HELP Separated Children Act

This bill sets rules for how the Department of Homeland Security and its partner agencies treat parents of children in the United States during immigration arrests and detention. Officials would have to ask within about 2 hours whether an arrested person is a parent, let parents make phone calls to arrange child care, and generally not move a parent until care is arranged or 48 hours pass. Detained parents would get free calls and visits with their children and the chance to take part in family court proceedings. The bill also requires staff training, a national coordinator, consideration of children's best interests in detention and prosecution decisions, and public reports every 180 days on detained parents.

Full text and official record on Congress.gov

Sponsors

• Tina Smith Democrat sponsor
• 17 cosponsors