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H.R. 2260House116th Congress (2019-2021)In Committee

E-bonding for Immigration Integrity Act of 2019

Sponsored by Steve KingRep. Steve King (R-IA)
Introduced April 10, 2019

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 14, 2026 at 4:10 AM UTC

The E‑bonding for Immigration Integrity Act would require certain nonimmigrant visa applicants to post an electronic bond before they travel to the United States. The bond amount, set between $2,500 and $10,000, would be based on the risk of visa overstays for each visa category or for categories whose overstay rate exceeds 1.5%. The bond is held by a designated bonding agent and is released when the traveler leaves the U.S. or changes to a status that no longer requires a bond; it is kept by the government if the traveler overstays or fails to return home.

Key Provisions

  • Nonimmigrant visa applicants in specified categories or those from categories with overstay rates over 1.5% must post an electronic bond before entering the U.S.
  • The Secretary of Homeland Security must set bond amounts (minimum $2,500, maximum $10,000) within a year and adjust them annually based on overstay risk.
  • Bonds must be paid electronically through a qualified bonding agent and can be released when the traveler departs the U.S. or changes to a non‑bond‑required status; forfeited bonds go to an E‑bond Enforcement Fund.
  • The Secretary must identify visa categories with overstay rates above 1.5% and publish annual reports on overstay rates, bond amounts, and fund usage.
  • A separate Treasury fund is created to hold forfeited bonds and support enforcement of the Act.

Legislative Activity

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2 earlier actions
HouseCommittee Latest Action

Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship.

Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee

May 15, 2019

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

April 10, 2019

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Judiciary Committee

April 10, 2019

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship.

Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee

May 15, 2019

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued April 10, 2019

I

116th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 2260

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

April 10, 2019

Mr. King of Iowa introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

A BILL

To require the Secretary of Homeland Security to impose e-bonding requirements on certain nonimmigrant visa applicants, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the E-bonding for Immigration Integrity Act of 2019.

2.

Requirement of bond

(a)

Bond required

Prior to arriving at a port of entry of the United States, an alien seeking admission to the United States shall post a bond, in accordance with subsection (d), in an amount determined by the Secretary if such alien seeks admission to the United States as a nonimmigrant in a category—

(1)

described under subparagraph (B), (F), (H)(i)(b), (H)(ii)(b), or (K) of section 101(a)(15) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)); or

(2)

identified by the Secretary, in accordance with section 3, to have a visa overstay rate that is more than 1.5 percent.

(b)

Amount of bond

Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall, by rule, establish the amount of the bond required by subsection (a) for each visa category under subsection (a)(1) and each visa category identified by the Secretary under section 3, which amount shall—

(1)

be not less than $2,500 and not more than $10,000; and

(2)

be determined based on the Secretary’s assessment of the level of risk of visa overstays for that category.

(c)

Adjustment of amount of bond

On an annual basis, the Secretary shall review, and, as appropriate, adjust the amounts of the bonds described in subsection (b).

(d)

Payment of bond

An alien required to post the bond under subsection (a) shall post such bond—

(1)

in electronic form; and

(2)

with a bonding agent designated by the Secretary as qualified to hold such bond.

(e)

Release of bond

The Secretary shall authorize a bonding agent to release a bond—

(1)

to an alien required to post such bond—

(A)

after receiving a notification from the United States embassy or consulate in the alien’s country of origin that such alien departed the United States and returned to such country of origin; or

(B)

if such alien changed or adjusted their status to an immigration status not required to post a bond under this section; and

(2)

to the E-bond Enforcement Fund under section 4 upon a determination by the Secretary that an alien—

(A)

overstayed their visa; or

(B)

did not return to their country of origin following the termination of their visa.

(f)

Change of status

An alien who has been admitted to the United States and who is required to post a bond under subsection (a) may be required to post an additional bond if such alien changes their status to that of a nonimmigrant in a category required to pay a higher bond under this section.

(g)

Collection of records relating to bonds

The United States Embassy or United States consular office in the alien’s country of origin shall collect any records necessary to carry out this section.

(h)

Effective date

This section shall take effect on the date that is 120 calendar days after the date of the enactment of this Act.

3.

Visa overstay rate categories

The Secretary shall identify—

(1)

the visa overstay rate for each category of nonimmigrant aliens described under section 101(a)(15) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)) in the previous year; and

(2)

each category of nonimmigrant aliens described under such section that had a visa overstay rate in the previous year that was more than 1.5 percent.

4.

E-bond Enforcement Fund

(a)

In general

There is established in the general fund of the Treasury a separate account, which shall be known as the E-bond Enforcement Fund (in this subsection referred to as the Fund).

(b)

Deposits

There shall be deposited as offsetting receipts into the Fund all amounts released under section 2(e)(2) of this Act.

(c)

Use of amounts

Amounts deposited into the Fund shall remain available until expended and shall be refunded out of the Fund by the Secretary of the Treasury, to the Secretary of Homeland Security to—

(1)

ensure compliance with this Act; and

(2)

administer enforcement programs.

5.

Report

Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and each year thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the committees of appropriate jurisdiction a report that includes—

(1)

the visa overstay rate for each category of nonimmigrant alien described under section 101(a)(15) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)) in the previous year;

(2)

the categories that had a visa overstay rate in the previous year that was more than 1.5 percent, as determined by the Secretary in accordance with section 3;

(3)

the amounts of the bonds, as determined by the Secretary in accordance with section 2;

(4)

information relating to the Fund under section 4; and

(5)

any other information determined appropriate by the Secretary.

6.

Definitions

In this Act:

(1)

Committees of appropriate jurisdiction

The term committees of appropriate jurisdiction means—

(A)

the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives;

(B)

the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate;

(C)

the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives; and

(D)

the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate.

(2)

Secretary

The term Secretary means the Secretary of Homeland Security, unless otherwise provided.

(3)

Visa overstay rate

The term visa overstay rate means the ratio of, for each category of nonimmigrant aliens described in section 101(a)(15) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 (a)(15))—

(A)

the number of aliens admitted to the United States for each such category whose period of authorized stays ended during a fiscal year but who remained unlawfully in the United States beyond such period; to

(B)

the total number of aliens admitted to the United States for each such category during that fiscal year.