Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S116-117)
Congressional Research Service
Official summary
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Jan 5, 2017
Protect American Families from Unnecessary Registration and Deportation Act of 2017 or the Protect American Families Act
This bill prohibits: (1) the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice, or any other federal department from creating or implementing a law enforcement or national security program that requires or causes people to register or check in on the basis of religion, race, age, gender, ethnicity, national origin, nationality, or citizenship; and (2) federal funds from being used to create or implement an immigration registry or check-in program.
Such prohibitions shall not apply to any federal program that: (1) merely collects and compiles data about aliens entering or exiting the United States; or (2) issues visas, grants U.S. citizenship, confers an immigration benefit to nationals of a foreign country, or temporarily or permanently protects non-citizens from removal.
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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