S. 1375: Families Belong Together Act

117th Congress · introduced 2021-04-27 · Immigration · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2021-04-27 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT] · 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

Families Belong Together Act

Plain summary

Families Belong Together Act This bill provides various immigration benefits for eligible alien parents (or legal guardians) and minor children who were separated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) between January 20, 2017, and January 20, 2021. Generally, to be an eligible parent or minor child under this bill, the alien must not be inadmissible for certain crime- or security-related grounds, though DHS may waive certain grounds for humanitarian or public interest reasons. Furthermore, an eligible child who was separated as a minor remains eligible for the immigration benefits after reaching majority. DHS must grant humanitarian parole into the United States to an eligible alien who requests such parole, regardless of whether the alien is physically present in the United States. An eligible alien in the United States may apply for lawful permanent resident status. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services shall grant a qualifying alien's lawful permanent resident status within 30 days of receiving the alien's application. An alien who receives lawful permanent resident status under this bill shall be eligible for benefits and services that are available to an alien who is admitted as a refugee. Certain annual numerical limitations shall not apply to aliens who receive lawful permanent resident status under this bill. If an alien seeks judicial review of a denial of an application for lawful permanent resident status under this bill, the Department of Justice shall appoint counsel to represent that alien upon request.

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

Families Belong Together Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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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: Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT] · 10 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Cory A. Booker (D-NJ), Kirsten E. Gillibrand (D-NY), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Bernard Sanders (I-VT), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT] reported raising $771,465 (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-117s1375.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/117/s>

Record fed-us-cong117-s1375 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong117 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong117