Skip to main content
S 844 110th Congress Senate

Unaccompanied Alien Child Protection Act of 2007

Official title: A bill to provide for the protection of unaccompanied alien children, and for other purposes.

Introduced: March 19, 2007 See on congress.gov
Immigration Administrative procedureAdministrative remediesAdoptionAge
More subjectsShow fewer subjects
Agriculture and FoodAliensArmed Forces and National SecurityAuthorizationBorder patrolsCanadaChild abuseChild healthChild safetyChild sexual abuseChild welfareChildren's rightsCivil Rights and Liberties, Minority IssuesCongressCongress and foreign policyCongressional reporting requirementsCorrectional institutionsCourt recordsCrime and Law EnforcementCriminal aliensCriminal investigationCurriculaCustody of childrenDamagesDepartment of Health and Human ServicesDepartment of Homeland SecurityDeportationDetention of personsDietDisabledDisciplining of employeesEconomics and Public FinanceEducationElementary and secondary educationEmployee trainingEvidence (Law)FamiliesFederal employeesFederal law enforcement officersFinance and Financial SectorFines (Penalties)Foster home careGovernment Operations and PoliticsGovernment service contractsGovernment statisticsGrants-in-aidGroup homesGuardian and wardHealthHuman rightsIllegal aliensImmigrant educationImmigrant healthImmigrantsInternational AffairsJuvenile delinquencyLabor and EmploymentLanguage and languagesLatin AmericaLawLegal aidLegal educationLegal ethicsLegal feesLegal servicesLicensesLimitation of actionsLocal officialsMental health servicesMexicansMexicoNonprofit organizationsParent and childParolePolitical persecutionProsecutionRecruiting of employeesRefugeesReligionRepatriationRight of asylumRight of privacyRight to counselSmugglingSocial WelfareSocial workStandardsState officialsSubcontractorsSurety and fidelityTeacher educationTranslating and interpretingTrauma careTreatiesVisasWitnesses
This bill died when the 110th Congress ended
It never became law before the 110th Congress (2007–2008) 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
Mar 12, 2007
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S3005-3010)
Mar 12, 2007
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3004-3005)
Mar 12, 2007
Introduced in Senate
 Ask about this bill AI · grounded in the bill text

Have a question about what this bill does? Ask in plain English; the answer is drawn from the bill's actual text and official record, and it'll tell you when something isn't in the text rather than guess.

AI answers can be imperfect; always confirm against the full bill text.

 Latest action March 12, 2007

Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S3005-3010)

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Unaccompanied Alien Child Protection Act of 2007 - Addresses the care and custody of unaccompanied alien children (children), defined as children under the age of 18 with no lawful immigration status and no parent or legal guardian in the United States who is available to provide care and physical custody.

Directs immigration officers who find such children at U.S. land borders or ports of entry to permit them to withdraw their applications for admission and return to their country of nationality or last habitual residence. States that such children shall have the right to consult with a consular officer prior to repatriation and with the Office of Refugee Resettlement (the Office) at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Gives the Office jurisdiction over the care and custody of all unaccompanied alien children except: (1) the Department of Justice (DOJ) shall have responsibility for those imprisoned for a federal crime or in DOJ custody pending prosecution; and (2) the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shall have responsibility for those who threaten national security.

Requires federal departments or agencies to transfer such children in their custody to the Office.

Specifies the order of preference for placing released children, including custody rights of parents and legal guardians. Requires the Office to protect such children from smugglers and traffickers.

Prohibits the placement of such children in adult detention facilities or in facilities housing delinquent children unless they exhibit violent or criminal behavior. Specifies the preference order for such children's placement.

Requires the Office and and DHS to: (1) promulgate detention standards; and (2) develop procedures to prohibit the unreasonable use of restraints, solitary confinement, or pat or strip searches.

Expresses the sense of Congress that the U.S. government should ensure that it does not repatriate children into settings that would threaten their life and safety.

Requires the Office to develop procedures for determining the age of aliens in DHS or Office custody.

Authorizes the Director of the Office to appoint qualified and duly trained child advocates for such children.

Requires the Director to: (1) provide professional training for such child advocates; and (2) implement a pilot program for their appointment.

States that the Director should ensure that such children in Office or DHS custody, except those being repatriated to a contiguous country, have immigration counsel.

Requires the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) to develop and implement model guidelines for the legal representation of alien children in immigration proceedings.

Bars such children in Office custody from consenting to immigration actions, including voluntary departure, unless first afforded an opportunity to consult with counsel.

Makes such child advocate and counsel provisions applicable to all such children in federal custody on, before, or after the effective date of this Act.

Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to revise special immigrant juvenile visa provisions. Requires an alien to be 18 years or younger and present in the United States on the date of visa application. (Provides a transition rule for aliens who applied for such visa before enactment of this Act and were between the ages of 19-21 at the time of application.) Authorizes waiver of certain grounds of inadmissibility.

Commends the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) for its issuance of the 1998 Guidelines for Children's Asylum Claims and encourages implementation of such guidelines by INS and its successor. Calls upon EOIR to adopt such guidelines in its handling of children's asylum claims.

Requires such children apprehended by DHS, except those subject to contiguous country rules, to be placed in removal proceedings. Exempts such children from certain bars to asylum.

Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (HSA) to make the Director responsible for: (1) placement suitability assessments for such children; and (2) ensuring that minimum standards of care are met for residential alternatives to detention.

States that the amendments to HSA made by this Act shall be effective as if enacted as part of HSA.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 844: Unaccompanied Alien Child Protection Act of 2007. 110th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/110-S-844/
MLA
"S. 844: Unaccompanied Alien Child Protection Act of 2007." 110th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/110-S-844/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 844, 110th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/110-S-844/.
Markdown link
[S. 844: Unaccompanied Alien Child Protection Act of 2007](https://openamerica.io/bill/110-S-844/)
Report a problem