[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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