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119th Congress Immigration

H.R. 944: Access to Counsel Act

Introduced

  1. Introduced (completed)Feb 4, 2025
  2. Passed House (not reached)
  3. Passed Senate (not reached)
  4. To the President (not reached)
  5. Became law (not reached)

Summary

Introduced in House, Feb 4, 2025

This bill provides various protections for covered individuals subject to secondary or deferred inspections when seeking admission into the United States. Covered individuals include U.S. nationals, lawful permanent residents, non-U.S. nationals (aliens under federal law) in possession of a visa, returning asylees, and refugees.

The Department of Homeland Security must ensure that a covered individual subject to secondary or deferred inspection has a meaningful opportunity to consult with counsel and certain related parties, such as a relative, within an hour of the start of the secondary inspection and as necessary during the inspection process. The counsel and related party must be allowed to advocate on behalf of the covered individual, including by providing evidence and information to the examining immigration officer.

A lawful permanent resident subject to secondary or deferred inspection may not abandon lawful permanent resident status until the individual has had a meaningful opportunity to seek advice from counsel, unless the individual voluntarily and knowingly waives in writing this opportunity to seek counsel's advice.

Written by the Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress.

Roll calls

0 votes on this bill

No roll call votes have been held on this bill.

Amendments

0 offered

No amendments were offered to this bill.

Cosponsors

73

Who scored on this bill

12 points earned
  1. 1Pramila Jayapal D-WA SponsorReached a cosponsor milestone, introduced3 events+12
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Introductions and cosponsorships count toward weekly caps and show no points.

History

  1. Feb 4, 2025Introduced in the House by Pramila Jayapal.
Show the full action history (2 actions)
  1. Feb 4, 2025Introduced in House
  2. Feb 4, 2025Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.