Families First Immigration Enforcement Act

The term Department means the Department of Homeland Security.

The term Secretary means the Secretary of Homeland Security.

The term SSA means appropriate State social service agencies.

Any immigration workplace enforcement operation by the Department for alleged violations of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.), which is reasonably calculated to apprehend, or results in the apprehension of, at least 50 aliens, shall be carried out in accordance with the procedures described in this section.

The Department shall provide State officials with sufficient advance notice of all immigration workplace enforcement operations to allow State law enforcement officials to notify SSA of—

(1) the specific area of the State that will be affected;

(2) the languages spoken by employees at the target worksite; and

(3) any special needs of the employees.

The Department and SSA shall determine how appropriate nongovernmental organizations will be notified on the day of the enforcement action.

At the discretion of SSA, representatives of a nongovernmental organization who speak the native language of the aliens detained in the enforcement action may be permitted to participate with SSA officials in interviewing such aliens.

The Department shall provide SSA with unfettered and confidential access to aliens detained in the enforcement action to assist in the screening and interviews of aliens to determine whether the detainee, the detainee’s children, or other vulnerable people, including elderly and disabled individuals, have been placed at risk as a result of the detainee’s arrest.

After SSA officials have met with the alien detainees, qualified medical personnel from the Division of Immigration Health Services of the Department of Health and Human Services shall—

(1) conduct medical screenings of the alien detainees; and

(2) identify and report any medical issues that might necessitate humanitarian release or additional care.

The Department shall immediately consider recommendations made by SSA and the Division of Immigration Health Services about alien detainees who should be released on humanitarian grounds, including alien detainees who—

(1) have a medical condition that requires special attention;

(2) are pregnant women;

(3) are nursing mothers;

(4) are the sole caretakers of their minor children or elderly relatives;

(5) function as the primary contact between the family and those outside the home due to language barriers;

(6) are needed to support their spouses in caring for sick or special needs children;

(7) have spouses who are ill or otherwise unable to be sole caretaker; or

(8) are younger than 18 years of age.

The Department shall provide, and advertise in the mainstream and foreign language media, a toll-free number through which family members of alien detainees may report such relationships to operators who—

(1) speak English and the majority language of the target population of the enforcement operation; and

(2) will convey such information to the Department and SSA.

In order to maximize full and fair visitation by children, immediate family members, and counsel, an alien should be detained, to the extent space is available, in facilities within the physical jurisdiction or catchment area of the local field office of United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Not later than 72 hours after an alien’s apprehension in an immigration workplace enforcement operation, the alien shall be released from Department custody, in accordance with paragraph (2), if the alien—

(A) is not subject to mandatory detention under section 235(1)(B)(iii)(IV), 236(c), or 236A of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1225(1)(B)(iii)(IV), 1226(c), and 1226a);

(B) does not pose an immediate flight risk; and

(C) meets any of the criteria set forth in section 3(f).

An alien shall be released under this subsection—

(A) on the alien’s own recognizance;

(B) by posting a minimum bond under section 236(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1226(a));

(C) on parole in accordance with section 212(d)(5)(A) of such Act (8 U.S.C. 1182(d)(5)(A)); or

(D) through the Intensive Supervision Appearance Program or another comparable alternative to detention program.

(1) the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate;

(2) the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives;

(3) the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate; and

(4) the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives.