[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6477 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 6477

To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to reform the process for 
                inspection of applicants for admission.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           November 21, 2023

  Mr. Weber of Texas (for himself, Mr. Carter of Texas, Mr. Self, Mr. 
  Higgins of Louisiana, and Ms. Foxx) introduced the following bill; 
          which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to reform the process for 
                inspection of applicants for admission.

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

            TITLE I--INSPECTION OF APPLICANTS FOR ADMISSION

SEC. 101. INSPECTION OF APPLICANTS FOR ADMISSION.

    Section 235 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1225) 
is amended--
            (1) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1)--
                            (i) in subparagraph (A)--
                                    (I) in clauses (i) and (ii), by 
                                striking ``section 212(a)(6)(C)'' 
                                inserting ``subparagraph (A) or (C) of 
                                section 212(a)(6)''; and
                                    (II) by adding at the end the 
                                following:
                            ``(iv) Ineligibility for parole.--An alien 
                        described in clause (i) or (ii) shall not be 
                        eligible for parole except as expressly 
                        authorized pursuant to section 212(d)(5), or 
                        for parole or release pursuant to section 
                        236(a).''; and
                            (ii) in subparagraph (B)--
                                    (I) in clause (ii), by striking 
                                ``asylum.'' and inserting ``asylum and 
                                shall not be released (including 
                                pursuant to parole or release pursuant 
                                to section 236(a) but excluding as 
                                expressly authorized pursuant to 
                                section 212(d)(5)) other than to be 
                                removed or returned to a country as 
                                described in paragraph (3).''; and
                                    (II) in clause (iii)(IV)--
                                            (aa) in the header by 
                                        striking ``detention'' and 
                                        inserting ``detention, return, 
                                        or removal''; and
                                            (bb) by adding at the end 
                                        the following: ``The alien 
                                        shall not be released 
                                        (including pursuant to parole 
                                        or release pursuant to section 
                                        236(a) but excluding as 
                                        expressly authorized pursuant 
                                        to section 212(d)(5)) other 
                                        than to be removed or returned 
                                        to a country as described in 
                                        paragraph (3).'';
                    (B) in paragraph (2)--
                            (i) in subparagraph (A)--
                                    (I) by striking ``Subject to 
                                subparagraphs (B) and (C),'' and 
                                inserting ``Subject to subparagraph (B) 
                                and paragraph (3),''; and
                                    (II) by adding at the end the 
                                following: ``The alien shall not be 
                                released (including pursuant to parole 
                                or release pursuant to section 236(a) 
                                but excluding as expressly authorized 
                                pursuant to section 212(d)(5)) other 
                                than to be removed or returned to a 
                                country as described in paragraph 
                                (3).''; and
                            (ii) by striking subparagraph (C);
                    (C) by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph 
                (5); and
                    (D) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following:
            ``(3) Return to foreign territory contiguous to the united 
        states.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Secretary of Homeland 
                Security may return to a foreign territory contiguous 
                to the United States any alien arriving on land from 
                that territory (whether or not at a designated port of 
                entry) pending a proceeding under section 240 or review 
                of a determination under subsection 
                (b)(1)(B)(iii)(III).
                    ``(B) Mandatory return.--If at any time the 
                Secretary of Homeland Security cannot--
                            ``(i) comply with its obligations to detain 
                        an alien as required under clauses (ii) and 
                        (iii)(IV) of subsection (b)(1)(B) and 
                        subsection (b)(2)(A); or
                            ``(ii) remove an alien to a country 
                        described in section 208(a)(2)(A),
                the Secretary of Homeland Security shall, without 
                exception, including pursuant to parole or release 
                pursuant to section 236(a) but excluding as expressly 
                authorized pursuant to section 212(d)(5), return to a 
                foreign territory contiguous to the United States any 
                alien arriving on land from that territory (whether or 
                not at a designated port of entry) pending a proceeding 
                under section 240 or review of a determination under 
                subsection (b)(1)(B)(iii)(III).
            ``(4) Enforcement by state attorneys general.--The attorney 
        general of a State, or other authorized State officer, alleging 
        a violation of the detention, return, or removal requirements 
        under paragraph (1), (2), or (3) that affects such State or its 
        residents, may bring an action against the Secretary of 
        Homeland Security on behalf of the residents of the State in an 
        appropriate United States district court to obtain appropriate 
        injunctive relief.''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(e) Authority To Prohibit Introduction of Certain Aliens.--If the 
Secretary of Homeland Security determines, in his discretion, that the 
prohibition of the introduction of aliens who are inadmissible under 
subparagraph (A) or (C) of section 212(a)(6) or under section 212(a)(7) 
at an international land or maritime border of the United States is 
necessary to achieve operational control (as defined in section 2 of 
the Secure Fence Act of 2006 (8 U.S.C. 1701 note)) of such border, the 
Secretary may prohibit, in whole or in part, the introduction of such 
aliens at such border for such period of time as the Secretary 
determines is necessary for such purpose.''.

