117 S884 IS: Stopping Border Surges Act
U.S. Senate
2021-03-22
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
1.Short title; table of contents(a)This Act may be cited as the Stopping Border Surges Act
.(b)The table of contents for this Act is as follows:Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.Title I—Unaccompanied Alien ChildrenSec. 101. Repatriation of unaccompanied alien children.Sec. 102. Clarification of standards for family detention.Sec. 103. Special immigrant juvenile status for immigrants unable to reunite with either parent.Title II—Asylum ReformSec. 201. Credible fear interviews.Sec. 202. Jurisdiction of asylum applications.Sec. 203. Recording expedited removal and credible fear interviews.Sec. 204. Safe third country.Sec. 205. Renunciation of asylum status pursuant to return to home country.Sec. 206. Notice concerning frivolous asylum applications.Sec. 207. Anti-fraud investigative work product.Sec. 208. Clarification of asylum eligibility.Sec. 209. Application timing.Sec. 210. Clarification of burden of proof.Sec. 211. Additional exception.Sec. 212. Clarification regarding employment eligibility.Sec. 213. Penalties for asylum fraud.Sec. 214. Statute of limitations for asylum fraud.Sec. 215. Technical amendments.<enum>I</enum><header>Unaccompanied Alien Children</header><section id="H983A1FB4560E448A9AD5F7D5BDD73CDC"><enum>101.</enum><header>Repatriation of unaccompanied alien children</header><subsection id="H632275E0FD6849E9A82185554F331054"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 235 of the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/8/1232">8 U.S.C. 1232</external-xref>) is amended—</text><paragraph id="H99AC2097B62847D7B9E1AE2670A1DDBC"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in subsection (a)—</text><subparagraph id="HF949B66261C04927BD989C2C2CB01B5E"><enum>(A)</enum><text>in paragraph (2)—</text><clause id="H262F0496D1904C3087DC679C46B513F7"><enum>(i)</enum><text>by amending the heading to read as follows: <quote><header-in-text level="paragraph" style="OLC">Rules for unaccompanied alien children.—</header-in-text></quote>;</text></clause><clause id="HB9E0F938DB774945B5A6E2758C08E10D"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>in subparagraph (A)—</text><subclause id="H2563F7566B1445A4A68D1FE890A10773"><enum>(I)</enum><text>in the matter preceding clause (i), by striking <quote>who is a national or habitual resident of a country that is contiguous with the United States</quote>;</text></subclause><subclause id="H9A49707B65754F49B438263DF2DE6C64"><enum>(II)</enum><text>in clause (i), by inserting <quote>and</quote> at the end;</text></subclause><subclause id="H6F6FE1EFB8F1495BBC3B96B5038E0173"><enum>(III)</enum><text>in clause (ii), by striking <quote>; and</quote> and inserting a period; and</text></subclause><subclause id="HCE1AEEEBC1504DA0968916E60BD3C1F2"><enum>(IV)</enum><text>by striking clause (iii);</text></subclause></clause><clause id="H236EA5373D6044BF8A925C2D6D45819C"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>in subparagraph (B)—</text><subclause id="HD69FC3162F0242D7BC383CB2EB03C13F"><enum>(I)</enum><text>in the matter preceding clause (i), by striking <quote>(<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/8/1101">8 U.S.C. 1101</external-xref> et seq.) may—</quote> and inserting <quote>(<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/8/1101">8 U.S.C. 1101</external-xref> et seq.)—</quote>;</text></subclause><subclause id="H2154275BB3104C748607ABBC361F7ABE"><enum>(II)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in clause (i), by inserting before <quote>permit such child to withdraw</quote> the following: <quote>may</quote>; and</text></subclause><subclause id="H969D7F6F23DA494A9A3D0A84082323CE"><enum>(III)</enum><text>in clause (ii), by inserting before <quote>return such child</quote> the following: <quote>shall</quote>; and</text></subclause></clause><clause id="HAD9FDDF89B7644FD9C4EAC563BB07283"><enum>(iv)</enum><text>in subparagraph (C)—</text><subclause id="H36C0EFAE79674C579EBED416C1B75D24"><enum>(I)</enum><text>by amending the heading to read as follows: <quote><header-in-text level="subparagraph" style="OLC">Agreements with foreign countries.—</header-in-text></quote>; and</text></subclause><subclause id="HFC022044186B4F588F6841F7DF2E09F0"><enum>(II)</enum><text>in the matter preceding clause (i), by striking <quote>The Secretary of State shall negotiate agreements between the United States and countries contiguous to the United States</quote> and inserting <quote>The Secretary of State may negotiate agreements between the United States and any foreign country that the Secretary determines appropriate</quote>;</text></subclause></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H033FCC3D503F4AE29B82CB2B78B0D312"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by redesignating paragraphs (3) through (5) as paragraphs (4) through (6), respectively, and inserting after paragraph (2) the following:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H40C05894ACD644D4AAAF4B648217D640"><paragraph id="H6F4A4EFA7ED1405AB105732187EBD37B"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Special rules for interviewing unaccompanied alien children</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">An unaccompanied alien child shall be interviewed by an immigration officer with specialized training in interviewing child trafficking victims. </text></paragraph><after-quoted-block>; and </after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H736E34F586CC4A4EA0937E979B4BBCE2"><enum>(C)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in paragraph (6)(D) (as so redesignated)—</text><clause id="H34103B6AE3144CE9B1175890DE9F8327"><enum>(i)</enum><text>in the matter preceding clause (i), by striking <quote>, except for an unaccompanied alien child from a contiguous country subject to exceptions under subsection (a)(2), </quote> and inserting <quote>who does not meet the criteria listed in paragraph (2)(A)</quote>; and</text></clause><clause id="H159AE3C1CA9E4018A30BEFD5DBAA5EA4"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>in clause (i), by inserting before the semicolon at the end the following: <quote>, which shall include a hearing before an immigration judge not later than 14 days after being screened under paragraph (4)</quote>;</text></clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HDF3A86D9257A44B699E717C3B5830E2B"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in subsection (b)—</text><subparagraph id="H54AF88772DEF4F71B0070371F35DBFE2"><enum>(A)</enum><text>in paragraph (2)—</text><clause id="H5F369E40CF004D5FB7B22E796160FBDF"><enum>(i)</enum><text>in subparagraph (A), by inserting before the semicolon the following: <quote>believed not to meet the criteria listed in subsection (a)(2)(A)</quote>; and</text></clause><clause id="H6162EC3E2C404387AF993684640F077B"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>in subparagraph (B), by inserting before the period the following: <quote>and does not meet the criteria listed in subsection (a)(2)(A)</quote>; and</text></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HCBB580388462459C830C70142A754365"><enum>(B)</enum><text>in paragraph (3), by striking <quote>an unaccompanied alien child in custody shall</quote> and all that follows, and inserting the following:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="HA5785F9835914461B8817442BBC3D83B"><text>an unaccompanied alien child in custody—</text><subparagraph id="H10B4C31ABE4E4E9C87313A14FAFDA94D"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in the case of a child who does not meet the criteria listed in subsection (a)(2)(A), shall transfer the custody of such child to the Secretary of Health and Human Services not later than 30 days after determining that such child is an unaccompanied alien child who does not meet such criteria; or</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H701AA2FE495C4A839B0E6F4CA044A8DB"><enum>(B)</enum><text>in the case of child who meets the criteria listed in subsection (a)(2)(A), may transfer the custody of such child to the Secretary of Health and Human Services after determining that such child is an unaccompanied alien child who meets such criteria.</text></subparagraph><after-quoted-block>; and</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HFE227804CCFC43E589ABF93B0285F3CD"><enum>(3)</enum><text>in subsection (c)—</text><subparagraph commented="no" id="HFAF1B2DDB50B45B1803C61B26A62CF87"><enum>(A)</enum><text>in paragraph (3), by inserting at the end the following:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H1BF70FD0A9C149309334C680EBC0B622"><subparagraph commented="no" id="HC2401AAEBD8D4132B4483BF1D7603DD3"><enum>(D)</enum><header>Information about individuals with whom children are placed</header><clause commented="no" id="H3C2CFBB11D224864A911EA50036EEF71"><enum>(i)</enum><header>Information to be provided to Homeland Security</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Before placing a child with an individual, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall provide to the Secretary of Homeland Security, regarding the individual with whom the child will be placed, the following information:</text><subclause commented="no" id="HDFF02E3EAEF940C48D4291D2EDD3CD81"><enum>(I)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The name of the individual.</text></subclause><subclause commented="no" id="H1BAA95CB4E0147C6B21ED16C4756F8E0"><enum>(II)</enum><text>The social security number of the individual, if available.</text></subclause><subclause commented="no" id="H48591190507A460DA1FEF0FF8C0EDD0B"><enum>(III)</enum><text>The date of birth of the individual.</text></subclause><subclause commented="no" id="HD4528E0A0CD64FF8843EC4A8E158876A"><enum>(IV)</enum><text>The location of the individual’s residence where the child will be placed.</text></subclause><subclause commented="no" id="H96F6925CE6CF4D4096255ADC70F4DF6E"><enum>(V)</enum><text>The immigration status of the individual, if known.</text></subclause><subclause commented="no" id="H91C49BAC875845AA929EA7A7D534EA3A"><enum>(VI)</enum><text>Contact information for the individual.</text></subclause></clause><clause commented="no" id="H1D8771FA4EC74CE1A1C43A9926E58166"><enum>(ii)</enum><header>Special rule</header><text>In the case of a child who was apprehended on or after the effective date of this clause, and before the date of the enactment of this subparagraph, who the Secretary of Health and Human Services placed with an individual, the Secretary shall provide the information listed in clause (i) to the Secretary of Homeland Security not later than 90 days after such date of enactment.</text></clause></subparagraph><after-quoted-block>; and </after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HC6E1422EB90F4F6F86FA22D8CCA6FCED"><enum>(B)</enum><text>in paragraph (5)—</text><clause id="H0185767C491F42C5B6DBAE2FBA8105B2"><enum>(i)</enum><text>by inserting after <quote>to the greatest extent practicable</quote> the following: <quote>(at no expense to the Government)</quote>; and</text></clause><clause id="HEB58999BB32748D7927857CD10DD18A1"><enum>(ii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by striking <quote>have counsel to represent them</quote> and inserting <quote>have access to counsel to represent them</quote>.