Creates new state reporting, verification, and legal-custody requirements specifically for unaccompanied alien children and those taking custody of them, with felony penalties and mandatory notifications to law enforcement, ORR, and ICE for noncompliance, so increases state immigration-related rules
Any natural person who obtains or has obtained physical custody of an unaccompanied alien child through a corporation, public or private agency other than the department, or person other than the child's biological or adoptive parent, legal guardian, or court-appointed custodian; who retains such physical custody of the child for 10 or more consecutive days; and who is not the biological or adoptive parent, legal guardian, or court-appointed custodian of the child, must report such physical custody to the department and initiate proceedings under chapter 63, chapter 744, or chapter 751 to 310
✓ Quote verified word for word in the bill text
Immigration enforcementstate federal cooperationAI label
Requires the department to notify the Department of Law Enforcement, the Office of Refugee Resettlement, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement when persons or entities fail to report required information on unaccompanied alien children, so increases state cooperation with federal immigration and
The department shall notify the Department of Law Enforcement, the Office of Refugee Resettlement, and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement if a natural person or an entity fails to report information required under this section within 30 days after receipt of the written notification required in subsection (6).
Defines "unaccompanied alien child," prohibits finding such a child dependent based solely on pre-placement or out-of-country allegations, and requires DNA or other verification of relationship by custodians, with costs borne by the verifying person, so adds state rules specific to immigration and
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an unaccompanied alien child may not be found to have been abandoned, abused, or neglected based solely on allegations of abandonment, abuse, or neglect that occurred before placement in this state or by a parent who is not in the United States.
✓ Quote verified word for word in the bill text
Filed (completed)
Committee (completed)
Passed one chamber (completed)
Passed both (completed)
Governor
Law
Status: Failed
Last action
2025-06-16: Died in Human Services Subcommittee, companion bill(s) passed, see CS/SB 7012 (Ch. 2025-186)
Why the model tagged it this way: The bill creates a new section 39.5077 imposing multiple reporting, verification (including mandatory DNA testing at the custodian's expense), and notification obligations on private persons and entities involved with unaccompanied alien children, backed by felony penalties, fines, and mandatory referrals to FDLE, ORR, and ICE. It also revises the dependent-child definition to include sponsors of such children while barring dependency findings based solely on pre-state or foreign-parent conduct. These provisions substantively expand state immigration-enforcement rules and cooperation with
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