What this bill does
AI plain-language summary## Summary of HR 4371 — Kayla Hamilton Act This bill changes the rules for how the government handles children who arrive in the U.S. without parents or legal guardians and without legal immigration status. Currently, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) places these children in the least restrictive setting that's best for them and checks out the adults who volunteer to take care of them. This bill would **require** HHS to consider whether a child could be a danger to themselves or others or might run away, and it would require children 13 or older who have gang-related tattoos or a history of gang activity to be placed in a secure facility. The bill also says HHS must collect detailed personal information — including immigration status — about all adults living in a potential sponsor's home, share that information with immigration authorities, and **cannot** place a child with any sponsor who is in the country without legal permission.
Sponsor
Rep. Fry, Russell [R-SC-7]
R
Introduced
July 14, 2025