H.R. 8971: Veterans Visa and Protection Act of 2026

H.R. 8971: Veterans Visa and Protection Act of 2026

This bill establishes a sweeping amnesty and return program for deportable and previously deported alien veterans, granting them Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) status and an expedited path to naturalization. It-

• Requires the government to reopen proceedings, rescind final orders of removal, and grant LPR status to illegal alien veterans, explicitly including those who have already been deported from the United States (no numerical limitations);
• Grants the Secretary of Homeland Security broad authority to waive individuals convicted of a "crime of violence" or national security threats for "humanitarian purposes," "family unity," or the "public interest,";
• Bars the removal of alien veterans and service members unless they are convicted of a specific crime of violence, and restricts ICE enforcement by requiring special supervisory approval just to initiate removal proceedings against these individuals; and
• Grants immediate eligibility to amnestied aliens for all military and veterans benefits they would have otherwise forfeited due to their deportation or inadmissible status.