S. 4389: HELP Separated Children Act
Quick Facts:
Bill Sponsor: Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN)
Congress: 119
Date Introduced: April 27, 2026
Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (April 27, 2026)
HELP Separated Children Act
This bill largely functions to codify existing, lenient protocols for handling apprehended illegal alien parents. It-
- Prohibits personnel from transferring an apprehended parent away from the arrest location until child care arrangements are secured or a 48-hour consultation period has passed;
- Grants the Secretary authority to use parole to bring previously removed aliens back to the United States for family court hearings or child-related emergencies;
- Mandates that detention facilities provide free video and phone calls with children and forces the designation of specific personnel to help parents participate in state family court proceedings;
- Directs the Secretary to prioritize the best interests of the child regarding prosecution and detention; and
- Codifies basic rules that already mirror current restrictive field policies.
Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) (April 27, 2026)
Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) (April 27, 2026)
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) (April 27, 2026)
Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) (April 27, 2026)
Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) (April 27, 2026)
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) (April 27, 2026)
Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI) (April 27, 2026)
Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) (April 27, 2026)
Sen. Andy Kim (D-NJ) (April 27, 2026)
Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) (April 27, 2026)
Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) (April 27, 2026)
Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) (April 27, 2026)
Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-NV) (April 27, 2026)
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) (April 27, 2026)
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) (April 27, 2026)
Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT) (April 27, 2026)
Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) (April 27, 2026)