H.R. 1698: American Families United Act
Quick Facts:
Bill Sponsor: Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-TX-16)
Congress: 118
Date Introduced: March 22, 2023
Last Action: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. (March 22, 2023)
American Families United Act
This bill authorizes the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or the Department of Justice (DOJ) to exercise discretion in certain immigration cases.
Under this bill, DOJ or DHS may, on a case-by-case basis, exercise discretion by declining to remove a non-U.S. national (alien under federal law) or bar an alien from entering the United States to prevent hardship for the alien's U.S. citizen spouse, parent, or child. This discretion may also be exercised if the alien is the spouse or child of a deceased U.S. citizen.
For the purposes of this bill, it shall be presumed that family separation constitutes hardship.
However, DOJ or DHS may not exercise this discretion if the alien is removable or inadmissible due to certain grounds, including specified crime- and security-related grounds.
This exercise of discretion may be applied to an alien who was ordered removed or denied entry prior to this bill's enactment if the alien files a motion to reopen or reconsider within two years of this bill's enactment.
Rep. María Elvira Salazar (R-FL-27) (March 22, 2023)
Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD-8) (March 22, 2023)
Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-12) (March 22, 2023)
Rep. Nikema Williams (D-GA-5) (March 22, 2023)
Del. Eleanor Norton (D-DC-At-Large) (March 22, 2023)
Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-CA-51) (March 22, 2023)
Rep. Nanette Barragán (D-CA-44) (March 22, 2023)
Rep. Lou Correa (D-CA-46) (March 22, 2023)
Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA-5) (March 22, 2023)
Rep. Colin Allred (D-TX-32) (March 22, 2023)
Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA-7) (March 22, 2023)
Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX-37) (March 22, 2023)
Rep. Deborah Ross (D-NC-2) (March 22, 2023)
Rep. Joe Neguse (D-CO-2) (March 22, 2023)
Rep. Nydia Velázquez (D-NY-7) (March 22, 2023)
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN-5) (March 22, 2023)
Rep. Linda Sánchez (D-CA-38) (March 29, 2023)
Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA-2) (March 29, 2023)
Rep. Mike Levin (D-CA-49) (March 29, 2023)
Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA-42) (March 29, 2023)
Rep. Gabe Vasquez (D-NM-2) (June 7, 2023)
Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA-4) (June 7, 2023)
Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-IL-3) (June 7, 2023)
Rep. Darren Soto (D-FL-9) (June 7, 2023)
Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA-30) (June 7, 2023)
Rep. Chuy García (D-IL-4) (June 7, 2023)
Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD-2) (June 7, 2023)
Rep. Rick Larsen (D-WA-2) (June 7, 2023)
Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI-7) (July 25, 2023)
Rep. Lizzie Fletcher (D-TX-7) (July 25, 2023)
Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY-10) (Aug. 22, 2023)
Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA-18) (Sept. 21, 2023)
Rep. Brittany Pettersen (D-CO-7) (Oct. 17, 2023)
Rep. David Valadao (R-CA-22) (Oct. 24, 2023)
Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-PA-4) (Oct. 24, 2023)
Rep. Paul Tonko (D-NY-20) (Nov. 6, 2023)
Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-NM-3) (Nov. 17, 2023)
Rep. Andy Kim (D-NJ-3) (Nov. 17, 2023)
Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA-12) (Nov. 17, 2023)
Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN-4) (Nov. 17, 2023)
Rep. Greg Casar (D-TX-35) (Dec. 12, 2023)
Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA-47) (Feb. 9, 2024)
Rep. Rob Menendez (D-NJ-8) (April 12, 2024)
Rep. Andrea Salinas (D-OR-6) (June 18, 2024)
Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-NY-13) (June 18, 2024)
Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24) (June 18, 2024)
Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-MI-13) (June 18, 2024)
Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-WA-1) (July 11, 2024)
Rep. Kathy Castor (D-FL-14) (July 11, 2024)