{"format":1,"id":"119-hr-4371","congress":119,"number":"H.R. 4371","kind":"bill","group":"bills","title":"Kayla Hamilton Act","title_source":"Short Title(s) as Passed House","official_title":"To amend the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008 to enhance efforts to combat the trafficking of children.","titles":[{"type":"Official Title as Introduced","title":"To amend the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008 to enhance efforts to combat the trafficking of children."},{"type":"Display Title","title":"Kayla Hamilton Act"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Passed House","title":"Kayla Hamilton Act"},{"type":"Official Title from EH (Engrossed in House) bill text","title":"To amend the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008 and the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to enhance efforts to combat the trafficking of children."},{"type":"Official Titles as Amended by House","title":"To amend the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008 and the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to enhance efforts to combat the trafficking of children"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Reported to House","title":"Kayla Hamilton Act"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Introduced","title":"Kayla Hamilton Act"}],"outcome":"passed_house","law_number":null,"introduced":"2025-07-14","chambers":{"house":{"status":"roll_call","date":"2025-12-16","vote":{"id":"119-2025-h340","question":"On Passage","title":"Kayla Hamilton Act","result":"Passed","yea":225,"nay":201,"present":0,"not_voting":7,"source":"https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2025/roll340.xml"}},"senate":{"status":"pending","date":null,"vote":null}},"president":{"status":"not_yet","date":null},"vice_president_tie_breaker":null,"latest_action":{"text":"Received in the Senate.","date":"2025-12-17"},"nominees":null,"amendments":[],"other_votes":[{"chamber":"house","date":"2025-12-16","question":"On Motion to Recommit","title":"Kayla Hamilton Act","result":"Failed","yea":208,"nay":218,"present":0,"not_voting":7,"kind":"procedural","source":"https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2025/roll339.xml"}],"crs_summary":{"date":"2025-07-14","stage":"Introduced in House","blocks":[{"k":"h","t":"Kayla Hamilton Act"},{"k":"p","t":"This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to consider additional information when it makes placement determinations for unaccompanied alien children in its custody. Under federal law, an unaccompanied alien child is a minor with no lawful immigration status and no parent or legal guardian in the United States to provide care and physical custody."},{"k":"p","t":"Current law requires HHS to (1) place a child in the least restrictive setting that is in the child's best interest, and (2) assess the safety and suitability of a sponsor prior to placing a child with that sponsor."},{"k":"p","t":"In determining the least restrictive setting, this bill requires (currently, permits) HHS to consider the child's danger to self, danger to the community, and flight risk. Additionally, the bill requires placement in a secure facility in the case of a child who is 13 years of age or older and has gang-related markings or tattoos or a history of gang-related arrests or criminal conduct."},{"k":"p","t":"In assessing the safety and suitability of a sponsor, this bill requires HHS to collect and provide to the Department of Homeland Security information about all adult residents of the household, including name, date of birth, Social Security number, immigration status, contact information, and the results of all background and criminal records checks. The bill also prohibits HHS from placing a child with a sponsor who is unlawfully present in the United States."}],"words":237},"summary":{"main_subject":{"text":"Changes the rules the Department of Health and Human Services follows when placing unaccompanied alien children in its custody, including secure-facility placement, restrictions on sponsors, and information shared with the Department of Homeland Security.","cites":[{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4371/text/eh#H396E545CCB4049C296B5FA35447398E6"},{"label":"Sec. 3","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4371/text/eh#HF2FBA14EB8934660A2EA529CE5F80490"}]},"core_areas":["Placement of unaccompanied alien children in HHS custody","Secure-facility placement based on flight risk and danger","Restrictions on sponsors and household members","Sharing sponsor and household information with the Department of Homeland Security"],"what_it_does":[{"text":"Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 so the Director of the Office of Refugee Resettlement makes placement determinations in accordance with section 235(c)(2) of the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4371/text/eh#H396E545CCB4049C296B5FA35447398E6"}},{"text":"Bars the Secretary of Health and Human Services from making a placement determination until the Secretary consults with the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Attorney General about appearance at hearings, protection from smugglers, traffickers and gangs, flight risk, danger, and criminal history.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 3","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4371/text/eh#HF2FBA14EB8934660A2EA529CE5F80490"}},{"text":"For a child 12 years of age or older, requires the Secretary to contact the child's consulate or embassy for arrest and conviction records and to examine the child for gang-related tattoos and other gang-related markings.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 3","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4371/text/eh#HF2FBA14EB8934660A2EA529CE5F80490"}},{"text":"Requires placement in a secure facility for the duration of immigration proceedings for a child 12 or older who is a flight risk or a danger to self, others, or the community, and states that a child may not be released on his or her own recognizance.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 3","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4371/text/eh#HF2FBA14EB8934660A2EA529CE5F80490"}},{"text":"Prohibits placing a child with an individual who is not a United States citizen or lawful permanent resident, or who has, or lives with someone who has, a conviction for any of a listed set of offenses.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 3","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4371/text/eh#HF2FBA14EB8934660A2EA529CE5F80490"}},{"text":"Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services, before placing a child, to give the Secretary of Homeland Security the name, Social Security or taxpayer identification number, date of birth, immigration status, contact information, and background check results for the sponsor and each adult household resident.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 3","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4371/text/eh#HF2FBA14EB8934660A2EA529CE5F80490"}}],"unexpected":[{"category":"process_change","items":[{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 5","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4371/text/eh#HE41EB641914642AEA8FFAAAFB1C33063"},"heading":"Exemption from Paperwork Reduction Act and the Administrative Procedure Act","effect":"Provides that the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of State, and the Attorney General are not required to comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act or to promulgate Administrative Procedure Act regulations if they determine compliance would impede immediate implementation.","amount":null,"quote":"if such individuals determine that compliance would impede the immediate implementation of this Act or the amendments made by this Act."}]}],"version":{"type":"Engrossed in House","date":"2025-12-16","rule":"passed","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4371/text/eh"},"current":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","approved":"2026-10-12","approved_by":"checks"},"sources":{"congress_gov":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4371","text":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4371/text"},"card":{"image":"card/item/119-hr-4371.png","v":"1d94334be651","alt":"Votes on Record. H.R. 4371, 119th Congress: Kayla Hamilton Act. House: 225 Yea, 201 Nay. Senate: not yet considered. Outcome: Passed House, 16 Dec 2025."}}