Unaccompanied Alien Child Protection Act of 2007

A bill to provide for comprehensive immigration reform and for other purposes.

6/18/2007--Introduced.
Establishes specified benchmarks which must be met before the guest worker and legalization programs under this Act may be initiated respecting:
(1) operational control of the the border with Mexico;
(2) Border Patrol increases;
more...>(3) border barriers, including vehicle barriers, fencing, radar, and aerial vehicles;
(4) detention capacity for illegal aliens apprehended crossing the U.S.-Mexico border;
(5) workplace enforcement, including an electronic employment verification system; and
(6) Z-visa (as established by this Act) alien processing.
Establishes in the Treasury the Immigration Security Account to assist the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in meeting benchmark requirements.
Sets forth border security and enforcement provisions, including provisions respecting:
(1) personnel and asset increases and enhancements, including Shadow Wolves units;
(2) a National Strategy for Border Security and a National Land Border Security Plan;
(3) border security initiatives, including biometric data enhancements, document integrity, and additional ports of entry;
(4) a biometric entry-exit system;
(5) cooperation with Mexico;
(6) forfeiture of conveyances;
(7) border security on federal lands;
(8) a border relief grant program for a tribal, state, or local law enforcement agency in a border-proximate or high-impact area county; and
(9) increased federal detention space. Northern Border Prosecution Initiative Reimbursement Act - Directs the Attorney General to carry out the Northern Border Prosecution Initiative to reimburse northern border entities for costs incurred for handling case dispositions of criminal cases that are federally initiated but federally declined-referred. Secure and Safe Detention and Asylum Act - Sets forth detention procedures and standards. Establishes:
(1) an Office of Detention Oversight; and
(2) a detention alternatives program.
Sets forth interior enforcement provisions, including provisions respecting:
(1) additional immigration personnel;
(2) detention and removal;
(3) alien sex offenders and protection of immigrants from convicted sex offenders;
(4) alien street gang members;
(5) illegal entry and reentry;
(6) passport and immigration fraud;
(7) criminal aliens, including continuation of the Institutional Removal Program (IRP);
(8) voluntary departure;
(9) detention and alternatives;
(10) criminal penalties;
(11) alien smuggling;
(12) tribal lands security;
(13) state and local enforcement of immigration laws;
(14) expedited removal; and
(15) the Justice Prisoner and Alien Transfer System.
Makes it unlawful to knowingly hire, recruit, or refer for a fee an unauthorized alien.
Sets forth employment eligibility verification system provisions.
Provides for:
(1) disclosure of certain taxpayer identity information to DHS;
(2) establishment of the state records improvement grant program which may be used to help states comply with REAL ID requirements; and
(3) establishment of the voluntary advanced verification program to verify employee identity.
Sets forth Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and Social Security Administration (SSA) immigration-related enforcement provisions. Establishes a temporary Y-visa program for non-seasonal (Y-1) and seasonal workers (Y-2) (which replaces the H-2B category). Provides for:
(1) a two-year Y-1 admission with two additional two-year extensions (must be outside the United States for 12 months after working in the United States for two years), and a 10-month Y-2 admission;
(2) issuance of Y-3 nonimmigrant visas for accompanying or following spouse and children;
(3) three-year Y-1 commuter workers;
(4) establishment in the Treasury of a State Impact Assistance Account and a state impact assistance grant program;
(5) U.S. worker protection;
(6) employer requirements;
(7) specified annual admissions caps; and
(8) bilateral agreements with countries of Y-visa nonimmigrants as a condition of making such visas available.
Establishes the Standing Commission on Immigration and Labor Markets.
Requires the Department of Labor to establish a publicly available electronic job registry link to state job registries.
Replaces the seasonal agricultural nonimmigrant temporary worker (H-2A visa) labor certification requirement with a labor condition application filing. Revises work condition provisions. Establishes the Commission on Agricultural Wage Standards. Provides for a 10-month period of admission with a dairy worker exception.
Revises student visa provisions respecting:
(1) off campus work;
(2) distance learning;
(3) dual intent; and
(4) graduate students in mathematics, engineering, natural sciences, or information technology. Revises H-1B visa (specialty occupation) provisions, including:
(1) annual admissions cap increases;
(2) employer requirements;
(3) degree requirements;
(4) merit-based extension of stay; and
(5) government requirements.
Revises L-visa (intracompany transfer) provisions, including limitations on start-up company petition approvals.
Provides L-visa and H-1B visa whistleblower protections.
Makes the Conrad J-1 visa (foreign physicians in medically underserved areas) waiver program permanent.
Increases family-sponsored immigrant visas until backlogs are adjudicated.
Establishes a merit-based immigrant evaluation system.
Redefines "immediate relative." Eliminates specified family categories. Creates a new:
(1) preference category for parents of U.S. citizens who are at least 21 years old; and
(2) hardship category for persons who would have met eliminated categories.
Eliminates the diversity visa program. Creates a new special visitor visa for parents of U.S. citizens and for spouses and minor children of Y-1 visa holders. Increases per-country-limits for family-based and employment-based immigrants.
Establishes a nonimmigrant Z-visa category for illegal aliens who have been continuously physically present in the United States since January 1, 2007, and are:
(1) employed and seek to continue working or studying (Z-1);
(2) spouses, ex-spouses who were victims of domestic abuse, and parents over 65 years old of such workers (Z-2); or
(3) children under 18 years old on the date of application who are the natural born or legally adopted child of the working Z-visa holder (Z-3). Prohibits nonimmigrant status adjustment. Permits permanent resident status adjustment under a specified earned adjustment process, including:
(1) a probationary period;
(2) filing at a U.S. consulate abroad; and
(3) payment of penalty.
Sets forth provisions respecting:
(1) ineligibility;
(2) fees and penalties;
(3) security and law enforcement checks;
(4) tax liability;
(5) four-year admission and four-year extensions;
(6) benefits termination;
(7) employment;
(8) administrative and judicial review; and
(9) information disclosure.
Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act of 2007 or DREAM Act of 2007 - Authorizes adjustment to permanent resident status for certain Z-visa long-term U.S. residents who entered the United States before reaching 16 years old. Exempts Z-visa aliens from the provision denying an unlawful alien's eligibility for higher education benefits based on state residence unless a U.S. national is similarly eligible without regard to such state residence.
Agricultural Job Opportunities, Benefits, and Security Act of 2007, or AgJOBS Act of 2007 - Establishes a nonimmigrant Z-A visa category for agricultural workers and their dependents who have performed qualifying periods of agricultural work in the United States during the two-year period ending December 31, 2006. Permits permanent resident status adjustment under a specified earned adjustment process, including:
(1) a probationary period;
(2) filing at a U.S. consulate abroad; and
(3) payment of penalty.
Sets forth provisions respecting:
(1) admissibility;
(2) security and background checks;
(3) application requirements;
(4) Z-visa caps;
(5) five-year ineligibility for certain federal benefits;
(6) visa termination; and
(7) fines and penalties. Establishes in the Treasury the Agricultural Worker Immigration Status Adjustment Account.
Provides that fingerprints provided by a qualifying individual at the time of military enlistment shall satisfy naturalization fingerprint requirements. S.I. Hayakawa National Language Amendment Act of 2007 - Makes English the national language of the U.S. government. Directs the U.S. government to preserve and enhance the role of English as the U.S. national language.
Renames the Office of Citizenship as the Office of Citizenship and Integration. Directs the Office to provide grants to states and municipalities for creation of New Americans Integration Councils.
Establishes the Presidential Award for Business Leadership in Promoting American Citizenship.
Directs:
(1) the Secretary of Education to develop an electronic English learning program;
(2) the National Science Foundation (NSF) to establish an American competitiveness scholarship program; and
(3) the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a study of the immigration appeals appellate process. Unaccompanied Alien Child Protection Act of 2007 - Addresses the care and custody of unaccompanied alien children with no lawful immigration status and no parent or legal guardian in the United States who is available to provide care and physical custody.
Directs immigration officers who find such children at U.S. land borders or ports of entry to permit them to withdraw their applications for admission and return to their country of nationality or last habitual residence. Gives the Office of Refugee Resettlement jurisdiction over the care and custody of all unaccompanied alien children with specified exceptions. Requires federal departments or agencies to transfer such children in their custody to the Office.
Specifies the order of preference for placing released children, including custody rights of parents and legal guardians. Requires the Office to protect such children from smugglers and traffickers.
Prohibits the placement of such children in adult detention facilities or in facilities housing delinquent children unless they exhibit violent or criminal behavior. Expresses the sense of Congress that children should not be repatriated into threatening settings.
Requires the Executive Office for Immigration Review to implement model guidelines for the legal representation of alien children in immigration proceedings.
Revise special immigrant juvenile visa provisions. Requires such children apprehended by DHS, except those subject to contiguous country rules, to be placed in removal proceedings. Exempts such children from certain bars to asylum. Makes the Office responsible for:
(1) placement suitability assessments; and
(2) ensuring that minimum standards of care are met for residential alternatives to detention.
Wartime Treatment Study Act - Establishes:
(1) the Commission on Wartime Treatment of European Americans; and
(2) the Commission on Wartime Treatment of Jewish Refugees.

