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I
116TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 6798
To defer removal of nationals of Haiti during the COVID-19 emergency
period, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MAY 8, 2020
Ms. WILSON of Florida (for herself, Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi, Mr.
ENGEL, Mr. SIRES, Ms. BASS, Ms. CASTOR of Florida, Ms. CLARKE of
New York, Mr. DEUTCH, Mr. HASTINGS, Ms. LEE of California, Mr.
LEVIN of Michigan, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. MEEKS, Mr. PAYNE, Ms. SCHA-
KOWSKY, Mr. SOTO, Ms. PRESSLEY, Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN, Ms. NOR-
TON, Ms. VELA´ZQUEZ, and Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
A BILL
To defer removal of nationals of Haiti during the COVID-
19 emergency period, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
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tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
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This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Haitian Deportation
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Relief Act’’.
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SEC. 2. DEFERRAL OF REMOVAL TO HAITI.
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(a) IN GENERAL.—An alien may not be removed dur-
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ing the period described in subsection (b) if the alien—
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•HR 6798 IH
(1) is a national of Haiti;
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(2) has been ordered removed at any time be-
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fore, on, or after the date of enactment of this Act;
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and
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(3) is physically present in the United States on
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such date of enactment.
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(b) PERIOD.—The period described in this subsection
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shall begin on the date of enactment of this Act and end
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on the date that is the later of—
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(1) the date on which the emergency period de-
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scribed in section 1135(g)(1)(B) of the Social Secu-
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rity Act (42 U.S.C. 1320b–5(g)(1)(B)) expires; or
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(2) the date on which the Secretary of Home-
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land Security, in consultation with the Secretary of
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State and the Secretary of Health and Human Serv-
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ices, submits to Congress a written report assessing
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the spread of COVID-19 in Haiti and certifying
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that—
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(A) the emergency in Haiti with respect to
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COVID-19 has ended;
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(B) there is not a risk of community trans-
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mission of COVID-19 in Haiti; and
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(C) Haiti’s public health infrastructure is
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not at risk of being overburdened by patients
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suspected of having contracted COVID-19.
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(c) ALTERNATIVES TO DETENTION PROGRAM.—The
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Secretary of Homeland Security shall prioritize for alter-
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natives to detention an alien whose removal is deferred
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pursuant to this Act, unless the Secretary determines that
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such alien would pose a significant risk to public safety
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if released into the interior.
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(d) COVID-19 DEFINED.—In this Act, the term
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‘‘COVID-19’’ means Coronavirus Disease 2019.
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Æ
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