zli12321/Bills huggingface dataset:
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.

Date: 2015-11-16
Topic: Immigration (Immigration)
Subject: Immigration
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.

Date: 2015-11-16
Topic: Immigration (Immigration)
Subject: Immigration
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.

Date: 2015-11-17
Topic: Immigration (Immigration)
Subject: Immigration
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.

Date: 2015-11-17
Topic: Immigration (Immigration)
Subject: Immigration
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.

Date: 2015-11-17
Topic: Immigration (Immigration)
Subject: Immigration
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.

Date: 2015-11-17
Topic: Immigration (Immigration)
Subject: Immigration
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.

Date: 2015-11-17
Topic: Immigration (Immigration)
Subject: Immigration
(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.

Date: 2015-11-17
Topic: Immigration (Immigration)
Subject: Immigration
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.

Date: 2015-11-17
Topic: Immigration (Immigration)
Subject: Immigration
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.

Date: 2015-11-17
Topic: Immigration (Immigration)
Subject: Immigration
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.

Date: 2015-11-18
Topic: Immigration (Immigration)
Subject: Immigration
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.

Date: 2015-11-18
Topic: Immigration (Immigration)
Subject: Immigration
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.

Date: 2015-11-19
Topic: Immigration (Immigration)
Subject: Immigration
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.

Date: 2015-11-19
Topic: Immigration (Immigration)
Subject: Immigration
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.

Date: 2015-11-19
Topic: Immigration (Immigration)
Subject: Immigration
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.

Date: 2015-11-19
Topic: Immigration (Immigration)
Subject: Immigration
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.

Date: 2015-11-30
Topic: Immigration (Immigration)
Subject: Crime and law enforcement
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.

Date: 2015-12-01
Topic: Immigration (Immigration)
Subject: Immigration
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.

Date: 2015-12-03
Topic: Immigration (Immigration)
Subject: Immigration
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.

Date: 2015-12-09
Topic: Immigration (Immigration)
Subject: Immigration
This bill prohibits a federal agency or instrumentality from using federal funds, fees, or resources to admit an alien into the United States as a refugee or to provide refugee resettlement assistance until each of the following occur:

 a joint resolution is enacted into law approving the most recent number of refugee admissions determined by the President; the Congressional Budget Office reports to Congress regarding specified refugee-related costs; the Department of Homeland Security reports to Congress regarding terrorist- and criminal-related activities of aliens admitted as refugees and asylees, and the number of such aliens subsequently removed from the United States for any reason; and the President reports to Congress regarding the preceding year's cost of refugee admissions, and recommendations for federal program spending cuts to offset such cost.

Date: 2015-12-10
Topic: Immigration (Immigration)
Subject: Immigration
Refugee Resettlement Fund Act of 2015

This bill permits an alien applying for U.S. refugee admission who is referred for resettlement by the United Nations High Commissioner on Refugees (UNHCR) to be admitted only after the Department of the Treasury, in coordination with the revenue agency of the state in which the alien is to be resettled and a representative of the local government where the alien is to be resettled, determines that any admission and resettlement cost incurred by the federal, state, or local government is financed by a Refugee Resettlement Fund payment.

The bill establishes the Refugee Resettlement Fund in the Treasury, for deposit of only those amounts received from the UNHCR for refugee resettlement purposes.

Date: 2015-12-11
Topic: Immigration (Immigration)
Subject: Immigration
Cuban Immigrant Work Opportunity Act of 2015

This bill makes Cuban nationals who enter the United States on or after the date of enactment of this Act ineligible for refugee/parolee assistance under the Refugee Education Assistance Act of 1980.

Conforming amendments are made to the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 and the Immigration and Nationality Act.

The Inspector General of the Social Security Administration shall report to Congress describing methods for enforcing the loss of Supplemental Security Income eligibility by persons who are absent from the United States for at least one month.

Date: 2015-12-15
Topic: Immigration (Immigration)
Subject: Immigration
Resettlement REFORM (Re-Evaluation of Financing Our Refugee Mission) Act

This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to authorize a state to refuse without penalty to expend refugee resettlement assistance with respect to an alien who:

 is a national of a country that is a state sponsor of terrorism or a terrorist sanctuary, or has no nationality and the country in which the alien last habitually resided is a state sponsor of terrorism or a terrorist sanctuary. A state may not refuse to expend such funds with respect to an alien who is an Iraqi national (or spouse or children of one) who was employed by, or worked for the U.S. government in Iraq and has or is experiencing an ongoing serious threat because of such employment.

