jiayi-li23/proxann_data huggingface dataset:
Topic: Immigration — Immigration
Subject: Congress
Date: 2015-11-04 00:00:00

Ending the Sanctuary Capitol Policy Act of 2015

This bill authorizes U.S. Capitol Police officers, in the performance of official duties, to make arrests and otherwise enforce immigration laws on Capitol Grounds.
Topic: Immigration — Immigration
Subject: Immigration
Date: 2015-11-05 00:00:00

Save Christians from Genocide Act

This bill recognizes that Christians and Yazidis in Iraq, Syria, Pakistan, Iran, Egypt, and Libya are targets of genocide.

The Department of Homeland Security shall provide for expedited visa processing and shall ensure that such applications receive first priority among refugee and (family- or employment-based) immigrant applications for an alien who:

 is a citizen or national of Iraq, Syria, Pakistan, Iran, Egypt, or Libya, or in the case of an alien having no nationality, whose country of last habitual residence was Iraq, Syria, Pakistan, Iran, Egypt, or Libya; is a Christian or Yazidi; and is seeking refugee or immigrant admission to the United States.
Topic: Immigration — Immigration
Subject: Immigration
Date: 2015-11-05 00:00:00

Jobs in America Act

This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to establish an employment-based, conditional immigrant visa (StartUp visa) for a sponsored alien entrepreneur: (1) with required amounts of financial backing from a qualifying investor or venture capitalist; and (2) whose commercial activities will generate required levels of employment, revenue, or capital investment.

The Department of Homeland Security shall terminate the status of a sponsored entrepreneur (and the alien spouse and children of such entrepreneur) if not later than three years after the date on which such permanent resident status was conferred: (1) the sponsoring venture capitalist or investor fails to meet investment requirements; or (2) the entrepreneur fails to meet job creation, capital investment, or revenue requirements.
Topic: Immigration — Immigration
Subject: Immigration
Date: 2015-11-16 00:00:00

American Security Against Foreign Enemies Act of 2015 or the American SAFE Act of 2015

This bill prohibits a covered refugee from being admitted to the United States until the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) certifies to Congress that such individual is not a security threat to the United States. The Inspector General of DHS shall review 20% of all such certifications each fiscal year.

The term "covered refugee" is defined as any alien applying for refugee status who is: (1) a national or resident of Iraq or Syria, or (2) present in Iraq or Syria at any time while the application for refugee status is pending.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) shall take actions to ensure that each covered refugee receives a thorough background investigation prior to admission. A covered refugee may not be admitted until the FBI certifies that such covered refugee has received such an investigation.
Topic: Immigration — Immigration
Subject: Immigration
Date: 2015-11-16 00:00:00

Assuring Law Enforcement Requests Are Timely Evaluated by the Department of Homeland Security Act of 2015 or the ALERTED Act of 2015

 This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to direct U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, upon request by a federal, state, or local law enforcement official, to determine whether to issue a detainer to detain an alien arrested by such official for a violation of any law, not just one relating to controlled substances.
Topic: Immigration — Immigration
Subject: Immigration
Date: 2015-11-16 00:00:00

Protect Our Workers from Exploitation and Retaliation Act or the POWER Act

 This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to exclude from the definition of "immigrant" a nonimmigrant alien who files a petition for U visa status (set aside for victims of crimes and their immediate family members) if the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) determines that the alien:

 has suffered abuse or harm as a result of having been a victim of criminal activity; has suffered substantial abuse or harm related to specified labor or employment violations related to a workplace claim (workplace violation); is a victim of specified criminal activity and would suffer extreme hardship upon removal; has suffered a workplace violation and would suffer extreme hardship upon removal; has been helpful in a workplace violation investigation; or has filed, is a material witness in, or is likely to be helpful in the investigation of, a workplace claim and reasonably fears or has been the victim of an action involving force, physical restraint, retaliation, or abuse of the immigration or other legal process by the employer. DHS may permit an alien to remain and work temporarily in the United States if the alien: (1) has filed for relief as a victim of crime or of violations of labor or employment laws or regulations; (2) has filed, or is a material witness to, a workplace claim; and (3) has been helpful in a federal, state, or local law enforcement action related to the claim.

 The bill sets forth workplace claim procedural requirements and protections in an enforcement action leading to a removal proceeding.

 The bill establishes exceptions to a stay of removal or other specified relief where DHS establishes that: (1) the alien has been convicted of a felony, or (2) a workplace claim was filed in bad faith with intent to delay or avoid the alien's removal.
Topic: Immigration — Immigration
Subject: Immigration
Date: 2015-11-16 00:00:00

Save Christians from Genocide Act

This bill recognizes that Christians and Yazidis in Iraq, Syria, Pakistan, Iran, and Libya are targets of genocide.

The Department of Homeland Security shall provide for expedited visa processing and shall ensure that such applications receive first priority among refugee and (family- or employment-based) immigrant applications for an alien who:

 is a citizen or national of Iraq, Syria, Pakistan, Iran, or Libya, or in the case of an alien having no nationality, whose country of last habitual residence was Iraq, Syria, Pakistan, Iran, or Libya; is a Christian or Yazidi; and is seeking refugee or immigrant admission to the United States.
Topic: Immigration — Immigration
Subject: Immigration
Date: 2015-11-17 00:00:00

This bill prohibits the obligation of federal funds for the U.S. refugee admission of any alien: (1) whose country of nationality is Syria, or (2) who has no nationality but who last habitually resided in Syria.

Such prohibition shall terminate only upon the approval in the House of Representatives and in the Senate of a resolution of termination.
Topic: Immigration — Immigration
Subject: Immigration
Date: 2015-11-17 00:00:00

This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to prohibit the resettlement of refugees in a state whose governor has taken any action formally disapproving the resettlement of refugees, or of certain refugees, in that state during that fiscal year.

A state:

 disapproving the resettlement of any refugees may not receive specified refugee resettlement funds during that fiscal year, or disapproving the resettlement of only certain refugees shall receive a reduction of such funds proportionate to the number of refugees not resettled.
Topic: Immigration — Immigration
Subject: Immigration
Date: 2015-11-17 00:00:00

Defund the Syrian Refugee Resettlement Program Act of 2015

This bill prohibits federal funds from being obligated for the U.S. refugee admission of any alien who is a national of Syria or whose last habitual residence was in Syria during the period that the civil war in Syria is ongoing, as determined by the Department of Homeland Security.
Topic: Immigration — Immigration
Subject: Immigration
Date: 2015-11-17 00:00:00

States' Right of Refugee Refusal Act of 2015

This bill prohibits the Office of Refugee Resettlement or the federal agency administering refugee resettlement from resettling or coordinating placement of any refugee in a state whose government has communicated to the Office that the state government does not accede to such resettlement or placement.
Topic: Immigration — Immigration
Subject: Immigration
Date: 2015-11-17 00:00:00

Refugee Relocation Security Act

This bill prohibits the Department of Homeland Security (HHS) from admitting an alien from Syria or Iraq into the United States as a refugee until Congress passes a joint resolution authorizing DHS to resume such admissions.

The President may not relocate refugees to any state that explicitly rejects their admission into its respective state territory or tribal land through the direction of: (1) the governor of the affected state, or (2) an Act of the state legislature of the affected state.
Topic: Immigration — Immigration
Subject: Immigration
Date: 2015-11-17 00:00:00

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)

American Security Against Foreign Enemies Act of 2015 or the American SAFE Act of 2015

(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.

A "covered alien" is any alien applying for U.S. refugee admission who:

 is a national or resident of Iraq or Syria, has no nationality and whose last habitual residence was in Iraq or Syria, or has been present in Iraq or Syria at any time on or after March 1, 2011. A covered alien:

 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 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. The Inspector General of DHS shall conduct annual risk-based reviews of all certifications.

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.
Topic: Immigration — Immigration
Subject: Immigration
Date: 2015-11-17 00:00:00

This bill prohibits federal funds from being obligated for the U.S. refugee admission of any alien: (1) whose country of nationality is Syria, Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan, or Yemen; or (2) in the case of an alien having no nationality, the country in which the alien last habitually resided is Syria, Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan, or Yemen.
Topic: Immigration — Immigration
Subject: Immigration
Date: 2015-11-17 00:00:00

Syrian Refugee Verification and Safety Act

This bill declares that: (1) no alien who is a refugee because of the conflict in Syria (covered alien) may be admitted to the United States as a refugee, (2) no funds may be expended to process refugee applications for covered aliens, and (3) no funds may be expended by the Department of State or the Department of Health and Human Services to resettle covered aliens in the United States.

