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HR 3731 116th Congress House Immigration Accounting and auditing Border security and unlawful immigration Child health Child safety and welfare Congressional oversight Crime victims Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation Department of Homeland Security Detention of persons El Salvador Executive agency funding and structure Family relationships Government buildings, facilities, and property Government information and archives Government studies and investigations Guatemala Health information and medical records Health personnel Honduras

Strategic and Humane Southern Border Migrant Response Act

Introduced: July 11, 2019 Introduced by: Thompson, Bennie G. Democratic · Mississippi See on congress.gov
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This bill died when the 116th Congress ended
It never became law before the 116th Congress (2019–2020) 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
Jul 30, 2019
Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship.
Jul 11, 2019
Introduced in House
Jul 11, 2019
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Homeland Security, Foreign Affairs, Agriculture, and Ways and Means, 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.
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Strategic and Humane Southern Border Migrant Response Act

This bill imposes requirements related to the handling of migrants from Northern Triangle countries (El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras) and terminates certain policies requiring asylum seekers to wait in Mexico before applying and while cases are pending.

The President shall report on a plan for processing asylum seekers apprehended at the U.S.-Mexico border. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shall establish a task force to implement the plan.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) shall maintain family unity to the greatest extent possible, unless there is a legal requirement or safety concern requiring otherwise.

DHS shall (1) make every effort to ensure that apprehended individuals have access to bathrooms and showers, water, appropriate nutrition, hygiene, and sanitation (currently, the statute only requires access to food and water); (2) establish uniform medical screening procedures for detained individuals and programs that provide alternatives to detention; (3) increase its capacity to care for families and unaccompanied children by contracting with qualified entities and hiring additional CBP officers; and (4) restore a program that allowed certain minors in Northern Triangle countries to apply for refugee status without traveling to the United States.

The Government Accountability Office and DHS Inspector General shall audit and conduct uninspected inspections of detention facilities. Any Member of Congress may inspect such facilities without prior notification

The Department of State shall work with the United Nations to increase the capacity of Northern Triangle countries and Mexico to handle and care for those seeking refugee resettlement.

What's happening now July 30, 2019

Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship.

 Related & companion bills 2
  • S 1894 Related bill Alternatives to Detention Act of 2019
  • HR 3670 Related bill Short-Term Detention Standards Act
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 6
 Cosponsors 19
All 19 Democratic 14
D
Case, Ed
Hawaii · Sep 12, 2019
Kennedy, Joseph
· Jul 23, 2019
 D
Welch, Peter
Vermont · Jul 23, 2019
ENGEL, ELIOT
· Jul 16, 2019
 D
Barragán, Nanette Diaz
California · Jul 11, 2019
 D
Clarke, Yvette D.
New York · Jul 11, 2019
 D
Cleaver, Emanuel
Missouri · Jul 11, 2019
 D
Correa, J. Luis
California · Jul 11, 2019
 D
Green, Al
Texas · Jul 11, 2019
 D
Khanna, Ro
California · Jul 11, 2019
LANGEVIN, JAMES
· Jul 11, 2019
 D
McGovern, James P.
Massachusetts · Jul 11, 2019
 D
Norton, Eleanor Holmes
District of Columbia · Jul 11, 2019
Rice, Kathleen
· Jul 11, 2019
Richmond, Cedric
· Jul 11, 2019
 D
Slotkin, Elissa
Michigan · Jul 11, 2019
 D
Titus, Dina
Nevada · Jul 11, 2019
 D
Underwood, Lauren
Illinois · Jul 11, 2019
 D
Watson Coleman, Bonnie
New Jersey · Jul 11, 2019
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 3731: Strategic and Humane Southern Border Migrant Response Act. 116th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HR-3731/
MLA
"H.R. 3731: Strategic and Humane Southern Border Migrant Response Act." 116th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HR-3731/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 3731, 116th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HR-3731/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 3731: Strategic and Humane Southern Border Migrant Response Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HR-3731/)
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