To require the Secretary of Homeland Security to fingerprint noncitizen minors entering the United States who are suspected of being victims of human trafficking, to require the Secretary to publicly disclose the number of such minors who are fingerprinted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials and the number of child traffickers who are apprehended by CBP, to impose criminal penalties on noncitizen adults who use unrelated minors to gain entry into the United States, and for other purposes.
About This Bill
Committee
Latest Action · November 30, 2023
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Homeland Security, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
The PRINTS Act requires the Department of Homeland Security to fingerprint noncitizen children under 14 entering the United States who are suspected victims of human trafficking, based on standards set under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act. The bill also creates a new federal crime making it illegal for adults to knowingly use unrelated minors to gain entry into the U.S., with penalties of up to 10 years in prison and fines. The legislation requires DHS to share collected fingerprints with the Department of Health and Human Services for unaccompanied children in their custody and mandates annual reports to Congress on the number of minors fingerprinted and monthly public disclosure of child trafficker apprehensions. The bill affects border patrol officers, immigration officials, and unaccompanied minors entering the country, and contains no specific appropriations or implementation timeline beyond the regular reporting requirements.
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