Security and Opportunity for Vulnerable Migrant Children Act of 2014

Security and Opportunity for Vulnerable Migrant Children Act of 2014 - Directs the Secretary of State to submit to Congress a strategy to address the economic, social, and security factors driving large numbers of unaccompanied alien children from El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala to the United States.

Directs the Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to: (1) coordinate with the heads of federal agencies and the governments of El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala to promote public policies which prioritize growth, poverty reduction, and sustainable alternatives to emigration; and (2) incorporate such programming with assistance to communities and economic sectors in such countries.

Amends the the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008 to remove pilot program status from (and so make permanent) the program to repatriate unaccompanied alien children.

Directs the Secretary to designate an Ambassador-at-Large for unaccompanied alien children.

[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5368 Introduced in House (IH)]

113th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5368

 To direct the Secretary of State to develop a strategy to address the 
 factors driving large numbers of unaccompanied alien children from El 
   Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala to seek admission to the United 
                    States, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 31, 2014

Ms. Roybal-Allard (for herself, Mr. Polis, Mr. McGovern, Mr. Farr, Ms. 
    Chu, Mr. Cardenas, Mr. Sires, and Mr. Lowenthal) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, 
 and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be 
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 
  of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
                               concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To direct the Secretary of State to develop a strategy to address the 
 factors driving large numbers of unaccompanied alien children from El 
   Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala to seek admission to the United 
                    States, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Security and Opportunity for 
Vulnerable Migrant Children Act of 2014''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds the following:
            (1) Extreme violence, including sexual assault, 
        trafficking, and persecution, is a primary factor driving 
        dramatically increased levels of child migration from Central 
        America.
            (2) A true commitment by the Government of the United 
        States is essential to addressing the root causes of child 
        migration in the region, including robust efforts to enhance 
        human security, augment economic development, and promote the 
        health, safety, and well-being of children.
            (3) Existing human rights conditions on the provision of 
        United States assistance to El Salvador, Honduras, and 
        Guatemala continue to play an important role in addressing the 
        root causes of child migration by encouraging good governance 
        and the rule of law in these countries.

SEC. 3. DEFINITION.

    For purposes of this Act, the term ``unaccompanied alien children'' 
has the meaning given such term in section 462 of the Homeland Security 
Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 279).

SEC. 4. STRATEGY ADDRESSING FACTORS DRIVING UNACCOMPANIED ALIEN 
              CHILDREN TO SEEK ADMISSION TO THE UNITED STATES.

    The Secretary of State, in consultation with the Administrator of 
the United States Agency for International Development, and the heads 
of other Federal agencies that the Secretary determines appropriate, 
shall submit to Congress a strategy to address the economic, social, 
and security factors driving large numbers of unaccompanied alien 
children from El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala to seek admission to 
the United States. The strategy shall recommend future United States 
Government assistance and technical support, and ensure the engagement 
of the national and local governments of El Salvador, Honduras, and 
Guatemala, and civil society organizations located in such countries. 
In general, the strategy shall prioritize the safety of vulnerable 
women and girls and make recommendations for improving the sheltering 
of victims of sexual violence and trafficking in the region.

SEC. 5. DEVELOPMENT OF PUBLIC POLICIES AND PROGRAMMING TO PREVENT 
              MIGRATION TO THE UNITED STATES.

    The Administrator of the United States Agency for International 
Development shall coordinate with the heads of appropriate Federal 
agencies and the Governments of El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala to 
promote public policies which prioritize inclusive growth, poverty 
reduction, and sustainable alternatives to emigration. The 
Administrator shall incorporate programming to assist communities and 
economic sectors in such countries, including communities--
            (1) with high rates of migration to the United States;
            (2) in which individuals have been subjected to a severe 
        form of trafficking in persons, or in which individuals are at 
        a high risk of being subjected to a severe form of trafficking 
        in persons;
            (3) which have a large number of individuals who have been 
        removed from the United States returned to that community;
            (4) affected by destabilizing levels of violence; or
            (5) that have developed partnerships with nongovernmental 
        organizations based in the United States.

SEC. 6. REPATRIATION PROGRAM FOR UNACCOMPANIED ALIEN CHILDREN.

    Section 235(a)(5)(A) of the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims 
Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008 (8 U.S.C. 1232(a)(5)(A)) is 
amended--
            (1) in the heading, by striking ``pilot''; and
            (2) by striking ``pilot''.

SEC. 7. AMBASSADOR-AT-LARGE FOR UNACCOMPANIED ALIEN CHILDREN.

    The Secretary of State shall designate an Ambassador-at-Large for 
unaccompanied alien children. The Ambassador-at-Large shall formulate 
policies and responses to address the factors leading to child 
migration to the United States, and shall consult and coordinate with 
the relevant bureaus of the Department of State and the United States 
Agency for International Development, as well as with the Governments 
of El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala and Mexico and with other regional 
governments, to develop and implement policies to safeguard the well-
being of unaccompanied alien children, including the protection and 
care of such children.
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