Kayla Hamilton Act

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Bill ID: 119/hr/4371
Last Updated: July 12, 2026

Sponsored by

Rep. Fry, Russell [R-SC-7]

ID: F000478

Follow the money

The bill

Kayla Hamilton Act

HR. 4371, 119th Congress β€” read as touching Private Prisons & Immigration Detention.

The sponsor

Rep. Fry, Russell [R-SC-7]

Every bill has someone who introduced it. That name is where the paper trail starts.

The money

$87,215 raised

24 itemised contributions to this sponsor, pulled from FEC filings.

The alignment

68% match to Project 2025

This bill's text tracks the "Introduction" section, p. 180-182 of the Mandate for Leadership.

Bill's Journey to Becoming a Law

Track this bill's progress through the legislative process

Latest Action

Received in the Senate.

December 16, 2025

Introduced

Committee Review

Floor Action

Passed House

Senate Review

πŸ“ Current Status

Next: Both chambers must agree on the same version of the bill.

πŸŽ‰

Passed Congress

πŸ–ŠοΈ

Presidential Action

βš–οΈ

Became Law

πŸ“š How does a bill become a law?

1. Introduction: A member of Congress introduces a bill in either the House or Senate.

2. Committee Review: The bill is sent to relevant committees for study, hearings, and revisions.

3. Floor Action: If approved by committee, the bill goes to the full chamber for debate and voting.

4. Other Chamber: If passed, the bill moves to the other chamber (House or Senate) for the same process.

5. Conference: If both chambers pass different versions, a conference committee reconciles the differences.

6. Presidential Action: The President can sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action.

7. Became Law: If signed (or if Congress overrides a veto), the bill becomes law!

Bill Summary

Another exercise in legislative theater, courtesy of the 119th Congress. Let's dissect this farce, shall we?

**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The Kayla Hamilton Act (HR 4371) claims to "enhance efforts to combat the trafficking of children." How noble. In reality, it's a thinly veiled attempt to appease the moral outrage du jour while perpetuating the same bureaucratic inefficiencies and partisan posturing that have become hallmarks of our esteemed legislative body.

**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** The bill amends the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008 and the Homeland Security Act of 2002. The changes are largely cosmetic, with a focus on "enhancing" existing procedures for placing unaccompanied alien children in secure facilities. In other words, more red tape, more bureaucratic hurdles, and more opportunities for politicians to grandstand.

**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** The usual suspects:

* Unaccompanied alien children (the supposed beneficiaries of this bill) * The Department of Health and Human Services * The Secretary of Homeland Security * The Attorney General * Juvenile justice officials * Lobbyists and special interest groups masquerading as advocates for child welfare

**Potential Impact & Implications:** This bill will likely achieve the following:

* Further entrench the existing bureaucratic quagmire, ensuring that unaccompanied alien children remain in limbo, vulnerable to exploitation and abuse. * Provide a convenient talking point for politicians seeking to appear tough on human trafficking while doing little to address the root causes of this complex issue. * Create new opportunities for pork-barrel spending and cronyism, as various stakeholders jockey for position and funding.

In short, HR 4371 is a classic example of legislative malpractice – a bill that promises much but delivers little, designed to assuage the conscience of lawmakers while perpetuating the status quo. It's a Band-Aid on a bullet wound, a placebo for the gullible, and a cynical exercise in political posturing.

Diagnosis: Terminal case of bureaucratic sclerosis, with symptoms including moral grandstanding, partisan gridlock, and a complete disregard for effective policy solutions. Prognosis: Poor. Treatment: None, as our esteemed lawmakers are too busy congratulating themselves on their "efforts" to actually address the problem.

Related Topics

Immigration & Border Security
Generated using Llama 3.1 70B (Dr. Haus personality)

πŸ’° Campaign Finance Network

Rep. Fry, Russell [R-SC-7]

Congress 119 β€’ 2024 Election Cycle

Total Contributions
$87,215
23 donors
PACs
$0
Organizations
$10,100
Committees
$0
Individuals
$77,115

No PAC contributions found

1
EASTERN BAND OF CHEROKEE INDIANS
2 transactions
$6,600
2
RMS LLC
1 transaction
$2,500
3
ROBERT S GUYTON PC
1 transaction
$1,000

