Naomi Schwartz and Susan Rose Safe Parking Act of 2025
In Committee
Introduced:Sep 8, 2025
Primary Sponsor
Salud O. Carbajal
Representative
Democratic
CA-24
Cosponsors
15
Quick Stats
Policy Area
Immigration
Summary
This bill aims to impose additional requirements for placing unaccompanied migrant children with sponsors in the United States. It would require more comprehensive background checks and home visits before and after placement to help ensure the safety of these vulnerable children.
Latest Action
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
AI Summary
Plain-English explanation of this bill
This bill aims to impose additional requirements for placing unaccompanied migrant children with sponsors in the United States. It would require more comprehensive background checks and home visits before and after placement to help ensure the safety of these vulnerable children.
Last updated: 12/30/2025
Official Summary
Congressional Research Service summary
<p><b>Stop Human Trafficking of Unaccompanied Migrant Children Act of 2023</b></p> <p>This bill imposes additional requirements relating to placing unaccompanied alien children with sponsors. (Under federal law, an <i>unaccompanied alien child</i> is a minor with no lawful immigration status and no parent or legal guardian in the United States to provide care and physical custody.)</p> <p>Before the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) may release such a child to a sponsor, the sponsor must complete a fingerprint background check and vetting that includes (1) a public records check, (2) a National Sex Offender Registry check, (3) a Federal Bureau of Investigation National Criminal History Check, (4) a child abuse and neglect check, and (5) state and local criminal history checks. Each adult in the sponsor's household must also undergo such vetting before the placement. </p> <p>Currently, the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) within HHS conducts background checks of potential sponsors, which includes fingerprinting and checks of criminal public records and sex offender registries. ORR also vets adults in the sponsor's household in certain cases, such as if the sponsor is unrelated to the child, but this vetting may be waived or relaxed.</p> <p>The bill also requires HHS to visit the home of a proposed sponsor before the placement and to conduct periodic home visits after. </p> <p>A child may not be placed with a sponsor who is unlawfully present in the United States unless the sponsor is the child's parent, relative, or legal guardian. </p> <p>HHS must retroactively apply these vetting standards to all sponsors for placements made since January 20, 2021. </p>
Key Points
Main provisions of the bill
Requires more extensive background checks, including fingerprinting, criminal history checks, and child abuse/neglect checks, for potential sponsors and adults in their households
Mandates home visits by the Department of Health and Human Services before and after placing an unaccompanied child with a sponsor
Prohibits placing a child with a sponsor who is unlawfully present in the US, unless the sponsor is the child's parent, relative, or legal guardian
How This Impacts Americans
Potential effects on citizens and communities
This bill would directly affect unaccompanied migrant children and their potential sponsors in the United States. If enacted, it would create new safeguards to help prevent human trafficking and abuse of these vulnerable minors by requiring more thorough vetting of sponsor households. However, the additional requirements could also slow down the placement process and leave more children in temporary government care for longer periods.
Policy Areas
Primary Policy Area
Immigration
Scope & Jurisdiction
Jurisdiction Level
federal
Congressional Session
119th Congress
Citation Reference
5018, 119th Congress (2025). "Naomi Schwartz and Susan Rose Safe Parking Act of 2025". Source: Voter's Right Platform. https://votersright.org/bills/118-hr-5018