</text></clause></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H969AE616796B4CA1ACF1DE8B274CFAAE"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Effective date</header><text>The amendments made by this section shall apply to any unaccompanied alien child apprehended on or after the date of enactment.</text></subsection></section><section id="HF6FD17B5FFC744CCBFC3E64799C3455C"><enum>102.</enum><header>Clarification of standards for family detention</header><subsection id="H9CAA1DF667AE462884A94D8A0CDE238F"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 235 of the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/8/1232">8 U.S.C. 1232</external-xref>) is amended by adding at the end the following:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H463EBAB126904B90A7CB17105E170CD1"><subsection id="H6CA66806262D4E6E8763BF9738BA2B14"><enum>(j)</enum><header>Construction</header><paragraph commented="no" id="H6F53850CBA3C4A59B0B873F9E77E96AD"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Notwithstanding any other provision of law, judicial determination, consent decree, or settlement agreement, the detention of any alien child who is not an unaccompanied alien child shall be governed by sections 217, 235, 236, and 241 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/8/1187">8 U.S.C. 1187</external-xref>, 1225, 1226, and 1231). There is no presumption that an alien child who is not an unaccompanied alien child should not be detained, and all such determinations shall be in the discretion of the Secretary of Homeland Security.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HD9D063A6E9734B2B959E81E878269A06"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Release of minors other than unaccompanied aliens</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In no circumstances shall an alien minor who is not an unaccompanied alien child be released by the Secretary of Homeland Security other than to a parent or legal guardian, who is lawfully present in the United States.</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="H019437A3D1674F848A0242908B25888F"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Family detention</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Secretary of Homeland Security shall—</text><subparagraph commented="no" id="H4FF3DDC465854B729CB990A1B5CB1CF4"><enum>(A)</enum><text>maintain the care and custody of an alien, during the period during which the charges described in clause (i) are pending, who—</text><clause commented="no" id="HC8FE97452B7C4C579C2A70C3617267BF"><enum>(i)</enum><text>is charged only with a misdemeanor offense under section 275(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/8/1325">8 U.S.C. 1325(a)</external-xref>); and</text></clause><clause commented="no" id="H8AF42CC79E2F40C086E13402066A8CFC"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>entered the United States with the alien’s child who has not attained 18 years of age; and</text></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" id="H450C6C17F44A404EBA861198409F5D99"><enum>(B)</enum><text>detain the alien with the alien’s child.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection><subsection id="HCB5B6E3DB6174B92A19A95ECFB2C223F"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Sense of Congress</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">It is the sense of Congress that the amendments in this section to section 235 of the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/8/1232">8 U.S.C. 1232</external-xref>) are intended to satisfy the requirements of the Settlement Agreement in Flores v. Meese, No. 85–4544 (C.D. Cal) as approved by the court on January 28, 1997, with respect to its interpretation in Flores v. Johnson, 212 F. Supp. 3d 864 (C.D. Cal. 2015), that the agreement applies to accompanied minors. </text></subsection><subsection id="H913F5907FEB64902B13A8EB6A8F390F1"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Effective date</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The amendment made by subsection (a) shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act and shall apply to all actions that occur before, on, or after the date of the enactment of this Act.</text></subsection><subsection id="H089A40E8E8AE42F496790586D3357881"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Preemption of State licensing requirements</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Notwithstanding any other provision of law, judicial determination, consent decree, or settlement agreement, no State may require that an immigration detention facility used to detain children who have not attained 18 years of age, or families consisting of one or more of such children and the parents or legal guardians of such children, that is located in that State, be licensed by the State or any political subdivision thereof.</text></subsection></section><section id="H1660462B558E4F4AB9FF030EB248E604"><enum>103.