American Families United Act

Key Points

• Lets immigration officials and judges more often stop deportation cases for spouses and children of U.S. citizens when separation would cause hardship.
• Creates a starting assumption that separating a family is a hardship, which could make it easier to argue for staying in the U.S.
• Allows extra flexibility for widows, widowers, and surviving children of a U.S. citizen who died, as long as they ask for help within 2 years (or show extraordinary reasons).
• Adds options like waiving certain immigration barriers, pausing new removal charges, or letting someone apply again for admission in family-based cases.
• Lets some people ask to reopen old denials or removal orders if they would likely have won under these new rules, usually within 2 years after the law takes effect.