Skip to main content
HR 517 116th Congress House

Closing Asylum Loopholes Act

Official title: To close loopholes in the immigration laws that serve as incentives to aliens to attempt to enter the United States unlawfully, and for other purposes.

Introduced: February 14, 2019 Introduced by: Johnson, Mike Republican · Louisiana See on congress.gov
Immigration Administrative law and regulatory proceduresAdministrative remediesForeign language and bilingual programsImmigration status and procedures
More subjectsShow fewer subjects
Internet and video servicesInternet, web applications, social mediaRefugees, asylum, displaced personsSound recording
Sign in to write a letter Sign in to watch
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
Feb 25, 2019
Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship.
Jan 11, 2019
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Jan 11, 2019
Introduced in House
 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 February 25, 2019

Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Closing Asylum Loopholes Act

This bill requires an alien's "credible fear of persecution" to be more probable than not in order to be eligible for asylum. It also directs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to ensure that the questions asked in expedited removal proceedings are done so in a uniform manner, and to record interviews in expedited removal and asylum proceedings.

If an asylum seeker needs an interpreter, DHS shall ensure that a competent interpreter is used who is not affiliated with the government of the country the alien is seeking asylum frrom.

 Related & companion bills 4
  • HR 574 Related bill Equal Protection of Unaccompanied Minors Act
  • HR 586 Related bill Fix the Immigration Loopholes Act
  • HR 3360 Related bill Asylum Reform and Border Protection Act of 2019
  • HR 3855 Related bill To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to reform asylum procedures, and for other purposes.
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
 Cosponsors 3
All 3 Republican 3
R
Bost, Mike
Illinois · Dec 3, 2019
 R
Loudermilk, Barry
Georgia · May 9, 2019
 R
Scalise, Steve
Louisiana · Feb 14, 2019
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 517: Closing Asylum Loopholes Act. 116th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HR-517/
MLA
"H.R. 517: Closing Asylum Loopholes Act." 116th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HR-517/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 517, 116th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HR-517/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 517: Closing Asylum Loopholes Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HR-517/)
Report a problem