Date: 2015-12-16
Topic: Immigration (Immigration)
Subject: Immigration
K-1 Visa Program Suspension Act of 2015

This bill prohibits the admission of K-1 nonimmigrants (fiancee or fiance) and the issuance of K-1 visas.

The Government Accountability Office shall review the national security risks associated with the K-1 visa program.

Date: 2015-12-16
Topic: Immigration (Immigration)
Subject: Immigration
Secure Accountability for Emigres and Refugees Act of 2015 or the SAFER Act of 2015

This bill requires that, before the U.S. refugee admission of a covered alien, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shall ensure that such person:

 has passed a lie detector test; has submitted to DHS biometric identification information, including DNA, which DHS has compared against all relevant databases and determined that the person has no known history of terrorist activity; and does not pose a threat to U.S. national security based on a background check that includes a review of the person's Internet interactions, including social media services. "Covered alien" means an alien applying for U.S. refugee admission who: (1) is a national of Iraq or Syria, (2) has no nationality and whose last habitual residence was in Iraq or Syria, or (3) has been present in Iraq or Syria at any time on or after March 1, 2011.

Date: 2015-12-18
Topic: Immigration (Immigration)
Subject: Immigration
This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security to search all public records, including Internet sites and social media profiles, to determine if an alien applying for admission to the United States is inadmissible under the Immigration and Nationality Act.

Date: 2015-12-18
Topic: Immigration (Immigration)
Subject: Immigration
Border Security and Accountability Act 2015 

This bill directs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), together with other specified departments, to submit to Congress and the Government Accountability Office a U.S. border protection strategy.

The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 is amended to require that international land border control actions accord with that strategy.

DHS shall implement:

 a monitoring and mitigation plan to address the ecological and environmental impacts of security infrastructure along the international land borders of the United States; and a plan to improve coordination among U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and other federal, state, local, or tribal authorities to improve efforts to combat human smuggling. CBP shall make available to the public information collected on migrant deaths occurring along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Except in a national emergency or when required for specific counterterrorism duties, the Armed Forces may not assist in federal, state, and local and civilian law enforcement of immigration laws.

DHS shall establish a Border Communities Liaison Office in every patrol sector at the southern and northern borders.

The bill prescribes requirements for enhanced border cooperation with Mexico, including in the areas of: (1) border security, (2) human trafficking and smuggling, (3) drug trafficking, (4) gang membership, and (5) violence and border deaths.

DHS shall establish a Southern Border Security Task Force.

The bill establishes the Southern Border Security Commission.

DHS shall:

 issue policies regarding the use of force by DHS personnel; establish standards for the conditions of confinement for children in CBP custody; and consider safety and family concerns in any action related to the repatriation or prosecution of individuals apprehended for immigration violations. DHS may not establish any new border crossing fees for individuals crossing at land ports of entry along the southern and northern borders.

DHS must certify to Congress every six months, with specified exceptions, that it has only deported or otherwise removed a migrant from the United States through an entry or exit point on the southern border during daylight hours.

DHS shall make specified increases to the total number of full-time CBP officers and support staff at U.S. land ports of entry by September 30, 2020.

Each component of DHS shall comply with the Department of Justice Guidance for Federal Law Enforcement Agencies Regarding the Use of Race, Ethnicity, Gender, National Origin, Religion, Sexual Orientation, or Gender Identity.

Date: 2015-12-18
Topic: Immigration (Immigration)
Subject: Immigration
Vet Electronic Trails Act of 2015

This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to require the Department of Homeland Security, before issuing any immigrant or nonimmigrant visa, to check a person's interactions on and posting of material to the Internet (including social media services) in order to ensure that he or she is not a U.S. security threat.

Date: 2015-12-18
Topic: Immigration (Immigration)
Subject: Immigration
Equal Protection in Travel Act of 2016

This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to eliminate the prohibition against participation in the visa waiver program of an alien who, regardless of whether the alien is a national of a program country, is a national of: (1) Iraq or Syria, (2) a country designated as a country that has repeatedly provided support for acts of international terrorism, or (3) any other country or area of concern.

