H.R. 486 – Grant's Law

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 15, 2026 at 11:35 AM UTC

Grant's Law would require the Department of Homeland Security to detain any non‑citizen who is illegally in the United States and is arrested for certain crimes that could make them inadmissible or deportable. The bill changes the law so the Secretary of Homeland Security, rather than the Attorney General, handles these detentions, and it sets a 90‑day deadline to finish removal proceedings.

Key Provisions

Adds a new category (E) to the immigration law that requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to detain any non‑citizen who is unlawfully present in the U.S. and arrested for offenses that would make them inadmissible or deportable.
Shifts authority for these detentions from the Attorney General to the Secretary of Homeland Security.
Allows the Secretary to release an arrested alien to another authority for further proceedings, but requires the alien to be taken back into custody if they are not convicted, and to remain detained until removal proceedings are finished.
Mandates that removal (deportation) proceedings for such detained aliens be completed within 90 days of their detention.

Legislative Activity

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3 earlier actions

HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H964)

February 3, 2017

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

January 12, 2017

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Judiciary Committee

January 12, 2017

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security.

Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee

January 13, 2017

HouseIntro Referral

Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H964)

February 3, 2017

Floor Debate

1 member

What members said about H.R. 486 on the floor

1 Republican

Rep. Andy BiggsR-AZ-5 · Feb 3, 2017

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in memory of a young man who would have been my constituent. Two years ago last week, 21-year-old Grant Ronnebeck was manning the counter at a Mesa, Arizona convenience…

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued January 12, 2017

I

115th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 486

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

January 12, 2017

Mr. Biggs (for himself, Mr. Schweikert, Mr. Gosar, Mr. Cramer, Mr. Brooks of Alabama, Mr. Barletta, Mr. McKinley, Mr. Chabot, Mr. Palmer, Mr. Carter of Georgia, Mr. Duncan of South Carolina, Mr. Grothman, Mr. Brat, and Mr. Franks of Arizona) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

A BILL

To require the Secretary of Homeland Security to detain any alien who is unlawfully present in the United States and is arrested for certain criminal offenses.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Grant’s Law.

2.

Mandatory detention for certain aliens arrested for the commission of certain offenses

Section 236(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1226(c)(1)) is amended—

(1)

in paragraph (1)—

(A)

in subparagraph (C), by striking or at the end;

(B)

in subparagraph (D), by adding or at the end; and

(C)

by inserting after subparagraph (D) the following:

(E)

is—

(i)

determined by the Secretary of Homeland Security to be unlawfully present in the United States; and

(ii)

arrested for any offense described in subparagraphs (A) through (D) the conviction of which would render the alien inadmissible under section 212(a) or deportable under section 237(a),

; and

(2)

in paragraph (2)—

(A)

by striking The Attorney General and inserting the following:

(A)

In general

Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the Secretary of Homeland Security

;

(B)

by striking the Attorney General each place such term appears and inserting the Secretary; and

(C)

by adding at the end the following:

(B)

Arrested but not convicted aliens

The Secretary of Homeland Security may release any alien held pursuant to paragraph (1)(E) to the appropriate authority for any proceedings subsequent to the arrest. The Secretary shall resume custody of the alien during any period pending the final disposition of any such proceedings that the alien is not in the custody of such appropriate authority. If the alien is not convicted of the offense for which the alien was arrested, the Secretary shall continue to detain the alien until removal proceedings are completed.

.

3.

Expedited initiation of removal proceedings

Section 239(d) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1229(d)) is amended by adding at the end the following:

(3)

In the case of any alien held pursuant to section 236(c)(1)(E), the Secretary of Homeland Security shall complete removal proceedings by not later than 90 days after such alien is detained.

.