Land of the Free Act of 2025

Bill Number

H.R. 4959

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Immigration

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-08-12: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Last Updated

2026-04-23T08:06:54Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose The legislation, titled the "Land of the Free Act of 2025," seeks to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act by repealing a specific subsection. This change is described as providing an exception related to protected speech activities.

Key Provisions

• The bill repeals Section 237(a)(4)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (codified at 8 U.S.C. 1227(a)(4)(C)).
• No other changes or new sections are added to the law.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• This action removes the entire subsection 237(a)(4)(C) from the grounds for deportation under the Immigration and Nationality Act.
• The repeal eliminates whatever deportation authority was previously granted by that specific provision.

Potential Impacts

• Government agencies responsible for immigration enforcement, such as the Department of Homeland Security, would no longer apply the removed subsection in removal proceedings.
• Non-citizens previously subject to that subsection could face different outcomes in deportation cases.
• The change may affect how certain activities are treated in immigration decisions, with possible effects on international relations if the subsection involved foreign policy considerations.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Non-citizens who might have been deportable under the repealed subsection.
• Federal agencies handling immigration enforcement and removal.
• Individuals and groups involved in speech-related activities that could intersect with immigration status.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• The repeal removes one specific ground for deportation from federal immigration law, which could alter how the First Amendment's protections for speech apply in immigration contexts.
• This represents a direct legislative change to existing removal authority without adding new exceptions or definitions.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Ross, Deborah K. [D-NC-2]

Cosponsors (14)

Rep. Balint, Becca [D-VT-At Large], Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12], Rep. Simon, Lateefah [D-CA-12], Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4], Rep. Scanlon, Mary Gay [D-PA-5], Rep. Ocasio-Cortez, Alexandria [D-NY-14], Rep. Lee, Summer L. [D-PA-12], Rep. Nadler, Jerrold [D-NY-12], Rep. Foushee, Valerie P. [D-NC-4], Rep. Kamlager-Dove, Sydney [D-CA-37], Rep. Randall, Emily [D-WA-6], Rep. García, Jesús G. "Chuy" [D-IL-4], Rep. Ramirez, Delia C. [D-IL-3], Rep. McGovern, James P. [D-MA-2]

Recent Actions

• 2025-08-12: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
• 2025-08-12: Introduced in House
• 2025-08-12: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Land of the Free Act of 2025 — issued 2025-08-12 — PDF (2 pages)