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Congress·In Committee·10 days ago

House Bill Would Shield 15,000 Southeast Asian Refugees from Deportation Under Southeast Asian Deportation Relief Act

Also known as: Southeast Asian Deportation Relief Act of 2026

Legislative Progress

✓ Filed
Review
House
Senate
President

Impact Analysis

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

State Impacts

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

Key Points

  • This bill would stop the government from deporting or holding in jail people from Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam who have lived in the U.S. since at least 2008. Many of these people came to the U.S. as refugees escaping wars and have lived here for decades.
  • People covered by this law would get work permits that last for five years and can be renewed. They would also no longer have to check in with immigration officers in person; instead, they would do a video check-in once every five years.
  • The bill also helps people who were already deported. It allows them to reopen their legal cases and requires the U.S. government to pay for their flight back to America so they can go to court and try to stay permanently.
  • This plan focuses on about 15,000 people who have been told they must leave the country. Many of these individuals arrived as children, do not speak the language of their birth country, and have no family left there to help them.
ImmigrationCivil RightsLabor Employment

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions
Feb 20, 2026House

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Feb 20, 2026

Introduced in House

Related News

1 article
The Rebel Yellow·7 days ago

Lawmakers reintroduce bill to protect Southeast Asian refugees from deportation

Asian American lawmakers are leading a push to shield Southeast Asian refugees from deportation as the Trump administration continues its crackdown. Reps. Judy Chu and Pramila Jayapal reintroduced the Southeast Asian Deportation Relief Act of 2026 (SEADRA) to protect those who arrived by 2008.

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Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

Southeast Asian Deportation Relief Act of 2026

Bill NumberHR 7608
Congress119th Congress
ChamberHouse of Representatives
Latest ActionReferred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Sponsor

Cosponsors

(30)
D: 30

Analysis generated by AI. While we strive for accuracy, this should not be considered legal or professional advice. Always verify information with official government sources.