Protection of Children Act of 2023

2417

118th Congress

In Committee

Summary

Protection of Children Act of 2023 This bill modifies the treatment of unaccompanied alien children and tightens eligibility requirements for Special Immigrant Juvenile visas (immigrant visas for non-U.S. nationals under 21 years of age in the United States who have been abused or abandoned by a parent). Current law authorizes the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to remove an unaccompanied alien child to their country of nationality or last habitual residence if that country is next to the United States. This section (1) eliminates the requirement that the country is next to the United States; and (2) requires the child's removal, whereas currently removal is authorized. This section also establishes and modifies deadlines for the handling of unaccompanied alien children. For example, if the child is a victim of severe human trafficking, the child must have a hearing before an immigration judge within 14 days of screening as part of removal proceedings. Furthermore, before DHS places an unaccompanied alien child with an individual, the Department of Health and Human Services must provide DHS with certain information about the individual, including social security number and immigration status. DHS must initiate removal proceedings if the individual is unlawfully present. This bill establishes that an individual does not qualify for a Special Immigrant Juvenile visa if reunification is possible with any parent or legal guardian. Currently, an individual may qualify if the individual cannot reunite with one or both parents due to abuse, neglect, or abandonment (i.e., an individual may qualify even if reunification with one parent is possible).

Lobbying filings that explicitly cite this bill (1)

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KIDS IN NEED OF DEFENSE (1)

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2023 · second_quarter · Immigration

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Cited source text, amounts, lobbyists, and targets

H.R. 1183, Asylum Reform and Border Protection Act of 2023 H.R.2697/S.1187, Fairness to Freedom Act of 2023 H.R.3968/S.1843, End Child Trafficking Now Act H.R. 2432, Migrant Processing and Protection Act of 2023 H.R. 2417, Protection of Children Act of 2023 H.R. 2, Secure the Border Act of 2023 S. 1473, A bill to authorize the immediate expulsion of inadmissible aliens attempting to enter the United States by fraud or without a necessary entry document, and for other purposes S. 1600, Border Management, Security, and Assistance Act of 2023 S. 1464, Enhancing DHS Drug Seizures Act S. 1885/H.R. 4285, Protect Vulnerable Immigrant Youth Act H.R. 16, American Dream and Promise Act of 2023 H.R. 4170/S. 2038, LIFT the BAR Act of 2023 H.R. 1690, ORDER Act H.R.2794, Border Reinforcement Act of 2023 Issues related to the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024 and 2025 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2024 (provisions related to child welfare professionals, preventing family separations, co-location of HHS professionals in CBP, and the removal of SIJ visa caps) Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2024 (provisions related to funding for unaccompanied legal services, appropriate reception and placement of unaccompanied children, co-location of HHS professionals in CBP) Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2024 (provisions related to migrant children, reintegration, gender-based violence in Central America, and migration in the Americas) Issues related to the Matter of M-A-C-O- Issues related to USCIS/EOIR adjudication delays Issues related to the asylum ban Issues related to protections special immigrant juveniles (SIJ) and the visa cap and processing timeframes Issues related to legal counsel for unaccompanied children and families Issues related to unaccompanied children program Issues related to child labor exploitation Issues related to the federal licensing of ORR facilities Issues related to specialized children's dockets Issues related to the expansion and implementation of the Central American Minors (CAM) program Issues related to the U.S. Strategy for Addressing the Root Causes of Migration in Central America Issues related to the Collaborative Migration Management Strategy Issues related to the Title 42 and border policies Issues related to safe return and reintegration for unaccompanied child migrants Issues related to the Young Adult Case Management program Issues related to the re-parole of unaccompanied Afghan minors Issues related to influx capacity and family unity Issues related to the rule on DACA healthcare Issues related to Mexican unaccompanied children Dignity Act of 2023 Issues related to ORR oversight Issues related to Flores agreement Issues related to the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act