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United States · Bill · HR

H.R. 944 (119th)

Access to Counsel Act

referredUnited States· United States Congress· EN

Introduced

4 February 2025

Last action

4 February 2025 · Introduced

Status

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Sponsors

Rep. Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7], Rep. Ansari, Yassamin [D-AZ-3], Rep. Barragán, Nanette Diaz [D-CA-44], Rep. Bonamici, Suzanne [D-OR-1], Rep. Casar, Greg [D-TX-35], Rep. Casten, Sean [D-IL-6], Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick, Sheila [D-FL-20], Rep. Chu, Judy [D-CA-28], Rep. Clarke, Yvette D. [D-NY-9], Rep. Crockett, Jasmine [D-TX-30], Rep. Davis, Danny K. [D-IL-7], Rep. DeGette, Diana [D-CO-1], Rep. Espaillat, Adriano [D-NY-13], Rep. Garcia, Sylvia R. [D-TX-29], Rep. García, Jesús G. "Chuy" [D-IL-4], Rep. Grijalva, Raúl M. [D-AZ-7], Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4], Rep. Khanna, Ro [D-CA-17], Rep. Krishnamoorthi, Raja [D-IL-8], Rep. Lee, Summer L. [D-PA-12], Rep. Leger Fernandez, Teresa [D-NM-3], Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-36], Rep. Lofgren, Zoe [D-CA-18], Rep. McBride, Sarah [D-DE-At Large], Rep. McGovern, James P. [D-MA-2], Rep. McIver, LaMonica [D-NJ-10], Rep. Meng, Grace [D-NY-6], Rep. Moore, Gwen [D-WI-4], Rep. Nadler, Jerrold [D-NY-12], Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large], Rep. Pocan, Mark [D-WI-2], Rep. Quigley, Mike [D-IL-5], Rep. Ramirez, Delia C. [D-IL-3], Rep. Scanlon, Mary Gay [D-PA-5], Rep. Schakowsky, Janice D. [D-IL-9], Rep. Smith, Adam [D-WA-9], Rep. Stansbury, Melanie A. [D-NM-1], Rep. Swalwell, Eric [D-CA-15], Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12], Rep. Tokuda, Jill N. [D-HI-2], Rep. Vargas, Juan [D-CA-52], Rep. Velázquez, Nydia M. [D-NY-7], Rep. Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [D-FL-25], Rep. Williams, Nikema [D-GA-5], Rep. Raskin, Jamie [D-MD-8], Rep. Pressley, Ayanna [D-MA-7], Rep. Goldman, Daniel S. [D-NY-10], Rep. Carson, André [D-IN-7]

Subjects

Asylum, Immigration

Source updated

18 July 2026

Asylum · Immigration

Official sourceDownload fileView documentsShare

Summary

Access to Counsel Act 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.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

  1. 4 February 2025

    Introduced

    Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

    Source: IntroReferral

  2. 4 February 2025

    Introduced

    Introduced in House

    Source: IntroReferral

  3. 4 February 2025

    Introduced

    Introduced in House

    Source: IntroReferral

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

No version snapshots stored. Document URLs remain at the source.

Documents

2 official files

Introduced in House

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  • Introduced in House

    Introduced in House · EN · 4 February 2025

    ViewDownloadOpen at official source

  • Introduced in House

    summary · EN · 4 February 2025

    Open at official source

    Leesvertaling

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Sponsors

Showing 48 of 75 sponsors and actors.

Related records

Sources

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