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U.S. Citizenship Act

S. 348 · 117th Congress · Feb 22, 2021 · Lineage

A BILL

To provide an earned path to citizenship, to address the root causes of migration and responsibly manage the southern border, and to reform the immigrant visa system, and for other purposes.

Section 1 Short title; table of contents

(a)
Short title— This Act may be cited as the “U.S. Citizenship Act”.
(b)
Table of contents— The table of contents for this Act is as follows:

Sec. 2 Definitions

In this Act:
(1)
In general— Any term used in this Act that is used in the immigration laws shall have the meaning given such term in the immigration laws.
(2)
Immigration laws— The term immigration laws has the meaning given the term in section 101(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)).
(3)
Secretary— The term Secretary means the Secretary of Homeland Security.

Sec. 3 Terminology with respect to noncitizens

(a)
Immigration and Nationality Act—
(1)
In general— The Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.) is amended—
(A)
in section 101(a) (8 U.S.C. 1101(a))—
(i)
by striking paragraph (3) and inserting the following:

“(3) Noncitizen—The term noncitizen means any person not a citizen or national of the United States.”

(ii)
by adding at the end the following:

“(53) Noncitizenship—The term noncitizenship means the condition of being a noncitizen.”

(B)
by striking “an alien” each place it appears and inserting “a noncitizen”;
(C)
by striking “An alien” each place it appears and inserting “A noncitizen”;
(D)
by striking “alien” each place it appears and inserting “noncitizen”;
(E)
by striking “aliens” each place it appears and inserting “noncitizens”;
(F)
by striking “alien's” each place it appears and inserting “noncitizen's”; and
(G)
by striking “alienage” each place it appears and inserting “noncitizenship”.
(2)
Headings— The Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.) is amended—
(A)
in the title and chapter headings—
(i)
by striking “Alien” each place it appears and inserting “Noncitizen”; and
(ii)
by striking “Aliens” each place it appears and inserting “Noncitizens”;
(B)
in the section headings—
(i)
by striking “Alien” each place it appears and inserting “Noncitizen”;
(ii)
by striking “Aliens” each place it appears and inserting “Noncitizens”; and
(iii)
by striking “Alienage” each place it appears and inserting “Noncitizenship”;
(C)
in the subsection headings—
(i)
by striking “Alien” each place it appears and inserting “Noncitizen”; and
(ii)
by striking “Aliens” each place it appears and inserting “Noncitizens”; and
(D)
in the paragraph, subparagraph, clause, subclause, item, and subitem headings—
(i)
by striking “Alien” each place it appears and inserting “Noncitizen”;
(ii)
by striking “alien” each place it appears and inserting “noncitizen”;
(iii)
by striking “Aliens” each place it appears and inserting “Noncitizens”; and
(iv)
by striking “aliens” each place it appears and inserting “noncitizens”.
(3)
Table of contents— The table of contents for the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.) is amended—
(A)
by striking the item relating to title V and inserting the following:
(B)
in the items relating to the chapters and sections—
(i)
by striking “Alien” each place it appears and inserting “Noncitizen”;
(ii)
by striking “Aliens” each place it appears and inserting “Noncitizens”;
(iii)
by striking “alien” each place it appears and inserting “noncitizen”;
(iv)
by striking “aliens” each place it appears and inserting “noncitizens”; and
(v)
by striking “alienage” each place it appears and inserting “noncitizenship”.
(b)
Unaccompanied noncitizen children— Section 462 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 279) is amended by striking “alien” each place it appears and inserting “noncitizen”.
(c)
References to aliens— With respect to a person who is not a citizen or national of the United States, any reference in Federal law, Federal regulation, or any written instrument issued by the executive branch of the Government to an alien shall be deemed to refer to a noncitizen (as defined in section 101(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, as amended by subsection (a)(1)).