119-HR-4638 Journalist Public Summary

Public Summary — 119-HR-4638 (BOWOW Act)

Headline Summary: The bill would bar or remove noncitizens who are convicted of (or admit to) harming federal police dogs or horses, by adding that offense as an explicit trigger for inadmissibility and deportability. [1]Congress.gov — Text - H.R.4638 - 119th Congress (2025-2026): BOWOW Act[2]Legal Information Institute (Cornell) — 18 U.S. Code § 1368 - Harming animals u…

What It Does: H.R. 4638 amends two parts of the Immigration and Nationality Act so that a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1368 (the federal crime of harming animals used in law enforcement) becomes its own ground to deny entry (INA §212(a)(2)) and to remove someone already here (INA §237(a)(2)). In plain terms: a qualifying conviction or admitted conduct tied to injuring a federal K‑9 or mounted unit would automatically carry immigration consequences. [1]Congress.gov — Text - H.R.4638 - 119th Congress (2025-2026): BOWOW Act[2]Legal Information Institute (Cornell) — 18 U.S. Code § 1368 - Harming animals u…

Why It Matters: Supporters say the change would better protect working animals and deter assaults, pointing to a June 2025 incident where a CBP beagle named Freddie was kicked at Dulles Airport; the case spurred the bill’s introduction. Opponents argue the bill is redundant and politicized, noting immigration law already imposes consequences for certain crimes and admissions, so creating a single‑offense carve‑out is unnecessary. [3]U.S. Customs and Border Protection — Egyptian traveler charged for kicking Dull…[4]Office of Rep. Ken Calvert — Rep. Calvert’s BOWOW Act Advanced by Judiciary Com…[5]U.S. Department of State — 9 FAM 302.3 – Ineligibility Based on Criminal Activi…

• Who’s For It: Sponsored by Rep. Ken Calvert (R‑CA) with 18 Republican cosponsors; backers say it stands up for law‑enforcement animals and adds clear immigration penalties. [6]Congress.gov — Cosponsors - H.R.4638 (119th Congress)[4]Office of Rep. Ken Calvert — Rep. Calvert’s BOWOW Act Advanced by Judiciary Com…
• Who’s Against It: Some House Democrats criticized it during markup; for example, Rep. Dan Goldman called it a messaging bill and offered a renaming amendment to highlight perceived redundancy. [7]Office of Rep. Dan Goldman — Rep. Dan Goldman press release opposing BOWOW Act…

What’s Next: The House Judiciary Committee held a full committee markup on November 18, 2025, and the sponsor says the bill was advanced; Congress.gov still lists its formal status as “referred to committee,” which often lags after markups. If formally reported, the next step would be scheduling a House floor vote. [8]House Judiciary Committee (Majority) — Markup of H.R. 4638 and other bills – Ho…[9]Congress.gov — Congress.gov event: House Judiciary markup (Nov. 18, 2025)[10]Congress.gov — All Actions (Except Amendments) - H.R.4638 (status)