H.R. 2217: Families, Not Facilities Act of 2019

116th Congress · introduced 2019-04-10 · Immigration · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2019-04-10 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [D-FL-23] · 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

Families, Not Facilities Act of 2019

Plain summary

Families, Not Facilities Act of 2019 This bill amends provisions related to the safety of minor aliens who enter the United States unaccompanied by a guardian. When placing an unaccompanied alien child with a proposed custodian, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shall not consider the custodian's immigration status. DHS shall not use certain information obtained for placing a child with a custodian to apprehend, detain, or deport certain individuals, including the child, proposed sponsor, or a person living with the sponsor. The Office of Refugee Settlement shall provide services for unaccompanied alien children after they have been released to help them transition into their communities and to connect them with legal representation. Money appropriated to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for FY2019 shall be redirected to fund such services. Other money appropriated for ICE shall be redirected to various programs to inspect detention facilities and bolster efforts to prevent child trafficking. This bill also establishes the Office of Refugee Resettlement Advisory Committee on Shelters for Unaccompanied Alien Children. The advisory committee may conduct unannounced inspections of Office of Refugee Settlement shelters that hold unaccompanied alien children and shall issue reports on its investigations and recommendations regarding the shelters.

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

Families, Not Facilities 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. Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [D-FL-23] · 33 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Janice D. Schakowsky (D-IL), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-CA), Pete Aguilar (D-CA), André Carson (D-IN), Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Rosa L. DeLauro (D-CT), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Adam Smith (D-WA), Frederica S. Wilson (D-FL), Lois Frankel (D-FL), Raul Ruiz (D-CA), Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Sylvia R. Garcia (D-TX), Ayanna Pressley (D-MA)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [D-FL-23] reported raising $3.7 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 (3)

Appropriation: Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
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 House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-116hr2217.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/hr>

Record fed-us-cong116-hr2217 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116