Removing Marijuana from Deportable Offenses Act

Bill: 116-hr-4390
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Lujan, Ben Ray [D-NM-3]
Introduced: 2019-09-18
Policy area: Immigration
Subjects: Drug trafficking and controlled substances

Immigration status and procedures

Visas and passports
Latest action: action_date: 2019-10-02
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship.

Summaries:
action_date: 2019-09-18
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Removing Marijuana from Deportable Offenses Act</b></p> <p>This bill removes offenses involving the use, possession, or distribution of marijuana from the list of crimes that could render an alien inadmissible into the United States or deportable. An alien previously denied a visa for such marijuana-related activities may reapply for a visa, and an alien previously deported for such activities shall be readmitted into the United States if not otherwise inadmissible.</p>

tv_txt: I 116th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 4390 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 18, 2019 Mr. Luján (for himself, Ms. Lee of California , Ms. Schakowsky , Mrs. Watson Coleman , Mr. Correa , Mr. García of Illinois , Mr. Espaillat , Mr. Swalwell of California , Ms. Norton , Mr. Cárdenas , Mr. Soto , Mr. Blumenauer , Mr. Gallego , Ms. Titus , Mr. McGovern , Mr. Grijalva , Ms. Escobar , Mr. Engel , Ms. Pingree , Mr. Pocan , Mr. Huffman , and Ms. Velázquez ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary A BILL To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act by striking marijuana use, possession, and distribution as grounds of inadmissibility and removal.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Removing Marijuana from Deportable Offenses Act . 2. Striking marijuana use, possession, and distribution as grounds for inadmissibility and removal (a) In general The Immigration and Nationality Act ( 8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.) is amended— (1) in section 101(a)(43)(B) ( 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(43)(B) ), by inserting other than the distribution of marijuana, after (as defined in section 102 of the Controlled Substances Act) ; (2) in section 212(a)(2) ( 8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(2) ), by amending subparagraph (F) to read as follows: (F) Marijuana offenses Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, any offenses involving the use, possession, or distribution of marijuana shall not be considered as grounds of inadmissibility. ; and (3) in section 237(a)(2)(B)(i) ( 8 U.S.C. 1227(a)(2)(B)(i) ), by striking other than a single offense involving possession for one's own use of 30 grams or less of marijuana and inserting other than offenses involving the use, possession, or distribution of marijuana . (b) Right To reapply or return (1) Reapplication Any alien who was previously denied a visa to enter the United States as a direct result of the alien’s use, possession, or distribution of marijuana may reapply for admission to the United States. (2) Reissuance Any alien who was deported from the United States as a direct result of the alien’s use, possession, or distribution of marijuana shall be readmitted to the United States and reissued the visa that they had at the time of the alien’s deportation if the alien is not inadmissible under section 212(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, as amended by subsection (a)(2).