S 1997119th CongressIn Committee

Stop GAPS Act of 2025

Introduced: Jun 9, 2025

ImmigrationSocial Services

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

The Stop GAPS Act of 2025 (S. 1997) would change how unaccompanied alien children (UACs) are handled after they leave U.S. Department of Homeland Security custody and how sponsors are treated in regulations. The bill would strike a specific sponsor-related provision from the Code of Federal Regulations (45 CFR 410.1201(a)(6)), effectively removing that regulatory paragraph. It would also require the Director of the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) to systematically track every UAC released from DHS custody who is in the United States and still undergoing immigration proceedings, and to work with state governments to help place these children. The overall aim is to improve oversight, prevent gaps in care, and ensure families or suitable placements are identified for UACs during ongoing proceedings.

Key Points

1Short title and purpose: The act is named the Stop Government Abandonment and Placement Scandals Act of 2025 (Stop GAPS Act of 2025), signaling a focus on preventing “abandonment” or placement gaps for unaccompanied minors.
2Section 2 – Sponsors for unaccompanied minors: DHS must amend 45 CFR 410.1201(a) by striking paragraph (6). This removes a specific sponsor-related regulatory provision from the governing rules for unaccompanied minors.
3Section 3(1) – Duty to track: The ORR Director must track each unaccompanied alien child released by DHS who is in the United States and involved in ongoing immigration proceedings.
4Section 3(2) – Duty to place: The ORR Director must work with states to find placements for these unaccompanied minors.
5Definition reference: The bill uses the established definitions of “unaccompanied alien child” as defined in section 462(g) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 279(g)), tying the bill’s scope to the existing statutory definition.

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected: Unaccompanied alien children in the United States who are released from DHS custody and are still involved in immigration proceedings; the Office of Refugee Resettlement and the agencies they coordinate with.Secondary group/area affected: State and local child welfare or placement agencies that would participate in finding placements for these minors; possible interactions with sponsors (depending on regulatory changes and how sponsor roles are defined after the CFR amendment).Additional impacts: Potential changes in regulatory framework that could influence funding needs, administrative workload for ORR and state agencies, and the system for tracking and placing UACs. May raise questions about data sharing, privacy, and costs associated with enhanced tracking and placement coordination. The bill’s emphasis on “stopping scandals” signals heightened oversight and accountability measures, which could affect how quickly and how often placements are made.

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