Public Safety First Act

Summary#

This bill amends a provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act (section 236(c)). It adds a new category of noncitizens who the Secretary of Homeland Security must detain. The new category covers noncitizens who are inadmissible under section 212(a)(6)(A), 212(a)(6)(C), or 212(a)(7) and who are charged with, arrested for, convicted of, admit to, or admit acts that meet the elements of burglary, theft, larceny, shoplifting, assault of a law enforcement officer, or any crime that results in death or serious bodily injury. The bill says those terms (for example, "burglary" and "theft") are to be understood as they are defined in the jurisdiction where the acts happened. It also requires the Department of Homeland Security to issue a detainer and, if the person is not already held by federal, state, or local officials, to take custody of that person.

What it means for you#

• If you are a noncitizen covered by the described inadmissibility provisions and are charged with one of the listed offenses, the Department of Homeland Security would be required to issue a detainer and take you into custody if no other authorities are holding you.
• The meanings of words like "burglary," "theft," and "serious bodily injury" are taken from the law of the place where the alleged acts happened.
• Local or state detentions remain relevant: the bill requires DHS to act only if the person is not otherwise detained by federal, state, or local officials.

Expenses#

No publicly available information on costs or budget effects in the bill text.

Proponents' View#

No publicly available information.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information.