Congress·In Committee·S. 3054

Kayla Hamilton Act

Sen. Cornyn Introduces Kayla Hamilton Act to Require Gang Screenings and Stricter Background Checks

5 months ago·View on Congress.gov·Read full text

The Kayla Hamilton Act is currently in the early stages of the legislative process. It has been sent to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions for review. There are no upcoming votes scheduled at this time.

Legislative Progress

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Key Points

The bill requires the government to screen unaccompanied migrant children aged 12 and older for gang ties before placing them with a sponsor. This includes checking for gang tattoos, contacting their home country's embassy for criminal records, and determining if the child is a flight risk or danger to the community.
Sponsors who take in unaccompanied migrant children must be U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents. This is a major change from current policy, which allows relatives and other adults regardless of immigration status to serve as sponsors.
Children aged 12 and older who are deemed a flight risk, a danger, or who have gang connections would be placed in secure detention facilities for the entire length of their immigration proceedings or until they are removed from the country.
From policy text
“the unaccompanied alien child shall be placed in a secure facility for the duration of any immigration proceedings (and, if ordered removed, until such unaccompanied alien child is removed)”
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The bill bans placing a child with anyone convicted of serious crimes, including sex offenses, trafficking, domestic violence, child abuse, murder, or any felony. This also applies to other adults living in the sponsor's household.
HHS must share detailed personal information about potential sponsors and all adults in their households with DHS before placing a child, including names, Social Security numbers, immigration status, and fingerprint-based criminal background check results.
The bill exempts agencies from the Paperwork Reduction Act and the Administrative Procedure Act if officials determine that following those rules would slow down implementation, allowing the changes to take effect immediately upon enactment.
From policy text
“Nothing in this Act may be construed to require the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of State, or the Attorney General to comply with the requirements of chapter 35 of title 44, United States Code (commonly referred to as the ``Paperwork Reduction Act'') if such individuals determine that compliance would impede the immediate implementation of this Act”
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ImmigrationCriminal JusticeCivil Rights

Impact Analysis

Personal Impact

Who is affectedScoreImpactCertaintyScopeDurationSentiment

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

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions

Oct 23, 2025Senate

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Oct 23, 2025

Introduced in Senate

Related News

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Texas Border Business·3 months ago

House Passes Cornyn's Bill to Strengthen Vetting of Unaccompanied Alien Children

The House of Representatives passed the Kayla Hamilton Act, which would require thorough background and criminal record checks on unaccompanied children and their potential sponsors. The bill prohibits placing children with sponsors who have a criminal history or are in the U.S. illegally.

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