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HR 4616 111th Congress House

H.E.L.P. Act

Official title: To temporarily expand the V nonimmigrant visa category to include Haitians whose petition for a family-sponsored immigrant visa was approved on or before January 12, 2010.

Introduced: March 16, 2010 Introduced by: Clarke, Yvette D. Democratic · New York See on congress.gov
Immigration Caribbean areaEvidence and witnessesFamily relationshipsHaiti
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Immigration status and proceduresLatin AmericaVisas and passports
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This bill died when the 111th Congress ended
It never became law before the 111th Congress (2009–2010) 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 26, 2010
Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law.
Feb 5, 2010
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Feb 5, 2010
Introduced in House
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 Latest action April 26, 2010

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

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Haitian Emergency Life Protection Act of 2010 or the H.E.L.P. Act - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act with respect to V- visa nonimmigrants (spouses and minor children of lawful permanent residents who come to the United States to wait for completion of the immigrant visa process) to include Haitian nationals whose petition for a family-sponsored immigrant visa was approved on or before January 12, 2010.

Authorizes the Department of State to use secondary evidence to verify eligibility for such status or for immediate relative status.

Sunsets the provisions of this Act two years after its enactment.

 Related & companion bills 1
  • S 2998 Identical bill H.E.L.P. Act
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
 Cosponsors 11
All 11 Democratic 9
D
Thompson, Bennie G.
Mississippi · May 11, 2010
 D
Wasserman Schultz, Debbie
Florida · May 11, 2010
 D
Waters, Maxine
California · Apr 20, 2010
Cao, Anh
· Apr 13, 2010
 D
Meeks, Gregory W.
New York · Apr 13, 2010
 D
Nadler, Jerrold
New York · Apr 13, 2010
 D
McGovern, James P.
Massachusetts · Mar 16, 2010
 D
Norton, Eleanor Holmes
District of Columbia · Mar 16, 2010
 D
Johnson, Henry C. "Hank"
Georgia · Mar 15, 2010
 D
Schakowsky, Janice D.
Illinois · Feb 22, 2010
CHRISTENSEN, DONNA
· Feb 5, 2010
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 4616: H.E.L.P. Act. 111th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/111-HR-4616/
MLA
"H.R. 4616: H.E.L.P. Act." 111th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/111-HR-4616/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 4616, 111th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/111-HR-4616/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 4616: H.E.L.P. Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/111-HR-4616/)
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