United States 119th Congress Status: In Committee 3 R cosponsors

S 286 — Stop Human Trafficking of Unaccompanied Migrant Children Act of 2025

Last action — Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Senate
  4. 4
    Passed House
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill is in committee in the Senate. Introduced January 28, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.

Next likely step: a committee vote, then a floor vote in the Senate.

Prognosis

Stalled 20% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

Low

How often bills like it became law.

  • In Committee

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 3 sponsors

    1 primary, 2 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (3 R).

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

In plain language

This bill strengthens vetting procedures for sponsors of unaccompanied migrant children.

The Act requires thorough background checks for sponsors before unaccompanied migrant children are placed in their care. It also mandates home visits by health authorities to ensure child safety.

What this means for you
  • Families: Families considering sponsoring unaccompanied children will face more extensive vetting requirements.

Summary

Stop Human Trafficking of Unaccompanied Migrant Children Act of 2025This bill establishes requirements relating to placing unaccompanied alien children with sponsors. (Under federal law, an unaccompanied alien child is a minor with no lawful immigration status and no parent or legal guardian in the United States to provide care and physical custody.)Before the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) may release such a child to a sponsor, the sponsor must complete a fingerprint background check and vetting that includes (1) a public records check, (2) a National Sex Offender Registry check, (3) a Federal Bureau of Investigation National Criminal History Check, (4) a child abuse and neglect check, and (5) state and local criminal history checks. Each adult in the sponsor's household must also undergo such vetting before the placement.The bill also requires HHS to visit the home of a proposed sponsor before the placement and to conduct periodic home visits after.A child may not be placed with a sponsor who is unlawfully present in the United States unless the sponsor is the child's parent, relative, or legal guardian.HHS must retroactively apply these vetting standards to all sponsors for placements made since January 20, 2021.

Bill Text

Action History

  1. Introduced in Senate

  2. Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 2 co-sponsors · 544 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (2)

Not signed on (544)

544 members have not signed on to this bill.

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"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

public-safety immigration civil-rights
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

What does S 286 do?
Stop Human Trafficking of Unaccompanied Migrant Children Act of 2025This bill establishes requirements relating to placing unaccompanied alien children with sponsors. (Under federal law, an unaccompanied alien child is a minor with no lawful immigration status and no parent or legal guardian in the United States to provide care and physical custody.)Before the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) may release such a child to a sponsor, the sponsor must complete a fingerprint background check and vetting that includes (1) a public records check, (2) a National Sex Offender Registry check, (3) a Federal Bureau of Investigation National Criminal History Check, (4) a child abuse and neglect check, and (5) state and local criminal history checks. Each adult in the sponsor's household must also undergo such vetting before the placement.The bill also requires HHS to visit the home of a proposed sponsor before the placement and to conduct periodic home visits after.A child may not be placed with a sponsor who is unlawfully present in the United States unless the sponsor is the child's parent, relative, or legal guardian.HHS must retroactively apply these vetting standards to all sponsors for placements made since January 20, 2021.
Who sponsors S 286?
S 286 is sponsored by Scott, Rick (Republican), Johnson, Ron (Republican), and Moody, Ashley (Republican).
What is the current status of S 286?
This bill is in committee in the Senate. Introduced January 28, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track S 286?
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Last checked for changes 4 months ago · updated continuously

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