Federal RuleAug 21
62
DOL Rewrites Disability Rules for 'Merit-Based Opportunity' Push
RuleLabor DepartmentFederal Contract Compliance Programs OfficeSignificant Wallet
119-hr-2851119th CongressWALLET
WISE Act
Sponsored By: Representative Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7]
Introduced
Summary
Removing barriers to immigration status for noncitizen survivors is the bill's central goal. It would expand protections and paths to work authorization for crime and trafficking survivors, reform U visas including eliminating the annual cap, tighten privacy around victim data, and restrict immigration enforcement near hospitals, schools, and other sensitive locations.
Show full summary
- Survivors and families: Would broaden U-visa eligibility to add civil violations and new qualifying crimes such as hate crimes, child abuse, and elder abuse. It would strike the U-visa numerical cap, offer parole while petitions are pending, and accelerate work authorization with an additional authorization available within 180 days of filing.
- Children, SIJs, and abused derivatives: Would create an abused-derivative relief category that allows admission for at least as long as the principal or at least three years, grants work authorization, and authorizes adjustment to permanent residence under specified humanitarian conditions. It would also remove per-country caps for special immigrant children and allow motions to reopen SIJ cases.
- Enforcement, privacy, and oversight: Would create a presumption of release from detention for many applicants unless clear and convincing evidence supports detention. It would bar enforcement at protected areas within 1,000 feet of places like hospitals and schools except for exigent circumstances and required approvals. It would tighten information-access rules by raising data-protection thresholds from 5,000 to 10,000 and require annual training and detailed agency reporting.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
7 provisions identified: 6 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
Broader waivers for survivor cases
If enacted, spouses and children of J‑1 visitors, T or U recipients, VAWA self‑petitioners, and SIJ youth could be exempt from the two‑year home rule. Waivers could be granted for humanitarian reasons, family unity, or the public interest. VAWA self‑petitioners would be shielded from some false‑claim inadmissibility findings. Some monetary penalties would not apply to VAWA, T, U, or SIJ applicants. These changes would take effect on enactment and apply retroactively to waivers.
Easier U visas and faster work permits
If enacted, the yearly cap on U visas would be removed. More crimes and related civil violations would count, including hate crimes, child abuse, and elder abuse. U petitions would be filed with DHS, and DHS could parole petitioners and qualifying family abroad while cases are pending. People who file for T, U, SIJ, or VAWA relief would get work permission by 180 days after filing, or sooner if approved. U work permission would continue while you have temporary U status. Some inadmissibility grounds could be waived for humanitarian or public‑interest reasons.
Fewer detentions for survivor applicants
If enacted, people with pending or approved T, U, SIJ, VAWA, or related cases would be presumed released from detention. DHS would need clear and convincing evidence to keep someone detained, and a pending or dismissed charge could not be the only reason. Removal under reinstatement would be blocked, and no one could be removed until a final denial after appeals.
New help for abused visa dependents
If enacted, spouses or children who came on a dependent visa and were abused by the principal would get new protections. They would get work permits. Their stay could be extended to the longer of the principal’s initial term or three years. They could apply for a green card if not inadmissible, or for humanitarian, family‑unity, or public‑interest reasons. Some family members could also get visas to avoid extreme hardship.
Stronger protections for immigrant children
If enacted, Special Immigrant Juveniles would get visas from worldwide numbers and not face per‑country caps. They could file motions to reopen at any time to apply for a green card, and filing would pause removal while the case is decided. A child who was under 21 when a parent applied would keep child status even if they turn 21 later. Courts would need HHS consent to take custody cases for children in HHS care.
Protected zones and privacy for survivors
If enacted, immigration enforcement would generally be barred within 1,000 feet of hospitals, schools, shelters, and similar places unless there is an emergency and prior approval. Information from T, U, SIJ, VAWA, and related cases could be used only for deciding the case or limited enforcement. Agencies would have 120 days to issue rules and set up appeals. Evidence from a violation could not be used in removal, and people could move to end those cases.
Higher data threshold, fewer privacy rules
If enacted, the cutoff would rise from 5,000 records to 10,000. Fewer datasets would get those protections. People in 5,000–10,000 record groups would lose this safeguard.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7]
WA • D
Cosponsors
Rep. Schakowsky, Janice D. [D-IL-9]
IL • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Rep. Espaillat, Adriano [D-NY-13]
NY • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Rep. Panetta, Jimmy [D-CA-19]
CA • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Rep. Ansari, Yassamin [D-AZ-3]
AZ • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Rep. Balint, Becca [D-VT-At Large]
VT • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Rep. Barragán, Nanette Diaz [D-CA-44]
CA • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Rep. Carbajal, Salud O. [D-CA-24]
CA • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Rep. Casar, Greg [D-TX-35]
TX • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Rep. Casten, Sean [D-IL-6]
IL • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Rep. Castro, Joaquin [D-TX-20]
TX • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Rep. Chu, Judy [D-CA-28]
CA • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Rep. García, Jesús G. "Chuy" [D-IL-4]
IL • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Rep. Goldman, Daniel S. [D-NY-10]
NY • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Rep. Hoyle, Val T. [D-OR-4]
OR • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4]
GA • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Rep. Khanna, Ro [D-CA-17]
CA • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Rep. Liccardo, Sam T. [D-CA-16]
CA • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Rep. McGovern, James P. [D-MA-2]
MA • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Rep. Meng, Grace [D-NY-6]
NY • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Rep. Moore, Gwen [D-WI-4]
WI • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Rep. Morrison, Kelly [D-MN-3]
MN • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
DC • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Rep. Ocasio-Cortez, Alexandria [D-NY-14]
NY • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Rep. Omar, Ilhan [D-MN-5]
MN • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Rep. Ramirez, Delia C. [D-IL-3]
IL • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Rep. Scanlon, Mary Gay [D-PA-5]
PA • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Rep. Simon, Lateefah [D-CA-12]
CA • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Rep. Smith, Adam [D-WA-9]
WA • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Rep. Stansbury, Melanie A. [D-NM-1]
NM • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13]
MI • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12]
MI • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Rep. Velázquez, Nydia M. [D-NY-7]
NY • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Rep. Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [D-FL-25]
FL • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Rep. Williams, Nikema [D-GA-5]
GA • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Rep. Nadler, Jerrold [D-NY-12]
NY • D
Sponsored 4/17/2025
Rep. Vargas, Juan [D-CA-52]
CA • D
Sponsored 4/17/2025
Rep. Garcia, Sylvia R. [D-TX-29]
TX • D
Sponsored 4/17/2025
Rep. Correa, J. Luis [D-CA-46]
CA • D
Sponsored 4/17/2025
Rep. Latimer, George [D-NY-16]
NY • D
Sponsored 5/1/2025
Rep. Lee, Summer L. [D-PA-12]
PA • D
Sponsored 5/7/2025
Rep. Clarke, Yvette D. [D-NY-9]
NY • D
Sponsored 8/29/2025
Rep. Salinas, Andrea [D-OR-6]
OR • D
Sponsored 10/8/2025
Rep. Pocan, Mark [D-WI-2]
WI • D
Sponsored 3/25/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov