S. 5060: Child Marriage Prevention Act of 2026

The bill would take several steps related to child marriage in the United States and in federal immigration law.

Study and reporting on child marriage

It would create a national commission to study child marriage and its causes, effects, and how states handle it. The bill would also provide grants to states to form task forces that examine the issue locally. In addition, it would require federal reports on child marriage so policymakers can track how often it occurs and how laws differ across states.

State incentives to ban child marriage

The bill would use federal incentives to encourage states to prohibit marriage for minors. The goal would be to push states toward setting a minimum marriage age and reducing exceptions that allow underage marriages.

Limits on marriages involving minors on federal property

It would restrict marriages under age 18 on federal property. That means weddings involving minors could not take place in certain federal locations, or would be subject to stricter rules, depending on the final implementing policies.

Changes to marriage-based immigration rules

The bill would also change how immigration law treats marriages involving minors or proxy marriages. It would require an in-person meeting before a proxy marriage can be recognized for immigration purposes. If either spouse was under 18, immigration officials would conduct private interviews to better assess whether the marriage was voluntary and valid.

The bill would limit these new immigration rules to future filings and future marriages, rather than applying them broadly to older cases. It would also expand multilingual education and pamphlets so people seeking immigration benefits understand the rules. Finally, it would update official forms to reflect the new requirements.

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