MCC18801 S.L.C.
115
TH
CONGRESS 2
D
S
ESSION
S.
ll
To clarify responsibilities related to unaccompanied alien children, to provide additional protections and tracking mechanisms for such children, and for other purposes.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
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Mr. P
ORTMAN
(for himself, Mr. B
LUMENTHAL
, Mr. L
ANKFORD
, and Mr. C
AR
-
PER
) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
llllllllll
A BILL
To clarify responsibilities related to unaccompanied alien chil-dren, to provide additional protections and tracking mechanisms for such children, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
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tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
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This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Responsibility for Un-
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accompanied Minors Act’’.
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SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
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Congress finds the following:
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(1) The Department of Health and Human
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Services, under Federal law as in effect on the date
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2
MCC18801 S.L.C.
of the enactment of this Act, is responsible for the
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care of each unaccompanied alien child in the United
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States, including any such child placed with a spon-
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sor, until the earlier of—
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(A) the date on which the immigration pro-
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ceedings of the child are concluded; or
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(B) the date on which the child attains 18
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years of age.
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(2) Follow-up services provided to certain unac-
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companied alien children released to sponsors under
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section 235 of the William Wilberforce Trafficking
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Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008 (8
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U.S.C. 1232) are valuable to help ensure child safe-
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ty, integration, and appearance at immigration court
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proceedings.
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SEC. 3. RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE DIRECTOR OF THE OF-
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FICE OF REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT.
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Section 462(b) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002
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(6 U.S.C. 279(b)) is amended by adding at the end the
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following:
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‘‘(5) C
LARIFICATION OF PERIOD OF CARE
.—
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‘‘(A) I
N GENERAL
.—Pursuant to the obli-
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gation established under section 235(b)(1) of
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the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims
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Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008 (8
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3
MCC18801 S.L.C.
U.S.C. 1232(b)(1)), the Director of the Office
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of Refugee Resettlement is authorized to care
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for and provide follow-up services to an unac-
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companied alien child, including any such child
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placed with a sponsor, from the time the child
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is identified as an unaccompanied alien child
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until the earlier of—
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‘‘(i) the date on which the immigra-
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tion proceedings of such child are con-
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cluded; or
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‘‘(ii) the date on which the child at-
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tains 18 years of age.
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‘‘(B) R
ULE OF CONSTRUCTION
.—Nothing
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in this paragraph limits the authority of a State
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or local welfare or emergency services provider
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to address an allegation of abuse or neglect or
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an emergency situation.
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‘‘(6) F
OLLOW
-
UP SERVICES
.—Before placing an
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unaccompanied alien child with a sponsor, the Direc-
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tor of the Office of Refugee Resettlement shall
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evaluate, to the extent possible, the need for such
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child to receive follow-up services once such child is
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placed with a sponsor.’’.
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