A Democratic bill with 18 Democratic cosponsors · See all 18 cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S595-596)
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Access to Counsel Act of 2025 aims to clarify the rights of certain persons held at ports of entry or facilities overseen by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. It requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to ensure that covered individuals have a meaningful opportunity to consult with counsel or an interested party. This includes a requirement to provide such opportunities within one hour after secondary inspection begins. The bill also mandates that counsel can advocate by providing evidence and documentation to immigration officers. Additionally, it establishes specific protections for lawful permanent residents regarding the abandonment of their status.
Yes· 3 of 5
- Scored +7
Would immigrants be better off under this?
The bill significantly improves the rights of immigrants by guaranteeing a meaningful opportunity to consult with counsel within one hour of secondary inspection.
- Scored +6
Does this protect the right to fair treatment by the courts?
The bill enhances due process for individuals at ports of entry by guaranteeing timely access to legal counsel and the ability to present evidence.
- Scored +4
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?
Access to counsel and interested parties provides essential legal protections for those who may not have the resources to navigate complex immigration procedures alone.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Meaningful consultation opportunities: The Secretary of Homeland Security must ensure covered individuals can consult with counsel or an interested party during the inspection process (Section 2, subsection a, 1). This provides individuals with professional guidance during inspections.
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Timely access to assistance: Individuals are guaranteed a meaningful opportunity to consult with counsel or an interested party no later than 1 hour after the secondary inspection process starts (Section 2, subsection a, 2, A).
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Advocacy rights: Counsel and interested parties are permitted to advocate for the individual by providing information, documentation, and evidence to the examining immigration officer (Section 2, subsection a, 2, B).
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In-person accessibility: The bill requires the government, to the greatest extent practicable, to accommodate requests for counsel or an interested party to appear in person at secondary or deferred inspection sites (Section 2, subsection a, 2, C).
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Protection for Lawful Permanent Residents: The Secretary may not accept a Form I-407 Record of Abandonment of Lawful Permanent Resident Status without first providing the individual a meaningful opportunity to seek advice from counsel (Section 2, subsection a, 3, A).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No negative impacts are explicitly mentioned in the provided text.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would immigrants be better off under this? — The bill significantly improves the rights of immigrants by guaranteeing a meaningful opportunity to consult with counsel within one hour of secondary inspection. Would Hispanic Americans be better off under this? — The bill provides procedural safeguards for immigrants that disproportionately benefit Hispanic communities at the border. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — Access to counsel and interested parties provides essential legal protections for those who may not have the resources to navigate complex immigration procedures alone.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this protect the right to fair treatment by the courts? — The bill enhances due process for individuals at ports of entry by guaranteeing timely access to legal counsel and the ability to present evidence.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this make it easier for immigrants already here to become citizens? — By ensuring access to counsel and protecting lawful permanent residents from involuntary status abandonment, the bill strengthens the stability of immigrant status.
- 6/9/2026
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- 5/14/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 2/11/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 2/4/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S595-596)
- 14 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Angela AlsobrooksDemocrat · Maryland
Richard BlumenthalDemocrat · Connecticut
Cory BookerDemocrat · New Jersey
Christopher CoonsDemocrat · Delaware
Catherine Cortez MastoDemocrat · Nevada
Richard DurbinDemocrat · Illinois
Tammy DuckworthDemocrat · Illinois
John HickenlooperDemocrat · Colorado
Mazie HironoDemocrat · Hawaii
Andy KimDemocrat · New Jersey
Ben LujánDemocrat · New Mexico
Edward MarkeyDemocrat · Massachusetts
Patty MurrayDemocrat · Washington
Jon OssoffDemocrat · Georgia
Jacky RosenDemocrat · Nevada
Adam SchiffDemocrat · California
Peter WelchDemocrat · Vermont
Elizabeth WarrenDemocrat · Massachusetts