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H.R. 6389: Upholding Protections for Unaccompanied Children Act of 2025

This bill, titled the **Upholding Protections for Unaccompanied Children Act of 2025**, aims to amend existing legislation related to the treatment and protection of unaccompanied children in the United States. Specifically, it seeks to address and mitigate provisions from the previous law known as the **One Big Beautiful Bill Act** that are perceived to reduce protections for these vulnerable children, making them more susceptible to risks such as trafficking and abuse. Here are the key components of the bill:

Findings

1. The bill recognizes that unaccompanied children are particularly vulnerable to violence, abuse, and exploitation, often fleeing dangerous situations in their home countries.

2. It asserts the historical bipartisan commitment of Congress to protect these children through proper screening, legal processes, and appropriate placements.

3. The bill describes how the previous law has created barriers that weaken protections for unaccompanied children, including financial hurdles that may prevent them from accessing legal assistance for asylum or other forms of relief.

4. It emphasizes the importance of maintaining safeguards against human trafficking and exploitation, underscoring that many children face grave risks if returned to their home countries without due process.

Fee Provisions

The bill eliminates or modifies several fee structures from the prior law that had imposed costs on unaccompanied children seeking legal relief:

Asylum Fee: Exempts unaccompanied children from fees associated with seeking asylum.
Employment Authorization Document Fee: Also exempts these children from related fees.
Special Immigrant Juvenile Fee: Repeals this fee, allowing children applying for special immigrant juvenile status to do so without financial barriers.

Legal Process and Protections

The bill reinforces the legal rights of unaccompanied children by:

Upholding protection screenings: Eliminating previous provisions that compromised thorough screenings and fair legal processes.
Restriction on body examinations: Repealing the authorization for invasive examinations without appropriate safeguards, which could harm children who have already suffered trauma.
Limiting information sharing: Blocking the sharing of sensitive information regarding child sponsors with immigration enforcement agencies to protect families from potential deportation risks.

Refund of Fees

The bill mandates that any fees collected under the provisions repealed or amended by this legislation must be refunded to individuals who paid them, ensuring financial fairness in compliance with the new regulations.

Impact on Unaccompanied Children

The overall aim of the bill is to enhance the protections available to unaccompanied minors, ensuring they are not subjected to unjust fees or processes that could jeopardize their safety and well-being. By restoring and strengthening the legal framework established by prior laws, particularly the **William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008**, the bill aims to provide a more supportive environment for these children seeking safety in the United States.

Relevant Companies

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This is an AI-generated summary of the bill text. There may be mistakes.

Actions

2 actions

Date	Action
Dec. 03, 2025	Introduced in House
Dec. 03, 2025	Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Homeland Security, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

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