American Security Against Foreign Enemies Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-4038
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. McCaul, Michael T. [R-TX-10]
Introduced: 2015-11-17
Policy area: Immigration
Subjects: Border security and unlawful immigration

Congressional oversight

Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation

Criminal justice information and records

Government studies and investigations

Immigration status and procedures

Iraq

Middle East

Refugees, asylum, displaced persons

Syria

Terrorism
Latest action: action_date: 2016-01-20
text: Cloture on the motion to proceed to the measure not invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 55 - 43. Record Vote Number: 4. (consideration: CR S111; text: CR S111)

Summaries:
action_date: 2015-11-17
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><strong>American Security Against Foreign Enemies Act of 2015 or the American SAFE Act of 2015</strong></p> <p>This bill requires that, in addition to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) screening, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) shall take all actions necessary to ensure that each covered alien receives a background investigation before U.S. refugee admission.</p> <p>A &quot;covered alien&quot; is any alien applying for U.S. refugee admission who: </p> <ul> <li>is a national or resident of Iraq or Syria, </li> <li>has no nationality and whose last habitual residence was in Iraq or Syria, or </li> <li>has been present in Iraq or Syria at any time on or after March 1, 2011.</li> </ul> <p>A covered alien: </p> <ul> <li>may not be admitted as a refugee until the FBI certifies to DHS and the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) that he or she has received a background investigation sufficient to determine whether the alien is a U.S. security threat; and </li> <li>may only be admitted to the United States after DHS, with the unanimous concurrence of the FBI and the DNI, certifies to Congress that he or she is not such a threat.</li> </ul> <p>The Inspector General of DHS shall conduct annual risk-based reviews of all certifications.</p> <p>DHS shall report monthly to Congress on the total number of admission applications for which a certification was made and the number of covered aliens for whom such a certification was not made for the preceding month. The report shall include for each covered alien for whom a certification was not made the concurrence or nonconcurrence of each person whose concurrence was required by the certification.</p>

action_date: 2015-11-19
action_desc: Passed House without amendment
text: <p>(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)</p> <p><strong>American Security Against Foreign Enemies Act of 2015 or the American SAFE Act of 2015</strong></p> <p>(Sec. 2) This bill requires that, in addition to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) screening, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) shall take all actions necessary to ensure that each covered alien receives a background investigation before U.S. refugee admission.</p> <p>A &quot;covered alien&quot; is any alien applying for U.S. refugee admission who: </p> <ul> <li>is a national or resident of Iraq or Syria, </li> <li>has no nationality and whose last habitual residence was in Iraq or Syria, or </li> <li>has been present in Iraq or Syria at any time on or after March 1, 2011.</li> </ul> <p>A covered alien: </p> <ul> <li>may not be admitted as a refugee until the FBI certifies to DHS and the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) that he or she has received a background investigation sufficient to determine whether the alien is a U.S. security threat; and </li> <li>may only be admitted to the United States after DHS, with the unanimous concurrence of the FBI and the DNI, certifies to Congress that he or she is not such a threat.</li> </ul> <p>The Inspector General of DHS shall conduct annual risk-based reviews of all certifications.</p> <p>DHS shall report monthly to Congress on the total number of admission applications for which a certification was made and the number of covered aliens for whom such a certification was not made for the preceding month. The report shall include for each covered alien for whom a certification was not made the concurrence or nonconcurrence of each person whose concurrence was required by the certification.</p>

tv_txt: I 114th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 4038 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES November 17, 2015 Mr. McCaul (for himself and Mr. Hudson ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary A BILL To require that supplemental certifications and background investigations be completed prior to the admission of certain aliens as refugees, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the American Security Against Foreign Enemies Act of 2015 or as the American SAFE Act of 2015 . 2. Review of refugees to identify security threats to the United States (a) Background investigation In addition to the screening conducted by the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation shall take all actions necessary to ensure that each covered alien receives a thorough background investigation prior to admission as a refugee. A covered alien may not be admitted as a refugee until the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation certifies to the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Director of National Intelligence that each covered alien has received a background investigation that is sufficient to determine whether the covered alien is a threat to the security of the United States. (b) Certification by unanimous concurrence A covered alien may only be admitted to the United States after the Secretary of Homeland Security, with the unanimous concurrence of the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Director of National Intelligence, certifies to the appropriate Congressional Committees that the covered alien is not a threat to the security of the United States. (c) Inspector general review of certifications The Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security shall conduct a risk-based review of all certifications made under subsection (b) each year and shall provide an annual report detailing the findings to the appropriate Congressional Committees. (d) Monthly report The Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit to the appropriate Congressional Committees a monthly report on the total number of applications for admission with regard to which a certification under subsection (b) was made and the number of covered aliens with regard to whom such a certification was not made for the month preceding the date of the report. The report shall include, for each covered alien with regard to whom a certification was not made, the concurrence or nonconcurrence of each person whose concurrence was required by subsection (b). (e) Definitions In this Act: (1) Covered alien The term covered alien means any alien applying for admission to the United States as a refugee who— (A) is a national or resident of Iraq or Syria; (B) has no nationality and whose last habitual residence was in Iraq or Syria; or (C) has been present in Iraq or Syria at any time on or after March 1, 2011. (2) Appropriate Congressional Committee The term appropriate Congressional Committees means— (A) the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate; (B) the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate; (C) the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate; (D) the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate; (E) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate; (F) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; (G) the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives; (H) the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of Representatives; (I) the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives; (J) the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives; (K) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives; and (L) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives.

tv_txt: II Calendar No. 300 114th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 4038 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES November 19, 2015 Received; read the first time November 19, 2015 Deemed read the second time, pursuant to the order of November 19, 2015, and placed on the calendar AN ACT To require that supplemental certifications and background investigations be completed prior to the admission of certain aliens as refugees, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the American Security Against Foreign Enemies Act of 2015 or as the American SAFE Act of 2015 . 2. Review of refugees to identify security threats to the United States (a) Background investigation In addition to the screening conducted by the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation shall take all actions necessary to ensure that each covered alien receives a thorough background investigation prior to admission as a refugee. A covered alien may not be admitted as a refugee until the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation certifies to the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Director of National Intelligence that each covered alien has received a background investigation that is sufficient to determine whether the covered alien is a threat to the security of the United States. (b) Certification by unanimous concurrence A covered alien may only be admitted to the United States after the Secretary of Homeland Security, with the unanimous concurrence of the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Director of National Intelligence, certifies to the appropriate Congressional Committees that the covered alien is not a threat to the security of the United States. (c) Inspector general review of certifications The Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security shall conduct a risk-based review of all certifications made under subsection (b) each year and shall provide an annual report detailing the findings to the appropriate Congressional Committees. (d) Monthly report The Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit to the appropriate Congressional Committees a monthly report on the total number of applications for admission with regard to which a certification under subsection (b) was made and the number of covered aliens with regard to whom such a certification was not made for the month preceding the date of the report. The report shall include, for each covered alien with regard to whom a certification was not made, the concurrence or nonconcurrence of each person whose concurrence was required by subsection (b). (e) Definitions In this Act: (1) Covered alien The term covered alien means any alien applying for admission to the United States as a refugee who— (A) is a national or resident of Iraq or Syria; (B) has no nationality and whose last habitual residence was in Iraq or Syria; or (C) has been present in Iraq or Syria at any time on or after March 1, 2011. (2) Appropriate Congressional Committee The term appropriate Congressional Committees means— (A) the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate; (B) the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate; (C) the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate; (D) the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate; (E) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate; (F) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; (G) the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives; (H) the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of Representatives; (I) the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives; (J) the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives; (K) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives; and (L) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives.

Passed the House of Representatives November 19, 2015. Karen L. Haas, Clerk

November 19, 2015 Received; read the first time November 19, 2015 Deemed read the second time, pursuant to the order of November 19, 2015, and placed on the calendar

tv_txt: I 114th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 4038 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AN ACT To require that supplemental certifications and background investigations be completed prior to the admission of certain aliens as refugees, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the American Security Against Foreign Enemies Act of 2015 or as the American SAFE Act of 2015 . 2. Review of refugees to identify security threats to the United States (a) Background investigation In addition to the screening conducted by the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation shall take all actions necessary to ensure that each covered alien receives a thorough background investigation prior to admission as a refugee. A covered alien may not be admitted as a refugee until the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation certifies to the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Director of National Intelligence that each covered alien has received a background investigation that is sufficient to determine whether the covered alien is a threat to the security of the United States. (b) Certification by unanimous concurrence A covered alien may only be admitted to the United States after the Secretary of Homeland Security, with the unanimous concurrence of the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Director of National Intelligence, certifies to the appropriate Congressional Committees that the covered alien is not a threat to the security of the United States. (c) Inspector general review of certifications The Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security shall conduct a risk-based review of all certifications made under subsection (b) each year and shall provide an annual report detailing the findings to the appropriate Congressional Committees. (d) Monthly report The Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit to the appropriate Congressional Committees a monthly report on the total number of applications for admission with regard to which a certification under subsection (b) was made and the number of covered aliens with regard to whom such a certification was not made for the month preceding the date of the report. The report shall include, for each covered alien with regard to whom a certification was not made, the concurrence or nonconcurrence of each person whose concurrence was required by subsection (b). (e) Definitions In this Act: (1) Covered alien The term covered alien means any alien applying for admission to the United States as a refugee who— (A) is a national or resident of Iraq or Syria; (B) has no nationality and whose last habitual residence was in Iraq or Syria; or (C) has been present in Iraq or Syria at any time on or after March 1, 2011. (2) Appropriate Congressional Committee The term appropriate Congressional Committees means— (A) the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate; (B) the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate; (C) the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate; (D) the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate; (E) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate; (F) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; (G) the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives; (H) the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of Representatives; (I) the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives; (J) the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives; (K) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives; and (L) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives.

Passed the House of Representatives November 19, 2015. Karen L. Haas, Clerk.