This legislation aims to combat child trafficking and prevent the fraudulent use of minors by noncitizen adults seeking entry into the United States. It mandates the Secretary of Homeland Security to obtain fingerprints from noncitizen minors under 14 years of age if a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer suspects they are victims of human trafficking, amending existing immigration law. The bill establishes a new federal crime, imposing significant penalties including fines and up to 10 years imprisonment, for any noncitizen adult who knowingly uses a minor to whom they are not a relative or guardian for the purpose of gaining U.S. entry. Additionally, it requires the Department of Homeland Security to share collected fingerprints with the Department of Health and Human Services upon request for unaccompanied alien children transferred to their custody. To enhance transparency and accountability, the Secretary of Homeland Security must submit annual reports to Congress detailing the number of minors fingerprinted under this authority. Furthermore, U.S. Customs and Border Protection is required to publicly post, on a monthly basis, the number of child traffickers apprehended who falsely claimed a child accompanying them was a close relative.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Immigration
PRINTS Act
USA119th CongressS-53| Senate
| Updated: 1/9/2025
This legislation aims to combat child trafficking and prevent the fraudulent use of minors by noncitizen adults seeking entry into the United States. It mandates the Secretary of Homeland Security to obtain fingerprints from noncitizen minors under 14 years of age if a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer suspects they are victims of human trafficking, amending existing immigration law. The bill establishes a new federal crime, imposing significant penalties including fines and up to 10 years imprisonment, for any noncitizen adult who knowingly uses a minor to whom they are not a relative or guardian for the purpose of gaining U.S. entry. Additionally, it requires the Department of Homeland Security to share collected fingerprints with the Department of Health and Human Services upon request for unaccompanied alien children transferred to their custody. To enhance transparency and accountability, the Secretary of Homeland Security must submit annual reports to Congress detailing the number of minors fingerprinted under this authority. Furthermore, U.S. Customs and Border Protection is required to publicly post, on a monthly basis, the number of child traffickers apprehended who falsely claimed a child accompanying them was a close relative.