Sponsors (43)
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Amends cancellation of removal provisions: modifies subsection (b)(2)(A)(iv) eligibility language and adds a new subparagraph (E) to make determinations of eligibility for relief for domestic violence survivors subject to judicial review; also adds a conforming amendment to subclause (IV) in (b)(2)(A)(i).
Amends judicial review of orders of removal: replaces 242(a)(1) to preserve review governed by chapter 158 of title 28 generally but adds express de novo review for removal orders of certain domestic-violence-related noncitizens and applicants for specified relief.
Repeals sections 402, 403, 411, 412, 421, and 422 of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (codified at or related to 8 U.S.C. 1613, 1621, 1622, 1631, and 1632), removing certain eligibility restrictions for basic assistance for noncitizens.
Amends notification and information reporting by striking specified text from section 404 of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (8 U.S.C. 1614).
Amends Title IV definitions and various provisions to replace language referencing 'alien' and 'qualified alien' with 'noncitizen' and 'qualified noncitizen', and inserts a definition of 'noncitizen' in section 431 (8 U.S.C. 1641).
Amends section 1108(h) of the Social Security Act (codified at 42 U.S.C. 1308(h)) to add a new paragraph excluding certain individuals lawfully residing in a State or DC under Compacts of Free Association from the paragraph (1) exclusion, and permitting Governors of specified territories to opt in for residents of those territories.
Amends the Children's Health Insurance Program statute (section 2107(e)(1)) by striking subparagraph (O) and redesignating subsequent subparagraphs (P)-(U) as (O)-(T).
Makes conforming amendments to the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008: strikes subsection (i) of section 5, redesignates subsections, changes eligibility language to refer to 'noncitizen lawfully present in the United States,' and inserts 'noncitizens' in specified places.
Amends Medicaid financing provision 1903(v) by changing eligibility language to 'present in the United States' and striking paragraph (4).
Amends Housing and Community Development Act section 214(a) to add a qualified noncitizen among eligible categories by redesignating paragraphs and inserting a new paragraph referencing qualified noncitizen as defined in 8 U.S.C. 1641.
And 32 more affected sections...
Strengthens immigration protections for survivors of domestic violence, trafficking, and other crimes by expanding waiver and exception rules, stopping deportation while humanitarian or family-unity applications are pending, and creating new classifications for abused derivatives. It removes some numerical visa caps (including the U-visa annual cap and exceptions for abused children), speeds work authorization and parole for qualifying petitioners, creates a presumption of release from immigration detention for eligible victims, restricts enforcement in defined “protected areas,” tightens limits on public disclosure of immigration-related information, and updates naturalization and juvenile-court rules to reduce barriers for victims seeking lawful status. The bill makes broad amendments across the Immigration and Nationality Act and related statutes to (1) expand who may receive relief and when, (2) limit removal, detention, and enforcement against covered victims while applications are pending, (3) remove certain numerical and procedural barriers (including the U-visa cap and some per-country limits for abused children), and (4) require agency rulemaking, training, reporting, and new remedies for violations.
Amends 8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(9)(B)(iii)(IV) by striking existing text and inserting the phrase "is a VAWA self-petitioner." This explicitly makes that provision reference a VAWA self-petitioner.
Amends 8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(9)(C)(iii) by (A) inserting text after a semicolon and (B) striking the phrase "in the case of" and all that follows through and inserting "United States." (This is an editorial amendment to that waiver provision for abused aliens.)
The amendments made by this section take effect on the date of enactment of the Act and apply regardless of whether an alien's application was filed before, on, or after that date.
Adds a new subclause (III) to 8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(6)(C)(ii) providing that an alien who is a VAWA self-petitioner shall not be considered inadmissible under any provision of that subsection based on a representation of U.S. citizenship.
Amends 8 U.S.C. 1101(f) by striking the phrase "or violation that he or she was a citizen," and inserting "violation that he or she was a citizen, or the alien is a VAWA self-petitioner" (an edit to the definitions provision).
Who is affected and how:
Noncitizens who are survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, or other qualifying crimes: They gain stronger protections against removal, broader eligibility for waivers of inadmissibility, faster access to work authorization and parole, protections from aging out, and new classification options (including abused derivatives). These changes aim to reduce fear of deportation while claims proceed and increase access to lawful status and benefits.
U‑visa, T‑visa, VAWA self‑petitioners, and Special Immigrant Juvenile (SIJ) beneficiaries: These groups receive major substantive changes — elimination of the U‑visa cap, expanded waivers, expedited employment authorization, and expanded motions to reopen for SIJ petitioners — likely increasing approvals and reducing backlog harms but also increasing demand on adjudication systems.
Children in HHS custody and juvenile‑court processes: The bill restricts juvenile courts from deciding custody/placement for certain HHS‑held children without HHS consent and removes certain derivative parentage-based immigration claims; abused children are also exempted from some numerical limits, changing the pathway and timelines for immigration relief.
Immigration enforcement agencies (DHS, ICE, CBP) and adjudicatory bodies (USCIS, EOIR, immigration courts): Must change practices to implement non‑removal rules, detention presumptions, protected‑area restrictions, and new adjudication timelines; will face increased procedural and reporting obligations and potential litigation over denials and enforcement actions.
Federal agencies (DOJ/AG, DHS, DOS, HHS): Need to issue regulations, guidance, training, and reports; DOJ and DHS must adopt new confidentiality rules and implement private‑right‑of‑action remedies, increasing administrative workload and potential compliance costs.
Service providers, legal aid organizations, and courts: Likely see increased caseloads for applications, motions to reopen, and litigation over privacy, detention, and enforcement violations; will need resources to assist clients navigating changed rules.
Community safety and enforcement considerations: The bill preserves the ability to deny waivers for certain grave criminal grounds and allows DHS or immigration judges to waive inadmissibility in the public/national interest in some contexts; however, enforcement limits, presumptive releases, and cap removals will be politically and operationally contentious and could shift enforcement priorities and resource allocation.
Overall tradeoffs and likely effects:
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, Agriculture, Education and Workforce, Energy and Commerce, and Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Introduced April 10, 2025 by Pramila Jayapal · Last progress April 10, 2025
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Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, Agriculture, Education and Workforce, Energy and Commerce, and Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Introduced in House