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This bill would change when and how people can ask for asylum in the United States. It says that people must apply for asylum at a U.S. port of entry, such as an airport, land border crossing, or seaport, and only while they are there. It also says that a person applying for asylum at a port of entry cannot be let into the country on parole or released into the United States while their case is handled. At the same time, the bill would block this process for people who are found inside the United States after entering without being inspected or after staying longer than they were allowed to stay. It also updates the law to let the Secretary of Homeland Security, along with the Attorney General, carry out parts of the asylum rules.
- Asylum applications would have to be made only at a port of entry.
- People asking for asylum at the border could not be paroled or released into the country while waiting.
- The bill would not apply to people who are caught inside the United States after entering without permission or overstaying a legal visit.
- It also updates government references so both the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security can act under the law.
Official Summaries
Refugees Using Legal Entry Safely Act or RULES Act
This bill requires non-U.S. nationals (aliens under federal law) applying for asylum to arrive and apply at a U.S. port of entry. Applicants are prohibited from being paroled into the U.S. pending approval of such application. Further, individuals apprehended in the U.S. without legal immigration status are ineligible for asylum. Applicants rejected for asylum are barred from applying for asylum in the future. Under current law, an applicant may reapply in changed or extraordinary circumstances.
Current Full Text
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 871 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 871
To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to modify the eligibility
requirements for asylum.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 31, 2025
Mrs. Luna (for herself, Mr. Ogles, Mr. Weber of Texas, and Mr. Rulli)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
the Judiciary
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to modify the eligibility
requirements for asylum.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Refugees Using Legal Entry Safely
Act'' or ``RULES Act''.
SEC. 2. MODIFICATION OF ASYLUM ELIGIBILITY.
Section 208(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C.
1158(a)) is amended--
(1) by amending paragraph (1) to read as follows:
``(1) Application at ports of entry.--
``(A) In general.--Any alien who arrives at a port
of entry of the United States, irrespective of such
alien's status, may, only at such a port of entry,
apply for asylum in accordance with this section or, as
applicable, section 235(b).
``(B) Prohibition on parole or release into the
united states.--Notwithstanding section 236(a)(2), an
alien applying for asylum at a port of entry may not be
paroled or released into the United States.'';
(2) in paragraph (2)--
(A) by striking subparagraph (B);
(B) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``Subject to
subparagraph (D), paragraph'' and inserting
``Paragraph'';
(C) by striking subparagraph (D);
(D) in subparagraph (E), by striking
``Subparagraphs (A) and (B)'' and inserting
``Subparagraph (A)'';
(E) by redesignating subparagraphs (C) and (E) as
subparagraphs (B) and (C), respectively; and
(F) by adding at the end the following:
``(D) Effect of apprehension in the united
states.--Paragraph (1) shall not apply to any alien who
is apprehended by or referred to the Secretary of
Homeland Security as an alien who has entered the
United States without inspection and admission or who
has remained in the United States beyond the alien's
period of authorized stay.''; and
(3) by striking ``Attorney General'' each place it appears
and inserting ``Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland
Security, as applicable,''.
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