Date: 2016-01-13
Topic: Immigration (Immigration)
Subject: Immigration
Finish the Fence Act of 2016

This bill amends the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 with respect to construction of border fencing and road improvements to direct the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to complete the required 700-mile southwest border fencing by December 31, 2016.

The Secure Fence Act of 2006 is amended to direct DHS, in consultation with state and local officials along the U.S.-Mexico border, to achieve operational control over U.S. international land and maritime borders by December 31, 2016.

Date: 2016-01-13
Topic: Immigration (Immigration)
Subject: Immigration
Resist Executive Amnesty on Defense Installations Act or the READI Act

This bill prohibits the use of a military installation to house any alien unlawfully present in the United States.

Date: 2016-02-11
Topic: Immigration (Immigration)
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Build the Fence Act of 2016

This bill amends the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 to direct the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to complete the required southwest border fencing by December 31, 2017.

The Secure Fence Act of 2006 is amended to direct DHS to achieve operational control over U.S. international land and maritime borders by the same date.

Until such fencing is completed:

 DHS may not obligate or expend any amounts appropriated or otherwise made available to it for facilities construction or maintenance, vehicle purchases, or other non-essential purchases or acquisitions; and no politically appointed DHS official or senior executive service employee may travel using government aircraft, receive any non-essential training, or receive any bonus pay salary increase.

Date: 2016-02-11
Topic: Immigration (Immigration)
Subject: Immigration
ICE Agent Support Act of 2016

This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to refund out of the Immigration Enforcement Account the amount paid out of any appropriation for expenses incurred by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for:

 identification, investigation, apprehension, detention, and removal of criminal aliens, including providing staffing levels within the Enforcement and Removal Operations division of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement; maintenance and updating of systems used by the division to identify and track criminal aliens, deportable aliens, inadmissible aliens, and aliens illegally entering the United States; and purchase of firearms, vehicles, and other safety or apprehension equipment for the division. DHS shall establish the percentage of positions within the division that shall be classified as a criminal investigator position.

Date: 2016-02-24
Topic: Immigration (Immigration)
Subject: Immigration
Support and Defend Our Military Personnel and Their Families Act

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.

 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.

 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.

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.

 With respect to a removal proceeding under INA:

 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; 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 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.

Date: 2016-02-24
Topic: Immigration (Immigration)
Subject: Immigration
Keeping American Jobs Act

This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to prohibit the admission of an H-1B visa (specialty occupation) nonimmigrant worker if the Department of Labor determines that the H-1B application was filed by the prospective employer for the primary purpose of using one or more U.S. workers to train the H-1B worker in the job duties and responsibilities of the U.S. workers in order to lay off the U.S. workers and move their job or jobs abroad, unless the application states that the employer did not and will not displace a U.S. worker within the period beginning 90 days before and ending 90 days after the date of filing of any visa petition supported by the application.

Date: 2016-02-24
Topic: Immigration (Immigration)
Subject: Immigration
Expedited Family Reunification Act of 2016 

This bill amends the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008 to provide that any unaccompanied alien child (UAC) who has not been a victim of a severe form of trafficking in persons or does not have a credible fear of persecution on returning to his or her country of nationality or of last habitual residence shall be:

 placed in removal proceedings, eligible for voluntary departure at no cost to the child, and provided with access to counsel. (Currently such expedited removal requirements apply to unaccompanied children from countries that are contiguous to the United States.)

The Department of State shall negotiate agreements, in addition to countries contiguous to the United States, between the United States and Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, and any other appropriate country regarding the repatriation of children.

The requirements of this Act are applied to any UAC apprehended on or after June 15, 2012.

Date: 2016-03-07
Topic: Immigration (Immigration)
Subject: Immigration
Refugee Program Integrity Restoration Act of 2016

This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to: (1) establish the number of annual refugee admissions at 60,000, (2) authorize the President to submit an adjustment recommendation to Congress for approval based upon humanitarian or national interest concerns, and (3) provide that the President must submit emergency refugee admission recommendations to Congress for approval.

The President shall (currently, may) terminate the refugee status of a person not entitled to such status.

