H.R. 6958

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6958 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 6958

To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to require the Secretary 
of Homeland Security to parole into the United States certain relatives 
of current and former members of the Armed Forces, and for other 
purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

January 7, 2026

Mr. Cisneros (for himself and Mr. Carbajal) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to require the Secretary 
of Homeland Security to parole into the United States certain relatives 
of current and former members of the Armed Forces, and for other 
purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Parole Relief Offering Troops 
Expedited Compassionate Treatment of Military Families Act'' or as the 
``PROTECT Military Families Act''.

SEC. 2. PAROLE FOR CERTAIN RELATIVES OF CURRENT AND FORMER MEMBERS OF 
THE ARMED FORCES.

Section 212(d)(5) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
1182(d)(5)) is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``subparagraph (B) 
or'' and inserting ``subparagraphs (B) and (C) and'';
(2) by striking ``Attorney General'' each place such term 
appears and inserting ``Secretary of Homeland Security''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(C)(i) Except as provided in clause (iii), the Secretary of 
Homeland Security shall parole into the United States an alien who is 
the spouse, widow or widower, parent, or child of--
``(I) a member of the Armed Forces on active duty;
``(II) a member of the Selected Reserve of the Ready 
Reserve; or
``(III) an individual, whether living or deceased, who--
``(aa) previously served as--
``(AA) a member of the Armed Forces on 
active duty; or
``(BB) a member of the Selected Reserve of 
the Ready Reserve; and
``(bb) was discharged or released from such service 
under a condition other than dishonorable.
``(ii) The Secretary of Homeland Security shall parole an alien 
into the United States under clause (i) in 1-year increments.
``(iii)(I) An application for parole under this subparagraph may be 
denied only if the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Secretary of 
Defense, and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs jointly issue a written 
justification for the denial.
``(II) The Secretary of Homeland Security, the Secretary of 
Defense, and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs may not delegate the 
responsibility described in subclause (I).
``(III)(aa) In the case of a denial under subclause (I), the 
Secretary of Homeland Security shall publish on a publicly available 
internet website of the Department of Homeland Security information 
about the denial, including a detailed justification for the denial.
``(bb) Information published under item (aa) shall not include 
personally identifiable information.''.
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