Only the right has signed this so far (Bill Ranking)
S. 72 · 119th Congress (2025-2026)
7 members · Left 0 · Center 0 · Right 7 (Bill Ranking)
| Sponsor | Sen. Cruz, Ted (R-TX) (Introduced 01/13/2025) |
|---|---|
| Sponsor Voting Record | Right · DW-NOMINATE +0.78 · measured from every roll-call vote this member has cast (voteview.com) (Sponsor Ranking) |
| Support |
LLLCLRR support across the spectrum: 7 members signed on (Bill Ranking) this bill: sponsor + current cosponsors, each once |
| Committees | Senate - Judiciary Committee |
| Latest Action | 01/13/2025 Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. |
| Roll Call Votes | There have been no roll call votes |
| Source | view on congress.gov → |
Introduced in Senate (01/13/2025)
Justice for Jocelyn Act
This bill limits Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE’s) Alternatives to Detention program, which supervises non-U.S. nationals (aliens under federal law) subject to removal who are released from the custody of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Specifically, releases under this program are prohibited unless all detention beds are filled and DHS found no alternatives after exercising and exhausting all reasonable options.
The bill requires all individuals on ICE’s nondetained docket to be enrolled in the program and be subject to continuous GPS monitoring and curfew.
Further, the bill requires a non-U.S. national who was arrested and released to be removed in absentia if an immigration officer submits an affidavit to an immigration judge stating that the individual failed to comply with a condition of release.
119 S72 IS: Justice for Jocelyn Act U.S. Senate 2025-01-13 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain. II119th CONGRESS1st SessionS. 72IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATESJanuary 13, 2025Mr. Cruz (for himself, Mrs. Capito, Mr. Cassidy, Mrs. Blackburn, Mr. Daines, Mr. Wicker, and Mr. Budd) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the JudiciaryA BILLTo remove aliens who fail to comply with a release order, to enroll all aliens on the ICE nondetained docket in the Alternatives to Detention program with continuous GPS monitoring, and for other purposes.1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Justice for Jocelyn Act.2.Limitation on participation in Alternatives to DetentionNo alien may be released as part of any program under an Alternatives to Detention program unless—(1)all detention beds available to the Secretary of Homeland Security have been filled;(2)there exists no available option to hold such alien in detention; and(3)the Secretary has exercised and exhausted all reasonable efforts to hold such alien in detention.
3.GPS tracking and curfew requirements for certain aliensEach alien on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s nondetained docket shall be—(1)enrolled in an Alternatives to Detention program;(2)continuously subject to GPS monitoring— (A)for the duration of all applicable immigration proceedings, including any appeal; and(B)in the case of an alien who has been ordered removed from the United States, until removal; and (3)required to stay in their Alternatives to Detention-compliant home address between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m.
4.Removal of aliens who fail to comply with release orderSection 240(b)(5) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1229a(b)(5)) is amended by adding at the end the following:(F)Failure to comply with release orderIf an immigration officer submits an affidavit to an immigration judge stating that an alien failed to comply with a condition of release under section 236(a), such alien shall be ordered removed in absentia..5.SeverabilityIf any provision of this Act or the application of such provision to any person or circumstance is held by a Federal court to be unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act and the application of such provisions to any other person or circumstance shall not be affected.
The bill's own words, from our database (synced from the GPO BILLS XML); paragraph breaks added at the bill's section boundaries, nothing else changed.
| Date | Chamber | All Actions |
|---|---|---|
| 01/13/2025 | Library of Congress | Introduced in Senate |
| 01/13/2025 | Senate | Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. |
| Title Type | Title |
|---|---|
| Display Title | Justice for Jocelyn Act |
| Short Title(s) as Introduced | Justice for Jocelyn Act |
| Official Title as Introduced | A bill to remove aliens who fail to comply with a release order, to enroll all aliens on the ICE nondetailed docket in the Alternatives to Detention program with continuous GPS monitoring, and for other purposes. |
There are no amendments to this bill.
* = Original cosponsor
| Committee | Activity |
|---|---|
| Senate - Judiciary Committee | 01/13/2025 Referred To |
Policy Area: Immigration
No legislative subjects have been assigned yet.
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