HR 1958 United States House · 119th Congress

Deporting Fraudsters Act of 2026

Summary

Deporting Fraudsters Act of 2026 This bill makes certain acts related to public benefits fraud grounds for (1) barring a non-U.S. national ( alien under federal law) from admission into the United States, or (2) deporting the individual. The bill also makes such an individual ineligible for immigration enforcement relief, including relief for an individual in danger of subjection to torture. Specifically, this bill applies to individuals who have been convicted of, admit to having committed, or admit to acts which constitute certain offenses. Offenses covered by this bill include (1) fraud involving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, (2) fraud involving Social Security benefits, (3) fraud involving programs that receive federal funds, and (4) the production of fraudulent identification documents.

Issues: ✗ Immigration

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Mar 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2026

House Passage

Mar 2026

Senate Passage

President

Introduced Mar 6, 2025 Last action Mar 19, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced in House → Engrossed in House · 4 edits · Mar 18, 2026

MODERATE

The Engrossed version of HR 1958 significantly expands the scope of fraud-related inadmissibility and deportability grounds by enumerating nine specific federal criminal statutes (including SNAP fraud, Social Security fraud, identity document fraud, mail fraud, and major fraud against the US) rather than relying on a single broad description. It also adds a new provision making anyone subject to these grounds completely ineligible for any immigration relief, including VAWA self-petitions, which is a major substantive addition not present in the introduced version.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded in two ways: (1) the specific offenses triggering inadmissibility and deportability are now enumerated across nine federal statutes rather than described broadly, making the trigger more precise but potentially broader in practice by explicitly capturing mail fraud, identity document fraud, and other categories; and (2) a new blanket bar on all immigration relief was added, which dramatically narrows the options available to affected individuals.

SCOPE

The inadmissibility and deportability provisions were restructured from a single broad description of 'defrauding the United States Government or the unlawful receipt of public benefits' into nine enumerated categories covering specific federal statutes: SNAP violations, Social Security fraud, theft/bribery in federally funded programs, identity document fraud, major fraud against the US, mail fraud, conspiracy to defraud the US, a catch-all for other government/public benefit fraud, and conspiracy to commit any listed offense.

ELIGIBILITY

Both the inadmissibility and deportability provisions now include language covering aliens who 'admit having committed' or 'admit committing acts which constitute the essential elements of' the listed offenses. The introduced version's deportability provision only required a conviction, while the engrossed version broadens it to include admissions.

REQUIREMENT

A new subsection (c) makes any alien subject to the inadmissibility or deportability provisions completely ineligible for any relief under the immigration laws, explicitly including VAWA self-petitions under section 2242 of the Omnibus Consolidated and Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 1999. This closes off potential avenues for victims of domestic violence or other vulnerable individuals to seek protection.

TECHNICAL

The short title year was changed from 2025 to 2026.

Floor votes · House Mar 18, 2026

How they voted

231–186

Passed · 15 other

Total votes 432

Mar 18, 2026

D Democratic214

20 Yea 186 Nay 8

86% Nay

I Independent1

1 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican217

210 Yea 7

96% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Mar 19, 2026

Committee

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

upper

Mar 18, 2026

Lower · Passed

On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 231 - 186 (Roll no. 94). (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR H2568)

lower

Mar 18, 2026

Lower · Passed

Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 231 - 186 (Roll no. 94). (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR H2568)

lower

Mar 16, 2026

Lower · Passed

Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 1115 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 556, H.R. 1958 and H.R. 4638. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 556, H.R. 1958, and H.R. 4638 under a closed rule. The resolution provides for one hour of general debate and one motion to recommit on each bill.

lower

Jan 27, 2026

Lower · Passed

Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 119-467.

lower

Jan 13, 2026

Introduced

Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 15 - 11.

lower

Jan 13, 2026

Lower · Passed

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held

lower

Mar 6, 2025

Committee

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

lower

Mar 6, 2025

Introduced

Introduced in House

lower

1 primary · 34 co-sponsors