Fraud Accountability Act

Full Title:
Fraud Accountability Act

Summary#

This bill changes immigration and citizenship rules about fraud. It adds a new deportation ground so any noncitizen convicted of a crime involving fraud against a private person, fund, corporation, or government entity is deportable, regardless of a previous fraud loss threshold. It amends the mandatory detention rule so some people convicted of fraud are held in detention while removal proceedings occur. It also requires that when a United States naturalized citizen is convicted of a criminal offense described in the deportation section, the court that enters the conviction must cancel that person’s certificate of naturalization and set aside the naturalization order. The bill gives United States courts concurrent jurisdiction to take those denaturalization actions. The bill would take effect on enactment. The denaturalization changes apply to fraud conduct committed on or after September 30, 1996, if the person was not arrested, charged, or indicted before the enactment date.

What it means for you#

  • Noncitizens: If convicted of fraud as described in the bill, you could be placed in removal proceedings and may be subject to mandatory detention.
  • Naturalized citizens: If convicted of a qualifying fraud offense, the court that convicts you must cancel your naturalization certificate and set aside the final order admitting you to citizenship.
  • Courts: Any court that convicts a naturalized citizen of a qualifying fraud offense has authority to revoke that person’s naturalization certificate.
  • Timing: The bill takes effect on enactment. The denaturalization rules apply to qualifying fraud committed on or after September 30, 1996, when the person was not previously arrested, charged, or indicted.

Expenses#

No publicly available information on estimated costs or budget effects is included in the bill text or metadata provided.

Proponents' View#

The bill text and sponsor list show its purpose: to make fraud convictions a deportable offense, to require detention in certain cases, and to let courts cancel naturalization certificates at the time of conviction. The sponsors introduced the measure to achieve those outcomes.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information on opponents' views or arguments is included in the bill text or metadata provided.