A Republican bill with 8 Republican cosponsors · See all 8 cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Stopping Border Surges Act aims to close immigration law loopholes that serve as incentives for unlawful entry. The bill includes new rules for the repatriation and custody of unaccompanied alien children. It also establishes stricter standards for family detention and modifies special immigrant juvenile status. Within Title II, the bill implements various asylum reforms regarding eligibility, application timing, and the burden of proof. Additionally, it introduces penalties and a statute of limitations for asylum fraud.
Yes
- Scored +8
Does this tighten control of the border?
The bill closes loopholes to discourage unlawful entry and tightens asylum eligibility.
- Scored +3
Does this give the federal government more power?
Expands the Secretary of Homeland Security's discretion over detention and asylum.
- Scored +2
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?
Requires recording of removal and credible fear interviews for quality assurance.
The opposite· 3 of 9
- Scored -8
Would immigrants be better off under this?
Drastically limits asylum access, increases detention, and imposes harsh fraud penalties.
- Scored -7
Does this make it easier for immigrants already here to become citizens?
The bill restricts asylum eligibility and creates permanent ineligibility for frivolous applications.
- Scored -6
Would children be better off under this?
Increases detention of children and limits release to lawfully present guardians.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Specialized Interviews for Children: Unaccompanied alien children will be interviewed by immigration officers who have received specialized training in interviewing child trafficking victims (Section 101).
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Information Sharing for Child Safety: The Secretary of Health and Human Services will provide specific information to the Secretary of Homeland Security regarding individuals with whom children are placed, including names, dates of birth, and residence locations (Section 101).
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Standardized Interview Procedures: The bill requires quality assurance procedures to ensure that questions asked during expedited removal are uniform and that answers are recorded in a uniform manner (Section 212).
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Use of Competent Interpreters: The Secretary of Homeland Security must ensure the use of competent interpreters who are not affiliated with the government of the country from which the alien may claim asylum (Section 212).
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Standardized Interview Checklists: Immigration officers will be provided with checklists of standard questions and concepts to address during interviews (Section 212).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Criminal Penalties for Fraud: Individuals who knowingly and willfully make false or fraudulent statements or use false documents regarding asylum may face fines and up to 10 years in prison (Section 213).
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Extended Statute of Limitations: The statute of limitations for asylum fraud is extended to include cases within 10 years after the fraud is discovered (Section 214).
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Permanent Ineligibility: An alien who is determined to have knowingly filed a frivolous asylum application may be rendered permanently ineligible for any benefits under the specific chapter of the Immigration and Nationality Act (Section 210).
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Strict Rules for Asylum Application Timing: The time frame for applying for asylum is reduced from one year to six months (Section 203).
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Restrictions on Asylum Eligibility: Asylum eligibility is modified to require that an individual has arrived in the United States at a port of entry (Section 201).
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Mandatory Detention for certain Minors: The bill states there is no presumption that an alien child who is not an unaccompanied alien child should not be detained, and determinations regarding their detention are at the discretion of the Secretary of Homeland Security (Section 102).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would immigrants be better off under this? — Drastically limits asylum access, increases detention, and imposes harsh fraud penalties. Would children be better off under this? — Increases detention of children and limits release to lawfully present guardians. Would Hispanic Americans be better off under this? — Significant impact on migrants from contiguous countries and asylum seekers. Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this? — Stricter asylum rules may impact young migrants seeking safety. Would LGBTQ people be better off under this? — Stricter asylum requirements may affect those fleeing persecution based on sexual orientation.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this give the federal government more power? — Expands the Secretary of Homeland Security's discretion over detention and asylum. Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — Requires recording of removal and credible fear interviews for quality assurance. Does this leave more decisions to the states? — Explicitly preempts state licensing requirements for immigration detention facilities. Does this protect people from being watched or searched? — Requires reporting of caregiver personal information and immigration status to DHS. Does this protect the right to fair treatment by the courts? — Shortens asylum application deadlines and restricts eligibility to ports of entry.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this tighten control of the border? — The bill closes loopholes to discourage unlawful entry and tightens asylum eligibility. Does this make it easier for immigrants already here to become citizens? — The bill restricts asylum eligibility and creates permanent ineligibility for frivolous applications.
- 11/10/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 9/17/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 9/14/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 8/7/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- 5 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Jim BanksRepublican · Indiana
Katie BrittRepublican · Alabama
Tom CottonRepublican · Arkansas
Ted CruzRepublican · Texas
Josh HawleyRepublican · Missouri
Bernie MorenoRepublican · Ohio
Rick ScottRepublican · Florida
Tommy TubervilleRepublican · Alabama