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HR 4720 114th Congress House

Expedited Family Reunification Act of 2016

Official title: To amend the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008 to provide for the expedited removal of unaccompanied alien childre… Show full official titleShow less

Official title: To amend the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008 to provide for the expedited removal of unaccompanied alien children who are not victims of a severe form of trafficking in persons and who do not have a fear of returning to their country of nationality or last habitual residence, and for other purposes.

Introduced: March 7, 2016 See on congress.gov
Immigration BelizeBorder security and unlawful immigrationChild safety and welfareCosta Rica
More subjectsShow fewer subjects
Crimes against childrenEl SalvadorGuatemalaHondurasHuman traffickingImmigration status and proceduresInternational law and treatiesLatin AmericaLawyers and legal servicesNicaraguaPanamaRefugees, asylum, displaced persons
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This bill died when the 114th Congress ended
It never became law before the 114th Congress (2015–2016) 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 1, 2016
Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security.
Mar 7, 2016
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Mar 7, 2016
Introduced in House
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 Latest action April 1, 2016

Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Expedited Family Reunification Act of 2016

This bill amends the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008 to provide that any unaccompanied alien child (UAC) who has not been a victim of a severe form of trafficking in persons or does not have a credible fear of persecution on returning to his or her country of nationality or of last habitual residence shall be:

  • placed in removal proceedings,
  • eligible for voluntary departure at no cost to the child, and
  • provided with access to counsel.

(Currently such expedited removal requirements apply to unaccompanied children from countries that are contiguous to the United States.)

The Department of State shall negotiate agreements, in addition to countries contiguous to the United States, between the United States and Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, and any other appropriate country regarding the repatriation of children.

The requirements of this Act are applied to any UAC apprehended on or after June 15, 2012.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 3
 Cosponsors 6
All 6 Republican 5
R
Hudson, Richard
North Carolina · Apr 19, 2016
 R
Sessions, Pete
Texas · Mar 15, 2016
Buck, Ken
· Mar 7, 2016
 R
Gosar, Paul A.
Arizona · Mar 7, 2016
 R
McClintock, Tom
California · Mar 7, 2016
 R
Schweikert, David
Arizona · Mar 7, 2016
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 4720: Expedited Family Reunification Act of 2016. 114th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-4720/
MLA
"H.R. 4720: Expedited Family Reunification Act of 2016." 114th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-4720/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 4720, 114th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-4720/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 4720: Expedited Family Reunification Act of 2016](https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-4720/)
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