Refugee status is terminated for an individual who applied for such status because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution in the country from which he or she sought refuge on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion, but who has returned to such country absent changed conditions.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shall, when processing refugee applications from individuals seeking refuge from a "country of particular concern," grant priority to minority religion applicants whose claims are based on persecution because of their religion.

DHS may conduct recurrent background security checks of an admitted refugee until the refugee adjusts to permanent resident status.

Waiver authorities are limited with respect to refugee inadmissibility and permanent resident status adjustment.

With respect to refugee status adjustment to permanent resident: (1) required U.S. residency is increased to three years; (2) an in-person DHS interview is required; (3) five-year reexaminations are required for a refugee whose status adjustment is refused; and (4) deportability grounds, with an exception for public charge grounds, shall be grounds for refusal of status adjustment.

Resettlement of any refugee may not be provided for in any state or locality where the governor, chief executive, or legislature has taken action disapproving such resettlement.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) shall complete a refugee processing fraud study.

DHS shall: (1) establish a program to detect the use of fraudulent documents in refugee admissions applications, which shall include placement of fraud detection officers at screening locations; and (2) use digital recording technology to record USCIS refugee interviews.

A person may not be considered a refugee if such person fled from violence in his or her country of nationality (or of last habitual residence for a person with no nationality) if the violence: (1) was not specifically directed at the person; or (2) was specifically directed at the person but not because of that person's race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion.

Prior to U.S. refugee admission, DHS shall ensure that an alien is not a threat to U.S. national security based on a background check that includes a review of the alien's open source Internet interactions, including social media services.

Date: 2016-03-14
Topic: Immigration (Immigration)
Subject: Immigration
Use Spending for Congressional Immigration Supervision Act or the USCIS Act

This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to declare that all deposits into the Immigration Examinations Fee Account shall remain available to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) (currently, the Department of Justice [DOJ]) for reimbursement of administrative expenses, to the extent and in such amounts as are provided in advance in appropriation Acts.

The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 is amended to declare that certain foreign student and exchange program fees that are deposited into the account shall remain available to DHS (currently, DOJ) for reimbursement of administrative expenses (including expenses related to gathering foreign student information), to the extent and in such amounts as are provided in advance in appropriation Acts.

Date: 2016-03-17
Topic: Immigration (Immigration)
Subject: Immigration
Bringing Entertainment Artists to the States (BEATS) Act of 2016

This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to prescribe special procedures for the nonimmigrant entry of P-2 visa Canadian citizens (artists or entertainers participating in a government approved reciprocal exchange program).

Such persons may, after U.S. admission and without filing an amended petition, alter or add to the dates and venues of performances listed in the original petition, provided that the altered or additional performances constitute no more than one third of the originally listed performances.

Date: 2016-03-21
Topic: Immigration (Immigration)
Subject: Immigration
Correcting Unfair Benefits for Aliens Act of 2016 or the CUBA Act of 2016

This bill expresses the sense of Congress that Cuban nationals should be treated under the same immigration rules as nationals of other countries with which the United States has diplomatic relations and should not receive preferential treatment.

The bill repeals P.L. 89-732, which provides for the adjustment of Cuban citizens or nationals to lawful permanent resident status in the United States.

No funds, resources, or fees made available to the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of State, or to any other federal agency, including deposits into the Immigration Examinations Fee Account, may be used to implement or administer any of the policy changes set forth in the 2007 memorandum from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement entitled "Cuban Family Reunification Parole Program."

Cuban nationals who enter the United States on or after the date of enactment of this Act shall be ineligible for refugee/parolee assistance under the Refugee Education Assistance Act of 1980. Conforming amendments are made to the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 and the Immigration and Nationality Act.

 The Inspector General of the Social Security Administration shall report to Congress describing methods for enforcing the loss of Supplemental Security Income eligibility by persons who are absent from the United States for at least one month.

Date: 2016-03-23
Topic: Immigration (Immigration)
Subject: Immigration
This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to define "criminal gang."

An alien who is or was a member of a criminal gang, or who participated in gang activity knowing that such participation will promote the gang's illegal activity, shall be inadmissible and deportable.

The Department of Homeland Security may designate a group or association as a criminal gang.

Detention shall be mandatory for anyone found inadmissible or deportable for criminal street gang membership.

