Immigration (Children)

The SCREEN Act of 2026 amends federal law to allow the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to share information with the Departments of State and Homeland Security. This provision is specifically intended to support screening and vetting processes for individuals entering the country. The bill directly affects these federal agencies by expanding their access to data held by the missing children center.

The Kayla Hamilton Act amends rules for placing unaccompanied immigrant children under 12 in foster care. It requires the Health and Human Services Secretary to contact the child's country of origin for criminal records, check for gang-related tattoos/markings, and place children with gang ties in secure facilities. The bill also mandates detailed background checks for host families, including immigration status, criminal history, and sex offender registry checks, before placement. These changes directly affect unaccompanied immigrant children in federal custody and the agencies managing their placements. The law aims to strengthen safeguards during the placement process without altering existing trafficking prevention programs.