PROTECT Military Families Act
Sponsored By: Representative Cisneros
Introduced
Summary
Creates a new parole category for immediate family members of service members and qualifying veterans. This bill would expand and restructure parole authority so spouses, widows or widowers, parents, and children can be paroled into the United States in one-year increments, and sets strict rules for when applications may be denied and how denials are explained.
Show full summary
- Families: Spouses, widows or widowers, parents, and children of active-duty members, members of the Selected Reserve, and certain former service members discharged other than dishonorably would be eligible for parole into the United States.
- Parole terms: Parole would be granted in 1-year increments under the new category.
- Government process: A denial may occur only if the Secretaries of Homeland Security, Defense, and Veterans Affairs jointly issue a written justification that they may not delegate, and the Department of Homeland Security must publish a detailed, non‑personally identifiable explanation online.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
One-year parole for military families
If enacted, the bill would create a new parole pathway for certain immediate family members. You would be eligible if you are the spouse, widow or widower, parent, or child of a service member on active duty, a member of the Selected Reserve of the Ready Reserve, or a person who previously served and was not discharged for dishonorable reasons. Parole under this category would be granted in one-year increments. An application could be denied only if the Secretaries of Homeland Security, Defense, and Veterans Affairs jointly issue a written justification, and DHS would have to publish a detailed, non‑identifying reason for any denial.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Cisneros
CA • D
Cosponsors
Rep. Carbajal, Salud O. [D-CA-24]
CA • D
Sponsored 1/7/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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