[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 292 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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116th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 292
To limit the separation of families at or near ports of entry.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
January 31, 2019
Mrs. Feinstein (for herself, Mr. Leahy, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Wyden, Ms.
Harris, Ms. Rosen, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. King, Mr. Carper, Ms. Duckworth,
Mr. Sanders, Mr. Bennet, Mr. Coons, Mr. Blumenthal, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr.
Reed, Mr. Kaine, Ms. Hassan, Mr. Markey, Mr. Murphy, Mr. Menendez, Ms.
Cortez Masto, Mr. Heinrich, Mr. Udall, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Booker, Mr.
Whitehouse, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Casey, Ms. Hirono, Mrs.
Gillibrand, Ms. Cantwell, Ms. Warren, Ms. Stabenow, Ms. Baldwin, Mr.
Brown, Ms. Smith, Mr. Warner, Mr. Peters, Mr. Jones, and Mr. Schatz)
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the
Committee on the Judiciary
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To limit the separation of families at or near ports of entry.
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 ``Keep Families Together Act''.
SEC. 2. LIMITATION ON THE SEPARATION OF FAMILIES.
(a) In General.--An agent or officer of a designated agency shall
be prohibited from removing a child from his or her parent or legal
guardian, at or near the port of entry or within 100 miles of the
border of the United States, unless one of the following has occurred:
(1) A State court, authorized under State law, terminates
the rights of a parent or legal guardian, determines that it is
in the best interests of the child to be removed from his or
her parent or legal guardian, in accordance with the Adoption
and Safe Families Act of 1997 (Public Law 105-89), or makes any
similar determination that is legally authorized under State
law.
(2) An official from the State or county child welfare
agency with expertise in child trauma and development makes a
best interests determination that it is in the best interests
of the child to be removed from his or her parent or legal
guardian because the child is in danger of abuse or neglect at
the hands of the parent or legal guardian, or is a danger to
herself or others.
(3) The Chief Patrol Agent or the Area Port Director in
their official and undelegated capacity, authorizes separation
upon the recommendation by an agent or officer, based on a
finding that--
(A) the child is a victim of trafficking or is at
significant risk of becoming a victim of trafficking;
(B) there is a strong likelihood that the adult is
not the parent or legal guardian of the child; or
(C) the child is in danger of abuse or neglect at
the hands of the parent or legal guardian, or is a
danger to themselves or others.
(b) Prohibition on Separation.--An agency may not remove a child
from a parent or legal guardian solely for the policy goal of deterring
individuals from migrating to the United States or for the policy goal
of promoting compliance with civil immigration laws.
(c) Documentation Required.--The Secretary shall ensure that a
separation under subsection (a)(3) is documented in writing and
includes, at a minimum, the reason for such separation, together with
the stated evidence for such separation.
SEC. 3. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SEPARATION BY AGENTS OR OFFICERS.
(a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with the
Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall develop training and
guidance, with an emphasis on the best interests of the child,
childhood trauma, attachment, and child development, for use by the
agents and officers, in order to standardize the implementation of
section 2(a)(3).
(b) Annual Review.--Not less frequently than annually, the
Secretary of Health and Human Services shall review the guidance
developed under subsection (a) and make recommendations to the
Secretary to ensure such guidance is in accordance with current
evidence and best practices in child welfare, child development, and
childhood trauma.
(c) Requirement.--The guidance under subsection (a) shall
incorporate the presumptions described in section 4.
(d) Additional Requirements.--
(1) Evidence-based.--The guidance and training developed
under this section shall incorporate evidence-based practices.
(2) Training required.--
(A) Agents and officers.--All agents and officers
of designated agencies, upon hire, and annually
thereafter, shall complete training on adherence to the
guidance under this section.
(B) Management.--All Chief Patrol Agents and Area
Port Directors, upon hire, and annually thereafter,
shall complete--
(i) training on adherence to the guidance
under this section; and
(ii) 90 minutes of child welfare practice
training that is evidence-based and trauma-
informed.
SEC. 4. PRESUMPTIONS.
The presumptions described in this section are the following:
(1) There shall be a strong presumption in favor of family
unity.
(2) To the maximum extent practicable, the Secretary shall
ensure that sibling groups remain intact.
(3) There is a presumption that detention is not in the
best interests of families and children.
SEC. 5. REQUIRED POLICY FOR LOCATING SEPARATED CHILDREN.
(a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the after the date
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall publish final public
guidance that describes, with specificity, the manner in which a parent
or legal guardian may locate a child who was separated from the parent
or legal guardian under section 2(a). In developing the public
guidance, the Secretary shall consult with the Secretary of Health and
Human Services, immigrant advocacy organizations, child welfare
organizations, and State child welfare agencies.
