Bill · S. 5138· Senate(119-S-5138)
Fairness for Immigrant Families Act of 2026
- Introduced
- 7/27/2026
- Last activity
- 7/27/2026 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- Sponsored by
- Catherine Cortez Masto
- Cosponsors
- None
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Fairness for Immigrant Families Act of 2026 aims to protect immigrant families, combat fraud, and build community trust. It includes provisions to expand admissibility and relief from removal for various individuals. The bill also establishes rules for immigration consultants to increase transparency and combat consumer fraud. Additionally, it introduces new reporting requirements regarding the removal of parents and the detention of U.S. citizens. The legislation seeks to protect individuals who are victims or witnesses of crimes. Finally, it provides a framework for building trust within communities through specific protections.
Yes· 3 of 16
Would immigrants be better off under this?+9
The bill significantly expands admissibility, provides relief from removal, and creates protections for victims and witnesses.
Would children be better off under this?+8
The bill includes specific protections to prevent the removal of parents of children and provides outreach for children who have left the country with parents.
Does this make it easier for immigrants already here to become citizens?+8
The bill expands the cancellation of removal process, reduces required years of presence, and facilitates easier adjustment of status.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Expansion of Admissibility and Waivers: The bill allows for waivers of inadmissibility for certain family members, such as parents, spouses, or children of U.S. citizens or permanent residents, in cases of extreme hardship (Sec. 101(a)(iii)(II)).
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Relief for Individuals Previously Removed: The act provides exceptions to the reinstatement of removal orders for those where removal is not in the public interest or would cause hardship to qualifying family members (Sec. 111(a)(1)(B)(i)(II)).
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Expanded Cancellation of Removal: The bill reduces the required period of presence for cancellation of removal from 10 years to 7 years and allows for an affirmative application process (Sec. 112(a)).
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Protection from Removal: Certain individuals, including beneficiaries of pending petitions and DACA recipients, are prohibited from removal while their applications are pending or on appeal (Sec. 113(a)).
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Increased Protections for Crime Victims and Witnesses: The bill prohibits the removal and detention of aliens who are victims of domestic violence, human trafficking, or witnesses to crimes (Sec. 301(a)).
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Combatting Immigration Fraud: The bill establishes penalties for fraudulent immigration services and creates grants for hotlines and digital tools to assist victims of fraud (Sec. s 201(a) and (b)).
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Improved Transparency: New requirements for annual and quarterly reports aim to provide transparency regarding immigration fees and application backlogs (Sec. 203).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Restrictions on Removal Exceptions: The protections for victims and witnesses do not apply if the individual is convicted of a serious crime or poses an individualized threat to public safety (Sec. 301(b)(1)).
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Immigration Consultant Restrictions: The bill imposes specific disclosure and contract requirements on immigration consultants, which may affect how these services are provided (Sec. 202(a)).
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Strict Rules for Misrepresentation: The bill maintains that individuals who knowingly misrepresent their citizenship are inadmissible or deportable, though it provides specific exceptions for children and VAWA self-petitioners (Sec. 101(b) and Sec. 237(a)(3)(D)).
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+9Good For Children+8Good For Asian Americans+7Good For Hispanic Americans+7Good For Low Income Households+7Good For Veterans+7Good For Women+7Good For Young Adults+6Good For Union Workers+5Good For Business Owners+4
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Pathway To Citizenship+8Improves Racial Equity+6Improves Poverty Reduction+5Improves Childcare Affordability+1
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Government Transparency+7
- Economy And Finance
- Improves Small Business Support+5
- 7/27/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.