Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Congressional Access to Children’s Detention Facilities Act”.
Congressional Access to Children’s Detention Facilities Act
A BILL
To require the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Secretary of Health and Human Services to allow Members of Congress to tour detention facilities that house foreign national minors.
Sec. 2 Definitions
In this Act:
Secretary concerned— The term Secretary concerned means, as applicable—
the Attorney General;
the Secretary of Homeland Security; or
the Secretary of Health and Human Services.
Foreign national minor— The term foreign national minor means an individual who is not a citizen of the United States and is under 18 years of age.
Sec. 3 Mandatory access to detention facilities housing unaccompanied alien children
In general— Subject to subsection (c), the Secretary concerned shall allow a Member of Congress to tour any facility in which one or more foreign national minors are housed on a date and at a time between 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. requested by the Member of Congress if, not later than midnight on the date requested, the Secretary receives written notice from the Member of Congress that includes—
the name or location of the facility; and
the date on and time at which the Member of Congress intends to tour the facility.
Accompanying members of the press—
In general— The Secretary concerned shall allow one or more members of the press chosen by the visiting Member of Congress to accompany any Member of Congress on a tour of a facility under this section.
Limitation— The Secretary concerned shall not be required to allow a member of the press accompanying a Member of Congress under paragraph (1) to enter such facility with a still or video camera.
Limitation— The Secretary concerned may limit a tour under subsection (a) to—
in the case of a facility that houses fewer than 50 foreign national minors—
not more than 5 Members of Congress; and
accompanying members of the press under subsection (b); and
in the case of a facility that houses not fewer than 50 foreign national minors—
not more than 10 Members of Congress; and
accompanying members of the press under subsection (b).
Sec. 4 Rule of construction
Nothing in this Act shall be construed to supersede or modify applicable—
Federal child welfare law, including the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997 (Public Law 105–89); or
child welfare law of any State.