United States 116th Congress Status: Died 8 D cosponsors

HR 1234 — Preventing the Taking of Americans’ Land to Build Trump’s Wall Act

Last action — Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties.

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. Died in session

This bill died with 116th Congress. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there is no live prognosis. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Summary

Preventing the Taking of Americans' Land to Build Trump's Wall Act This bill restricts the government's ability to seize private land rights for physical barriers, or roads between ports of entry, along the U.S.-Mexico border. Before taking possession of or altering such private land, the Department of Homeland Security shall certify to Congress that each property owner has received just compensation as established in a judicial condemnation proceeding.

Bill Text

Sections of law this bill changes

1 section in 1 law

From the bill's own amending language, matched to the official United States Code (current through Public Law 119-124).

Homeland security organization · 6 U.S.C. ch. 1 Amends the act as a whole

Also cites: 40 U.S.C. § 3113, 40 U.S.C. § 3114

How this bill changes current law

2 changes Share ↗

Compared against current U.S. Code AI-generated reading aid — verify against the official bill.

The bill adds a new section to the Homeland Security Act that prohibits the Government from taking private land for a border wall until certain compensation conditions are met.

  • 6 U.S.C. 451

    SEC. 890B. LIMITATION ON SEIZING PRIVATE LAND FOR A BORDER WALL SYSTEM. (a) In General.--Notwithstanding subsections (b)(1), (b)(2), (c)(1), and (d)(1) of section 3114 of title 40, United States Code, or any other provision of law, until such time as the Secretary submits to Congress a certification that each property owner whose property the United States Government seeks to condemn or acquire for the purpose of constructing or installing additional physical barriers or roads between ports of entry along the land border with Mexico has received payment that each such property owner accepts as just compensation as established by judgment at the conclusion of the judicial process under section 3113 of such title, the following prohibitions shall apply with respect to each such property owner and the property of such property owner: (1) The Government may not take possession of or title to the property of such property owner. (2) The Government may not alter in any way the property of such property owner. (b) Definition.--In this section, the term `property' means land, including an estate or interest in land, including an easement or right of way in land.

    This establishes a new prohibition against the government seizing private land for a border wall without meeting compensation requirements.

  • 6 U.S.C. 451

    The table of contents in section 1(b) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 890A the following new item: ``Sec. 890B. Limitation on seizing private land for a border wall system.''.

    This adds a new entry to the table of contents for the Homeland Security Act to reflect the newly created section regarding prohibitions on seizing land.

Action History

  1. Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties.

  2. Referred to the Subcommittee on Border Security, Facilitation, and Operations.

  3. Introduced in House

  4. Introduced in House

  5. Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Homeland Security, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

  6. Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Homeland Security, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 7 co-sponsors · 539 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (7)

Not signed on (539)

539 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 HR 1234 do?
Preventing the Taking of Americans' Land to Build Trump's Wall Act This bill restricts the government's ability to seize private land rights for physical barriers, or roads between ports of entry, along the U.S.-Mexico border. Before taking possession of or altering such private land, the Department of Homeland Security shall certify to Congress that each property owner has received just compensation as established in a judicial condemnation proceeding.
Who sponsors HR 1234?
HR 1234 is sponsored by Vela, Filemon (Democratic), Thompson, Bennie G. (Democratic), Escobar, Veronica (Democratic), Watson Coleman, Bonnie (Democratic), Jackson Lee, Sheila (Democratic), Schakowsky, Janice D. (Democratic), Gonzalez, Vicente (Democratic), and Norton, Eleanor Holmes (Democratic).
What is the current status of HR 1234?
This bill died with 116th Congress. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track HR 1234?
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