</enum><header>Special immigrant juvenile status for immigrants unable to reunite with either parent</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 101(a)(27)(J) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/8/1101">8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(27)(J)</external-xref>) is amended—</text><paragraph id="H99E81F96179E4ECDB0DAFA97CE1A2B19"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in clause (i), by striking <quote>, and whose reunification with 1 or both of the immigrant's parents is not viable due to abuse, neglect, abandonment, or a similar basis found under State law</quote>; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H36AB4C6B44524BAA8F65946D3F1FB7BB"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in clause (iii)—</text><subparagraph id="HA5079DE28C3F4D5083EA704E99DF119F"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by striking <quote>and</quote> at the end of subclause (I);</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HD3CB2BB487ED4C2795E63936F75E24EC"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by inserting <quote>and</quote> at the end of subclause (II); and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HB9E90E6D128C467D858CF4FD136547CB"><enum>(C)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H141D928475B1497AA53A4B0BF7B4EF7E"><subclause id="H27B2C2714D8B40869E0B77CC89BB1868"><enum>(III)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">an alien may not be granted special immigrant juvenile status under this subparagraph if his or her reunification with any one parent or legal guardian is not precluded by abuse, neglect, abandonment, or any similar cause under State law;</text></subclause><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subparagraph></paragraph></section><enum>II</enum><header>Asylum Reform</header><section id="H41631660B6104889A5D3FB00C340F45F"><enum>201.</enum><header>Credible fear interviews</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 235(b)(1)(B)(v) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/8/1225">8 U.S.C. 1225(b)(1)(B)(v)</external-xref>) is amended by striking <quote>claim</quote> and all that follows, and inserting <quote>claim, as determined pursuant to section 208(b)(1)(B)(iii), and such other facts as are known to the officer, that the alien could establish eligibility for asylum under section 208, and it is more probable than not that the statements made by, and on behalf of, the alien in support of the alien’s claim are true.</quote>.</text></section><section id="H60E8F37E8A674486A2EDBD0A5BF1D291"><enum>202.</enum><header>Jurisdiction of asylum applications</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 208(b)(3) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/8/1158">8 U.S.C. 1158</external-xref>) is amended by striking subparagraph (C).</text></section><section commented="no" id="H607A2AF12C2E47FCB399353343B5C8DE"><enum>203.</enum><header>Recording expedited removal and credible fear interviews</header><subsection commented="no" id="HD364AD5FC01D4D5F9CF798F8C4BB46BD"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Secretary of Homeland Security shall establish quality assurance procedures and take steps to effectively ensure that questions by employees of the Department of Homeland Security exercising expedited removal authority under section 235(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/8/1225">8 U.S.C. 1225(b)</external-xref>) are asked in a uniform manner, to the extent possible, and that both these questions and the answers provided in response to them are recorded in a uniform fashion.</text></subsection><subsection id="H477587D5365B4C829C88EDD9E380B36C"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Credible fear interview checklists</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Secretary of Homeland Security shall provide a checklist of standard questions and concepts to be addressed in all interviews under section 235(b) to immigration officers exercising decision-making authority in such interviews. Such checklists shall be routinely updated to include relevant changes to law and procedures and shall, at a minimum, require that all immigration officers utilizing such checklists provide concise justifications of their decision regardless of whether credible fear was or was not established. </text></subsection><subsection commented="no" id="HB5C3A86B672744FC81EB28B43A73E1FB"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Factors relating to sworn statements</header><text>Where practicable, any sworn or signed written statement taken of an alien as part of the record of a proceeding under section 235(b)(1)(A) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/8/1225">8 U.S.C. 1225(b)(1)(A)</external-xref>) shall be accompanied by a recording of the interview which served as the basis for that sworn statement.</text></subsection><subsection commented="no" id="H7C24C17B25404F6E961BC63F2A568A5D"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Interpreters</header><text>The Secretary shall ensure that a competent interpreter, not affiliated with the government of the country from which the alien may claim asylum, is used when the interviewing officer does not speak a language understood by the alien.</text></subsection><subsection commented="no" id="HBB886BF1516B4124AEABBF789E90B8E8"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Recordings in immigration proceedings</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">There shall be an audio or audio visual recording of interviews of aliens subject to expedited removal. The recording shall be included in the record of proceeding and shall be considered as evidence in any further proceedings involving the alien.