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119-hr-6958119th Congress

PROTECT Military Families Act

Sponsored By: Representative Cisneros, Gilbert Ray [D-CA-31]

Introduced

Summary

Expanded humanitarian parole for military relatives. This bill would expand and restructure parole so spouses, widows or widowers, parents, and children of active-duty members, members of the Selected Reserve, and certain former service members could be admitted to the United States and transfers parole authority to the Secretary of Homeland Security.

Show full summary
  • Military families: Eligible relatives could receive parole in 1-year increments, creating a faster, temporary route for reunification.
  • Agencies and oversight: A denial would require a joint written justification signed by the Departments of Homeland Security, Defense, and Veterans Affairs that cannot be delegated. The Department of Homeland Security must publish a detailed denial explanation on a public website without personally identifiable information.
  • Scope of eligibility: The bill covers relatives of living or deceased individuals who served on active duty or in the Selected Reserve and were discharged under conditions other than dishonorable.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Parole for military family members

If enacted, DHS would parole an immigrant into the United States for one year at a time. It would apply to spouses, widows or widowers, parents, and children of qualifying service members. Qualifying service members would include active-duty Armed Forces, members of the Selected Reserve, and people who previously served (living or deceased) and were discharged or released under a condition other than dishonorable. DHS would deny parole only if DHS, the Department of Defense, and the Department of Veterans Affairs jointly wrote a written justification and were prohibited from delegating that duty. If DHS denied an application, DHS would publish a detailed, non-identifying justification on a public website. The bill would replace references to "Attorney General" with "Secretary of Homeland Security" for this parole authority.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Cisneros, Gilbert Ray [D-CA-31]

CA • D

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Correa, J. Luis [D-CA-46]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 10/1/2026

  • Rep. Carbajal, Salud O. [D-CA-24]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 1/7/2026

  • Rep. Vasquez, Gabe [D-NM-2]

    NM • D

    Sponsored 6/22/2026

  • Rep. Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5]

    NJ • D

    Sponsored 8/27/2026

  • Rep. Ross, Deborah K. [D-NC-2]

    NC • D

    Sponsored 9/1/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

View on Congress.gov
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