Destination Reception Assistance Act

S. 4361 Securing the Border Act of 2024 - The bill expands Department of Homeland Security (DHS) authority to address the processing of non-U.S. nationals (aliens under federal law) and provides supplemental appropriations for related purposes. Among other provisions, the bill provides DHS emergency authority to summarily remove or prohibit the entry of certain non-U.S. nationals within 100 miles of the southwest land border. DHS may exercise this authority if DHS encounters an average of 4,000 non-U.S. nationals within a seven-day period. If the number of encounters reach certain higher thresholds, DHS must exercise the emergency authority. This emergency border authority expires after three years and may be modified by the President under specified circumstances. Next, the bill establishes an expedited process that authorizes asylum officers to adjudicate certain asylum claims. Among other provisions, these provisional noncustodial removal proceedings impose certain target timelines for determining asylum claims and limit review of denied claims. The bill also establishes a stricter threshold for individuals to remain in the United States pending adjudication of an asylum petition. H.R. 9217 S. 4861 Destination Reception Act - Establish the Destination Reception Services Program New Arrival Services Board in the Office of Refugee Resettlement, and to authorize a grant program to provide funding for medium-term services to asylum seekers and parolees in destination States and localities. The grant program would promote self-sufficiency; reduce costs of extended emergency shelter; maximize benefit to new arrivals and host communities; provide diversion from homelessness; and promote the effective navigation and compliance of the immigration process. H.R.1325 - Asylum Seeker Work Authorization Act of 2023: This bill directs the Department of Homeland Security to provide employment authorization for eligible asylum applicants. Currently, such individuals are not entitled to employment authorization but may be granted such by the Department of Justice. H.R. 9649 UNRWA Restoration of Emergency Funding Act - To restore funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). H. Res. 1525 Resolution to Reduce Forced Migration and Displacement - Calling for comprehensive legislation that addresses United States policies contributing to forced migration and displacement, promotes an immigration system that addresses the root causes of migration, reaffirms United States commitment to asylum, and provides a roadmap to citizenship for immigrants living in the United States. Bipartisan immigration bill (yet to be introduced) - Reps. Suozzi and Luttrell bipartisan bill negotiations to enact comprehensive immigration reform. Securing Help for Immigrants through Education and Legal Development (SHIELD) Act (pending introduction): To authorize the Attorney General to provide grants to States, units of local government, and organizations to support the recruitment, training, and development of staff and infrastructure needed to support the due process rights of individuals facing deportation. Refugee Protection Act of 2025 (pending introduction): To provide for the admission and protection of refugees, asylum seekers, and other vulnerable individuals, to provide for the processing of refugees and asylum seekers in the Western Hemisphere, and to modify certain special immigrant visa programs, and for other purposes. Migrant Shelter and Services Program Act (pending introduction) Executive Branch A Proclamation on Securing the Border and rule: Encouraged the administration to rescind the rule. The new policy bars access to asylum for most people arriving between ports of entry when the number of apprehensions reaches a certain level. It imposes additional uncertainties and obstacles to asylum building upon existing restrictive policies already in place. The Rule flouts domestic asylum law and the United States obligations under the Refugee Convention, and will face immediate legal challenge in the courts. Circumvention of Lawful Pathways Rule: Encouraged the administration to terminate the rule, increase processing of asylum seekers at ports of entry. Affirmative Asylum Processing: urged a number of recommendations to improve processing of affirmative asylum claims before USCIS. Somalia: Urged and welcomed the redesignation and extension of TPS for Somalia for 18 months, from September 18, 2024, to March 17, 2026. Work permit processing: urged administration to clear asylum work permit backlog Refugee Designation for Palestinians: urged the designation of a P2 program for Palestinians. Funding for UNRWA: urged the US to restore funding to the UNRWA. Protections for Haitians: urged the administration to halt deportations to Haiti and implement other protections for Haitians seeking humanitarian protection.

Client expense: $97,550 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS), Justice, Dept of (DOJ), SENATE, State, Dept of (DOS), White House Office

H.R. 9217: Destination Reception Assistance Act

Client expense: $10,000 · Firm income: Not reported

H.R. 1325 Asylum Seeker Work Authorization Act H.R. 9217 Destination Reception Assistance Act S. 4861 Destination Reception Assistance Act Unnumbered Senate bill on the Shelter and Services Program H.R. 4627 Afghan Adjustment Act S. 2337 Afghan Adjustment Act S. Amdt. 1550 to S.Amdt. 1388 to H.R. 815 Securing the Border, Interim Final Rule Temporary Protected Status for Haiti and Guatemala Humanitarian Parole for Sudan

Client expense: $1,000,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Executive Office of the President (EOP), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS), SENATE

Administrative Relief Nonimmigrant visa access and related waivers; Keeping Families Together parole process; Cancellation of removal as a legal relief outside of INA 240 removal proceedings; INA 212(d)(3) Waivers; Work permits for long-term immigrants, mixed status families, Dreamers without DACA and spouses of U.S. citizens; Streamlining pathways for lawful status for undocumented immigrants; Updating the Foreign Affairs Manual on INA 212(d)(3) Waivers; Legal pathway for family caregivers. Asylum President Bidens Executive Order to Limit Asylum Seekers at the Southern Border. Border and Interior Enforcement Opposing H.R. 8752 - the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2025; DHS FY 2025 Appropriations; Opposing anti-immigrant amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act; Opposing H. Res. 1210 - Condemning the Biden border crisis and the tremendous burdens law enforcement officers face as a result; Opposing H.R. 7909 - Violence Against Women by Illegal Aliens Act; Opposing H.R. 5717 - No Bailout for Sanctuary Cities Act. Children Opposing S.J. Res. 94 - A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval of the proposed rule submitted by the Office of Refugee Resettlement of the Administration for Children and Families of the Department of Health and Human Services relating to the Unaccompanied Children Program Foundational Rule. Citizenship Support USCIS offering electronic fee waiver requests for naturalization. Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) H.R. 16 - American Dream and Promise Act of 2023; DACA recipients receiving coverage under the ACA. Employment Authorization Eliminate the work permit backlog. Legalization H.R. 3599 - DIGNIDAD (Dignity) Act of 2023; S. 4861 (IS) - Destination Reception Assistance Act; H.R.9217 - Destination Reception Assistance Act; H.R. 8980 - SHIELD Act; ITIN Reform and Tax Fairness Act; H.R. 9244 - National Origin-Based Antidiscrimination for Nonimmigrants (NO BAN) Act; S. 4961 - National Origin-Based Antidiscrimination for Nonimmigrants (NO BAN) Act. Parole Humanitarian Parole for Haiti. Refugees Refugee funding in FY 2025 appropriations. Temporary Protected Status (TPS) Designation of TPS/DED for Guatemala; Redesignation and extension of TPS for Haiti. Voting Opposing H.R. 8281 - Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act (SAVE Act); Opposing H.R. 9494 - Continuing Appropriations and Other Matters Act, 2025 (with SAVE Act attached to it). Other Opposing right-wing and anti-immigrant rhetoric used by the GOP; Opposing H. Res. 1371 - Strongly condemning the Biden Administration and its Border Czar, Kamala Harris's, failure to secure the United States border; Opposing anti-immigrant funding in FY 2025 - National Defense Authorization Act; FY25 Appropriations Funding for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Citizenship and Integration Grant Program; 2025-26 FAFSA form.