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HR 4371119th CongressIntroduced
Kayla Hamilton Act
Introduced: Jul 14, 2025
Sponsor: Rep. Fry, Russell [R-SC-7] (R-South Carolina)
Civil Rights & Justice
Standard Summary
Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs
The Kayla Hamilton Act amends existing child trafficking protection laws to establish stricter screening and placement requirements for unaccompanied alien children in federal custody. The bill requires enhanced background checks and criminal history reviews before placing children with sponsors, mandates secure facility placement for children with gang affiliations, and prohibits placement with individuals who are unlawfully present in the United States. The legislation aims to strengthen safeguards against child trafficking by requiring the Department of Health and Human Services to collect and share detailed information about potential sponsors with the Department of Homeland Security before any child placement occurs.
Key Points
- 1Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to contact foreign consulates to obtain criminal records of unaccompanied alien children (except those 12 and under) before placement
- 2Mandates examination of children for gang-related tattoos and markings, with automatic secure facility placement for those with gang indicators or criminal records related to gang activity
- 3Prohibits placement of children with individuals who are unlawfully present in the United States
- 4Requires comprehensive background checks on all adult household members where a child will be placed, including FBI fingerprint checks and sex offender registry searches
- 5Mandates information sharing between Health and Human Services and Homeland Security, including names, social security numbers, immigration status, and criminal history of all adults in potential placement households
Impact Areas
Unaccompanied alien children: Face additional screening procedures and potential secure facility placement based on gang affiliation indicatorsPotential sponsors and their households: Subject to more extensive background checks and immigration status verification requirementsFederal agencies: Increased coordination required between Health and Human Services and Homeland Security, with additional administrative responsibilities for screening and information sharing
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