No committee contributions found

1
GAMBLE, KATHRYN
1 transaction
$6,600
2
AUSTIN, ROBERT
1 transaction
$6,600
3
MOORE, KEVIN
1 transaction
$6,600
4
LOWELL, RANDY
1 transaction
$3,435
5
GRUBBS, WESLEY
1 transaction
$3,435
6
WOOTEN, GAIL
1 transaction
$3,435
7
WELLS, MICHAEL
1 transaction
$3,435
8
JOHNSON, CYNDI
1 transaction
$3,435
9
JOHNSON, ROBERT
1 transaction
$3,435
10
AVENT, BARRY
1 transaction
$3,435
11
CASSELMAN, JOHN
1 transaction
$3,435
12
MARINO, PATRICK
1 transaction
$3,435
13
VALLARINO, MANUEL
1 transaction
$3,300
14
PLYLER, JUSTIN
1 transaction
$3,300
15
STOREY, JOAN
1 transaction
$3,300
16
PETERS, BP
1 transaction
$3,300
17
BELL, MENDEL J
1 transaction
$3,300
18
WISE, WYMAN
1 transaction
$3,300
19
SHY, STACEY
1 transaction
$3,300
20
PAYNE, FRANK K
1 transaction
$3,300

Cosponsors & Their Campaign Finance

This bill has 2 cosponsors. Below are their top campaign contributors.

Rep. Nehls, Troy E. [R-TX-22]

ID: N000026

Top Contributors

10

1
ALABAMA-COUSHATTA TRIBE
COMLIVINGSTON, TX
$1,000
Sep 30, 2024
2
GONSOULIN, AL A
RETIRED β€’ RETIRED
IndividualSUGAR LAND, TX
$6,600
Feb 26, 2024
3
FISHER, KENNETH
FISHER INVESTMENTS β€’ EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN
IndividualPLANO, TX
$6,600
May 23, 2024
4
FISHER, SHERRILYN
PLANO 6500 LLC β€’ MEMBER
IndividualPLANO, TX
$6,600
May 23, 2024
5
MARCHELI, DANNY
CLEAR PAVE β€’ PRESIDENT
IndividualRICHMOND, TX
$5,000
Sep 30, 2023
6
EMPARTIO, JOESPH
HERITAGE RANCH LLC β€’ OWNER
IndividualRICHMOND, TX
$5,000
Sep 10, 2024
7
DOUDS, KENNETH
KBR BUILDERS β€’ OWNER
IndividualSTAFFORD, TX
$5,000
Dec 3, 2024
8
GILL, EDWARD
RETIRED β€’ RETIRED
IndividualHALLETTSVILLE, TX
$5,000
Dec 3, 2024
9
MARCHELI, DANIEL
CLEAR PAVE LLC β€’ PRESIDENT
IndividualRICHMOND, TX
$5,000
Dec 3, 2024
10
DOUDS, ROBERT F JR.
SELF EMPLOYED β€’ CONSTRUCTION
IndividualHOUSTON, TX
$5,000
Dec 3, 2024

Rep. Moore, Barry [R-AL-1]

ID: M001212

Top Contributors

10

1
WINRED TECHNICAL SERVICES
OrganizationARLINGTON, VA
$3,300
Sep 30, 2023
2
ENTERPRISE TARPAULIN PRODUCTS, INC.
OrganizationENTERPRISE, AL
$3,300
Aug 9, 2023
3
WINRED TECHNICAL SERVICES
OrganizationARLINGTON, VA
$3,300
Jul 16, 2023
4
WINRED TECHNICAL SERVICES
OrganizationARLINGTON, VA
$3,300
Jul 16, 2023
5
NORTH MONTGOMERY MATERIALS LLC
OrganizationMILLBROOK, AL
$3,300
Sep 11, 2023
6
PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL ASSOCIATES, P.C.
OrganizationENTERPRISE, AL
$3,300
Aug 21, 2023
7
SOUTHLAND STRUCTURAL LLC
OrganizationFLORALA, AL
$3,300
Aug 22, 2023
8
WATSON GLASS
OrganizationENTERPRISE, AL
$3,300
Sep 13, 2023
9
WATSON GLASS
OrganizationENTERPRISE, AL
$3,300
Sep 13, 2023
10
ARGUTA RESOURCES, LLC
OrganizationEUFAULA, AL
$2,500
Aug 2, 2023

Donor Network - Rep. Fry, Russell [R-SC-7]

PACs
Organizations
Individuals
Politicians

Hub layout: Politicians in center, donors arranged by type in rings around them.

