Sponsors (37)
The bill provides strong protections, work authorization, and routes to reopen prior removals for many long‑term Cambodian, Laotian, and Vietnamese nationals — improving stability and access to relief — but does so at increased fiscal and administrative cost, with higher litigation risk and implementation complexity that could create uneven outcomes and diplomatic complications.
Cambodian, Laotian, and Vietnamese nationals who arrived by Jan 1, 2008 and remained continuously are protected from detention and removal, providing stability and preventing immediate deportation.
Qualifying nationals receive permanent work authorization with a renewable 5‑year endorsement, enabling steady employment, income, and labor-market access.
People removed between April 24, 1996 and enactment can reopen proceedings and be treated as never removed, restoring eligibility for immigration relief and (where applicable) facilitating return through government-funded travel documents and transportation.
Implementing reopenings, outreach, work authorization, travel support, and related provisions will raise administrative and fiscal costs for DHS/DOJ and could increase taxpayer spending.
The bill expands litigation exposure (de novo judicial review plus private suits and class actions), likely increasing federal and private legal caseloads, raising defense/compliance costs for covered entities and adding delays to adjudication.
Granting permanent work authorization without conferring immigrant visa status may create administrative complexity for employers and DHS (I‑9, databases, recordkeeping) and raise compliance burdens.
Based on analysis of 6 sections of legislative text.
Stops detention/removal of Cambodian, Laotian, and Vietnamese nationals who entered on/before Jan 1, 2008 and continuously resided here; grants work authorization and reopens many past removal orders.
Official title: To halt removal of certain nationals of Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, and for other purposes.
Introduced February 20, 2026 by Judy Chu · Last progress February 20, 2026
Bars the federal government from detaining or removing nationals of Cambodia, Laos, or Vietnam who entered the United States on or before January 1, 2008 and have continuously lived here since that entry. It requires DHS to grant those people employment authorization with a renewable five‑year work endorsement, relaxes in‑person periodic identification for some supervised persons, and directs the Attorney General to reopen many past removal cases and vacate prior orders. The bill also requires DHS to notify affected noncitizens with final removal orders, obligates DHS (coordinating with State) to provide travel documents and government‑funded transportation where needed to return eligible people to the United States or admit/parole them, and creates a private right of action (including class actions) to enforce violations of the Act. Notices and motions to reopen are exempt from ordinary filing deadlines, and denials are subject to de novo district‑court review in specified venues.