Title: Closing Asylum Loopholes Act
Policy area: Immigration

Summary:
Closing Asylum Loopholes Act
This bill requires an alien's "credible fear of persecution" to be more probable than not in order to be eligible for asylum. It also directs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to ensure that the questions asked in expedited removal proceedings are done so in a uniform manner, and to record interviews in expedited removal and asylum proceedings.
If an asylum seeker needs an interpreter, DHS shall ensure that a competent interpreter is used who is not affiliated with the government of the country the alien is seeking asylum frrom.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 517 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






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 Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Closing Asylum Loopholes Act''.

SEC. 2. CREDIBLE FEAR INTERVIEWS.

    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.''.

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 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.
    (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 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.
    (c) 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.
    (d) 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.
    (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, entities, officers, employees, or agents, or any 
person, nor does this section create any right of review in any 
administrative, judicial, or other proceeding.
                                 <all>