</text></subsection><subsection commented="no" id="H3E7F229EDC19462896CDABC069E17B89"><enum>(f)</enum><header>No private right of action</header><text>Nothing in this section shall be construed to create any right, benefit, trust, or responsibility, whether substantive or procedural, enforceable in law or equity by a party against the United States, its departments, agencies, instrumentalities, entities, officers, employees, or agents, or any person, nor does this section create any right of review in any administrative, judicial, or other proceeding.</text></subsection></section><section commented="no" id="H571C2E856F104B459C9759313986345D"><enum>204.</enum><header>Safe third country</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 208(a)(2)(A) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/8/1158">8 U.S.C. 1158(a)(2)(A)</external-xref>) is amended—</text><paragraph id="H0EEBA0DCA1B34343BC470803F8404362"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by striking <quote>if the Attorney General determines</quote> and inserting <quote>if the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security determines—</quote>;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HD6ADDD6270704CB6B0880D3ABB86B3BC"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by striking <quote>that the alien may be removed</quote> and inserting: </text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H7905E26BC0C1475C81E6001F7E700ED2"><clause id="H6FA738CD26B34CA698068A9BDEB872BF"><enum>(i)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">that the alien may be removed</text></clause><after-quoted-block>;</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="HDF67F4CBF9E944399361D17E75FC6DBA"><enum>(3)</enum><text>by striking <quote>removed, pursuant to a bilateral or multilateral agreement, to</quote> and inserting <quote>removed to</quote>; </text></paragraph><paragraph id="HB959DA9CB7CB44259E2DA98D097EE263"><enum>(4)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">by inserting <quote>, on a case by case basis,</quote> before <quote>finds that</quote>;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H1E21AD99AA844E29A16EA33791E6A89B"><enum>(5)</enum><text>by striking the period at the end and inserting <quote>; or</quote>; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H4A76FD89147D4294958709198EBA9ABC"><enum>(6)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H2AB7D839A5694BC9A1E6DAEC8705BFB6"><clause id="HF3CA8BEDF48147DC99C7BCD07A93D593" indent="up2"><enum>(ii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">that the alien entered, attempted to enter, or arrived in the United States after transiting through at least one country outside the alien’s country of citizenship, nationality, or last lawful habitual residence en route to the United States, unless—</text><subclause id="H177776ECA575467F972AFE519B9BAFD2"><enum>(I)</enum><text>the alien demonstrates that he or she applied for protection from persecution or torture in at least one country outside the alien’s country of citizenship, nationality, or last lawful habitual residence through which the alien transited en route to the United States, and the alien received a final judgement denying the alien protection in each country;</text></subclause><subclause id="H92E0FA31AEF54CA7B7902A2A4BC73F6F"><enum>(II)</enum><text>the alien demonstrates that he or she was a victim of a severe form of trafficking in which a commercial sex act was induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such act was under the age of 18 years; or in which the trafficking included the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery, and was unable to apply for protection from persecution in all countries that alien transited en route to the United States as a result of such severe form of trafficking; or</text></subclause><subclause id="HC6F17D8287E94F09949BAC65E455A22C"><enum>(III)</enum><text>the only countries through which the alien transited en route to the United States were, at the time of the transit, not parties to the 1951 United Nations Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, the 1967 Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees, or the United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.</text></subclause></clause><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></section><section commented="no" id="HD6A5FC559A2E4592BA111F982B2BB000"><enum>205.</enum><header>Renunciation of asylum status pursuant to return to home country</header><subsection commented="no" id="HDB39AD49D0E447B8934F70F2ED2A78E0"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 208(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/8/1158">8 U.S.C. 1158(c)</external-xref>) is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H4BB2B463696A436CB08A953F1D9878B9"><paragraph commented="no" id="H05958D06E3904B58960D092F5B7867A9"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Renunciation of status pursuant to return to home country</header><subparagraph commented="no" id="H2F9E685DDE7B475BBB97895D85A7DFD6"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Except as provided in subparagraph (B), any alien who is granted asylum status under this Act, who, absent changed country conditions, subsequently returns to the country of such alien’s nationality or, in the case of an alien having no nationality, returns to any country in which such alien last habitually resided, and who applied for such status because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution in that country on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion, shall have his or her status terminated.