Judiciary Committee reports three immigration bills and adopts oversight plan after marathon markup

WASHINGTON — The House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday marked up and ordered three bills to be reported favorably to the House and adopted its authorization and oversight plan after hours of debate that ranged from foreign online censorship to drunk‑driving crimes by noncitizens and sanctions for Hamas affiliates.

Representative Darrell Issa, the sponsor of HR 1071, the “No Censors on Our Shores Act,” told the committee the measure is meant to protect Americans’ access to U.S. viewpoints on social platforms by blocking certain foreign officials who have participated in denying Americans’ speech abroad from entering the United States. Issa said the bill does not reach into other countries’ domestic law but would permit the administration to “deny them a visa” when a foreign official has “participated in stifling free speech” of Americans, and stressed that the administration retains waiver authority.

The committee adopted an amendment in the nature of a substitute to HR 1071 proposed by Issa and ordered the measure to be reported favorably to the House. The chair said the bill, as amended, would be reported as a single amendment in the nature of a substitute incorporating adopted changes.

Separately, the panel considered HR 875, the Protect Our Communities From DUIs Act, which would make a drunk‑driving conviction a basis for inadmissibility and removal for noncitizens in certain cases. Representative Barry Moore, sponsor of HR 875, opened by reciting national DUI fatality statistics and urging passage, saying, “If you’re a guest in this country and you drive drunk, you should be removed from our country, period.”

Supporters said the bill is a targeted effort to keep repeat or dangerous drunk drivers from remaining in or entering the country. Opponents — including members who noted they had lost family members to drunk‑driving crashes — criticized the proposal as both overly broad and likely to fall disproportionately on lawful permanent residents for misdemeanor convictions that can vary state to state. Representative Pramila Jayapal offered an amendment to preserve judicial discretion for lawful permanent residents in deportation decisions so judges could account for mitigating factors; that amendment was defeated on a recorded vote. The committee adopted an amendment in the nature of a substitute and ordered HR 875 to be reported favorably to the House.

The panel also moved and reported HR 176, the No Immigration Benefits for Hamas Terrorists Act. Subcommittee Chairman Tom McClintock urged adoption, saying the legislation would bar any person associated with Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad from immigration benefits or admission and would allow rapid removal if such affiliations are discovered. The committee adopted an amendment in the nature of a substitute and ordered the bill favorably reported.

The meeting concluded with debate and a recorded vote on the committee’s authorization and oversight plan, which lays out priorities for the 119th Congress. The plan prompted sustained dispute between committee Republicans, who said the plan will enable urgent inquiries into alleged agency “weaponization,” and Democrats, who argued the plan was partisan and failed to address serious developments under the current administration. After roll‑call voting the committee adopted the plan (17 ayes, 13 noes on the recorded tally announced at the end of the markup).

Throughout the day members on both sides of the aisle repeatedly invoked the First Amendment, immigration law and executive discretion over visas and pardons. Republicans repeatedly emphasized enforcement and border security concerns in arguing for stricter immigration consequences for certain criminal conduct. Democrats repeatedly sought to preserve due process and judicial discretion for lawful permanent residents and to include focused oversight of executive‑branch actions affecting civil liberties and law enforcement.

Representative Issa’s office said the sponsor expects to work with the parliamentarians and the minority to refine language as the measures move to the House floor. Staff and managers were authorized to make technical and conforming changes to the reported texts.

Votes at a glance - HR 1071, No Censors on Our Shores Act — amendment in the nature of a substitute adopted; bill ordered reported favorably to the House (recorded vote not requested at final disposition in transcript). - HR 875, Protect Our Communities From DUIs Act — amendment in the nature of a substitute adopted; bill ordered reported favorably to the House (committee adopted substitute and ordered the bill reported). - HR 176, No Immigration Benefits for Hamas Terrorists Act — amendment in the nature of a substitute adopted; bill ordered reported favorably to the House. - Judiciary Committee authorization & oversight plan — adopted on a recorded vote (tally as announced: 17 ayes, 13 noes).

Why it matters: The measures reflect the committee majority’s emphasis on using immigration law to respond to cross‑border harms — from foreign censorship of U.S. online speech to criminal offenses by noncitizens — while Democrats pressed for safeguards that preserve due process and judicial discretion for lawful residents. The adoption of the oversight plan sets the committee’s agenda for investigations and hearings in the coming months and produced sharp partisan disagreement about the focus and tone of forthcoming oversight.

What’s next: Each reported bill will be printed for the House with managers’ amendments incorporated and made available to members. Committee staff will make technical edits; members have two days to submit views on the committee report. The oversight plan will guide hearings and investigative requests under Judiciary Committee jurisdiction in the 119th Congress.