SECURE Act

Safe Environment from Countries Under Repression and Emergency Act or the SECURE Act

This bill allows qualified nationals of a country that has or had a temporary protected status designation (certain countries in which nationals experience conflict or other unsafe conditions) to obtain lawful permanent residence (sometimes referred to as a green card).

To qualify for a green card, such an individual must (1) have or had temporary protected status, (2) have qualified for such status on certain dates, or (3) have been present in the United States due to having been granted deferred enforced departure status that extended past a certain date. Furthermore, the individual must (1) have been continuously present in the United States for three years before applying for a green card or before being removed after a certain date, (2) not be inadmissible or deportable for certain reasons, and (3) pass applicable background checks.

The continuous presence requirement may be waived in certain instances.

Such an individual's spouse, domestic partner, child, or unmarried child may also obtain a green card under this bill upon meeting certain requirements.

An individual with a pending application shall receive work authorization and be eligible for travel authorization.

An individual may not be removed if the individual (1) has a pending application, or (2) is prima facie eligible for a green card under this bill and intends to apply.

Information from applications may not be used or shared for immigration enforcement, with limited exceptions such as for identifying fraudulent claims.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov