Domestic Jobs Protection Act
Summary
What This Bill Does
The Domestic Jobs Protection Act amends the Immigration and Nationality Act definition of unauthorized alien in section 274A(h)(3). Current text treats a noncitizen as unauthorized for employment unless the person is lawfully admitted for permanent residence or authorized to be employed by the INA or by the Attorney General. The bill strikes the phrase 'or by the Attorney General.' The practical effect is to reduce executive-branch discretion to confer work authorization outside specific statutory authorization, making employment authorization depend more strictly on the INA itself. That benefits restrictionist labor and immigration-policy goals but burdens noncitizens, employers, and agencies that rely on discretionary employment authorization categories.
Who Benefits and How
U.S. workers competing for jobs benefit if fewer noncitizens receive discretionary federal employment authorization. Immigration restriction advocates benefit because the Attorney General's standalone employment-authorization phrase is removed from the statute. Employers seeking clearer statutory categories benefit from a narrower definition tied to the INA. Congress benefits by reserving more employment-authorization authority to statutory text rather than executive discretion.
Who Bears the Burden and How
Noncitizens with discretionary work authorization may lose or face uncertainty over employment eligibility. Employers relying on noncitizen workers must verify authorization under a narrower statutory standard. DHS employment authorization staff must adjust forms, guidance, and adjudications if discretionary authority is narrowed. Immigration attorneys must reassess work authorization strategies for affected clients.
Key Provisions
- Modifies the INA unauthorized alien definition for employment verification.
- Removes the phrase allowing employment authorization by the Attorney General.
- Limits work authorization to lawful permanent residence or authorization under the INA.
- Reduces executive discretion over noncitizen employment eligibility.
Evidence Chain:
This summary is generated from the full bill text using AI analysis. Expand "Detailed Analysis" below for identified beneficiaries/burden bearers with clause-level evidence links.
At a Glance
What This Bill Does
Narrows the Immigration and Nationality Act employment-authorization definition by removing the Attorney General's ability to authorize employment for otherwise unauthorized aliens.
Key Policy Areas
Immigration, Labor, Employment Authorization
Primary Purpose
Narrows the Immigration and Nationality Act employment-authorization definition by removing the Attorney General's ability to authorize employment for otherwise unauthorized aliens.
Policy Domains
Resolution provisions
Identified Gains
- U.S. workers competing for jobs
- Immigration restriction advocates
- Employers seeking statutory clarity
- Congress
Identified Costs
- Noncitizens with discretionary work authorization
- Employers relying on noncitizen workers
- DHS employment authorization staff
- Immigration attorneys
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
In CommitteeMr. Gill of Texas (for himself, Mr. Gosar, Ms. Boebert, …
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Introduced in House
Stakeholder Effects
cui bono?How this legislation distributes effects. Mention counts reflect frequency, not effect magnitude.
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
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