What it does
SourcedAmerican Families United Act
This bill authorizes the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or the Department of Justice (DOJ) to exercise discretion in certain immigration cases.
Under this bill, DOJ or DHS may, on a case-by-case basis, exercise discretion by declining to remove a non-U.S. national (alien under federal law) or bar an alien from entering the United States to prevent hardship for the alien's U.S. citizen spouse, parent, or child. This discretion may also be exercised if the alien is the spouse or child of a deceased U.S. citizen.
For the purposes of this bill, it shall be presumed that family separation constitutes hardship.
However, DOJ or DHS may not exercise this discretion if the alien is removable or inadmissible due to certain grounds, including specified crime- and security-related grounds.
This exercise of discretion may be applied to an alien who was ordered removed or denied entry prior to this bill's enactment if the alien files a motion to reopen or reconsider within two years of this bill's enactment.
Official summary by the Congressional Research Service (Introduced in House, Mar 26, 2025).
Our plain-language breakdown, with what it means for you and the case for and against, is written once a bill starts to move.
What has happened
Sourced- Mar 26, 2025Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.House floor actions
- Mar 26, 2025Introduced in HouseLibrary of Congress
- Mar 26, 2025Introduced in HouseLibrary of Congress
Cosponsors
- Don Bacon R-NE-2
- Julia Brownley D-CA-26
- Salud O. Carbajal D-CA-24
- Greg Casar D-TX-35
- J. Luis Correa D-CA-46
- Angie Craig D-MN-2
- Jasmine Crockett D-TX-30
- Madeleine Dean D-PA-4
- Suzan K. DelBene D-WA-1
- Christopher R. Deluzio D-PA-17
- Maxine Dexter D-OR-3
- Adriano Espaillat D-NY-13
Show 31 more cosponsors
- Gabe Evans R-CO-8
- Brian K. Fitzpatrick R-PA-1
- Lizzie Fletcher D-TX-7
- Jesús G. "Chuy" García D-IL-4
- Daniel S. Goldman D-NY-10
- Al Green D-TX-9
- Pramila Jayapal D-WA-7
- Michael Lawler R-NY-17
- Mike Levin D-CA-49
- Lucy McBath D-GA-6
- Betty McCollum D-MN-4
- LaMonica McIver D-NJ-10
- Robert Menendez D-NJ-8
- Seth Moulton D-MA-6
- Joe Neguse D-CO-2
- Eleanor Holmes Norton D-DC-At Large
- Ilhan Omar D-MN-5
- Jimmy Panetta D-CA-19
- Deborah K. Ross D-NC-2
- Maria Elvira Salazar R-FL-27
- Andrea Salinas D-OR-6
- Linda T. Sánchez D-CA-38
- Mary Gay Scanlon D-PA-5
- Darren Soto D-FL-9
- Thomas R. Suozzi D-NY-3
- Shri Thanedar D-MI-13
- Dina Titus D-NV-1
- Rashida Tlaib D-MI-12
- Paul Tonko D-NY-20
- David G. Valadao R-CA-22
- Gabe Vasquez D-NM-2