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" id="H1C2A8A39DDE34B4F8655BC1EE756A3C1"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Waiver</header><text>The Secretary has discretion to waive subparagraph (A) if it is established to the satisfaction of the Secretary that the alien had a compelling reason for the return. The waiver may be sought prior to departure from the United States or upon return.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection><subsection commented="no" id="H124AB519A91242AB9EF9E4023B0ECECB"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Conforming amendment</header><text>Section 208(c)(3) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/8/1158">8 U.S.C. 1158(c)(3)</external-xref>) is amended by inserting after <quote>paragraph (2)</quote> the following: <quote>or (4)</quote>.</text></subsection></section><section commented="no" id="H0041CB6704384445AAD90E5D2EEC8DC3"><enum>206.</enum><header>Notice concerning frivolous asylum applications</header><subsection commented="no" id="H483F70D0BE5741BF8CE56E80F9B63BB2"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Section 208(d)(4) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/8/1158">8 U.S.C. 1158(d)(4)</external-xref>) is amended—</text><paragraph commented="no" id="H21F43550C32144E38685C24087FBC43A"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by inserting <quote>the Secretary of Homeland Security or</quote> before <quote>the Attorney General</quote>;</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="H86528A7D472D4DAB89596E099034FB14"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in subparagraph (A), by striking <quote>and of the consequences, under paragraph (6), of knowingly filing a frivolous application for asylum; and</quote> and inserting a semicolon;</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="HB326739449C544DDAF93A9AF7E808FDB"><enum>(3)</enum><text>in subparagraph (B), by striking the period and inserting <quote>; and</quote>; and</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="H597768F81D3F4C1285E46CACF2344D62"><enum>(4)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" id="H9A08B485A14F4CB5929291025230EB7A"><subparagraph commented="no" id="H03B639D9E8EF432989A30F8BEB9C7FE9"><enum>(C)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">ensure that a written warning appears on the asylum application advising the alien of the consequences of filing a frivolous application and serving as notice to the alien of the consequence of filing a frivolous application.</text></subparagraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></subsection><subsection commented="no" id="H451BD9BB48A44D58B4F8879C45735663"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Conforming amendment</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 208(d)(6) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/8/1158">8 U.S.C. 1158(d)(6)</external-xref>) is amended by striking <quote>If the</quote> and all that follows and inserting:</text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H73A39AA29C794BF19396BDAE6B14A964"><subparagraph commented="no" id="H1DF9756DDE2C41A8B54A92312D9E8718"><enum>(A)</enum><text>If the Secretary of Homeland Security or the Attorney General determines that an alien has knowingly made a frivolous application for asylum and the alien has received the notice under paragraph (4)(C), the alien shall be permanently ineligible for any benefits under this chapter, effective as the date of the final determination of such an application.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" id="H8CE5D7A66EB043AD9DC68EF44E522769"><enum>(B)</enum><text>An application is frivolous if the Secretary of Homeland Security or the Attorney General determines, consistent with subparagraph (C), that—</text><clause commented="no" id="HC353EFF9B8464377A2EE7EA51C8F8DAE"><enum>(i)</enum><text>it is so insufficient in substance that it is clear that the applicant knowingly filed the application solely or in part to delay removal from the United States, to seek employment authorization as an applicant for asylum pursuant to regulations issued pursuant to paragraph (2), or to seek issuance of a Notice to Appear in order to pursue Cancellation of Removal under section 240A(b); or</text></clause><clause commented="no" id="H65FC245ADF2743BCB85D2D12519591C3"><enum>(ii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">any of the material elements are knowingly fabricated.</text></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" id="H0DF5AB1186804C9B995D6E5D5836B8B6"><enum>(C)</enum><text>In determining that an application is frivolous, the Secretary or the Attorney General, must be satisfied that the applicant, during the course of the proceedings, has had sufficient opportunity to clarify any discrepancies or implausible aspects of the claim.</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" id="H3DA39CC578684B9C94924EAAC5644B8A"><enum>(D)</enum><text>For purposes of this section, a finding that an alien filed a frivolous asylum application shall not preclude the alien from seeking withholding of removal under section 241(b)(3) or protection pursuant to the Convention Against Torture.</text></subparagraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></subsection></section><section commented="no" id="HD1B35A2EABCA450B8952C295BED9B6B4"><enum>207.