US Congress House Bill 2278 (Prior Session Legislation)

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Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 40-0)
Status: Introduced on June 6 2013 - 25% progression, died in chamber
Action: 2014-12-16 - Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 509.
Text: Latest bill text (Introduced) [PDF]

Strengthen and Fortify Enforcement Act or SAFE Act - Authorizes: (1) states or their political subdivisions to enact and enforce immigration criminal penalties as long as they do not exceed relevant federal criminal penalties; and (2) state or local law enforcement personnel to investigate, apprehend, arrest, or transfer to federal custody aliens for immigration enforcement purposes to the same extent as federal law enforcement personnel. Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) to provide the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) of the Department of Justice (DOJ) with all information that the Secretary has regarding any alien: (1) against whom a final order of removal has been issued, (2) who has entered into a voluntary departure agreement, (3) who has overstayed his or her authorized period of stay, or (4) whose visa has been revoked. Requires NCIC to enter such information into its Immigration Violators File. Requires: (1) states to have access to federal programs or technology directed at identifying inadmissible or deportable aliens, and (2) states and their political subdivisions to provide DHS with specified identifying information about each apprehended alien who is believed to be inadmissible or deportable. Directs the Secretary to make grants to states and their political subdivisions for procurement of equipment, technology, and facilities related to investigating, apprehending, arresting, or transporting inadmissible or deportable aliens. Requires the Secretary to construct or acquire additional domestic detention facilities for aliens detained pending removal. Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) regarding illegal aliens apprehended by state or local authorities to provide for: (1) federal custody upon state or local request, and (2) state or local compensation for related incarceration and transportation costs. Directs the Attorney General or the Secretary to ensure that an alien subject to removal is detained in an adequate state or local prison, detention center, or other comparable facility. Directs the Secretary to establish immigration-related training for state and local personnel. Provides personal liability immunity to the same extent as corresponding federal immunity for state or local personnel enforcing immigration laws within the scope of their duties. Directs the Secretary to continue to operate a program that: (1) identifies removable criminal aliens in federal and state correctional facilities, (2) ensures that such aliens are not released into the community, and (3) removes them from the United States after the completion of their sentences. Extends such program to all states. Requires states that receive state criminal alien assistance program (SCAAP) funds to comply with program requirements. Authorizes state or local detention of certain aliens, in specified circumstances, after completion of their state or local prison sentence. Authorizes appropriations for SCAAP. Transfers SCAAP jurisdiction from DOJ to DHS. Requires states and localities to: (1) notify the federal government of inadmissible or removable aliens who are encountered by law enforcement personnel, (2) comply with federal law enforcement information requests and with DHS detainers. Denies specified federal law enforcement assistance to a state or a political subdivision that prohibits law enforcement officers from cooperating with federal immigration law enforcement. Revises certain terrorism-related provisions with respect to naturalization, asylum, good moral character, voluntary departure, and cancellation of removal. Authorizes: (1) the denaturalization of a person who participates in terrorist activities or violent or unlawful activities aimed at the overthrow of the United States; and (2) the use or publication by DHS of certain legalization or special agricultural worker status information for any purpose relating to terrorism, national intelligence, or national security. Requires security and background checks and investigations of suspected immigration irregularities to be completed before specified immigration-related statuses and benefits may be granted or adjudicated. Revises and expands the definition of "aggravated felony" under INA. Makes such changes retroactive. Adds new grounds of inadmissibility for: (1) identity fraud or Social Security number misuse; (2) unlawful procurement of citizenship or naturalization; (3) specified firearm offenses; (4) conviction of an aggravated felony; and (5) crimes of domestic violence, stalking, or child abuse. Makes such additions retroactive. Adds new grounds of deportability for: (1) identity fraud or Social Security number misuse, and (2) unlawful procurement of citizenship or naturalization. Makes such additions retroactive. Makes inadmissible an alien who plans to or has engaged in espionage, prohibited export, or other unlawful activities, including activities aimed at the violent overthrow of the U.S. government. Prohibits the sale of or possession of firearms by any alien who is not lawfully admitted for permanent residence. Amends the federal criminal code to place a 10-year statute of limitations on most criminal violations of INA. Makes: (1) aggravated felons ineligible for refugee or asylee adjustment of status, and (2) a second DUI conviction an aggravated felony under INA. Revises requirements regarding: (1) detention and removal of aliens ordered removed, (2) alien smuggling and related offenses, and (3) reentry of removed aliens. Authorizes the Secretary to designate groups as criminal gangs. Requires detention for anyone found inadmissible or deportable for criminal street gang membership. Bars individuals found inadmissible or deportable for criminal gang membership from asylum, withholding of removal, and temporary protected status. Subjects to specified criminal penalties for illegal entry an alien who knowingly: (1) enters or crosses the border at a place other than a designated port of entry; (2) evades inspection by an immigration, customs, or agricultural officer; (3) makes a false or misleading statement or conceals a material fact during examination or inspection while crossing the border; or (4) violates the conditions of U.S. admission or parole for 90 days or more. Increases penalties under the federal criminal code for certain immigration document and passport fraud activities, and authorizes forfeiture of property used in connection with them. Reduces the period during which an alien may seek judicial review of an expedited removal order based on criminal or security grounds. Subjects to such expedited removal procedures an individual inadmissible because of a criminal offense if the individual has not been admitted or paroled, does not have a credible fear of persecution, and is not eligible for relief from removal. Expands the grounds of inadmissibility and deportability to include violation of federal requirements regarding sex offender registration. Prohibits U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents convicted of certain sex offenses from sponsoring an alien for admission unless the Secretary determines that such person poses no risk to the alien. Authorizes the Attorney General to consider evidence extrinsic to an alien's conviction record to determine whether the conviction was based on conduct constituting a crime of moral turpitude or a domestic violence offense (which would make the alien deportable). States that a conviction for which a pardon has been issued shall not be grounds for deportability by reason of such conviction. Revises visa information sharing requirements. Prohibits waiver of a visa interview for an alien the Secretary determines to be a person of concern or in a class of aliens that are security threats. States that the Secretary: (1) shall have exclusive authority to issue regulations, establish policy, and administer all immigration or nationality laws relating to consular functions in connection with visa issuance or denial; and (2) may refuse or revoke any visa to an alien or class of aliens for U.S. security interests. Prohibits judicial review of the Secretary's decision to refuse or revoke a visa. Authorizes a consular surcharge (in addition to immigrant visa fees) to fund the visa security program. Provides for expedited clearance and placement of DHS personnel at overseas embassies and consular posts. Increases criminal penalties for student visa fraud or misuse committed by an owner, official, or employee of a student and exchange visitor program (SEVP)-certified school. Revises accreditation requirements. Limits those individuals who may serve as a designated school official or be granted access to the student and exchange visitor information system (SEVIS). Requires a background check of any person serving in such capacity. Authorizes the Secretary to suspend an institution's SEVP certification for reasonable suspicion of fraud. Makes a person convicted of such fraud permanently ineligible to hold a position of authority or ownership at any such institution. Makes flight schools that are not certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ineligible to access SEVIS. Requires SEVIS suspension for a school that loses or is denied accreditation. Directs the Secretary to authorize all DHS immigration enforcement agents and deportation officers who have successfully completed basic immigration law enforcement training to: (1) make arrests for offenses against the United States, for certain felonies, and for bringing in, transporting, or harboring certain aliens; (2) execute warrants of arrest for administrative immigration violations; and (3) carry firearms. Authorizes the Secretary to hire additional Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention enforcement officers. Establishes: (1) an ICE Advisory Council; and (2) a pilot program in at least five of the busiest ICE offices to process electronically and serve charging documents, and process and place detainers while in the field. Directs the Secretary to increase the number of ICE deportation officers, support staff, and prosecutors. Revises provisions regarding: (1) voluntary departure, (2) reentry bars for aliens who remain in the United States after ordered removed, and (3) reinstatement of removal orders. Prohibits the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) from prohibiting or restricting U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) efforts, on land under their respective jurisdictions located within 100 miles of an international land border, to: (1) execute search and rescue operations, and (2) prevent unlawful entries into the United States through the international land borders. Grants CBP access to such lands to conduct: (1) road and barrier construction and maintenance, (2) vehicular patrols, (3) surveillance equipment activities, and (4) deployment of temporary tactical infrastructure.

