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American Families United Act
4/18/2025, 8:05 AM
Summary of Bill HR 2366
One key aspect of the bill is the expansion of the definition of "immediate family members" to include a broader range of relatives, such as grandparents, grandchildren, and siblings. This would make it easier for extended family members to be reunited with their loved ones who are already living in the US.
Additionally, the bill seeks to address the backlog of visa applications by increasing the number of visas available for family-sponsored immigrants. This would help reduce wait times for families who are trying to bring their relatives to the US legally. Overall, the Family Unity Act is aimed at promoting family reunification and ensuring that immigrant families are able to stay together and support each other. The bill has garnered bipartisan support and is seen as a positive step towards comprehensive immigration reform.
Congressional Summary of HR 2366
American Families United Act
This bill authorizes the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or the Department of Justice (DOJ) to exercise discretion in certain immigration cases.
Under this bill, DOJ or DHS may, on a case-by-case basis, exercise discretion by declining to remove a non-U.S. national (alien under federal law) or bar an alien from entering the United States to prevent hardship for the alien's U.S. citizen spouse, parent, or child. This discretion may also be exercised if the alien is the spouse or child of a deceased U.S. citizen.
For the purposes of this bill, it shall be presumed that family separation constitutes hardship.
However, DOJ or DHS may not exercise this discretion if the alien is removable or inadmissible due to certain grounds, including specified crime- and security-related grounds.
This exercise of discretion may be applied to an alien who was ordered removed or denied entry prior to this bill's enactment if the alien files a motion to reopen or reconsider within two years of this bill's enactment.
