HELP Separated Children Act
The HELP Separated Children Act directs the Department of Homeland Security to identify parents of U.S. children during immigration enforcement actions and ensures they can make phone calls to arrange care for their children. It requires officials to notify child welfare agencies only when a parent cannot arrange care for their child or when there is an imminent risk of harm to the child. The bill also mandates that detained parents be allowed regular contact with their children, participate in family court proceedings, and be considered for release if it serves the child's best interests. Additionally, the legislation requires federal employees involved in these actions to receive training on minimizing trauma to children and establishes a system for collecting data on how the law is implemented.
Bill status
in committee
1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Apr 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
President
Introduced Apr 27, 2026
Last action Apr 27, 2026
Floor votes
How they voted
No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
2
Key actions
0
Committee
1
Apr 27, 2026
Committee
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
upper
Apr 27, 2026
Introduced
Introduced in Senate
upper
1 primary · 17 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Tina Smith
DDemocratic
Co
Amy Klobuchar
DDemocratic
Co
Andy Kim
DDemocratic
Co
Bernard Sanders
IIndependent
Co
Catherine Cortez Masto
DDemocratic
Co
Chris Van Hollen
DDemocratic
Co
Edward J. Markey
DDemocratic
Co
Elizabeth Warren
DDemocratic
Co
Jacky Rosen
DDemocratic
Co
Kirsten E. Gillibrand
DDemocratic
Co
Mazie K. Hirono
DDemocratic
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