Sponsor

• Sen. Edward Kennedy [D, MA]
• and 1 Co-Sponsors
  • Sen. Arlen Specter [R, PA]
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• H.R.3685 [17]
• H.Res.63 [16]
• H.R.928 [16]

Amendments

This bill has 161 amendments. See All AmendmentsHide All Amendments

Amendments to S.1639

Number	Status	Purpose
S.Amdt.1701	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1805	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1806	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1807	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1808	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1809	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1810	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1811	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1812	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1813	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1814	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1815	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1816	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1844	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1845	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1846	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1847	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1848	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1849	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1850	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1851	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1852	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1853	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1854	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1855	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1862	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1863	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1864	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1865	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1866	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1868	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1869	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1870	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1871	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1872	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1873	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1874	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1875	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1876	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1877	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1878	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1879	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1880	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1881	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1882	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1883	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1884	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1885	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1886	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1887	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1888	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1889	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1890	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1891	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1892	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1893	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1894	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1895	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1896	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1897	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1898	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1899	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1900	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1901	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1902	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1903	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1904	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1905	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1906	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1907	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1908	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1909	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1910	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1911	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1912	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1913	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1914	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1915	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1916	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1917	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1918	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1919	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1920	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1921	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1922	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1923	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1924	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1925	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1926	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1927	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1928	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1929	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1930	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1931	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1932	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1933	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1934	Offered	Of a perfecting nature.
S.Amdt.1935	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1936	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1937	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1938	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1939	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1940	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1941	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1942	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1943	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1944	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1945	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1946	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1948	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1949	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1950	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1951	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1952	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1953	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1954	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1955	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1956	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1957	Offered	To change the enactment date.
S.Amdt.1958	Offered	To change the enactment date.
S.Amdt.1959	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1960	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1961	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1962	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1963	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1964	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1965	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1966	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1967	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1968	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1969	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1970	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1971	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1972	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1973	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1974	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1975	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1976	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1977	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1978	Offered	To change the enactment date.
S.Amdt.1979	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1980	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1981	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1982	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1983	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1984	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1985	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1986	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1987	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1988	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1989	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1990	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1991	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1992	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1993	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1994	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1995	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1996	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1997	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1998	Offered	Amendment information not available.
S.Amdt.1999	Offered	Amendment information not available.

