Ms. Hirono Proposes Bill to Provide Free Lawyers for Unaccompanied Children in Immigration Court
Stalled
No legislative action in over 90 days.
The bill creates new responsibilities for employees at HHS's Office of Refugee Resettlement, the Executive Office for Immigration Review, and DHS. Staff would need to build infrastructure for recruiting, training, and overseeing lawyers; share immigration files within tight deadlines; and produce annual reports to Congress. This means new workload and potentially new positions, but no direct changes to pay or benefits.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.
Introduced in Senate
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.
U.S. District Judge Araceli Martinez-Olguin granted a preliminary injunction against the administration's plan to withdraw funding for legal representation of unaccompanied minors. The court found that the termination of services likely violated federal anti-trafficking statutes.
The administration ended a $200 million contract providing legal services to unaccompanied minors, arguing the government is not obligated to pay for their defense. The move has sparked a legislative counter-offensive to codify the right to counsel for children in immigration court.
An investigation into the administration's overhaul of legal services for unaccompanied minors suggests a shift toward privatization. The ongoing battle in Congress over the Fair Day in Court for Kids Act highlights the divide over whether legal aid should be a guaranteed right or a contract.
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
Fair Day in Court for Kids Act of 2025
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