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Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in House · Jan 3, 2025
Protecting our Communities from Sexual Predators Act
This bill requires the Department of Justice (DOJ) to detain certain non-U.S. nationals (aliens under federal law) who have been arrested for sexual assault. The bill also provides for the inadmissibility and deportability of certain individuals convicted of sexual assault.
Under this bill, the DOJ must detain an individual who (1) is unlawfully present in the United States, made certain misrepresentations, or did not possess the necessary documents when applying for admission; and (2) has been charged with, arrested for, convicted of, or admits to having committed acts which constitute the essential elements of, an offense involving sexual assault.
The bill also establishes under statute that a conviction for certain crimes related to sexual assault shall be grounds for (1) barring an individual from entering the United States, and (2) deportability. (Under current law, convictions for certain crimes, including crimes involving moral turpitude, are grounds for inadmissibility and deportability.)
People & committees
Rep. Buchanan, Vern [R-FL-16] · R–FL
Legislative record
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Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We also preserved the text version used in the PlainBill explanation below.
No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.
Source last updated: Sep 19, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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Analyze H.R.134 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.
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PlainBill explanation
Based on the full Introduced in House · 2025-01-03 text. This explanation has not received human editorial review. This overview describes the proposal’s major provisions; it does not establish what its real-world effects would be.
H.R. 134 would expand an immigration detention provision to cover certain noncitizens accused of or admitting sexual assault, or convicted of it. It would also make noncitizens with specified convictions or admissions involving sexual assault ineligible for admission to the United States and subject to deportation. An arrest or charge could qualify for the detention change only when a listed immigration ground also applies.
Section 236(c)(1) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1226(c)(1)) is amended—
(E) (i) is inadmissible under section 212(a)(6)(A) or (C) or under section 212(a)(7); and (ii) is charged with, arrested for, convicted of, admits having committed, or admits committing acts which constitute the essential elements of, any offense involving sexual assault (as such term is defined in section 214(d)(3)(A)),
(J) Sexual assault Any alien who has been convicted of, who admits having committed, or who admits committing acts which constitute the essential elements of, any offense involving sexual assault (as such term is defined in section 214(d)(3)(A)), is inadmissible.
(G) Sexual assault Any alien who has been convicted of, who admits having committed, or who admits committing acts which constitute the essential elements of, any offense involving sexual assault (as such term is defined in section 214(d)(3)(A)), is deportable.
Section 2 would add a category to the existing immigration detention provision. A person would need both a listed ground of inadmissibility and a sexual-assault-related arrest, charge, conviction, or admission. A conviction would not be required; an admission could concern either committing the offense or committing acts that meet its essential legal elements.
Section 236(c)(1) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1226(c)(1)) is amended—
(E) (i) is inadmissible under section 212(a)(6)(A) or (C) or under section 212(a)(7); and (ii) is charged with, arrested for, convicted of, admits having committed, or admits committing acts which constitute the essential elements of, any offense involving sexual assault (as such term is defined in section 214(d)(3)(A)),
Section 3(a) would create a ground of inadmissibility, meaning ineligibility for admission to the United States, for noncitizens convicted of an offense involving sexual assault or admitting either the offense or acts meeting its essential legal elements. This proposed ground does not list an arrest or charge alone as sufficient.
(J) Sexual assault Any alien who has been convicted of, who admits having committed, or who admits committing acts which constitute the essential elements of, any offense involving sexual assault (as such term is defined in section 214(d)(3)(A)), is inadmissible.
Section 3(b) would create a ground for deportation for noncitizens convicted of an offense involving sexual assault or admitting either the offense or acts meeting its essential legal elements. This proposed ground does not list an arrest or charge alone as sufficient.
(G) Sexual assault Any alien who has been convicted of, who admits having committed, or who admits committing acts which constitute the essential elements of, any offense involving sexual assault (as such term is defined in section 214(d)(3)(A)), is deportable.
The detention, admission, and deportation changes would all use the definition of sexual assault in section 214(d)(3)(A) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.
any offense involving sexual assault (as such term is defined in section 214(d)(3)(A))
any offense involving sexual assault (as such term is defined in section 214(d)(3)(A))
The supplied action snapshot, updated September 19, 2026, records introduction in the House and referral to the House Committee on the Judiciary on January 3, 2025.
Source snapshot updated 2026-09-19T23:06:36Z. 2025-01-03: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. 2025-01-03: Introduced in House
A closer look
Reviewed version: Introduced in House · 2025-01-03. These findings describe provisions and who may benefit; they are not judgments of waste, corruption, or motive.
This review covers the supplied bill text. “None identified” does not rule out provisions in later versions or accompanying reports and disclosures.
Provisions outside the bill’s main subject, or policy changes attached to appropriations.
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Spending directed to particular recipients or places outside ordinary competitive or formula-based allocation.
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Narrow exceptions, exemptions, or preferential treatment that warrant a closer look.
None identified in the reviewed text
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Full text preserved for this analysis. Legislative record snapshot: Sep 19, 2026. How PlainBill uses AI