119th Congress Immigration
S. 1297: Fair Day in Court for Kids Act of 2025
Introduced
- Introduced (completed)
- Passed Senate (not reached)
- Passed House (not reached)
- To the President (not reached)
- Became law (not reached)
Summary
This bill provides legal protections for a non-U.S. national (alien under federal law) who is detained or subject to immigration-related proceedings.
The Department of Justice (DOJ), or the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in a case involving an unaccompanied child, may appoint or provide counsel at the government's expense to non-U.S. nationals in removal proceedings and related appeals.
An unaccompanied child must be represented by counsel paid for and appointed by the government at every stage of such proceedings unless the child has obtained counsel at their own expense. If HHS fails to provide counsel to an unaccompanied child, the child's deadline for filing a motion to reopen a removal proceeding shall not apply, and the filing of such a motion shall stay the child's removal from the United States.
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The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) must provide a complete copy of a non-U.S. national's immigration file to the non-U.S. national (or the non-U.S. national's counsel) within seven days of a notice to appear for an immigration proceeding, and failure to provide the file shall result in a delay in the proceeding.
DHS must provide access to counsel for all detained non-U.S. nationals.
The Office of Refugee Resettlement must develop model guidelines for representing non-U.S. national children in immigration proceedings.
HHS must annually report on the extent to which it has provided counsel for unaccompanied children under this bill.
Written by the Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress.
Roll calls
No roll call votes have been held on this bill.
Amendments
No amendments were offered to this bill.
Cosponsors
- Michael Bennet D-COOriginal
- Richard Blumenthal D-CTOriginal
- Cory Booker D-NJOriginal
- Christopher Coons D-DEOriginal
- Catherine Cortez Masto D-NVOriginal
- Richard Durbin D-ILOriginal
- Tammy Duckworth D-ILOriginal
- John Fetterman D-PAOriginal
- John Hickenlooper D-COOriginal
- Martin Heinrich D-NMOriginal
- Amy Klobuchar D-MNOriginal
- Andy Kim D-NJOriginal
- Edward Markey D-MAOriginal
- Christopher Murphy D-CTOriginal
- Jeff Merkley D-OROriginal
- Jon Ossoff D-GAOriginal
- Alejandro Padilla D-CAOriginal
- Bernard Sanders I-VTOriginal
- Adam Schiff D-CAOriginal
- Brian Schatz D-HIOriginal
- Tina Smith D-MNOriginal
- Chris Van Hollen D-MDOriginal
- Ron Wyden D-OROriginal
- Peter Welch D-VTOriginal
- Sheldon Whitehouse D-RIOriginal
- Elizabeth Warren D-MAOriginal
- Kirsten Gillibrand D-NY
- Ben Luján D-NM
Who scored on this bill
- 1Mazie Hirono SponsorDrew cross-party cosponsors, reached a cosponsor milestone, introduced3 events+12
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Other bills by Mazie Hirono
History
- Introduced in the Senate by Mazie Hirono.
Show the full action history (2 actions)
- Introduced in Senate
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.