S. 2144: SECURE Act

115th Congress · introduced 2017-11-16 · Immigration · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2017-11-16 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

SECURE Act

Plain summary

Safe Environment from Countries Under Repression and Emergency Act or the SECURE Act This bill permits a qualifying alien who is not inadmissible or deportable under certain criminal or security grounds or who did not participate in persecution to apply for adjustment to lawful permanent resident status if such alien: (1) is in temporary protected status (TPS), (2) held TPS status, (3) qualified for TSP status at the time of the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) last TPS designation, or (4) is a national of a foreign country that was at any time a TPS-designated country. TPS designation permits eligible nationals of designated counties affected by armed conflict or natural disasters to temporarily reside and work in the United States. An alien who has applied for status adjustment may work while the application is pending. The spouse, domestic partner, child, or unmarried son or daughter of an alien who has adjusted to lawful permanent resident status may also adjust to such status subject to certain conditions. An unmarried son or daughter must additionally establish physical presence in the United States for at least one year. An alien subject to a final order of removal may not be removed if the alien has a pending status adjustment application or is prima facie eligible to file an application and indicates an intention to do so. An alien who raises the defense of status adjustment eligibility may not be removed unless DHS has already denied the alien's application.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

SECURE Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

AI explanation – may be wrong, check the official text

No AI explanation yet. It takes up to a minute to write and is then saved for everyone.

Limited to a few requests an hour per person.

The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Arguments against (opponents)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Alternatives

Needs sources: no published alternatives yet (for example a different bill, a law instead of an amendment, or keeping current law). We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD] · 23 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Jack Reed (D-RI), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Kirsten E. Gillibrand (D-NY), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Cory A. Booker (D-NJ), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Tina Smith (D-MN), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Bernard Sanders (I-VT), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Patty Murray (D-WA)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD] reported raising $2.5 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Securities: Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-115s2144.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/115/s>

Record fed-us-cong115-s2144 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong115 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong115