Install
Fairness to Freedom Act of 2025
To establish the right to counsel, at Government expense for those who cannot afford counsel, for people facing removal.
- Introduced
- Committee
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To President
- Became law
Summary
Fairness to Freedom Act of 2025
This bill establishes a right to legal representation in certain immigration proceedings (e.g., removal and immigration bond hearings) at the government's expense for individuals who cannot afford representation. The bill also establishes various entities to facilitate such legal representation.
Currently, individuals in these immigration proceedings may be represented by counsel but not at government expense.
The bill addresses various issues related to such legal representation, including (1) the scope of the representation, (2) criteria for determining whether the individual is financially unable to afford representation, and (3) requirements relating to allowing the individual to meet with their lawyer and receiving relevant documents. Immigration proceedings may not commence until counsel has been appointed.
The bill also establishes the Office of Immigration Representation to ensure that qualified individuals who cannot afford legal representation receive the representation as required by this bill. The office's duties shall include establishing (1) administrative regions throughout the United States, and (2) a local immigration representation board for each region.
The local boards must, subject to the office's approval, develop and implement plans for providing legal representation under this bill. To provide such legal representation, the local boards may (1) establish one or more immigrant public defender organizations, (2) contract with existing community defender organizations, and (3) establish a panel attorney system.
The bill establishes minimum funding requirements for the office.
Summary by the Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress.
Actions
- Apr 30, 2025 Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- Apr 30, 2025 Introduced in House
Congressional and federal records come from official public sources: the House Clerk, the U.S. Senate, GovInfo and the Library of Congress (bill status), the Federal Register, and the congress-legislators project. They are copied on a schedule and may lag the official record by a few hours; the official sources govern. News and coverage counts are drawn from the 4Conservative index and reflect what the press published, not 4Conservative's views. Nothing here is an endorsement of any candidate, party or position. Terms of use.