(b) Written Notification.--The Secretary shall provide each parent
or legal guardian who was separated, with written notice of the public
guidance to locate a separated child.
(c) Language Access.--All guidance shall be available in English
and Spanish, and at the request of the parent or legal guardian, in the
language or manner that is understandable by the parent or legal
guardian.
SEC. 6. REQUIRED INFORMATION FOR SEPARATED FAMILIES.
Not less frequently than monthly, the Secretary shall provide the
parent or legal guardian of a child who was separated with--
(1) a status report on the monthly activities of the child;
(2) information about the education and health of the
child, including any medical treatment provided to the child or
medical treatment recommended for the child;
(3) information about changes to the child's immigration
status; and
(4) other information about the child, designed to promote
and maintain family reunification, as the Secretary determines
in his or her discretion.
SEC. 7. ANNUAL REPORT ON FAMILY SEPARATION.
Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act,
and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall submit a report to the
committees of jurisdiction that describes each instance in which a
child was separated from a parent or legal guardian and includes, for
each such instance--
(1) the relationship of the adult and the child;
(2) the age and gender of the adult and child;
(3) the length of separation;
(4) whether the adult was charged with a crime, and if the
adult was charged with a crime, the type of crime;
(5) whether the adult made a claim for asylum, expressed a
fear to return, or applied for other immigration relief;
(6) whether the adult was prosecuted if charged with a
crime and the associated outcome of such charges;
(7) the stated reason for, and evidence in support of, the
separation;
(8) if the child was part of a sibling group at the time of
separation, whether the sibling group has had physical contact
and visitation;
(9) whether the child was rendered an unaccompanied alien
child; and
(10) other information in the Secretary's discretion.
SEC. 8. CLARIFICATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS.
If a child is separated from a parent or legal guardian, and a
State court has not made a determination that the parental rights have
been terminated, there is a presumption that--
(1) the parental rights remain intact; and
(2) the separation does not constitute an affirmative
determination of abuse or neglect under Federal or State law.
SEC. 9. CLARIFICATION OF EXISTING LAW.
(a) Federal Law.--Nothing in this Act shall be interpreted to
supersede or modify Federal child welfare law, where applicable,
including the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997 (Public Law 105-
89).
(b) State Law.--Nothing in this Act shall be interpreted to
supersede or modify State child welfare laws where applicable.
SEC. 10. GAO REPORT ON PROSECUTION OF ASYLUM SEEKERS.
(a) Study.--The Comptroller General of the United States shall
conduct a study of the prosecution of asylum seekers during the period
beginning on January 1, 2008 and ending on December 31, 2018,
including--
(1) the total number of persons who claimed a fear of
persecution, received a favorable credible fear determination,
and were referred for prosecution;
(2) an overview and analysis of the metrics used by the
Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice
to track the number of asylum seekers referred for prosecution;
(3) the total number of asylum seekers referred for
prosecution, a breakdown and description of the criminal
charges filed against asylum seekers during such period, and a
breakdown and description of the convictions secured;
(4) the total number of asylum seekers who were separated
from their children as a result of being referred for
prosecution;
(5) a breakdown of the resources spent on prosecuting
asylum seekers during such period, as well as any diversion of
resources required to prosecute asylum seekers, and any costs
imposed on States and localities;
(6) the total number of asylum seekers who were referred
for prosecution and also went through immigration proceedings;
and
(7) the total number of asylum seekers referred for
prosecution who were deported before going through immigration
proceedings.
(b) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment
of this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit a report to Congress
that describes the results of the study conducted pursuant to
subsection (a).
SEC. 11. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Agent; officer.--The terms ``agent'' and ``officer''
include contractors of the Federal Government.
(2) Child.--The term ``child'' means an individual who--
(A) has not reached 18 years of age; and
(B) has no permanent immigration status.
(3) Committees of jurisdiction.--The term ``committees of
jurisdiction'' means--
(A) the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate;
and
(B) the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and
Pensions of the Senate.
(4) Danger of abuse or neglect at the hands of the parent
or legal guardian.--The term ``danger of abuse or neglect at
the hands of the parent or legal guardian'' does not mean
migrating to or crossing the United States border.
(5) Designated agency.--The term ``designated agency''
means--
(A) the Department of Homeland Security;
(B) the Department of Justice; and
(C) the Department of Health and Human Services.
(6) Finding.--The term ``finding'' means an individualized
written assessment or screening by the trained agent or officer
that includes a consultation with a child welfare specialist,
formalized as required under section 2(c) and consistent with
sections 3, 4, and 8.
(7) Secretary.--Unless otherwise specified, the term
``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Homeland Security.
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