Individuals found inadmissible or deportable for criminal gang membership shall be barred from:

 asylum; withholding of removal; temporary protected status; special immigrant juvenile status; deferred action; and parole, unless assisting the United States in a law enforcement matter and required by the government to be present with respect to such assistance. An alien found at a U.S. land border or port of entry who is determined to be inadmissible and a threat to public safety (certain criminals, terrorists, street gang members) shall be subject to expedited removal.

Date: 2016-03-23
Topic: Immigration (Immigration)
Subject: Immigration
Stopping Partisan Policy at the Library of Congress Act

This bill directs the Library of Congress to retain the headings "Aliens" and "Illegal aliens," as well as related headings, in the Library of Congress Subject Headings in the same manner as they were in effect during 2015.

Date: 2016-04-13
Topic: Immigration (Immigration)
Subject: Congress
Restoring Respect for Immigrant Service in Uniform Act

This bill expresses the sense of Congress that the Department of Homeland Security should exercise its discretion (including through the use of exceptions to inadmissibility based upon family reunification, humanitarian, or public benefit grounds, temporary waiver of inadmissibility, or consent to reapply for admission) to admit to the United States an alien who is inadmissible, was previously subject to an order of removal or has been removed, is outside of the United States, and is seeking U.S. admission, if such alien:

 has been a member of the Armed Forces for at least 180 days and has not received an other-than honorable discharge; has not been convicted of a felony, a significant misdemeanor, or three or more misdemeanors that are not significant misdemeanors and that each occurred on a different date and arose out of separate conduct; and is not otherwise a threat to national security or public safety. The Immigration and Nationality Act is amended to exempt from deportation an alien who has been a member of the Armed Forces for at least 180 days and has not received an other-than honorable discharge, except in the case of an alien who:

 has been convicted of a felony, a significant misdemeanor, or three or more misdemeanors that are not significant misdemeanors and that each occurred on a different date and arose out of separate conduct; and is otherwise a threat to national security or public safety. "Significant misdemeanor" means a misdemeanor: (1) that is a crime of domestic violence, (2) that is a sexual assault, (3) that involved the unlawful possession of a firearm, or (4) for which the alien was sentenced to prison for more than 90 days.

Date: 2016-04-20
Topic: Immigration (Immigration)
Subject: Immigration
This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to reauthorize the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP) through FY2020. SCAAP provides payments to state, local, and tribal governments to offset the costs of incarcerating certain undocumented criminal aliens.

It expands the definition of “undocumented criminal alien” to include an alien who has been charged with a felony or two or more misdemeanors.

Additionally, the bill directs the Department of Justice to reimburse a state, local, or tribal government for costs to incarcerate a criminal alien whose immigration status cannot be verified by the Department of Homeland Security. (Currently, a criminal alien with lawful immigration status does not meet the criteria for SCAAP reimbursement.)

Date: 2016-04-21
Topic: Immigration (Immigration)
Subject: Crime and law enforcement
Zero Tolerance for Illegal Entry Act

This bill directs the Department of Justice to require U.S. attorneys to prosecute to the fullest extent offenses involving improper entry by an alien or reentry of a removed alien.

Date: 2016-04-28
Topic: Immigration (Immigration)
Subject: Immigration
Interior Immigration Enforcement Act

This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide that an alien who is 18 or older, knowingly lacks lawful immigration status, and is present in the United States shall be fined and/or imprisoned for not more than six months for the first such offense and for not more than two years for a subsequent offense.

Date: 2016-04-28
Topic: Immigration (Immigration)
Subject: Immigration
Criminal Alien Detention and Removal Act

This bill amends the federal criminal code to require: (1) the supervised release of an individual following imprisonment for a felony conviction, and (2) the deportation of a deportable alien who is sentenced to supervised release.

Current law allows, but generally does not require: (1) the supervised release of an individual following imprisonment, whether for a felony or misdemeanor conviction; and (2) the deportation of a deportable alien as a condition of supervised release.

Date: 2016-04-28
Topic: Immigration (Immigration)
Subject: Crime and law enforcement
Central American Amnesty Termination Act of 2016

This bill prohibits any funds, resources, or fees available to the Department of Homeland Security or any other federal agency, including Immigration Examinations Fee Account deposits, from being used for the Central American Minors Refugee/Parole Program or any successor program.

Date: 2016-04-29
Topic: Immigration (Immigration)
Subject: Immigration