To provide the Secretary of Homeland Security certain direct hiring authorities.

HR 8497 grants the Secretary of Homeland Security direct hiring authority for specific roles at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), bypassing standard federal hiring rules. It applies only to critical staffing needs in USCIS's Refugee, Asylum, and International Operations directorates, and ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations (including deportation officers), after public notice and consultation with the Office of Personnel Management. The bill requires annual reports to Congress on hired staff demographics, salaries, and adherence to merit principles, and expires 5 years after enactment. This is a procedural change affecting only specific immigration enforcement and service roles within DHS.