Unaccompanied Alien Child Protection Act of 2003

Bill: 108-hr-3361
Sponsor: Rep. Lofgren, Zoe [D-CA-16]
Introduced: 2003-10-21 in the House
Policy area: Immigration
Subjects: Administrative remedies
Age
Aliens
Armed Forces and National Security
Authorization
Border patrols
Canada
Child abuse
Child health
Child safety
Child sexual abuse
Children's rights
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Correctional institutions
Crime and Law Enforcement
Criminal aliens
Criminal investigation
Curricula
Custody of children
Damages
Department of Health and Human Services
Deportation
Detention of persons
Disciplining of employees
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Elementary and secondary education
Employee training
Evidence (Law)
Families
Federal employees
Federal law enforcement officers
Foster home care
Government Operations and Politics
Government service contracts
Grants-in-aid
Group homes
Guardian and ward
Health
Human rights
Illegal aliens
Immigrant education
Immigrant health
Immigrants
International Affairs
Juvenile delinquency
Labor and Employment
Latin America
Law
Legal aid
Legal education
Legal ethics
Legal fees
Licenses
Limitation of actions
Local officials
Mental health services
Mexicans
Mexico
Nonprofit organizations
Parent and child
Prosecution
Recruiting of employees
Refugees
Repatriation
Right of asylum
Right to counsel
Smuggling
Social Welfare
Social work
Standards
State officials
Translating and interpreting
Trauma care
Visas
Witnesses

Summary:
action_date: 2003-10-21
text: 
Unaccompanied Alien Child Protection Act of 2003 - Establishes procedures for immigration officers who find an unaccompanied alien child at a U.S. land border or point of entry who is a national or habitual resident of a contiguous country. 
Establishes that other unaccompanied alien children, including trafficking victims, shall be in the care of the Office of Refugee Resettlement, except that such children who threaten U.S. security or who are charged with or have been convicted of a felony shall be in the care of the Directorate of Border and Transportation Security.
 
Sets forth a family reunification preference order.
 
Prohibits, with an exception for violent children, detention in adult or delinquent children facilities. Directs the Office to develop procedures for detention and prohibited detention practices.
 
Expresses the sense of Congress that the United States Government should ensure that it does not repatriate children in its custody into life- and safety-threatening settings.
 
Directs the Secretary of State to include in the annual State Department Country Report on Human Rights an assessment of the degree to which each country protects children from smugglers and traffickers.
 
Directs the Office, with respect to unaccompanied alien children in the custody of the Office or the Department of Homeland Security, to: (1) develop age determination procedures; and (2) provide immigration counsel. Directs the Executive Office for Immigration Review to develop model guidelines for legal representation of children.
 
Authorizes the Office to provide that each unaccompanied child have a guardian ad litem. Requires the Office to implement a pilot program for the appointment of guardians ad litem.
 
Amends special immigrant juvenile provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).
 
Expresses congressional commendation of the Immigration and Naturalization Service' s issuance of its &quot;Guidelines for Children's Asylum Claims.&quot; Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to provide immigration officers with related training.
 
Exempts unaccompanied alien children from certain removal and asylum provisions.
 
Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to set forth additional responsibilities and authorities of the Office with respect to unaccompanied alien children.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-12-10
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security, and Claims.
action_date: 2003-10-21
text: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2003-10-21
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E2106)
action_date: 2003-10-21
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2003-10-21
text: Introduced in House