PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text: CR S4354-4355)
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Jul 21, 2020
Protect Children of Immigrant Workers Act
This bill provides protections for an alien minor whose parent is the principal beneficiary of an employment-based immigrant petition.
Specifically, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shall not detain or remove such a minor. The minor shall be eligible for nonimmigrant status, either dependent on the parent's status or otherwise, until a decision has been made on the minor's application for lawful permanent resident status.
Such a minor shall also qualify as a derivative beneficiary child for immigrant visa purposes starting from the approval of the parent's employment-based immigration petition until a decision has been made on the minor's application for permanent resident status, even if the parent is deceased.
These protections shall not apply if DHS determines that the minor poses a threat to public safety or national security.
People & committees
Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL] · D–IL
Legislative record
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Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text: CR S4354-4355)
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
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No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.
Source last updated: Aug 10, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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Analyze S.4243 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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