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HR 539 102th Congress House

Reasonable Detention of Aliens Act

Official title: To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to prevent the unreasonable detention of certain aliens with dependent children.

Introduced: January 16, 1991 See on congress.gov
Immigration AliensDeportationDetention of personsParent and child
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This bill died when the 102nd Congress ended
It never became law before the 102nd Congress (1991–1992) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Apr 16, 1991
Referred to the Subcommittee on International Law, Immigration, and Refugees.
Jan 16, 1991
Referred to the House Committee on Judiciary.
Jan 16, 1991
Introduced in House
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 Latest action April 16, 1991

Referred to the Subcommittee on International Law, Immigration, and Refugees.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Reasonable Detention of Aliens Act - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to limit the Attorney General's authority to detain an alien mother with a dependent child two years or younger subject to deportation (with specified exceptions) unless such detention is in connection with the alien's immediate departure from the United States.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
 Cosponsors 2
All 2 Democratic 1 Independent 1
D
Kaptur, Marcy
Ohio · Mar 6, 1991
 I
Sanders, Bernard
Vermont · Mar 6, 1991
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 539: Reasonable Detention of Aliens Act. 102nd Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/102-HR-539/
MLA
"H.R. 539: Reasonable Detention of Aliens Act." 102nd Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/102-HR-539/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 539, 102nd Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/102-HR-539/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 539: Reasonable Detention of Aliens Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/102-HR-539/)
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