Following Pope Francis' message for cooperation and legislators to represent the people, Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard, D-Calif., announced the introduction of two bills providing improved treatment for immigrants.

Roybal-Allard's two proposals would ensure the federal government provides care for immigrants detained in the U.S.

The first bill, the Child Trafficking Victims Protection Act (CTVPA) (H.R. 3606), expands legal protections for young immigrants detained at the border. The second bill, Protect Family Values at the Border Act (PFVBA) (H.R. 3605), would require the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to create "basic human treatment standards" for immigrants detained by Customs and Border Protection, an agency within the DHS.

"I am introducing these two bills for a very simple reason: Immigrants, especially children, deserve fair and humane treatment while they are in U.S. custody," said Roybal-Allard, the Ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security.

Roybal-Allard referenced Pope Francis' historic speech to Congress on Thursday morning, when he acknowledged that many people "travel north in search of a better life for themselves and for their loved ones."

"The pope is absolutely right. Our government should not deny these individuals a basic minimum standard of care. Let us commit to treating them not as statistics on a sheet, but as the children of God that they are. If we choose to deny immigrants their humanity, we deny our own humanity as well," said Roybal-Allard, the first Mexican-American woman elected to Congress.

With H.R. 3605, the PFVBA will require DHS to provide essentials to people detained by CBP, with food, emergency medical care, timely transfers and translated legal documents. With H.R. 3606, CTVPA also DHS to hire licensed social workers to further ensure the detained children are treated with appropriate care. CTVPA also provides children with basic needs, including beds, nutrition, educational materials and recreational programs.

According to Jennifer Podkul, senior program officer at the Women's Refugee Commission, the U.S. Government Accountability Office and the U.N. Refugee Agency have acknowledged there are shortcomings in the screening and caring of children at U.S. borders, "and these bills will ensure the agency creates common sense procedures to ensure humane treatment and protect fundamental American family values."

As of Sept. 24, H.R. 3605 and H.R. 3606 have been referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary and Committee on Homeland Security. H.R. 3606 was also referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and Appropriations Committee. According to Congress.gov, both bills will rest in each committee "for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned."

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For the latest updates, follow Latin Post's Politics Editor Michael Oleaga on Twitter: @EditorMikeO or contact via email: m.oleaga@latinpost.com.

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