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H.R. 5383: New Way Forward Act

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H.R. 5383: New Way Forward Act

116th Congress · introduced 2019-12-10 · Immigration · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2019-12-10 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Garcia, Jesus G. "Chuy" [D-IL-4] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. 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.
  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

New Way Forward Act

Plain summary

New Way Forward Act This bill makes changes to immigration enforcement, including ending mandatory detention in certain cases. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shall not enter into or extend any contract with any public or private for-profit entity to own or operate a facility to detain aliens in DHS custody. The bill provides for various protections related to detaining aliens, such as (1) requiring DHS to make an initial custody determination and establish probable cause within 48 hours of taking an alien into custody, (2) establishing in hearings related to such determinations a presumption that the alien be released, and (3) requiring immigration judges to impose the least restrictive detention conditions necessary. A DHS officer may not interrogate a person as to immigration status based on factors such as the person's race, religion, sexual orientation, or spoken language. The bill removes mandatory detention requirements for certain aliens, such as asylum seekers with a credible fear of persecution. Removal proceedings against certain aliens previously admitted into the United States must commence within five years of the alien becoming deportable or inadmissible. The bill also removes certain crime-related grounds of inadmissibility and deportability. The bill gives immigration judges discretion to provide relief from removal if the removal is not based on certain crime-related grounds. State or local officers are prohibited from performing certain immigration enforcement functions, such as apprehending aliens. The National Crime Information Center database shall not contain an alien's immigration information. The bill repeals provisions providing criminal penalties for improper entry or reentry into the United States.

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

New Way Forward Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

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Arguments against (opponents)

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Alternatives

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Garcia, Jesus G. "Chuy" [D-IL-4] · 44 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Veronica Escobar (D-TX), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Sylvia R. Garcia (D-TX), Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Judy Chu (D-CA), Danny K. Davis (D-IL), Mark Takano (D-CA), Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-CA), James P. McGovern (D-MA), Grace Meng (D-NY), Janice D. Schakowsky (D-IL), Frederica S. Wilson (D-FL), Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Juan Vargas (D-CA), Henry C. "Hank" Johnson, Jr. (D-GA), J. Luis Correa (D-CA), Gregory W. Meeks (D-NY), Mark Pocan (D-WI), Ro Khanna (D-CA), Madeleine Dean (D-PA), Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA), Al Green (D-TX), Betty McCollum (D-MN)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Garcia, Jesus G. "Chuy" [D-IL-4] reported raising $375,959 (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

Record fed-us-cong116-hr5383 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116