PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in House · Feb 27, 2025
FEMA for America First Act of 2025
This bill restricts the eligibility of non-U.S. nationals (aliens under federal law) for federal disaster assistance benefits by eliminating eligibility for individuals with certain immigration statuses.
Under current law, a non-U.S. national must have one of several specific immigration statuses (e.g., lawful permanent resident, parolee, or refugee) to be eligible for federal disaster assistance provided to individuals (e.g., the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA's) Individuals and Households Program or disaster unemployment assistance).
The bill narrows the immigration statuses eligible for disaster assistance to individuals by making non-U.S. nationals ineligible for such assistance if they are
a parolee (i.e., paroled into the United States temporarily for urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit),
an asylee that has not sought adjustment to lawful permanent resident status, or
a refugee that has not sought adjustment to lawful permanent resident status.
People & committees
Rep. Steube, W. Gregory [R-FL-17] · R–FL
Legislative record
A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.
Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
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: Dec 17, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
AI Conversation Starters
Choose a perspective, copy a prompt, and paste it into your preferred AI. Each prompt includes the bill version and available official source links, and asks for counterarguments as well as supporting evidence.
Analyze H.R.1748 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.
Examine H.R.1748 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.
Examine H.R.1748 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.
Examine H.R.1748 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.
PlainBill explanation
Based on the full Introduced in House · 2025-02-27 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.
This proposal would require noncitizens otherwise eligible for assistance provided to individuals under the Stafford disaster relief law to meet a modified definition of “qualified alien.” That definition would expressly exclude people granted asylum under section 208 who have not sought adjustment to lawful permanent resident status under section 209(b); refugees admitted under section 207 who have not sought that adjustment under section 209(a); and people paroled into the United States under section 212(d)(5). Other eligibility requirements would still apply. These are proposed restrictions; the supplied record does not establish enactment.
(a) In general With respect to an alien otherwise eligible for any assistance provided to individuals under this Act, only a qualified alien shall be eligible for such assistance.
(2) Qualified alien The term qualified alien has the meaning given such term in section 431 of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (8 U.S.C. 1641), except that such term does not include— (A) an alien who— (i) is granted asylum under section 208 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1158); and (ii) has not sought adjustment to the status of alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence under section 209(b) of such Act; (B) a refugee who— (i) is admitted to the United States under section 207 of such Act; and (ii) has not sought adjustment to the status of alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence under section 209(a) of such Act; or (C) an alien who is paroled into the United States under section 212(d)(5) of such Act.
2025-02-27: Introduced in House
Section 1 would name the bill the “FEMA for America First Act of 2025.”
1. Short title This Act may be cited as the FEMA for America First Act of 2025.
Section 2 would add a new section 431 to Title IV of the Stafford Act. For noncitizens, meeting the bill’s definition of “qualified alien” would be a necessary condition for assistance provided to individuals under that Act; it would not replace other eligibility requirements.
Title IV of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following: 431. Eligibility of aliens for assistance (a) In general With respect to an alien otherwise eligible for any assistance provided to individuals under this Act, only a qualified alien shall be eligible for such assistance.
Unless otherwise provided, the proposal would use definitions from section 101(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. It would incorporate the “qualified alien” definition in section 431 of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, subject to three express exclusions. The supplied source does not reproduce those existing definitions, so it does not establish all categories that would remain eligible or the full change from existing law.
(1) In general Except as otherwise provided, the terms used have the same meaning given such terms in section 101(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)). (2) Qualified alien The term qualified alien has the meaning given such term in section 431 of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (8 U.S.C. 1641), except that such term does not include—
(A) an alien who— (i) is granted asylum under section 208 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1158); and (ii) has not sought adjustment to the status of alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence under section 209(b) of such Act; (B) a refugee who— (i) is admitted to the United States under section 207 of such Act; and (ii) has not sought adjustment to the status of alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence under section 209(a) of such Act; or (C) an alien who is paroled into the United States under section 212(d)(5) of such Act.
People granted asylum under section 208 would be excluded from the proposal’s definition of “qualified alien” if they have not sought adjustment to lawful permanent resident status under section 209(b). This exclusion turns on whether they have sought that adjustment, not whether it has been approved. Seeking adjustment would not by itself establish eligibility for assistance.
except that such term does not include— (A) an alien who— (i) is granted asylum under section 208 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1158); and (ii) has not sought adjustment to the status of alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence under section 209(b) of such Act;
With respect to an alien otherwise eligible for any assistance provided to individuals under this Act, only a qualified alien shall be eligible for such assistance.
Refugees admitted under section 207 would be excluded from the proposal’s definition of “qualified alien” if they have not sought adjustment to lawful permanent resident status under section 209(a). Here too, the stated condition concerns seeking adjustment, rather than receiving approval. Seeking adjustment would not by itself establish eligibility for assistance.
(B) a refugee who— (i) is admitted to the United States under section 207 of such Act; and (ii) has not sought adjustment to the status of alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence under section 209(a) of such Act;
With respect to an alien otherwise eligible for any assistance provided to individuals under this Act, only a qualified alien shall be eligible for such assistance.
The proposal would also exclude people paroled into the United States under section 212(d)(5) from its definition of “qualified alien.” Unlike the asylum and refugee exclusions, this clause contains no qualification about whether the person has sought permanent resident status.
(2) Qualified alien The term qualified alien has the meaning given such term in section 431 of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (8 U.S.C. 1641), except that such term does not include— (A) an alien who— (i) is granted asylum under section 208 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1158); and (ii) has not sought adjustment to the status of alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence under section 209(b) of such Act; (B) a refugee who— (i) is admitted to the United States under section 207 of such Act; and (ii) has not sought adjustment to the status of alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence under section 209(a) of such Act; or (C) an alien who is paroled into the United States under section 212(d)(5) of such Act.
The supplied actions snapshot, updated December 17, 2025, records introduction in the House and referrals to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and its Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management, all dated February 27, 2025.
Source snapshot updated 2025-12-17T16:32:17Z. 2025-02-27: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management. 2025-02-27: Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. 2025-02-27: Introduced in House
A closer look
Reviewed version: Introduced in House · 2025-02-27. 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.
None identified in the reviewed text
No unrelated provision or policy change attached to appropriations was identified after reviewing the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion applies only to that version and does not establish absence in other versions or accompanying materials.
Spending directed to particular recipients or places outside ordinary competitive or formula-based allocation.
None identified in the reviewed text
No congressionally directed spending for particular recipients or places was identified after reviewing the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion applies only to that version and does not establish absence in other versions or accompanying materials; member requests, earmark disclosures, and committee or conference materials are not supplied.
Narrow exceptions, exemptions, or preferential treatment that warrant a closer look.
None identified in the reviewed text
No materially narrow benefit, special exemption, or preferential exception warranting a finding was identified after reviewing the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion applies only to that version and does not establish absence in other versions or accompanying materials.
Full text preserved for this analysis. Legislative record snapshot: Dec 17, 2025. How PlainBill uses AI