Stopping Border Surges Act
Stopping Border Surges Act
Plain Language Summary
# Stopping Border Surges Act Summary **What the Bill Would Do** The Stopping Border Surges Act would make several changes to how the U.S. handles asylum seekers and unaccompanied migrant children at the border. Key provisions include: requiring the Department of Homeland Security to send back certain unaccompanied children to their home countries (currently only children from neighboring countries can be automatically repatriated), making it harder for people to qualify for asylum by raising the standard for proving "credible fear" of persecution, requiring information sharing between health and immigration agencies when children are placed with sponsors, and automatically revoking asylum status if someone returns to the country they fled from. **Who It Affects** This bill primarily affects unaccompanied minors arriving at the U.S.
border and asylum seekers from any country. It would also impact the organizations and individuals who sponsor or care for migrant children, as well as the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Health and Human Services who manage these populations. **Current Status** The bill was introduced by Republican Representative Andy Biggs of Arizona and is currently in committee, meaning it has not yet been debated or voted on by the full House of Representatives.
CRS Official Summary
Stopping Border Surges Act This bill modifies immigration law provisions relating to unaccompanied alien minors and to asylum seekers.The bill requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to repatriate certain unaccompanied, inadmissible alien children, generally those not at risk of being trafficking victims nor having a fear of persecution. Currently, only inadmissible unaccompanied aliens from neighboring countries are subject to repatriation, and DHS has discretion whether to repatriate.When the Department of Health and Human Services releases an unaccompanied child to an individual, it shall provide DHS with certain information about that individual, including Social Security number and immigration status.The bill requires a stricter standard to find a credible fear of persecution and imposes additional rules on credible fear interviews.If an alien is granted asylum because of fear of persecution in a country, the alien shall be deemed to have renounced asylum status by returning to that country, if there has been no change in the country's conditions.The bill also (1) expands the definition of what constitutes a frivolous asylum application, (2) imposes additional limitations on eligibility for asylum, (3) shortens the deadline for applying for asylum, and (4) extends the time period an alien seeking asylum must wait before receiving employment authorization.Any individual who knowingly and willfully makes materially false statements or uses fraudulent documents in asylum-related proceedings shall be fined or imprisoned up to 10 years, or both.
Latest Action
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.