Bill Overview
Title: American SAFER Act of 2022
Description: This bill expands the classes of non-U.S. nationals (aliens under federal law) who are subject to expedited removal (i.e., removal from the United States without further hearing or review). Specifically, the bill nullifies a 2004 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) rule that generally limits expedited removal to certain situations, such as for non-U.S. nationals encountered within 14 days of entry into the United States without inspection and within 100 miles of a U.S. international land border. The bill also (1) prohibits DHS from implementing a rule that limits expedited removal based on how far a non-U.S. national was from the border when encountered or apprehended, and (2) modifies the relevant statute to state that expedited removal authority applies regardless of where the non-U.S. national was encountered or apprehended.
Sponsors: Rep. Fallon, Pat [R-TX-4]
Target Audience
Population: Non-U.S. nationals subject to expedited removal
Estimated Size: 2500000
- The American SAFER Act of 2022 expands the application of expedited removal, which affects non-U.S. nationals (aliens under federal law) who are subject to removal from the United States.
- Expedited removal means that individuals can be removed without further hearings, limiting their ability to contest their removal through the immigration court system.
- The expansion of this policy means potentially any non-U.S. national encountered in the United States could be swiftly removed without the current restrictions based on time since entry or proximity to U.S. borders.
- This act would therefore impact all non-U.S. nationals residing in or entering the United States without proper inspection, as any of them could be subject to expedited removal procedures.
Reasoning
- The American SAFER Act primarily targets non-U.S. nationals who are undocumented. This includes a sizable portion of individuals who could potentially be impacted by expedited removal policies.
- The budget constraints of $50,000,000 USD in year 1 and $565,807,970 USD over 10 years imply that the program may not have the capacity to address every case, potentially focusing on specific high-priority areas or individuals identified by DHS.
- This policy affects non-U.S. nationals but can have indirect repercussions on U.S. citizens who are connected to those at risk of removal, such as family members or employees.
- The policy may not significantly impact U.S. citizens directly in legal status but can alter community dynamics, employment sectors that depend on undocumented labor, and humanitarian outcomes for communities with large undocumented populations.
Simulated Interviews
Construction Worker (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 34 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm worried about the new policy. I've been working hard here to support my family.
- If I'm removed, my family will be left without support.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 2 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 2 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 3 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 3 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 7 |
Nanny (Austin, TX)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy scares me. What will happen to my kids if I'm taken away?
- I try to keep a low profile, but now it seems nowhere is safe.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 3 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 4 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 4 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 9 |
Business Owner (Miami, FL)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I’m worried for my husband. He could be deported any moment.
- This law seems unfair, it doesn’t even give them a chance to explain their situation.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 9 |
Retired (Tucson, AZ)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy could tear families apart. It's heartbreaking.
- We need to find a humane way to deal with immigration issues rather than more expulsions.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 9 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 9 |
Student (New York, NY)
Age: 22 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I feel like my future here is more uncertain now.
- I just want to complete my education and contribute to the community.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 4 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 4 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 8 |
Teacher (Houston, TX)
Age: 39 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy causes fear among my students and disruption in learning.
- Children shouldn’t have to worry about losing their parents.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 9 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 9 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 9 |
Restaurant Owner (Chicago, IL)
Age: 42 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This could ruin my business and my life here.
- I give jobs to people who need them and that benefits the community too.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 4 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 4 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 8 |
Agricultural Worker (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 27 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I’m constantly afraid of being deported under this new rule.
- I came here to work hard and support my family.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 2 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 4 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 4 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 8 |
Software Engineer (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 31 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 1.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Policies like this one are overly harsh and damage our society’s potential.
- I fear for my friends who might be directly impacted.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 9 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 9 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 10 |
Freelance Journalist (Newark, NJ)
Age: 60 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy gives enormous discretionary power and insufficient checks.
- Fairness and due process are essential, especially for vulnerable groups.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 9 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $50000000 (Low: $30000000, High: $75000000)
Year 2: $51500000 (Low: $30900000, High: $77250000)
Year 3: $53045000 (Low: $31827000, High: $79667500)
Year 5: $56169135 (Low: $33642500, High: $84139931)
Year 10: $62716166 (Low: $37500000, High: $94074250)
Year 100: $80000000 (Low: $47850000, High: $120000000)
Key Considerations
- Balancing the cost of expedited removal operations against potential savings from reduced court proceedings.
- Considering the secondary economic impacts due to changes in the labor force.
- Monitoring public perceptions and impacts on bilateral relations with countries heavily represented among the undocumented population.