</enum><header>Anti-fraud investigative work product</header><subsection commented="no" id="HF716857B69D74E2F86E1826A155C00E3"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Asylum credibility determinations</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 208(b)(1)(B)(iii) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/8/1158">8 U.S.C. 1158(b)(1)(B)(iii)</external-xref>) is amended by inserting after <quote>all relevant factors</quote> the following: <quote>, including statements made to, and investigative reports prepared by, immigration authorities and other government officials</quote>.</text></subsection><subsection commented="no" id="H575A2989BFF84462B2FF7227E05D9F26"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Relief for removal credibility determinations</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 240(c)(4)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/8/1229a">8 U.S.C. 1229a(c)(4)(C)</external-xref>) is amended by inserting after <quote>all relevant factors</quote> the following: <quote>, including statements made to, and investigative reports prepared by, immigration authorities and other government officials</quote>.</text></subsection></section><section id="H1AD6A1C3DF9D43BEB8D04F35D6FA19EA"><enum>208.</enum><header>Clarification of asylum eligibility</header><subsection id="HCA589A6984164ED19870A36691CD200B"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 208(b)(1)(A) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/8/1158">8 U.S.C. 1158(b)(1)(A)</external-xref>) is amended by inserting after <quote>section 101(a)(42)(A)</quote> the following: <quote>and is eligible to apply for asylum under subsection (a)</quote>. </text></subsection><subsection id="HE0D510D562F547549C7992A371EC5A36"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Place of arrival</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 208(a)(1) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/8/1158">8 U.S.C. 1158(a)(1)</external-xref>) is amended—</text><paragraph id="HF2B0176E71404700A4D716CCB97B425B"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by striking <quote>or who arrives in the United States (whether or not at a designated port of arrival and including an alien who is brought to the United States after having been interdicted in international or United States waters),</quote>; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HCCDAD681A1924955B99B9F4D04C6FCBF"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by inserting after <quote>United States</quote> the following: <quote>and has arrived in the United States at a port of entry,</quote>.</text></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="HD07204BE57A94FF3BB376AB59F1AE991"><enum>209.</enum><header>Application timing</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 208(a)(2)(B) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/8/1158">8 U.S.C. 1158(a)(2)(B)</external-xref>) is amended by striking <quote>1 year</quote> and inserting <quote>6 months</quote>.</text></section><section id="H88B4EE63E062492D88CC55D7FE6721F1"><enum>210.</enum><header>Clarification of burden of proof</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 208(b)(1)(B)(i) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/8/1158">8 U.S.C. 1158(b)(1)(B)(i)</external-xref>) is amended by striking <quote>at least one</quote> and inserting <quote>the</quote>.</text></section><section id="H0F808CC5668C4626806187FE4A8F89A8"><enum>211.</enum><header>Additional exception</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 208(b)(2)(A) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/8/1158">8 U.S.C. 1158(b)(2)(A)</external-xref>) is amended—</text><paragraph id="HDB6E37C989FF4F9A9D0E667BDEA0E763"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in clause (v), by striking <quote>or</quote> at the end;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H4F9B6B0892C44CE2B090E5ED1472DB37"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in clause (vi), by striking the period and inserting <quote>; or</quote>; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H149920CD718D40EEB4A54FEAE56C1337"><enum>(3)</enum><text>by adding at the end the following: </text><quoted-block style="OLC" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HC56E3D24B3EB4D578867109FE39228D4"><clause id="H812B8780FB1440B9A37CCD2019865133"><enum>(vii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">there are reasonable grounds for concluding the alien could avoid persecution by relocating to another part of the alien’s country of nationality or, if stateless, another part of the alien’s country of last habitual residence.</text></clause><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></paragraph></section><section id="H98AF244F966D4A82A79F19B7607FFE5A"><enum>212.</enum><header>Clarification regarding employment eligibility</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 208(d)(2) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/8/1158">8 U.S.C. 1158(d)(2)</external-xref>) is amended—</text><paragraph id="H48B9ADDE81274C75A1DDBF31334B9CBF"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by striking <quote>180 days</quote> and inserting <quote>1 year</quote>; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H1101791E80FD41FC8CCC5F5AACB6850F"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by inserting <quote>and the authorization shall expire 6 months after the date of issuance</quote> before the period at the end. </text></paragraph></section><section commented="no" id="H87AC815AC58B4BC3B6DF93444385D72F"><enum>213.