H.R. 1169: Liberian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act of 2019

116th Congress · introduced 2019-02-13 · Immigration · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2019-02-13 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Cicilline, David N. [D-RI-1] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship. 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

Liberian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act of 2019

Plain summary

Liberian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act of 2019 This bill directs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to grant permanent residence status to qualifying nationals of Liberia. The program shall be available to a Liberian national who has been continuously present in the United States from November 20, 2014, until the filing of an application for adjustment to permanent residence status, or the spouse, parent, or child of such an individual. The individual must apply within one year of the bill's enactment, be otherwise eligible to receive an immigrant visa, and not be inadmissible under various grounds. Certain grounds for inadmissibility under the Immigration and Nationality Act, such as being a public charge, shall not apply. An individual shall be ineligible if the individual has been convicted of an aggravated felony, convicted of two or more crimes involving moral turpitude, or has participated in the persecution of a person for reasons such as race, nationality, or political opinion. DHS shall promulgate regulations to establish procedures by which an alien who is subject to a final order of deportation, removal, or exclusion may seek a stay of such order based on the filing of an application to adjust status. If there is no such final order, DHS shall stay removal proceedings if a qualified alien submits an application for adjustment of status. DHS shall authorize an individual for employment if that individual's application has been pending for more than 180 days, and may also provide employment authorization before that.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), 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

Liberian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act of 2019

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Cicilline, David N. [D-RI-1] · 18 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), James P. McGovern (D-MA), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Angie Craig (D-MN), Henry C. "Hank" Johnson, Jr. (D-GA), Gwen Moore (D-WI), Adam Smith (D-WA), Betty McCollum (D-MN), Mark Pocan (D-WI), Ted Lieu (D-CA)

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 (4)

Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
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).
Rulemaking: The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.
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 House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-116hr1169.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/hr>

Record fed-us-cong116-hr1169 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116