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H.R. 1698: American Families United Act

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H.R. 1698: American Families United Act

118th Congress · introduced 2023-03-22 · Immigration · Latest: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2023-03-22 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Escobar, Veronica [D-TX-16] · 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 the Judiciary. 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

American Families United Act

Plain summary

American Families United Act This bill authorizes the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or the Department of Justice (DOJ) to exercise discretion in certain immigration cases. Under this bill, DOJ or DHS may, on a case-by-case basis, exercise discretion by declining to remove a non-U.S. national ( alien under federal law) or bar an alien from entering the United States to prevent hardship for the alien's U.S. citizen spouse, parent, or child. This discretion may also be exercised if the alien is the spouse or child of a deceased U.S. citizen. For the purposes of this bill, it shall be presumed that family separation constitutes hardship. However, DOJ or DHS may not exercise this discretion if the alien is removable or inadmissible due to certain grounds, including specified crime- and security-related grounds. This exercise of discretion may be applied to an alien who was ordered removed or denied entry prior to this bill's enactment if the alien files a motion to reopen or reconsider within two years of this bill's enactment.

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

American Families United 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. Escobar, Veronica [D-TX-16] · 49 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Nikema Williams (D-GA), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Sara Jacobs (D-CA), Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-CA), J. Luis Correa (D-CA), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Deborah K. Ross (D-NC), Joe Neguse (D-CO), Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Linda T. Sánchez (D-CA), James P. McGovern (D-MA), Mike Levin (D-CA), Robert Garcia (D-CA), Gabe Vasquez (D-NM), Henry C. "Hank" Johnson, Jr. (D-GA), Delia C. Ramirez (D-IL), Darren Soto (D-FL), Adam B. Schiff (D-CA), Jesús G. "Chuy" García (D-IL), Rick Larsen (D-WA), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Lizzie Fletcher (D-TX), Daniel S. Goldman (D-NY), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Brittany Pettersen (D-CO), David G. Valadao (R-CA), Madeleine Dean (D-PA), Paul Tonko (D-NY), Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-NM), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Betty McCollum (D-MN), Greg Casar (D-TX), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Andrea Salinas (D-OR), Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), Salud O. Carbajal (D-CA), Shri Thanedar (D-MI), Suzan K. DelBene (D-WA), Kathy Castor (D-FL)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Escobar, Veronica [D-TX-16] reported raising $1.1 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 (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-cong118-hr1698 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong118 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong118