[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6580 Introduced in House (IH)]
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115th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 6580
To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide for expedited
naturalization processes for the alien spouses of first responders who
die as a result of their employment, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 26, 2018
Mr. Bacon introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on the Judiciary
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide for expedited
naturalization processes for the alien spouses of first responders who
die as a result of their employment, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Kerrie Orozco First Responders
Family Support Act''.
SEC. 2. EXPEDITED NATURALIZATION FOR SPOUSES OF FIRST RESPONDERS.
Section 319 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1430)
is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(f) Spouses of First Responders.--
``(1) In general.--Any person not described in section
212(a)(9)(B)(ii) who is the surviving spouse, child, or parent
of a United States citizen, whose citizen spouse, parent, or
child dies as a result of injury or disease incurred in or
aggravated by employment as a first responder, and who, in the
case of a surviving spouse, was living in marital union with
the citizen spouse at the time of his death, may be naturalized
upon compliance with all the requirements of this title except
that no prior residence or specified physical presence within
the United States shall be required.
``(2) Definition.--For purposes of this subsection--
``(A) the term `first responder' means Federal,
State, and local governmental and nongovernmental
emergency public safety, fire, law enforcement,
emergency response, and emergency medical (including
hospital emergency facilities) personnel; and
``(B) the terms `United States citizen' and
`citizen spouse' include a person granted posthumous
citizenship under section 329B.''.
SEC. 3. POSTHUMOUS CITIZENSHIP THROUGH DEATH WHILE SERVING AS A FIRST
RESPONDER.
(a) In General.--Title III of the Immigration and Nationality Act
(8 U.S.C. 1401 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 329A the
following:
``SEC. 329B. POSTHUMOUS CITIZENSHIP THROUGH DEATH WHILE SERVING AS A
FIRST RESPONDER.
``(a) Permitting Granting of Posthumous Citizenship.--
Notwithstanding any other provision of this title, the Secretary of
Homeland Security shall provide, in accordance with this section, for
the granting of posthumous citizenship at the time of death to a person
described in subsection (b) if the Secretary of Homeland Security
approves an application for that posthumous citizenship under
subsection (c).
``(b) Noncitizens Eligible for Posthumous Citizenship.--A person
referred to in subsection (a) is a person not described in section
212(a)(9)(B)(ii) who, while an alien or a noncitizen national of the
United States--
``(1) was employed as a first responder (as such term is
defined in section 319(f)); and
``(2) died as a result of injury or disease incurred in or
aggravated by that employment.
The chief officer of the entity that employed the person shall
determine whether the person satisfied the requirements of paragraphs
(1) and (2).
``(c) Requests for Posthumous Citizenship.--
``(1) In general.--A request for the granting of posthumous
citizenship to a person described in subsection (b) may be
filed on behalf of that person--
``(A) upon locating the next-of-kin, and if so
requested by the next-of-kin, by the Director of United
States Citizenship and Immigration Services immediately
upon the death of that person; or
``(B) by the next-of-kin.
``(2) Approval.--The Director of United States Citizenship
and Immigration Services shall approve a request for posthumous
citizenship filed by the next-of-kin in accordance with
paragraph (1)(B) if--
``(A) the request is filed not later than 2 years
after--
``(i) the date of enactment of this
section; or
``(ii) the date of the person's death;
whichever date is later; and
``(B) the request is accompanied by a duly
authenticated certificate from the chief officer of the
entity that employed the person which states that the
person satisfied the requirements of paragraphs (1) and
(2) of subsection (b).
``(d) Documentation of Posthumous Citizenship.--If the Director of
the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services approves the request
referred to in subsection (c), the Director shall send to the next-of-
kin of the person who is granted citizenship, a suitable document which
states that the United States considers the person to have been a
citizen of the United States at the time of the person's death.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents for the Immigration
and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.) is amended by inserting
after the item relating to section 329A the following:
``329B. Posthumous citizenship through death while serving as a first
responder.''.
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