[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 937 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 937

To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to permit certain Mexican 
     children, and accompanying adults, to obtain a waiver of the 
   documentation requirements otherwise required to enter the United 
                     States as a temporary visitor.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 10, 2009

  Mr. Filner introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                       Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to permit certain Mexican 
     children, and accompanying adults, to obtain a waiver of the 
   documentation requirements otherwise required to enter the United 
                     States as a temporary visitor.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Visitors Interested in Strengthening 
America (VISA) Act of 2009''.

SEC. 2. WAIVER OF DOCUMENTARY REQUIREMENTS FOR CERTAIN NONIMMIGRANT 
              CHILDREN AND ACCOMPANYING ADULTS.

    Section 212(d)(4) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
1182(d)(4)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``(4)'' and inserting ``(4)(A)'';
            (2) by redesignating subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) as 
        clauses (i), (ii), and (iii), respectively; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(B)(i) Upon application by an alien who is citizen or national of 
Mexico, and who is applying for admission as a visitor under section 
101(a)(15)(B) from Mexico, the Department of Homeland Security official 
in charge at a port of entry may, in the exercise of his or her 
discretion, on a case-by-case basis, waive either or both of the 
documentary requirements of section 212(a)(7)(B)(i), if satisfied that 
the alien is in possession of proper identification, as provided under 
clause (ii), and--
            ``(I) is a child coming for a regular medical appointment 
        (as evidenced by proof such as a letter from the medical 
        professional concerned), or is the parent (or other adult 
        chaperone) accompanying such a child, except that the number of 
        adults admitted under this subclause shall not exceed one per 
        child;
            ``(II) is a child coming with a student group to 
        participate in an educational or cultural event (such as an 
        athletic or academic event, a concert or other artistic 
        performance, or a visit to a recreational, touristic, or 
        historical site) for not more than 1 day (as evidenced by proof 
        such as a letter of invitation issued to the group), or is an 
        adult chaperone, such as a teacher, coach, or parent, 
        accompanying such a group, except that the number of chaperones 
        admitted under this subclause shall not exceed that sufficient 
        to supervise the group involved; or
            ``(III) is a child coming to participate in a special 
        community event that traditionally has been attended by 
        individuals from both sides of the border (as evidenced by 
        proof such as a public letter of invitation issued by the 
        community concerned), or is a parent or other adult relative 
        accompanying such a child.
    ``(ii)(I) For purposes of this subparagraph, in the case of a 
child, proper identification shall include a passport, birth 
certificate, or other proof of citizenship or nationality.
    ``(II) In the case of an adult, proper identification shall include 
a passport, birth certificate, or other proof of citizenship or 
nationality, and a government-issued driver's license, or similar 
document issued for the purpose of identification, that contains 
personal identifying information and a photograph.
    ``(iii) For purposes of this subparagraph--
            ``(I) the term `child' means an unmarried person under 16 
        years of age; and
            ``(II) the term `adult' means any person who is not a 
        child.''.
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