These restrictions shall remain in effect until 30 days after the President certifies to Congress regarding:

 protocols and interagency coordination to adjudicate such U.S. admissions and resettlement; evaluation and review of such protocols and coordination by the Inspector General of the Intelligence Community; State Department submission to Congress of an updated Congressional Presentation Document of the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration for Fiscal Year 2016 that reflects security or other risks posed by covered aliens; and a State Department briefing to Congress on the increase in covered aliens seeking refugee admission and so admitted, including information on any terrorist conduct. This certification: (1) may not be submitted to Congress before 270 days, and (2) shall not have any effect if Congress enacts into law a joint resolution of disapproval within 15 days.
Topic: Immigration — Immigration
Subject: Immigration
Date: 2015-11-18 00:00:00

This bill directs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to collect data, and report annually to Congress, regarding instances in which an alien admitted to the United States as a refugee returns temporarily or permanently: (1) to the country of the alien's nationality at the time of such admission; or (2) in the case of an alien having no nationality at the time of such admission, to the country in which the alien last habitually resided prior to such admission.

The bill prohibits DHS from admitting aliens into the United States as refugees until Congress passes a joint resolution giving DHS authority to resume admitting such aliens.
Topic: Immigration — Immigration
Subject: Immigration
Date: 2015-11-18 00:00:00

Give States a Chance Act of 2015

This bill authorizes the governor of any state in which it is proposed to place or resettle as a refugee an alien meeting certain criteria to refuse such placement or resettlement if the governor:

 has not properly been informed of the intended sponsorship process for the refugee, has determined that the proposed location for the refugee within the state is inappropriate because the proportion of refugees and comparable entrants in that location's population is too high, or is not reasonably satisfied that the refugee does not post a security threat. A covered refugee may not be admitted to the United States until the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) certifies to Congress that he or she is not a U.S. security threat.

A "covered refugee" is any alien applying for U.S. refugee admission who:

 is a national or resident of Iraq or Syria, has no nationality and whose last habitual residence was in Iraq or Syria, or has been present in Iraq or Syria at any time on or after March 1, 2011. The Inspector General of DHS shall review 20% of all certifications made each fiscal year.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) shall ensure that each covered refugee receives a thorough background investigation before admission. A covered refugee may not be admitted until the FBI certifies that such an investigation has been done.
Topic: Immigration — Immigration
Subject: Immigration
Date: 2015-11-19 00:00:00

Secure Refugee Process Act of 2015

This bill declares that no alien shall be admitted as a refugee:

 whose identity has not been satisfactorily established pursuant to Department of Homeland Security procedures, which shall address any insufficient, conflicting, or unreliable information, including biographic and biometric data that is unresolved at the time of admission; and if, by the time of admission, the alien's identity has not been checked against specified federal records or databases to determine any national security, criminal, or other grounds on which the alien may be inadmissible. An alien may only be admitted as a refugee after DHS certifies that all provisions of this Act have been complied with and that the alien has not been firmly resettled in a safe third country.

DHS shall report to Congress monthly regarding the total number of refugee applicants of special interest and the number of such applicants whose applications were denied.

The Inspector General of DHS shall conduct an annual risk-based review of a sampling of certifications and report its findings to Congress.
Topic: Immigration — Immigration
Subject: Immigration
Date: 2015-11-19 00:00:00

Security Verification for Refugees Act

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.

A "covered alien" is any alien applying for U.S. refugee admission who:

 is a national or resident of Iraq, Syria, or a country designated as a high-risk country; has no nationality and whose last habitual residence was in Iraq, Syria, or a country designated as a high-risk country; or has been present in Iraq or Syria at any time on or after March 1, 2011. A covered alien:

 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 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. The Inspector General of DHS shall conduct annual risk-based reviews of all certifications.

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.

 The Department of State shall submit annually to Congress:

 a list of each country, a national or resident of which submitted an application for U.S. refugee admission; an evaluation of the threat posed by aliens who are nationals or residents of each listed country; and a description of any presence of terrorism, human rights violations, human trafficking, drug trafficking, religious persecution, or other violations of international law, any presence of al Qaeda, Islamic State, or other terrorist groups, or any presence of transnational criminal organizations.
Topic: Immigration — Immigration
Subject: Immigration
Date: 2015-11-19 00:00:00

Best Return on America's Investment Now Act or the BRAIN Act

This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to make up to 10% of the worldwide employment-based immigration level available to qualified immigrants who: (1) hold a doctorate degree in a field of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM degree) from a U.S. doctoral institution of higher education; and (2) have taken all doctoral courses in a STEM field, including all courses taken by correspondence or by distance education, while physically present in the United States.

