WHAT THE LAW DOINCongress, in plain words

H.R. 30 · 119th Congress

Preventing Violence Against Women by Illegal Aliens Act

Passed HouseImmigration
IntroducedJan 3, 2025
Passed HouseJan 16, 2025
Passed SenateNot yet
To PresidentNot yet
Became lawNot yet

Where it stands

Passed House. Latest step, Jan 17, 2025: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. The House passed it 274–145. From Iowa: Ashley Hinson and Zachary Nunn cosponsor it. All 4 of Iowa's representatives voted yes in the House. It would change 2 sections of existing law.

How this bill changes the law

Sourced

H.R. 30 would change 2 sections of existing law. Read from the bill text as sent to the Senate (Jan 17, 2025).

8 U.S.C. 1182 Inadmissible aliens

  • (a) Classes of aliens ineligible for visas or admission added to · Sec. 2(a) · see the words

8 U.S.C. 1227

What the words would change: every change, in place (4)

Today's wording of each part of the law, with what would be struck out and added. Each change also gives the bill's own instruction, word for word.

  1. 8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(2)added (J)by H.R. 30 Sec. 2(a)

    (J) Sex offenses.— Any alien who has been convicted of, who admits having committed, or who admits committing acts which constitute the essential elements of a sex offense (as such term is defined in section 111(5) of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 (34 U.S.C. 20911(5))), or a conspiracy to commit such an offense, is inadmissible.(K) Domestic violence, stalking, child abuse, or violation of protection order.— Any alien who has been convicted of, who admits having committed, or who admits committing acts which constitute the essential elements of—is inadmissible.(i) a crime of domestic violence (as such term is defined in section 237(a)(2)(E));(ii) a crime of stalking;(iii) a crime of child abuse, child neglect, or child abandonment; or(iv) a crime of violating the portion of a protection order (as such term is defined in section 237(a)(2)(E)) that involves protection against credible threats of violence, repeated harassment, or bodily injury to the person or persons for whom the protection order was issued,

    The bill says: Section 212(a)(2) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(2)) is amended by adding at the end the following:

  2. 8 U.S.C. 1227(a)(2)(E)a new sectionchangedby H.R. 30 Sec. 2(b)

    The bill says: in the heading, by striking "crimes against children and" and inserting "and crimes against children"; and

  3. 8 U.S.C. 1227(a)(2)(E)(i)a new sectionaddedby H.R. 30 Sec. 2(b)

    The bill says: in clause (i), by inserting before the period at the end the following ", and includes any crime that constitutes domestic violence, as such term is defined in section 40002(a) of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (34 U.S.C. 12291(a)), regardless of whether the jurisdiction receives grant funding under that Act"; and

  4. 8 U.S.C. 1227(a)(2)a new sectionadded (G)by H.R. 30 Sec. 2(b)

    (G) Sex offenses.— Any alien who has been convicted of a sex offense (as such term is defined in section 111(5) of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 (34 U.S.C. 20911(5))) or a conspiracy to commit such an offense, is deportable.

    The bill says: by adding at the end the following:

From the bill's official text on GovInfo and the U.S. Code, 2024 edition, which may not yet show changes made since.

What it does

Sourced

Preventing Violence Against Women by Illegal Aliens Act

This bill establishes certain criminal grounds for making non-U.S. nationals (aliens under federal law) inadmissible and expands the crimes for which a non-U.S. national is deportable.

First, the bill establishes that a non-U.S. national is inadmissible if the individual has admitted to or is convicted of acts constituting the essential elements of stalking, child abuse, child neglect, child abandonment, a sex offense, conspiracy to commit a sex offense, a violation of certain protection orders, or domestic violence (including physical or sexual abuse or a pattern of coercive behavior when it occurs within certain close relationships).

Next, the bill establishes additional grounds for deportation. Under current law, a non-U.S. national is deportable for certain criminal convictions, including domestic violence, stalking, and child abuse. The bill makes any sex offense (including crimes against minors) or conspiracy to commit a sex offense a basis for deportation. The bill also expands the domestic violence crimes that make a non-U.S. national deportable to include physical or sexual abuse or a pattern of coercive behavior when it occurs within certain close relationships.

Official summary by the Congressional Research Service (Introduced in House, Jan 3, 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
  1. Jan 16, 2025Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 274 - 145 (Roll no. 17). (text: CR H191) Roll call recordLibrary of Congress
  2. Jan 3, 2025Introduced in HouseLibrary of Congress

Show all 13 recorded actions

Recorded votes

Sourced
  1. Jan 16, 2025 · HousePassed 274–145
    On Passage · needed a majority
    R 213 yes, 0 noD 61 yes, 145 noEach member · Record
1 other recorded vote (procedure and amendments)
  1. Jan 16, 2025 · HouseFailed 206–213
    On Motion to Recommit · needed a majority
    R 0 yes, 213 noD 206 yes, 0 noEach member · Record

Cosponsors

From Iowa

Everyone else (58)

  • Brian Babin R-TX-36
  • Andy Barr R-KY-6
  • Aaron Bean R-FL-4
  • Nicholas J. Begich III R-AK-At Large
  • Sheri Biggs R-SC-3
  • Andy Biggs R-AZ-5
  • Gus M. Bilirakis R-FL-12
  • Lauren Boebert R-CO-4
  • John R. Carter R-TX-31
  • Juan Ciscomani R-AZ-6
  • Andrew S. Clyde R-GA-9
  • Dan Crenshaw R-TX-2
Show 46 more cosponsors
  • Monica De La Cruz R-TX-15
  • Troy Downing R-MT-2
  • Jake Ellzey R-TX-6
  • Gabe Evans R-CO-8
  • Brad Finstad R-MN-1
  • Scott Fitzgerald R-WI-5
  • Brandon Gill R-TX-26
  • Craig A. Goldman R-TX-12
  • Rep. Tony Gonzales R-TX-23
  • Lance Gooden R-TX-5
  • Paul A. Gosar R-AZ-9
  • Michael Guest R-MS-3
  • Abraham J. Hamadeh R-AZ-8
  • Mike Haridopolos R-FL-8
  • Andy Harris R-MD-1
  • Mark Harris R-NC-8
  • Erin Houchin R-IN-9
  • John Joyce R-PA-13
  • Mike Kennedy R-UT-3
  • Brad Knott R-NC-13
  • Michael Lawler R-NY-17
  • Laurel M. Lee R-FL-15
  • Ryan Mackenzie R-PA-7
  • Nicole Malliotakis R-NY-11
  • Tom McClintock R-CA-5
  • Addison P. McDowell R-NC-6
  • John J. McGuire III R-VA-5
  • Daniel Meuser R-PA-9
  • Mary E. Miller R-IL-15
  • Riley M. Moore R-WV-2
  • Troy E. Nehls R-TX-22
  • Ralph Norman R-SC-5
  • Andrew Ogles R-TN-5
  • Robert F. Onder, Jr. R-MO-3
  • Burgess Owens R-UT-4
  • Scott Perry R-PA-10
  • Michael A. Rulli R-OH-6
  • Derek Schmidt R-KS-2
  • Jefferson Shreve R-IN-6
  • Pete Stauber R-MN-8
  • Claudia Tenney R-NY-24
  • Thomas P. Tiffany R-WI-7
  • Randy K. Weber, Sr. R-TX-14
  • Daniel Webster R-FL-11
  • Tony Wied R-WI-8
  • Joe Wilson R-SC-2