Congressional Access to Children's Detention Facilities Act

Bill: 115-hr-6256
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [D-FL-23]
Introduced: 2018-06-27
Policy area: Immigration
Subjects: Border security and unlawful immigration

Child safety and welfare

Congressional oversight

Detention of persons

Family relationships

Government buildings, facilities, and property

Immigration status and procedures

Members of Congress

News media and reporting
Latest action: action_date: 2018-08-02
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security.

Summaries:
action_date: 2018-06-27
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Congressional Access to Children's Detention Facilities Act</b></p> <p>This bill requires the Department of Justice, the Department of Homeland Security, or the Department of Health and Human Services to allow Members of Congress to tour any facility in which one or more foreign national minors (a noncitizen of the United States under age 18) are housed. The Departments must allow members of the press to accompany a visiting Member of Congress and may place limits on such tours based on the number of foreign national minors housed.</p>

tv_txt: I 115th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 6256 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES June 27, 2018 Ms. Wasserman Schultz (for herself, Mr. Pocan , Mr. Gomez , Ms. Shea-Porter , Ms. Ros-Lehtinen , Ms. Jackson Lee , Ms. Moore , Mr. Blumenauer , Ms. Norton , Mr. Ryan of Ohio , Mr. Hastings , Mr. Cárdenas , Mr. Soto , Mr. Lipinski , Ms. Clarke of New York , Ms. Castor of Florida , and Mr. Raskin ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary , and in addition to the Committee on Homeland Security , for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned A BILL To require the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Secretary of Health and Human Services to allow Members of Congress to tour detention facilities that house foreign national minors.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Congressional Access to Children’s Detention Facilities Act . 2. Definitions In this Act: (1) Secretary concerned The term Secretary concerned means, as applicable— (A) the Attorney General; (B) the Secretary of Homeland Security; or (C) the Secretary of Health and Human Services. (2) Foreign national minor The term foreign national minor means an individual who is not a citizen of the United States and is under 18 years of age. 3. Mandatory access to detention facilities housing unaccompanied alien children (a) In general Subject to subsection (c), the Secretary concerned shall allow a Member of Congress to tour any facility in which one or more foreign national minors are housed on a date and at a time between 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. requested by the Member of Congress if, not later than midnight on the date requested, the Secretary receives written notice from the Member of Congress that includes— (1) the name or location of the facility; and (2) the date on and time at which the Member of Congress intends to tour the facility. (b) Accompanying members of the press (1) In general The Secretary concerned shall allow one or more members of the press chosen by the visiting Member of Congress to accompany any Member of Congress on a tour of a facility under this section. (2) Limitation The Secretary concerned shall not be required to allow a member of the press accompanying a Member of Congress under paragraph (1) to enter such facility with a still or video camera. (c) Limitation The Secretary concerned may limit a tour under subsection (a) to— (1) in the case of a facility that houses fewer than 50 foreign national minors— (A) not more than 5 Members of Congress; and (B) accompanying members of the press under subsection (b); and (2) in the case of a facility that houses not fewer than 50 foreign national minors— (A) not more than 10 Members of Congress; and (B) accompanying members of the press under subsection (b). 4. Rule of construction Nothing in this Act shall be construed to supersede or modify applicable— (1) Federal child welfare law, including the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997 ( Public Law 105–89 ); or (2) child welfare law of any State.