrant aliens, 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 ``The Southern Border Communities 
Relief Act of 2019''.

SEC. 2. FUNDING FOR HUMANITARIAN RELIEF AT THE BORDER.

    (a) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated for the emergency food and shelter program under title III 
of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11331 et 
seq.), for use only under subsection (b) of this section, $60,000,000 
for each of fiscal years 2021, 2022, and 2023.
    (b) Use.--Any amounts made available pursuant to subsection (a)--
            (1) shall be used only for providing assistance to aliens 
        released from the custody of the Department of Homeland 
        Security;
            (2) notwithstanding sections 315 and 316(b) of the 
        McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11345, 
        11346(b)), shall be disbursed by the Emergency Food and Shelter 
        Program National Board not later than 60 days after the date on 
        which such amounts become available;
            (3) shall be distributed by the Emergency Food and Shelter 
        Program National Board only to jurisdictions or local recipient 
        organizations serving communities that have experienced a 
        significant influx of such aliens;
            (4) may be used to reimburse such jurisdictions or local 
        recipient organizations for costs incurred in providing 
        services to such aliens on or after July 1, 2019; and
            (5) shall be distributed by the Emergency Food and Shelter 
        Program National Board in accordance with the findings in the 
        report described in subsection (d).
    (c) Congressional Notification.--Not later than 24 hours after the 
publication of a notice of funding opportunity for amounts made 
available pursuant to subsection (a), the Administrator of the Federal 
Emergency Management Agency shall notify the Committees on 
Appropriations of the Senate and the House of Representatives, the 
Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives, and the 
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate 
of such publication.
    (d) Reporting.--Not later than 30 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency shall submit to the Committees on Appropriations of 
the Senate and the House of Representatives, the Committee on Homeland 
Security of the House of Representatives, and the Committee on Homeland 
Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate a report regarding the 
disbursement under the Emergency Food and Shelter Program of amounts 
appropriated by Public Law 116-26. Such report shall include--
            (1) an examination of whether projected costs and 
        administrative costs, such as costs related to staffing, 
        transportation, and applying for Federal funding, should be 
        included in primary reimbursement eligibility for future 
        disbursements;
            (2) an analysis of whether jurisdictions and local 
        recipient organizations were reimbursed to the greatest extent 
        practicable;
            (3) identification of challenges jurisdictions and local 
        recipient organizations faced during the application process; 
        and
            (4) recommendations on how to improve the reimbursement 
        process to maximize full compensation.

SEC. 3. NOTICE TO APPEAR; OWN RECOGNIZANCE RELEASE PROTOCOL.

    (a) In General.--The release of an alien that the Commissioner of 
U.S. Customs and Border Protection determines to release on that 
alien's own recognizance and the issuance of a notice to appear to that 
alien shall be governed by a standard protocol, which the Secretary of 
Homeland Security, acting through the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and 
Border Protection, shall develop not later than 30 days after the date 
of enactment of this Act. The protocol shall include requirements for, 
to the greatest extent practicable and without delaying releases--
            (1) coordination with local nongovernmental organizations 
        and units of local government on a release date and time;
            (2) the provision of a pre-release notice to 
        nongovernmental organizations and units of local government not 
        less than 8 hours before release;
            (3) releasing individuals in locations with robust 
        nongovernmental organization networks, as determined by the 
        Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, in 
        consultation with the Chief Patrol Agent of the respective U.S. 
        Border Patrol sector, provided that other appropriate factors 
        such as proximity and reasonable distribution of released 
        individuals are also considered;
            (4) releasing individuals at facilities operated by 
        nongovernmental organizations or units of local government;
            (5) the provision to organizations or units of local 
        government to which individuals were released of documentation 
        describing the date of the release, the number of individuals 
        released, and other relevant information;
            (6) ensuring that individuals are released with any valid 
        documentation with which they entered the United States; and
            (7) ensuring that notices to appear contain complete and 
        accurate information, including--
                    (A) a clear date and time for an immigration court 
                hearing;
                    (B) requirements needed to travel to the 
                individuals' stated destination; and
                    (C) contact information, including an address to 
                which individuals can receive notices regarding updates 
                to immigration proceedings.
    (b) Implementation.--Not later than 60 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security, acting 
through the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, shall 
implement the standard protocol developed under subsection (a).
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section.
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