SAFE Act

Rep. Trey Gowdy [R-SC]	Rep. Michele Bachmann [R-MN]	Rep. Joe Barton [R-TX]	Rep. Rob Bishop [R-UT]
Sen. Marsha Blackburn [R-TN]	Rep. Mo Brooks [R-AL]	Rep. Ken Calvert [R-CA]	Rep. Steve Chabot [R-OH]
Rep. Jason Chaffetz [R-UT]	Rep. Howard Coble [R-NC]	Rep. Doug Collins [R-GA]	Sen. Kevin Cramer [R-ND]
Rep. Ron DeSantis [R-FL]	Rep. Randy Forbes [R-VA]	Rep. Trent Franks [R-AZ]	Rep. Bob Goodlatte [R-VA]
Rep. Paul Gosar [R-AZ]	Rep. George Holding [R-NC]	Rep. Darrell Issa [R-CA]	Rep. Raul Labrador [R-ID]
Rep. Doug LaMalfa [R-CA]	Sen. Cynthia Lummis [R-WY]	Rep. Kenny Marchant [R-TX]	Rep. Tom Marino [R-PA]
Rep. David McKinley [R-WV]	Rep. Mick Mulvaney [R-SC]	Rep. Stevan Pearce [R-NM]	Rep. Scott Perry [R-PA]
Rep. Robert Pittenger [R-NC]	Rep. Ted Poe [R-TX]	Rep. Mike Pompeo [R-KS]	Rep. Austin Scott [R-GA]
Rep. James Sensenbrenner [R-WI]	Rep. Pete Sessions [R-TX]	Rep. Lamar Smith [R-TX]	Rep. Chris Stewart [R-UT]
Rep. Marlin Stutzman [R-IN]	Rep. Randy Weber [R-TX]	Rep. Lynn Westmoreland [R-GA]	Rep. Rob Woodall [R-GA]

Date	Chamber	Action
2014-12-16	House	Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 509.
2014-12-16	House	Committee on Natural Resources discharged.
2014-12-16	House	Committee on Agriculture discharged.
2014-12-16	House	Committee on Homeland Security discharged.
2014-12-16	House	Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 113-678, Part I.
2013-06-25	House	Referred to the Subcommittee on Conservation, Energy, and Forestry.
2013-06-18	House	Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 20 - 15.
2013-06-18	House	Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
2013-06-17	House	Referred to the Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security.
2013-06-13	House	Referred to the Subcommittee on Public Lands and Environmental Regulation.
2013-06-13	House	Committee Hearings Held.
2013-06-12	House	Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security Discharged.
2013-06-11	House	Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security.
2013-06-06	House	Referred to House Natural Resources
2013-06-06	House	Referred to House Agriculture
2013-06-06	House	Referred to House Homeland Security
2013-06-06	House	Referred to House Judiciary
2013-06-06	House	Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Homeland Security, Agriculture, and Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Type	Source
Summary	https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/2278/all-info
Text	https://www.congress.gov/113/bills/hr2278/BILLS-113hr2278ih.pdf
Text	https://www.congress.gov/113/bills/hr2278/BILLS-113hr2278rh.pdf