All Roll Calls
Yes: 433 • No: 419
119-hr-4371119th Congress
Kayla Hamilton Act
Sponsored By: Representative Fry, Russell [R-SC-7]
Passed House
Summary
This bill would tighten how the federal government places and screens unaccompanied alien children. It focuses on stronger placement rules and more detailed safety checks to block traffickers, gang involvement, and unsafe sponsors.
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- Would require a multi-part screening before any placement. Agencies must consult with the Department of Homeland Security, the Attorney General, and juvenile justice officials, check for flight risk or danger to self or others, contact consulates for criminal records, and screen for gang involvement and gang-related tattoos for children age 12 and older.
- Would forbid release on own recognizance and require placement in the least restrictive setting that serves the child’s best interests. It creates criteria to place children age 12 and older in secure facilities when they are flight risks, dangerous, have serious criminal histories or aggravated felonies, or show gang-related tattoos, arrests, pending charges, or convictions.
- Would bar placement with sponsors who are not U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents and with adults who have specified disqualifying criminal histories, including sex offenses, trafficking, domestic violence, child abuse, murder, aggravated felonies, or offenses punishable by more than one year. HHS must provide DHS full information on each sponsor and every adult household resident, including names, Social Security numbers or ITINs, dates of birth, addresses, immigration status, contact information, Dru Sjodin sex-offender checks, public records background checks, and fingerprint-based national criminal history checks.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 2 costs, 0 mixed.
New rules cover pending immigrant child cases
If enacted, the act would take effect on the date of enactment. The new custody and release rules would apply to decisions already pending and to any made after that date. They would also apply to any later review of a release decision. Cases with unaccompanied immigrant children would be handled under the updated screening and sponsor rules.
Stricter checks for unaccompanied immigrant children
If enacted, this bill would tighten how HHS and ORR screen and place unaccompanied immigrant children. In general, children would still be placed promptly in the least restrictive, best‑interest setting. For children age 12 or older, officials would contact consulates for arrest records and look for gang tattoos. Children 12+ who are flight risks or dangers, or have certain serious offenses or gang records, would be kept in a secure facility during their case. Release on own recognizance would not be allowed, and sponsors must be U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents without barred convictions. Before placement, HHS would give DHS sponsor and household details, including immigration status and sex offender and fingerprint check results.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Fry, Russell [R-SC-7]
SC • R
Cosponsors
Rep. Nehls, Troy E. [R-TX-22]
TX • R
Sponsored 7/14/2025
Rep. Moore, Barry [R-AL-1]
AL • R
Sponsored 7/14/2025
Roll Call Votes
house vote • 12/16/2025
On Motion to Recommit
Yes: 208 • No: 218
house vote • 12/16/2025
On Passage
Yes: 225 • No: 201