H.R. 385 – Sarah's Law

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Updated April 14, 2026 at 12:23 AM UTC

Sarah's Law would require U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to detain certain non‑citizens who have been charged in federal or state court with a crime that caused death or serious bodily injury. The bill expands the list of aliens subject to mandatory detention and adds a new duty for ICE to notify victims or their families about the alien’s identity, immigration status, and custody details. It also clarifies that the law does not limit any other victim‑rights statutes.

Key Provisions

Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to add a new category of aliens—those not inspected, whose visa was revoked, or who fall under a specific removal ground—who have been charged with a crime resulting in death or serious bodily injury, and requires ICE to take them into custody.
Creates a notification requirement that ICE must, when it learns of such an alien, gather victim information and provide the victim (or the victim’s closest relatives if deceased) with the alien’s name, aliases, birth date, nationality, immigration status, criminal history, custody status, and any government actions to remove the alien.
Includes a savings provision stating that the bill does not limit any existing victim‑rights protections under other laws.

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

March 4, 2019

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

January 9, 2019

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Judiciary Committee

January 9, 2019

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship.

Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee

March 4, 2019

Bill Text

Latest available legislative text

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Introduced in HouseIssued January 9, 2019

I

116th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 385

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

January 9, 2019

Mr. King of Iowa (for himself, Mr. Jones, Mr. Gosar, Mr. Duncan, Mr. Babin, Mr. Hice of Georgia, Mr. Higgins of Louisiana, Mr. Fortenberry, Mr. Lamborn, Mr. Johnson of Ohio, Mr. Hudson, Mr. Bacon, Mr. Brooks of Alabama, Mr. Kelly of Mississippi, and Mr. Gohmert) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

A BILL

To require U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to take into custody certain aliens who have been charged in the United States with a crime that resulted in the death or serious bodily injury of another person, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as Sarah's Law.

2.

Mandatory detention of certain aliens charged with a crime resulting in death or serious bodily injury

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

(1)

in paragraph (1)—

(A)

in subparagraphs (A) and (B), by striking the comma at the end of each subparagraph and inserting a semicolon;

(B)

in subparagraph (C)—

(i)

by striking sentence and inserting sentenced; and

(ii)

by striking , or and inserting a semicolon;

(C)

in subparagraph (D), by striking the comma at the end and inserting ; or; and

(D)

by inserting after subparagraph (D) the following:

(E)

(i)

(I)

was not inspected and admitted into the United States;

(II)

held a nonimmigrant visa (or other documentation authorizing admission into the United States as a nonimmigrant) that has been revoked under section 221(i); or

(III)

is described in section 237(a)(1)(C)(i); and

(ii)

has been charged by a prosecuting authority in the United States with any crime that resulted in the death or serious bodily injury (as defined in section 1365(h)(3) of title 18, United States Code) of another person,

; and

(2)

by adding at the end the following:

(3)

Notification requirement

Upon encountering or gaining knowledge of an alien described in paragraph (1), the Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security for Immigration and Customs Enforcement shall make reasonable efforts—

(A)

to obtain information from law enforcement agencies and from other available sources regarding the identity of any victims of the crimes for which such alien was charged or convicted; and

(B)

to provide the victim or, if the victim is deceased, a parent, guardian, spouse, or closest living relative of such victim, with information, on a timely and ongoing basis, including—

(i)

the alien’s full name, aliases, date of birth, and country of nationality;

(ii)

the alien’s immigration status and criminal history;

(iii)

the alien’s custody status and any changes related to the alien’s custody; and

(iv)

a description of any efforts by the United States Government to remove the alien from the United States.

.

3.

Savings provision

Nothing in this Act, or the amendments made by this Act, may be construed to limit the rights of crime victims under any other provision of law, including section 3771 of title 18, United States Code.