Bill Overview
Title: B–VERIFY Act of 2022
Description: This bill addresses various issues pertaining to immigration, such as (1) requiring any applicant for an immigration benefit, including a U.S. national applying for a noncitizen beneficiary, to provide biometric information, including DNA; (2) permanently barring a noncitizen from becoming a U.S. citizen if the noncitizen is the parent of an unaccompanied alien child who arrives at the U.S. border; and (3) prohibiting the Department of Health and Human Services from expending government funds to provide counsel to detained unaccompanied alien children in legal proceedings.
Sponsors: Rep. Gooden, Lance [R-TX-5]
Target Audience
Population: Individuals affected by changes in U.S. immigration processes and rights
Estimated Size: 1000000
- The bill affects anyone applying for an immigration benefit, including U.S. nationals applying for noncitizen beneficiaries, requiring them to provide biometric information.
- The bill directly impacts noncitizens who are parents of unaccompanied alien children arriving at the U.S. border, excluding them from U.S. citizenship eligibility.
- Unaccompanied alien children who arrive at the U.S. border are affected as the bill restricts government-funded legal counsel for them.
Reasoning
- The budget constraints require that we consider individuals who will directly interact with the biometric verification processes and those impacted by legal funding changes regarding unaccompanied minors. These are the main targets subject to impact due to this policy.
- The budget allocation implies a significant reliance on government-supported implementation mechanisms that have both direct (e.g., biometric system setup) and indirect (e.g., legal aid restructuring) costs.
- The individuals shown in the interviews represent a diverse cross-section of the target population as well as those who may have indirect effects.
- Given the complexity of immigration processes and the potential long-term consequences on affected individuals, the interviews capture a range of immediate and sustained feelings providing insight into both tangible and intangible costs.
Simulated Interviews
Lawyer (Miami, Florida)
Age: 35 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy could tremendously harm unaccompanied children by denying them legal representation, increasing vulnerability.
- Biometric data collection seems extreme and not fully justified for all applicants.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 4 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 4 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 3 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 3 | 6 |
IT Consultant (Phoenix, Arizona)
Age: 28 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Providing biometric data for my spouse's application adds unnecessary stress to what is already a complex process.
- Worried about government data security measures for such sensitive information.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 7 |
Social Worker (Los Angeles, California)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The barring of citizenship for parents of unaccompanied minors is deeply concerning and impacts family integration.
- Removing legal aid for children is detrimental and unjust.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 4 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 4 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 3 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 3 | 7 |
Government Employee (Houston, Texas)
Age: 52 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy introduces necessary controls on immigration and identity verification.
- Should improve the accuracy of immigration processing.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Paralegal (New York, New York)
Age: 30 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I find the restriction on unaccompanied minors and their families punitive and counterproductive.
- Expanding biometrics collection feels like overreach.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 4 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 3 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 3 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 2 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 2 | 6 |
Immigrant Rights Activist (Chicago, Illinois)
Age: 40 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This legislation erodes the rights of immigrants and families.
- I expect increased fear and hardship among immigrant communities.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 4 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 3 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 3 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 2 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 2 | 5 |
Software Engineer (Dallas, Texas)
Age: 33 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy seems to add unnecessary hurdles for folks seeking a better life through legal channels.
- Data privacy concerns with the proposed biometric collections.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 8 |
Policy Analyst (Washington, DC)
Age: 55 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The Act provides more rigorous screening which might help detect fraudulent claims.
- Concerned about the humanitarian aspect, particularly with unaccompanied children.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 7 |
High School Teacher (San Diego, California)
Age: 36 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The restriction on citizenship pathways for parents is alarming and unfair.
- I worry about the added stress on students with family in the citizenship process.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 4 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 4 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 3 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 3 | 6 |
Border Patrol Agent (El Paso, Texas)
Age: 48 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy facilitates better identification of individuals entering the country.
- It may discourage unauthorized family separations.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $500000000 (Low: $400000000, High: $600000000)
Year 2: $450000000 (Low: $350000000, High: $550000000)
Year 3: $500000000 (Low: $400000000, High: $600000000)
Year 5: $550000000 (Low: $450000000, High: $650000000)
Year 10: $600000000 (Low: $500000000, High: $700000000)
Year 100: $700000000 (Low: $600000000, High: $800000000)
Key Considerations
- Complexity and cost of deploying biometric verification systems nationwide.
- Legal implications and challenges related to biometric data collection and privacy concerns.
- Potential political and diplomatic impacts from the restrictions placed on noncitizens who are parents of unaccompanied children.