Support and Defend Our Military Personnel and Their Families Act

Bill: 114-hr-4600
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Thompson, Mike [D-CA-5]
Introduced: 2016-02-24
Policy area: Immigration
Subjects: Citizenship and naturalization

Immigration status and procedures

Military operations and strategy

Military personnel and dependents

User charges and fees

Visas and passports
Latest action: action_date: 2016-02-29
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security.

Summaries:
action_date: 2016-02-24
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><strong>Support and Defend Our Military Personnel and Their Families Act</strong></p> <p>This bill states that any person who serves or has served under honorable conditions as a member of the Armed Forces in support of contingency operations shall be eligible for naturalization as if the person had served during a period of presidentially-designated military hostilities. </p> <p> The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) is amended to extend the period for filing a naturalization application to one year after completion of eligible military service.</p> <p> An alien who is eligible for a family-sponsored immigrant visa and is either the spouse or child of a permanent resident alien who is serving in the Armed Forces shall be exempt from worldwide immigrant visa numerical limitations. </p> <p>The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) may adjust to permanent resident status an alien who is a parent, spouse, child, son or daughter, or minor sibling of a person who is serving or has served in the Armed Forces under honorable conditions. The bill permits posthumous benefits under specified circumstances. </p> <p> With respect to a removal proceeding under INA: </p> <ul> <li>a notice to appear shall not be issued against an alien who serves or has served under honorable conditions in the Armed Forces without prior DHS approval; </li> <li> DHS, in determining whether to issue a notice, shall consider the alien's eligibility for naturalization, military service record, grounds of deportability, and any hardship to the Armed Forces, the alien, and his or her family if the alien were to be placed in removal proceedings; and </li> <li>an alien who serves or has served under honorable conditions in the Armed Forces shall not be removed from the United States on specified grounds.</li> </ul>

tv_txt: I 114th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 4600 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES February 24, 2016 Mr. Thompson of California (for himself, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen , Mr. Vela , and Mr. Farr ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary A BILL To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to protect the well-being of soldiers and their families, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Support and Defend Our Military Personnel and Their Families Act . 2. Facilitating naturalization for military personnel (a) In general Any person who has served honorably as a member of the Armed Forces of the United States in support of a contingency operation (as defined in section 101(a)(13) of title 10, United States Code), and who, if separated from the Armed Forces, was separated under honorable conditions, may be naturalized as provided in section 329 of the Immigration and Nationality Act ( 8 U.S.C. 1440 ) as though the person had served during a period designated by the President under such section. (b) Naturalization through service in the Armed Forces of the United States Section 328 of the Immigration and Nationality Act ( 8 U.S.C. 1439 ) is amended— (1) in subsection (a), by striking six months and inserting one year ; and (2) in subsection (d), by striking six months and inserting one year . 3. Timely reunification of military personnel and their nuclear families Section 201(b)(1) of the Immigration and Nationality Act ( 8 U.S.C. 1151(b)(1) ) is amended by adding at the end the following: (F) Aliens who are eligible for an immigrant visa under paragraph (2) of section 203(a) and are the spouse, child, son, or daughter of an alien who is serving in the Armed Forces of the United States. . 4. Relief for immediate family members of active duty personnel Section 245 of the Immigration and Nationality Act ( 8 U.S.C. 1255 ) is amended by adding at the end the following: (n) Relief for immediate family members of active duty personnel (1) In general The Secretary of Homeland Security may adjust the status of an alien described in paragraph (2) to that of an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence if— (A) the alien makes an application for such adjustment, and is physically present in the United States on the date the application is filed; (B) the alien is eligible to receive an immigrant visa and is admissible under section 212(a) (except that paragraphs (4), (6)(A), (7)(A), and (9)(B) of such section shall not apply for purposes of this subsection); (C) an immigrant visa is immediately available to the alien at the time the application is filed; and (D) the alien pays a fee, as determined by the Secretary, for the processing of such application. (2) Eligible aliens (A) In general The benefits provided in paragraph (1) shall apply only to an alien who is a parent, spouse, child, son, daughter, or minor sibling of an eligible member of the Armed Forces. (B) Posthumous benefits An alien described in subparagraph (A) shall continue to be eligible for adjustment under this subsection for 2 years after the death of an eligible member of the Armed Forces whose death was the result of injury or disease incurred in or aggravated by his or her service in the Armed Forces or, if such death occurred prior to the date of enactment of this paragraph, for 2 years after such date of enactment. (3) Eligible members of the Armed Forces In this subsection, eligible member of the Armed Forces means any person who— (A) has served honorably in an active duty status in the Armed Forces of the United States; and (B) if separated from the service described in subparagraph (A), was separated under honorable conditions. . 5. Factors to consider in initiating removal proceedings against active duty military personnel and veterans Section 239 of the Immigration and Nationality Act ( 8 U.S.C. 1229 ) is amended by adding at the end the following: (f) Considerations for active duty military personnel and veterans (1) In general A notice to appear shall not be issued against an alien who has served honorably at any time in the Armed Forces of the United States, and who, if separated from the Armed Forces, separated under honorable conditions, without prior approval from the Secretary of Homeland Security. (2) Factors In determining whether to issue a notice to appear against such an alien, the Secretary shall consider the alien’s eligibility for naturalization under section 328 or 329, as well as the alien’s record of military service, grounds of deportability applicable to the alien, and any hardship to the Armed Forces, the alien, and his or her family if the alien were to be placed in removal proceedings. (3) Prohibition An alien who has served honorably in the Armed Forces of the United States, and who, if separated from the Armed Forces, separated under honorable conditions, shall not be removed from the United States under subparagraph (A)(i) or (B)(iii) of section 235(b)(1), section 238, or section 241(a)(5). .