Bill · S. 344· Senate(119-S-344)
A bill to require the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection to identify and conduct recurrent vetting of evacuees from Afghanistan found not to be properly vetted before entering the United States.
- Introduced
- 1/30/2025
- Last activity
- 1/30/2025 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- Sponsored by
- Rick Scott
- Cosponsors
- - 1 - 0
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill requires the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection to identify Afghan evacuees who arrived during specific operations between July 2021 and January 2022. These individuals must undergo full screening and vetting using law enforcement and international terrorist screening databases. The mandate includes establishing recurrent and periodic vetting processes, which may include in-person interviews. This vetting must continue for the entire duration of an evacuee's authorized parole period. Finally, the bill requires reporting the results and any ineligible individuals to relevant Congressional committees.
Yes
Does this tighten control of the border?+5
The bill mandates full screening and recurrent vetting of Afghan evacuees to better identify potential security risks at the border.
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?+4
The bill requires reporting of vetting results and ineligibility counts to Congressional committees.
Does this put more money into stopping terrorism?+3
The bill requires intensive vetting against international terrorist screening databases to enhance national safety.
The opposite
Would immigrants be better off under this?-6
The bill mandates periodic in-person interviews and heightened scrutiny for Afghan evacuees currently in the U.S.
Does this make it easier for immigrants already here to become citizens?-4
The bill introduces new vetting requirements and potential ineligibility determinations for Afghan evacuees.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
National Security and Community Safety: The bill aims to address risks where individuals may have been admitted without full vetting, potentially protecting the national security of the United States and the safety of local communities (Section 1(a)(5)).
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Improved Identity Verification: By requiring full screening based on confirmed identity, the bill addresses issues where previous documentation was inaccurate, incomplete, or missing (Section 1(a)(3)(C) and Section 1(b)(2)).
-
Accountability through Information Sharing: The bill requires that evidence of the completed vetting and periodic processes be provided to various government officials and local law enforcement agencies (Section 1(b)(6)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Increased Burden on Evacuees: Individuals may be subject to recurrent and periodic vetting processes, which could include required in-person interviews (Section 1(b)(4)).
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Risk of Ineligibility: The vetting process is designed to identify evacuees who may be found ineligible for admission to the United States (Section 1(c)(2)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Immigrants-6
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Government Transparency+4
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Increases Counter Terrorism Funding+3
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Border Security+5Improves Pathway To Citizenship-4
- 1/30/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in Senate
Joni ErnstRepublican · Iowa