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Bill Status

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Introduced		Voted on by Senate		Voted on by House		Considered By President		Bill Becomes Law
June 18, 2007

Related Bills:

• S.1348

Related Issue Areas:

• Medical care
• Medicine
• Mexico
• Minorities
• 156 more
• Money laundering
• National forests
• National parks
• Natural resources
• Naturalization
• Oaths
• Old age, survivors and disability insurance
• Parents
• Passports
• Perjury
• Police communication systems
• Political persecution
• Politics and government
• Prison alternatives
• Prisoners' rights
• Prosecution
• Public lands
• Public prosecutors
• Radar
• Recruiting of employees
• Refugees
• Repatriation
• Right of asylum
• Searches and seizures
• Seasonal labor
• Sentencing guidelines
• Sex offenders
• Smuggling
• Social security
• Social security numbers
• Standards
• State and local government
• Student employment
• Tax returns
• Taxation
• Technology
• Temporary employment
• Torture
• Trade
• Translating and interpreting
• Transportation
• Treaties
• U.S. Sentencing Commission
• User charges
• Victims of crimes
• Visas
• Weapons systems
• Whistle blowing
• World War II
• Immigration
• Access to health care
• Administrative courts
• Administrative remedies
• Admission of nonimmigrants
• Agricultural labor
• Agriculture
• Alien labor
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• Armed forces abroad
• Auditing
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• Budgets
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• Commemorations
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• Counterfeiting
• Criminal aliens
• Criminal investigation
• Criminal justice
• Custody of children
• Customs administration
• Dairy industry
• Data banks
• Death
• Defense policy
• Department of Homeland Security
• Department of Justice
• Department of Labor
• Deportation
• Detention of persons
• Distance education
• Drone aircraft
• Drunk driving
• Earned income tax credit
• Earnings
• Education
• Electronic surveillance
• Employee selection
• Employee training
• Engineering
• Engineers
• English language
• Entrepreneurs
• Ex-offenders
• Families
• Federal aid to law enforcement
• Federal law enforcement officers
• Federal-local relations
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• Fingerprints
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• Mathematics

In the News

August 13, 2007 DHS Finalizes New Rule on No-Match Letters

A reform measure (S. 1639) favored by President Bush stalled in the Senate in June 2007. “This is not an effort to put more pressure on Congress,” he said ...

Source: HR Magazine, VA
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August 12, 2007 Saipan Tribune

Both Tenorio and Guerrero's statements are part of the Senate record, which senators review when they decide whether to approve S. 1639. ...

Source: Saipan Tribune, Micronesia
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August 07, 2007 CRS reviews policy regarding SS benefits for noncitizens

Legislation introduced in the 110th Congress, such as S. 1639, would restrict earnings credits based on work performed without authorization in 2004 or ...

Source: CCH
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Blog Coverage

March 20, 2008 "A good illegal alien is a dead illegal alien". Cannot be disputed.

Measure Number: S. 1639 Measure Title: A bill to provide for comprehensive immigration reform and for other purposes. Vote Counts: YEAs 46 NAYs 53 Not Voting 1 Alphabetical by Senator Name Akaka (D-HI), Yea Alexander (R-TN), Nay ...

Source: Fitness Bodybuilding Weightlifting Resistance
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March 20, 2008 "A good illegal alien is a dead illegal alien". Cannot be disputed.

Measure Number: S. 1639 Measure Title: A bill to provide for comprehensive immigration reform and for other purposes. Vote Counts: YEAs 46 NAYs 53 Not Voting 1 Alphabetical by Senator Name Akaka (D-HI), Yea Alexander (R-TN), Nay ...

Source: Consumers Frugal Living
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March 11, 2008 25 new messages in 7 topics - digest

Question: On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture on S.1639 ) Vote Number: 235 Vote Date: June 28, 2007, 11:04 AM Required For Majority: 3/5 Vote Result: Cloture Motion Rejected Measure Number: S. 1639 ...

Source: lose weight
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