If enacted, HB871 would create a more defined and structured process for asylum applications at ports of entry, thereby potentially reducing the burden on immigration courts. By limiting the ability of individuals to apply for asylum after entering the country without inspection, the bill aims to direct more cases through official entry points. Advocates argue that this could enhance border security and ensure that asylum requests are handled in a more orderly fashion. However, the bill also imposes strict prohibitions against the parole or release of asylum applicants into the U.S., which could lead to more people being detained while their cases are processed, raising concerns about human rights and legal protections for vulnerable populations.
Summary
House Bill 871, known as the Refugees Using Legal Entry Safely Act (RULES Act), seeks to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act, specifically altering the eligibility requirements for asylum seekers. The central focus of the bill is to allow any alien arriving at a designated port of entry, regardless of their immigration status, to apply for asylum directly at that location. This change is intended to streamline the process by which individuals seeking asylum can present their claims, potentially increasing the number of people able to access legal protections within the United States.
Contention
The bill faces criticism from various advocacy groups and some lawmakers who believe it represents a rollback of protections for asylum seekers. Critics argue that by restricting the circumstances under which individuals can apply for asylum, the bill may effectively deny access to those who are fleeing persecution and have no viable means of reaching a port of entry. Additionally, the stipulation that individuals already apprehended in the U.S. cannot apply for asylum under this bill may disproportionately impact those who need protection, leading to ethical and legal debates about the rights of refugees and their treatment under U.S. law.
To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide that employment authorization is only available to aliens who are lawfully present in the United States, and for other purposes.
To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to eliminate the annual numerical limitation on visas for certain immigrants, to require the Secretary of Homeland Security to grant work authorization to certain immigrants with a pending application for nonimmigrant status under such Act, and for other purposes.
Border Security and Enforcement Act of 2023 Legal Workforce Act Immigration Parole Reform Act of 2023 Visa Overstays Penalties Act Protection of Children Act of 2023 Ensuring United Families at the Border Act Border Safety and Migrant Protection Act of 2023 Asylum Reform and Border Protection Act of 2023
To authorize the immediate expulsion of inadmissible aliens attempting to enter the United States by fraud or without a necessary entry document, and for other purposes.
Asylum Abuse Reduction Act This bill places restrictions on non-U.S. nationals (aliens under federal law) seeking asylum and contains provisions related to immigration enforcement. Under this bill, an asylum seeker who arrives at a U.S. land port of entry without entry documents may not be admitted unless an asylum officer at a U.S. embassy or consulate has interviewed the individual and has concluded that the individual (1) has been persecuted in the alien's country of nationality due to their race, religion, or other characteristics; (2) has a credible fear of persecution if they returned to that country; or (3) would be tortured by the government upon return to that country. (Currently, an individual arriving at a port of entry may apply for asylum and an immigration officer there typically will conduct a credible fear interview.) Furthermore, an individual who traveled through a third country to enter the United States through the southern border shall be ineligible for asylum unless (1) the individual has applied for and been denied asylum or protection in that third country, (2) the individual was a victim of severe human trafficking, or (3) the third country is not party to certain international agreements relating to refugees. Each federal judicial district shall appoint at least one judge to issue arrest warrants for individuals violating orders to depart, upon a showing of probable cause. Under this bill, the Flores agreement (a lawsuit settlement which imposes various requirements relating to the treatment of minors detained for immigration-related purposes) shall not apply.
DIGNIDAD (Dignity) Act of 2023 Dignity for Immigrants while Guarding our Nation to Ignite and Deliver the American Dream Act of 2023 American Promise Act Transnational Criminal Organization Prevention and Elimination Act Protecting Sensitive Locations Act Dream Act Legal Workforce Act American Prosperity and Competitiveness Act H–2B Returning Worker Exception Act American Dream and Promise Act Border Security for America Act