# Plain Language Summary: SAFER at the Border Act

This bill prevents the Department of Homeland Security from allowing certain people to enter the United States temporarily through a process called "parole." Normally, parole allows the government to let someone into the country for urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit, even if they don't normally qualify for entry. Under this bill, the government would be banned from using parole for three categories of people: those designated as "known terrorists," those suspected of being terrorists, and "special interest aliens" (people whose travel patterns and background suggest they might pose a national security risk related to terrorism).

The bill defines these three categories fairly broadly. A "known terrorist" includes anyone arrested, charged, indicted, or convicted of terrorism-related crimes by the U.S. or a foreign government, or anyone officially identified as a terrorist by executive order or UN Security Council resolution. A "suspected terrorist" is someone reasonably suspected of engaging in or planning terrorist activities. A "special interest alien" is someone whose travel patterns and available information suggest they might pose a national security risk connected to terrorism—this is the vaguest category and gives officials significant discretion in who qualifies.

The practical effect is that these three groups of people cannot be paroled into the country, period. They would have to go through the normal immigration process instead, which typically means detention and deportation proceedings. The bill also gives state attorneys general the power to sue the federal government if they believe the Department of Homeland Security violated these rules and harmed their state or residents, with courts required to fast-track these lawsuits. States can claim harm if they experience any negative effects, including financial harm over $100.