{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.tuberville.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/tuberville-introduces-bill-to-vet-unaccompanied-alien-children-prevent-placement-of-uacs-with-criminal-sponsors/", "Tuberville Introduces Bill to Vet Unaccompanied Alien Children & Prevent Placement of UACs with Criminal Sponsors", "2025-10-24", "2025", "2025-10", "Republican", "Senate", "AL", "Tommy Tuberville", "T000278", "www.tuberville.senate.gov", "tuberville", "https://www.tuberville.senate.gov/press-releases/", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) to introduce the Kayla Hamilton Act, which would require the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to conduct thorough background and criminal record checks on unaccompanied alien children (UACs) and potential sponsors prior to their placement. This legislation is named in honor of Kayla Hamilton, a young woman who was sexually assaulted and brutally murdered by a 17-year-old MS-13 gang member and UAC who illegally entered the country through the southern border and was released by the Biden administration to a sponsor.\n\n\u201cCrimes that are committed by illegal aliens who shouldn\u2019t be here in the first place are 100% preventable,\u201d said Sen. Tuberville. \u201cKayla Hamilton\u2019s story is yet another tragic example of the Biden administration prioritizing illegal aliens over the safety of American citizens. Our bill is a crucial step in the right direction to ensure crimes like this never happen again.\u201d\n\nAdditional cosponsors include Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Katie Britt (R-AL), Ted Budd (R-NC), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), and Thom Tillis (R-NC).\n\nCongressman Russell Fry (SC-07) introduced this legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill passed out of the House Judiciary Committee and is now pending a vote on the House floor.\n\nBackground:\n\nThe Kayla Hamilton Act would require thorough background and criminal record checks on UACs prior to their release to a sponsor and prohibit the release of any UAC into the custody of criminals or illegal aliens. The bar to placement applies not only to individuals seeking to sponsor a UAC, but also any adult living in the household of the potential sponsor who has a criminal history.\n\nThe bill also requires the federal government to:\n\nEnsure UACs show up for their immigration and judicial proceedings.\n\nPlace UACs in a secure facility if they are a danger to themselves or others, a flight risk, committed gang-related crimes, are aggravated felons, or have committed and/or been convicted of other serious crimes.\n\nObtain the UAC\u2019s criminal records from their country of nationality or last habitual residence.\n\nRequires HHS to collect information from the potential sponsor and individuals residing in the household of that sponsor including immigration status, background and security checks, full names, social security numbers, dates of birth, telephone numbers and email addresses.\n\nAnd examine all UACs over the age of 12 for gang-related markings and tattoos.\n\nSenator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans\u2019 Affairs, HELP and Aging Committees.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.tuberville.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/tuberville-introduces-bill-to-vet-unaccompanied-alien-children-prevent-placement-of-uacs-with-criminal-sponsors/"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.7015059236437082, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}