Children's Safe Welcome Act of 2026

This bill sets rules for how federal agencies hold and care for noncitizen children in immigration custody. It would require children to stay with their parent, guardian, or adult relative while in custody, except in listed cases such as a documented threat to the child, and it would bar the federal government from operating family detention facilities. It would limit U.S. Customs and Border Protection custody of children to 72 hours and set standards for border facilities, including medical screenings within 6 hours, food, water, sleep, hygiene, and on-site licensed child caregivers. It would also set rules for age assessments, give certain children's asylum cases to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and require state licensing and posted notices of rights at Department of Health and Human Services childcare facilities.

Full text and official record on Congress.gov

Sponsors

• Jeff Merkley Democrat sponsor
• 17 cosponsors