Sponsors (29)
The bill substantially expands legal protections and transparency for unaccompanied children and detained noncitizens—improving access to counsel, evidence, and oversight—but does so at the cost of higher federal spending, increased administrative burdens, potential delays in removal proceedings, and implementation challenges that could strain resources and raise privacy risks.
Unaccompanied children and detained noncitizens will gain guaranteed government-funded legal representation (including in ICE/CBP and privately contracted facilities), timely notification that counsel will be provided, access to DHS A-files with at least 10 days to review, continuity of counsel through appeals/reunification, and the ability to seek stays or motions to reopen if counsel is not made
ORR and programs serving refugees and other migrants can receive flexible, necessary funding through an open-ended authorization so services can be provided and scaled to actual need
HHS and DOJ must collect and publish data on legal representation (timing and rates), demographic breakdowns, and Know‑Your‑Rights activities, and HHS is directed to prioritize pro bono recruitment, training, and oversight — improving transparency, targeting of resources, and capacity for representation
Taxpayers face materially higher federal spending because the bill requires government-funded counsel for many noncitizens and authorizes open-ended appropriations to support services
Implementation will impose significant administrative and operational burdens on HHS, DHS, DOJ, and state/local governments (recruitment, training, A-file disclosure, reporting, oversight), potentially diverting staff and resources from other services
Requiring rapid A-file disclosure, a 10-day review period before proceedings, and allowing stays/motions to reopen can delay removal proceedings and add to immigration court backlogs, prolonging cases and enforcement timelines
Based on analysis of 8 sections of legislative text.
Requires government-funded counsel for unaccompanied children, ensures counsel access for detained noncitizens, sets file-delivery/review deadlines, requires HHS reporting, and authorizes necessary funding.
Introduced April 3, 2025 by Mazie Hirono · Last progress April 3, 2025
Requires government-funded legal representation for unaccompanied children in immigration proceedings, guarantees access to counsel for noncitizens detained by DHS or in DHS-contracted private facilities, and sets deadlines and procedures for sharing immigration files and for counsel’s duties. Directs HHS to build representation capacity, report annually to Congress on representation outcomes, and authorizes whatever funding is necessary to implement these provisions.