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H.R. 3452: Help Separated Families Act of 2019

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H.R. 3452: Help Separated Families Act of 2019

116th Congress · introduced 2019-06-24 · Families · Latest: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2019-06-24 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Roybal-Allard, Lucille [D-CA-40] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. 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

Help Separated Families Act of 2019

Plain summary

Help Separated Families Act of 201 9 This bill prohibits states from disqualifying a prospective adoptive or foster parent based on that person's immigration status. It also expands the requirements for state foster-care cases in which a parent has been detained or deported as the result of an immigration proceeding. Specifically, states may not initiate a proceeding to terminate the parental rights of a parent who has been detained or deported unless the state has made reasonable efforts to (1) locate the parent, (2) notify the parent about the proceeding, (3) provide the parent with appropriate services, and (4) reunify the parent and child. States also must (1) ensure that case managers can communicate in separated children's native language, (2) provide assistance for separated children to accompany their parent to the family's country of origin, (3) keep information about such children confidential, and (4) publish a list of legal services available to separated children. Further, case management plans must provide (1) the location of the child's parent who has been detained or deported, and (2) a written record of information about such child that is disclosed to government agencies or nonlegal guardians. The bill requires states to accept specified forms of foreign identification to complete background checks for prospective foster care placements. States also must notify prospective foster or adoptive relatives that such relatives' immigration status will not be requested except with respect to eligibility for certain social services.

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

Help Separated Families 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. Roybal-Allard, Lucille [D-CA-40] · 51 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Norma J. Torres (D-CA), Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY), Dina Titus (D-NV), Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), James P. McGovern (D-MA), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Peter Welch (D-VT), Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA), Jesús G. "Chuy" García (D-IL), Jimmy Gomez (D-CA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Gwen Moore (D-WI), Jahana Hayes (D-CT), Thomas R. Suozzi (D-NY), Dwight Evans (D-PA), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), Pete Aguilar (D-CA), Salud O. Carbajal (D-CA), Janice D. Schakowsky (D-IL), Bill Foster (D-IL), Sylvia R. Garcia (D-TX), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Julia Brownley (D-CA), Diana DeGette (D-CO), Marc A. Veasey (D-TX), Darren Soto (D-FL), Adam Smith (D-WA), Judy Chu (D-CA), Joseph D. Morelle (D-NY), Chris Pappas (D-NH), James A. Himes (D-CT), Brad Sherman (D-CA), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Madeleine Dean (D-PA), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Suzan K. DelBene (D-WA)

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)
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).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong116-hr3452 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116