</enum><header>Penalties for asylum fraud</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 1001 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by inserting at the end of the paragraph—</text><quoted-block style="OLC" id="H0CD1E96B407B4B45B52570687CE2DDBA"><subsection commented="no" id="H743A17727B584ABE88B166E0C0C97E2C"><enum>(d)</enum><text>Whoever, in any matter before the Secretary of Homeland Security or the Attorney General pertaining to asylum under section 208 of the Immigration and Nationality Act or withholding of removal under section 241(b)(3) of such Act, knowingly and willfully—</text><paragraph commented="no" id="H2D96FCBD77F14097B718BE612A44CD4E"><enum>(1)</enum><text>makes any materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or representation; or</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="HBE4F4AC37E7D4F188487011E6BD90E17"><enum>(2)</enum><text>makes or uses any false writings or document knowing the same to contain any materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or entry,</text></paragraph><continuation-text commented="no" continuation-text-level="subsection">shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 10 years, or both.</continuation-text></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block></section><section commented="no" id="H99554BF9CE064616A1144F9D8D554B3B"><enum>214.</enum><header>Statute of limitations for asylum fraud</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 3291 of title 18, United States Code, is amended—</text><paragraph commented="no" id="HBEBA32BBF21B4943A7E03C38F5280B68"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by striking <quote>1544,</quote> and inserting <quote>1544, and section 1546,</quote>; and</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="HA8FADC579FC74642A11AEE782331C05B"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by striking <quote>offense.</quote> and inserting <quote>offense or within 10 years after the fraud is discovered.</quote>.</text></paragraph></section><section commented="no" id="H34E8F6E7008B4E0AA6B60D9AB4FCC48A"><enum>215.</enum><header>Technical amendments</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 208 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/8/1158">8 U.S.C. 1158</external-xref>) is amended—</text><paragraph commented="no" id="H04FE04F670E54048B74B174DFA47BC3C"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in subsection (a)—</text><subparagraph commented="no" id="HC9A1BB9519684054AB1EAE5A957B39B8"><enum>(A)</enum><text>in paragraph (2)(D), by inserting <quote>Secretary of Homeland Security or the</quote> before <quote>Attorney General</quote>; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" id="HAAE76357CC564EAE8E5A27874AF56BF4"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in paragraph (3), by inserting <quote>Secretary of Homeland Security or the</quote> before <quote>Attorney General</quote>;</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="H32E4850A10D34DF8B439F1C330F8FD30"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in subsection (b)(2), by inserting <quote>Secretary of Homeland Security or the</quote> before <quote>Attorney General</quote> each place such term appears;</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="HFBE7E429FB6B492D9430690FA5F186A7"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in subsection (c)—</text><subparagraph commented="no" id="H53E4726EE78C4721A5A0507F41BB073A"><enum>(A)</enum><text>in paragraph (1), by striking <quote>Attorney General</quote> each place such term appears and inserting <quote>Secretary of Homeland Security</quote>;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" id="H6E651619FADF49849D480FE372763E14"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in paragraph (2), in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by inserting <quote>Secretary of Homeland Security or the</quote> before <quote>Attorney General</quote>; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" id="H056FCBD017124370BFFE69F0BEDAE84B"><enum>(C)</enum><text>in paragraph (3), by inserting <quote>Secretary of Homeland Security or the</quote> before <quote>Attorney General</quote>; and</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="H2A0B7DC1C92B4812B15C0B9EDF44BB10"><enum>(4)</enum><text>in subsection (d)—</text><subparagraph commented="no" id="H171BDAE7B06143FDAAC256E037B210C0"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in paragraph (1), by inserting <quote>Secretary of Homeland Security or the</quote> before <quote>Attorney General</quote> each place such term appears;</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" id="H569330C701C7451C99DB091D22C70166"><enum>(B)</enum><text>in paragraph (2), by striking <quote>Attorney General</quote> and inserting <quote>Secretary of Homeland Security</quote>; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" id="H807303BC0E5743B7AB6CA0C431D96247"><enum>(C)</enum><text>in paragraph (5)—</text><clause commented="no" id="H2A7497850CDA49E2B4D6320FB90C11BA"><enum>(i)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in subparagraph (A), by striking <quote>Attorney General</quote> and inserting <quote>Secretary of Homeland Security</quote>; and</text></clause><clause commented="no" id="HA68F59F053F043748CB709F1A4D6B28F"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>in subparagraph (B), by inserting <quote>Secretary of Homeland Security or the</quote> before <quote>Attorney General</quote>.</text></clause></subparagraph></paragraph></section>