Sponsors (2)
The bill memorializes Jocelyn Nungaray by renaming the refuge, giving communities a lasting tribute and administrative clarity, while imposing modest update costs and risking politicization and short-term confusion for some visitors and responders.
Local residents, visitors, and refuge agencies will use a single, updated name for the refuge, reducing confusion and avoiding the need to amend individual administrative or legal records (saving time and staff resources).
Children, local communities, and visitors gain a permanent memorial honoring Jocelyn Nungaray at the refuge, preserving her memory and providing a focal point for community remembrance.
Local governments and some visitors may view the naming as politically charged because the victim’s death was tied in findings to immigration status and alleged gang membership, which could upset visitors and politicize the refuge.
Taxpayers, refuge partners, and local governments will incur modest costs to update signage, wayfinding materials, and related outreach to reflect the new name.
Visitors and emergency responders could experience short-term confusion while both the old and new names circulate, which may temporarily affect navigation and response.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Renames the Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge in Texas to the Jocelyn Nungaray National Wildlife Refuge and treats prior federal references to the old name as referring to the new name.
Renames the Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge in Texas to the Jocelyn Nungaray National Wildlife Refuge and directs that any federal references to the former name be treated as references to the new name. The law records factual findings about the murder of 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray and a prior presidential executive order renaming the refuge, then makes the name change permanent in federal law and records. The act does not authorize new spending or change refuge operations; it only changes the official name and requires federal statutes, maps, regulations, and documents to be read as referring to the new name.
Introduced May 5, 2025 by John Cornyn · Last progress July 24, 2025