CLEAR Act of 2007

Bill: 110-hr-842
Sponsor: Rep. Norwood, Charles W. [R-GA-10]
Introduced: 2007-02-06 in the House
Policy area: Immigration
Subjects: Aliens
Armed Forces and National Security
Arrest
Auditing
Authorization
Compensation (Law)
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Crime and Law Enforcement
Criminal aliens
Criminal investigation
Criminal justice information
Data banks
Department of Justice
Deportation
Detention of persons
Driver licenses
Economics and Public Finance
Electronic government information
Federal aid to law enforcement
Federal-local relations
Federal-state relations
Fines (Penalties)
Fingerprints
Forfeiture
Fraud
Government Operations and Politics
Government liability
Government paperwork
Government publications
Identification devices
Illegal aliens
Imprisonment
Labor and Employment
Law
Law enforcement officers
Liability (Law)
Local laws
Mandatory sentences
Military base closures
Military bases
Police
Police training
Prisons
Privileges and immunities
Science, Technology, Communications
State laws
Transportation and Public Works
Visas

Summary:
action_date: 2007-02-06
text: 
Clear Law Enforcement for Criminal Alien Removal Act of 2007 or CLEAR Act of 2007 - States that: (1) state and local law enforcement personnel, in the course of their routine duties, have the inherent authority to investigate, apprehend, or transfer to federal custody aliens in the United States (including interstate transportation of such aliens to detention centers) in order to assist in the enforcement of U.S. immigration laws; and (2) effective two years after enactment of this Act, a state that has in effect a statute, policy, or practice prohibiting such law enforcement assistance shall not receive certain federal incarceration assistance.
 
Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act with respect to illegal aliens to: (1) establish criminal penalties for aliens unlawfully present in the United States; (2) increase specified criminal penalties for illegal entry and failure to depart violations; and (3) expand the scope of, and increase, civil penalties for improper entry or failure to depart.
 
Provides for the listing of immigration violators in the National Crime Information Center database.
 
Encourages states and localities to provide the Department of Homeland Security with specified information about apprehended illegal aliens. Provides federal reimbursement for related State and local costs. (States that such provision shall not require state or local enforcement officials to provide the Department with information related to a victim of a crime or witness to a criminal offense.)
 
Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to make grants to states and political subdivisions that enforce immigration laws in the course of their routine law enforcement duties for special equipment and facilities related to arresting, detaining, or transporting illegal aliens. 
 
Directs the Secretary to: (1) construct or acquire 20 additional detention facilities for aliens detained pending removal (or a decision on removal); and (2) consider the transfer of military installations under base closure laws for such purposes.
 
Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act with respect to illegal aliens apprehended by state or local authorities to provide for: (1) federal custody upon state or local request; and (2) state or local compensation for related incarceration and transportation costs.
 
States with respect to an alien subject to removal that the Attorney General or Secretary shall ensure such alien's detention in an adequate (as defined by this Act) state or local prison, detention center, or other comparable facility prior to his or her removal examination. 
 
Directs the Secretary to establish immigration-related training for state and local personnel.
 
Provides: (1) personal liability immunity to the same extent as corresponding federal immunity for state or local personnel enforcing immigration laws within the scope of their duties under this Act; and (2) civil rights money damage immunity for state or local agencies enforcing immigration laws unless their personnel violated criminal law in such enforcement.
 
States that the Department shall continue to operate the institutional removal program (IRP), which shall be expanded to all states.
 
Authorizes state or local detention of an illegal alien after completion of such alien's prison sentence for: (1) up to 14 days to facilitate federal transfer; or (2) until transfer to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
 
Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to authorize appropriations at a specified level for FY2012 and subsequent fiscal years for the state criminal alien assistance program (SCAAP).


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-03-01
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law.
action_date: 2007-03-01
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.
action_date: 2007-02-06
text: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2007-02-06
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2007-02-06
text: Introduced in House