Family Reunification Act of 2024

HR 8804, the Family Reunification Act of 2024, requires U.S. Customs and Border Protection to mandate rapid DNA testing for unauthorized immigrants presenting as family units (at ports of entry or after apprehension). If DNA confirms an immediate family relationship (parent/child or legal guardian), the family may be detained together pending lab confirmation; if not, the family must be separated immediately, with any child classified as an "unaccompanied alien child" under existing law. The bill directly affects unauthorized immigrants claiming family relationships during border encounters. It establishes a mandatory DNA testing process to determine family unit status, replacing current practices with a standardized procedure for separation or detention as a unit.