                  TITLE II--IMMIGRATION PAROLE REFORM

SEC. 201. IMMIGRATION PAROLE REFORM.

    Section 212(d)(5) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
1182(d)(5)) is amended to read as follows:
    ``(5)(A) Except as provided in subparagraphs (B) and (C) and 
section 214(f), the Secretary of Homeland Security, in the discretion 
of the Secretary, may temporarily parole into the United States any 
alien applying for admission to the United States who is not present in 
the United States, under such conditions as the Secretary may 
prescribe, on a case-by-case basis, and not according to eligibility 
criteria describing an entire class of potential parole recipients, for 
urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit. Parole 
granted under this subparagraph may not be regarded as an admission of 
the alien. When the purposes of such parole have been served in the 
opinion of the Secretary, the alien shall immediately return or be 
returned to the custody from which the alien was paroled. After such 
return, the case of the alien shall be dealt with in the same manner as 
the case of any other applicant for admission to the United States.
    ``(B) The Secretary of Homeland Security may grant parole to any 
alien who--
            ``(i) is present in the United States without lawful 
        immigration status;
            ``(ii) is the beneficiary of an approved petition under 
        section 203(a);
            ``(iii) is not otherwise inadmissible or removable; and
            ``(iv) is the spouse or child of a member of the Armed 
        Forces serving on active duty.
    ``(C) The Secretary of Homeland Security may grant parole to any 
alien--
            ``(i) who is a national of the Republic of Cuba and is 
        living in the Republic of Cuba;
            ``(ii) who is the beneficiary of an approved petition under 
        section 203(a);
            ``(iii) for whom an immigrant visa is not immediately 
        available;
            ``(iv) who meets all eligibility requirements for an 
        immigrant visa;
            ``(v) who is not otherwise inadmissible; and
            ``(vi) who is receiving a grant of parole in furtherance of 
        the commitment of the United States to the minimum level of 
        annual legal migration of Cuban nationals to the United States 
        specified in the U.S.-Cuba Joint Communique on Migration, done 
        at New York September 9, 1994, and reaffirmed in the Cuba-
        United States: Joint Statement on Normalization of Migration, 
        Building on the Agreement of September 9, 1994, done at New 
        York May 2, 1995.
    ``(D) The Secretary of Homeland Security may grant parole to an 
alien who is returned to a contiguous country under section 235(b)(3) 
to allow the alien to attend the alien's immigration hearing. The grant 
of parole shall not exceed the time required for the alien to be 
escorted to, and attend, the alien's immigration hearing scheduled on 
the same calendar day as the grant, and to immediately thereafter be 
escorted back to the contiguous country. A grant of parole under this 
subparagraph shall not be considered for purposes of determining 
whether the alien is inadmissible under this Act.
    ``(E) For purposes of determining an alien's eligibility for parole 
under subparagraph (A), an urgent humanitarian reason shall be limited 
to circumstances in which the alien establishes that--
            ``(i)(I) the alien has a medical emergency; and
            ``(II)(aa) the alien cannot obtain necessary treatment in 
        the foreign state in which the alien is residing; or
            ``(bb) the medical emergency is life-threatening and there 
        is insufficient time for the alien to be admitted to the United 
        States through the normal visa process;
            ``(ii) the alien is the parent or legal guardian of an 
        alien described in clause (i) and the alien described in clause 
        (i) is a minor;
            ``(iii) the alien is needed in the United States in order 
        to donate an organ or other tissue for transplant and there is 
        insufficient time for the alien to be admitted to the United 
        States through the normal visa process;
            ``(iv) the alien has a close family member in the United 
        States whose death is imminent and the alien could not arrive 
        in the United States in time to see such family member alive if 
        the alien were to be admitted to the United States through the 
        normal visa process;
            ``(v) the alien is seeking to attend the funeral of a close 
        family member and the alien could not arrive in the United 
        States in time to attend such funeral if the alien were to be 
        admitted to the United States through the normal visa process;
            ``(vi) the alien is an adopted child with an urgent medical 
        condition who is in the legal custody of the petitioner for a 
        final adoption-related visa and whose medical treatment is 
        required before the expected award of a final adoption-related 
        visa; or
            ``(vii) the alien is a lawful applicant for adjustment of 
        status under section 245 and is returning to the United States 
        after temporary travel abroad.
    ``(F) For purposes of determining an alien's eligibility for parole 
under subparagraph (A), a significant public benefit may be determined 
to result from the parole of an alien only if--
            ``(i) the alien has assisted (or will assist, whether 
        knowingly or not) the United States Government in a law 
        enforcement matter;
            ``(ii) the alien's presence is required by the Government 
        in furtherance of such law enforcement matter; and
            ``(iii) the alien is inadmissible, does not satisfy the 
        eligibility requirements for admission as a nonimmigrant, or 
        there is insufficient time for the alien to be admitted to the 
        United States through the normal visa process.
    ``(G) For purposes of determining an alien's eligibility for parole 
under subparagraph (A), the term `case-by-case basis' means that the 
facts in each individual case are considered and parole is not granted 
based on membership in a defined class of aliens to be granted parole. 
The fact that aliens are considered for or granted parole one-by-one 
and not as a group is not sufficient to establish that the parole 
decision is made on a `case-by-case basis'.
    ``(H) The Secretary of Homeland Security may not use the parole 
authority under this paragraph to parole an alien into the United 
States for any reason or purpose other than those described in 
subparagraphs (B), (C), (D), (E), and (F).
    ``(I) An alien granted parole may not accept employment, except 
that an alien granted parole pursuant to subparagraph (B) or (C) is 
authorized to accept employment for the duration of the parole, as 
evidenced by an employment authorization document issued by the 
Secretary of Homeland Security.
    ``(J) Parole granted after a departure from the United States shall 
not be regarded as an admission of the alien. An alien granted parole, 
whether as an initial grant of parole or parole upon reentry into the 
United States, is not eligible to adjust status to lawful permanent 
residence or for any other immigration benefit if the immigration 
status the alien had at the time of departure did not authorize the 
alien to adjust status or to be eligible for such benefit.
    ``(K)(i) Except as provided in clauses (ii) and (iii), parole shall 
be granted to an alien under this paragraph for the shorter of--
            ``(I) a period of sufficient length to accomplish the 
        activity described in subparagraph (D), (E), or (F) for which 
        the alien was granted parole; or
            ``(II) 1 year.
    ``(ii) Grants of parole pursuant to subparagraph (A) may be 
extended once, in the discretion of the Secretary, for an additional 
period that is the shorter of--
            ``(I) the period that is necessary to accomplish the 
        activity described in subparagraph (E) or (F) for which the 
        alien was granted parole; or
            ``(II) 1 year.
    ``(iii) Aliens who have a pending application to adjust status to 
permanent residence under section 245 may request extensions of parole 
under this paragraph, in 1-year increments, until the application for 
adjustment has been adjudicated. Such parole shall terminate 
immediately upon the denial of such adjustment application.
    ``(L) Not later than 90 days after the last day of each fiscal 
year, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit to the Committee 
on the Judiciary of the Senate and the Committee on the Judiciary of 
the House of Representatives and make available to the public, a 
report--
            ``(i) identifying the total number of aliens paroled into 
        the United States under this paragraph during the previous 
        fiscal year; and
            ``(ii) containing information and data regarding all aliens 
        paroled during such fiscal year, including--
                    ``(I) the duration of parole;
                    ``(II) the type of parole; and
                    ``(III) the current status of the aliens so 
                paroled.''.

SEC. 202. IMPLEMENTATION.

    (a) In General.--Except as provided in subsection (b), this title 
and the amendments made by this title shall take effect on the date 
that is 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.
    (b) Exceptions.--Notwithstanding subsection (a), each of the 
following exceptions apply:
            (1) Any application for parole or advance parole filed by 
        an alien before the date of the enactment of this Act shall be 
        adjudicated under the law that was in effect on the date on 
        which the application was properly filed and any approved 
        advance parole shall remain valid under the law that was in 
        effect on the date on which the advance parole was approved.
            (2) Section 212(d)(5)(J) of the Immigration and Nationality 
        Act, as added by section 201 of this Act, shall take effect on 
        the date of the enactment of this Act.
            (3) Aliens who were paroled into the United States pursuant 
        to section 212(d)(5)(A) of the Immigration and Nationality Act 
        (8 U.S.C. 1182(d)(5)(A)) before January 1, 2023, shall continue 
        to be subject to the terms of parole that were in effect on the 
        date on which their respective parole was approved.

SEC. 203. CAUSE OF ACTION.

    Any person, State, or local government that experiences financial 
harm in excess of $1,000 due to a failure of the Federal Government to 
lawfully apply the provisions of this title or the amendments made by 
this title shall have standing to bring a civil action against the 
Federal Government in an appropriate district court of the United 
States for appropriate relief.

SEC. 204. SEVERABILITY.

    If any provision of this title or any amendment by this title, or 
the application of such provision or amendment to any person or 
circumstance, is held to be unconstitutional, the remainder of this 
title and the application of such provision or amendment to any other 
person or circumstance shall not be affected.
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