H.R. 57: Ending Catch and Release Act of 2025 (119th Congress) Bill Summary

This bill, known as the "Ending Catch and Release Act of 2025," proposes changes to the current procedures under the Immigration and Nationality Act regarding how asylum applicants are processed when they arrive in the United States.

Key Provisions

Prohibition on Parole: The bill explicitly states that the Secretary of Homeland Security cannot parole or release asylum applicants into the United States. This change aims to prevent individuals from being released while they await the consideration of their asylum applications.
Detention Standards: Asylum applicants must be detained for further consideration of their applications. If they arrive from a country sharing a land border with the U.S., the bill stipulates that they may be returned to that contiguous territory while their application is reviewed.
Timeframe for Removal: If asylum applicants cannot be removed from the U.S. within 72 hours, they must continue to be detained until they can be removed.
Asylum Qualifications: The bill changes the standard for determining if an applicant is likely to qualify for asylum. It states that it must be “more likely than not” that the applicant will be able to establish eligibility for asylum rather than using the previous vague criteria.

Changes to Terminology and Authority

References to the "Attorney General" in certain provisions are replaced by "Secretary" to clarify the role of the Secretary of Homeland Security in the process.
Specific sections of the existing law are amended to incorporate these new provisions effectively, ensuring that the language aligns with the intent of the bill.

Detention and Proceedings

Asylum applicants will either be detained for a hearing or sent back to the neighboring country for their cases to be considered.
The bill removes previous legal provisions that allowed for more lenient processes for certain asylum seekers, making the process more stringent overall.

Impact on Asylum Process

The overall intent of the bill is to restrict the release of individuals seeking asylum into the U.S. and to create a more regimented and expedited process that favors detention over release during the asylum claim evaluation phase. By emphasizing detention and an expedited removal process, the legislation seeks to alter the landscape of how asylum claims are managed at the border.