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HR5145FEDERALIN_COMMITTEE
High Impact

Working for Immigrant Safety and Empowerment (WISE) Act of 2023

Original title: WISE Act of 2023

December 17, 2024

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Where This Stands

Introduced
Committee
Floor Vote
Passed
Signed

Currently IN_COMMITTEE. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →

The Frame

What this does

The bill changes the legal rights and safety protections for non-citizen crime victims by removing annual visa caps, providing automatic work authorization, and restricting where federal agents can conduct enforcement actions, directly impacting the ability of these individuals to remain in the U.S. and access public services.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Non-citizen survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking

The bill expands their eligibility for immigration status, work authorization, and access to public services.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

The agency must comply with new restrictions on enforcement actions at protected locations and new reporting requirements.

Immigration Judges

Judges are granted new authority to waive inadmissibility grounds and must conduct de novo reviews for certain removal orders.

What changed

Current stage: IN_COMMITTEE.

What's next

Floor Vote.

Summary

This bill expands immigration protections and access to services for non-citizen survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, and other crimes. It removes various legal barriers to status, streamlines work authorization, and prohibits immigration enforcement actions at sensitive locations like schools, hospitals, and places of worship.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this bill protect me from deportation if I am a crime victim?
Yes, the bill prohibits the removal of individuals with pending or approved petitions for various humanitarian statuses, including s, T visas, and VAWA self-petitions, until their applications are fully adjudicated.
Can immigration agents arrest me at a hospital or school?
Under this bill, immigration enforcement actions at 'protected areas'—which include schools, hospitals, places of worship, and courthouses—are prohibited unless there are and prior written approval from high-level officials.
Does this bill change my eligibility for public benefits?
The bill repeals several provisions of the 1996 welfare reform law that restricted access to basic services for non-citizens, aiming to expand eligibility for lawfully present individuals.

Why It Matters

The bill changes the legal rights and safety protections for non-citizen crime victims by removing annual visa caps, providing automatic work authorization, and restricting where federal agents can conduct enforcement actions, directly impacting the ability of these individuals to remain in the U.S. and access public services.

News Coverage

Center1
Lean Right2
3 sources
Blind spot - no left-leaning coverage

Bias ratings based on AllSides / Media Bias/Fact Check

Sponsors

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift100% confidence

Expansion of Protected Areas

The bill significantly broadens the definition of 'protected areas' where immigration enforcement is restricted, moving beyond traditional sensitive locations to include a wide range of community and social service sites.

Connected Entities

personMcGover, MarkCo-sponsor of the billMap →
personSchakowsky, RashidaCo-sponsor of the billMap →
personMeng, GraceCo-sponsor of the billMap →
personOcasio-Cortez, AlexandriaCo-sponsor of the billMap →
personBarragan, VeronicaCo-sponsor of the billMap →
personCastro of Texas, JoaquinCo-sponsor of the billMap →
personNorton, LoisCo-sponsor of the billMap →
personLee of California, KarenCo-sponsor of the billMap →
personJayapal, AlexandriaLead sponsor of the billMap →
personGarcia of Illinois, MariekeCo-sponsor of the billMap →
personTlaib, RashidaCo-sponsor of the billMap →
personCasten, SeanCo-sponsor of the billMap →
personCasar, AlexCo-sponsor of the billMap →
personPanetta, EricCo-sponsor of the billMap →
personScanlon, LaurenCo-sponsor of the billMap →
personChu, JudyCo-sponsor of the billMap →
personNadler, JerroldCo-sponsor of the billMap →
personOmar, IlhanCo-sponsor of the billMap →
personJackson Lee of Texas, SheilaCo-sponsor of the billMap →
personJohnson of Georgia, SanfordCo-sponsor of the billMap →
personEspaillat, AdrianoCo-sponsor of the billMap →
personNapolitano, GraceCo-sponsor of the billMap →
personBlumenauer, GregoryCo-sponsor of the billMap →
personCarbajal, TonyCo-sponsor of the billMap →

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance90
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy85
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment10
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz40
    Current news / social attention level

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