The number of immigrant visas available to skilled workers, professionals, and other workers is reduced.

The computation of the total number of immigrant visas that may be made available to natives of any single foreign state or dependent area in a fiscal year is revised.

The permanent priority date for any employment-based petition shall be the date on which the petition is filed with Department of Homeland Security (or the Department of State, if applicable), unless such filing was preceded by the filing of a labor certification with the Department of Labor, in which case that date shall constitute the priority date.

 An alien who is the beneficiary of an employment-based petition that was approvable when filed shall retain that petition's priority date in the consideration of any subsequently filed employment-based petition.
Topic: Immigration — Immigration
Subject: Immigration
Date: 2015-11-19 00:00:00

This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to prohibit the visa waiver admission of an alien who was present during the preceding five-year period in:

 a country designated by the Department of State or any other provision of law as a country whose government has repeatedly provided support for acts of international terrorism; Afghanistan, Egypt, Iraq, Libya, Yemen, Somalia, or Nigeria; or any other country determined appropriate by the State Department, in consultation with the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of the Treasury, and the Director of National Intelligence.
Topic: Immigration — Immigration
Subject: Crime and law enforcement
Date: 2015-11-30 00:00:00

Visa Waiver Program Firearms Clarification Act of 2015

The bill amends the federal criminal code to modify the eligibility of certain foreign nationals to purchase and possess firearms in the United States.

Current law prohibits firearm sale or transfer to or possession by a foreign national (i.e., alien) who is: (1) unlawfully present in the United States, or (2) lawfully present under a nonimmigrant visa (e.g., tourist visa). The prohibitions do not apply in certain circumstances.

This bill expands the prohibition to bar firearm sale or transfer to or possession by a foreign national who was lawfully admitted to the United States without a visa under the Visa Waiver Program.

The prohibitions do not apply to a foreign national lawfully admitted under the Visa Waiver Program if that foreign national is a government official or law enforcement officer, or possesses a hunting license. Additionally, such foreign national may apply for a Department of Justice waiver to allow firearm possession.
Topic: Immigration — Immigration
Subject: Immigration
Date: 2015-12-01 00:00:00

Terrorist Refugee Infiltration Prevention Act of 2015

This bill prohibits the U.S. refugee admission of an alien who is a national of, has habitually resided in, or is claiming refugee status due to events in any country containing terrorist-controlled territory (Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Yemen, and any other Department of State-designated country).

Such an alien may be admitted to the United States as a refugee if the alien:

 satisfies refugee admission requirements; is a member of a group designated by the State Department or by an Act of Congress as a victim of genocide (and the group does not pose a risk to U.S. security); has undergone the highest level of security screening of any category of traveler to the United States, including full multi-modal biometrics; and the State Department, the Department of Defense (DOD), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) certify that such alien is not a threat to U.S. national security. These requirements shall not apply to the U.S. refugee admission of an alien who: (1) provided substantial assistance to the United States, and (2) would face a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury because of that assistance if not admitted to the United States.

The State Department may designate as a country containing terrorist-controlled territory any country containing territory controlled, in substantial part, by a foreign terrorist organization to the exclusion of that country's recognized government.

The State Department shall maintain and continually update a list of: (1) the countries containing terrorist-controlled territory, and (2) groups identified as victims of genocide.

An alien may not be admitted into the United States under this Act solely based on his or her assertions, and DHS must substantiate any such assertions with the State Department, DOD, the FBI, and the DNI.
Topic: Immigration — Immigration
Subject: Immigration
Date: 2015-12-03 00:00:00

This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to prohibit the visa waiver admission of an alien who has traveled to Iraq or Syria during the preceding five-year period.

The Department of Homeland Security may waive such prohibition.
Topic: Immigration — Immigration
Subject: Immigration
Date: 2015-12-09 00:00:00

State Refugee Security Act of 2015

This bill directs the Office of Refugee Resettlement to notify the state agency responsible for coordinating the placement or resettlement of an alien refugee not later than 21 days before the alien's arrival in the state.

No alien refugee shall be placed or resettled in a state if the governor certifies to the Office of Refugee Resettlement that it has failed, in the sole determination of the governor, to provide adequate assurance that such person does not present a security risk to the state.