Loading...

Showing 49 nodes and 30 connections (51 secondary connections hidden)

Total contributions: $111,315

Top Donors - Rep. Fry, Russell [R-SC-7]

Showing top 23 donors by contribution amount

3 Orgs20 Individuals

Industry Impact

Which industries are materially affected by specific provisions in this bill. 2 helped.

  • Section 3(C) allows for the placement of certain unaccompanied alien children in secure facilities, which could increase demand for private prison services.

  • Section 3(A)(ii) requires screening for gang-related activity and background checks, which could benefit law enforcement and surveillance technology vendors.

Who funds the sponsor on these industries

For each industry this bill affects, here's what the sponsor (Rep. Fry, Russell [R-SC-7])received from donors associated with that industry during the 2022–present cycles. Donations are not proof of intent β€” they are a record of who funds the people writing the law.

Industries this bill HELPS

Project 2025 Policy Matches

This bill shows semantic similarity to the following sections of the Project 2025 policy document.

Introduction

Moderate68.2%
Pages: 180-182

β€” 148 β€” Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise l Unaccompanied minors 1. Congress should repeal Section 235 of the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008 (TVPRA),9 which provides numerous immigration benefits to unaccompanied alien children and only encourages more parents to send their children across the border illegally and unaccompanied. These children too often become trafficking victims, which means that the TVPRA has failed. 2. If an alternative to repealing Section 235 of the TVPRA is necessary, the section should be amended so that all unaccompanied children, regardless of nationality, may be returned to their home countries in a safe and efficient manner. Currently, the TVPRA allows only children from contiguous countries (Canada and Mexico) to be returned while every other unaccompanied minor must be placed into a lengthy process that usually results in the minor’s landing in the custody of an illegal alien family member. 3. Congress must end the Flores Settlement Agreement by explicitly setting nationwide terms and standards for family and unaccompanied detention and housing. Such standards should focus on meeting human needs and should allow for large-scale use of temporary facilities (for example, tents). 4. Congress should amend the Homeland Security Act and portions of the TVPRA to move detention of alien children expressly from the Department of Health and Human Services to DHS. l Asylum reform 1. The standard for a credible fear of persecution should be raised and aligned to the standard for asylum. It should also account specifically for credibility determinations that are a key element of the asylum claim. 2. Codify former asylum bars and third-country transit rules. 3. Congress should eliminate the particular social group protected ground as vague and overbroad or, in the alternative, provide a clear definition with parameters that at a minimum codify the holding in Matter of A-B- that gang violence and domestic violence are not grounds for asylum.10 β€” 149 β€” Department of Homeland Security l Parole reform. Congress should end the widespread abuse of parole in contravention of statute and return it to its origins as an extraordinary remedy for very limited purposes. l NGOs and processing. Congress should halt funds given to nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to process and transport illegal aliens into and throughout the United States. Such funds and infrastructure, including the DHS joint processing centers, should be redirected to secure the border, detain aliens, and provide space for immigration court proceedings. l Other pathways for border crossers. While Congress should use its oversight authority to ensure that Expedited Removal is used to the fullest extent and followed to the letter of the law, other paths for border crossers should be included in a legislative package. 1. Migrant protection protocols. Update the statutory language providing the basis for the Remain in Mexico program as needed to withstand judicial scrutiny and executive inaction. 2. Asylum Cooperative Agreements. While the agreements themselves must be negotiated, Congress should mandate that the executive branch work faithfully to negotiate and execute ACAs and set parameters to ensure that an unwilling executive cannot renege on an existing agreement or abandon the effort. 3. Other expedited pathways. Congress should explicitly permit programs akin to the Prompt Asylum Claim Review (PACR) and Humanitarian Asylum Review Process (HARP) programs. l Employment authorization 1. Congress should reassert control of employment authorization, which is subject to rampant regulatory abuse, and limit it to certain categories of legal immigrants and non-immigrants. 2. Congress should also permanently authorize E-Verify and make it mandatory. l State and local law enforcement

About These Correlations

Policy matches are calculated using semantic similarity between bill summaries and Project 2025 policy text. A score of 60% or higher indicates meaningful thematic overlap. This does not imply direct causation or intent, but highlights areas where legislation aligns with Project 2025 policy objectives.

Full Policy Text

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