H.R. 666: Access to Counsel Act
Quick Facts:
Bill Sponsor: Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA-7)
Congress: 118
Date Introduced: Jan. 31, 2023
Last Action: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. (Jan. 31, 2023)
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.
Rep. Jake Auchincloss (D-MA-4) (Jan. 31, 2023)
Rep. Nanette Barragán (D-CA-44) (Jan. 31, 2023)
Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR-3) (Jan. 31, 2023)
Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR-1) (Jan. 31, 2023)
Rep. André Carson (D-IN-7) (Jan. 31, 2023)
Rep. Sean Casten (D-IL-6) (Jan. 31, 2023)
Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA-28) (Jan. 31, 2023)
Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI-1) (Jan. 31, 2023)
Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-NY-9) (Jan. 31, 2023)
Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX-30) (Jan. 31, 2023)
Rep. Danny Davis (D-IL-7) (Jan. 31, 2023)
Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-NY-13) (Jan. 31, 2023)
Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ-3) (Jan. 31, 2023)
Rep. Sylvia Garcia (D-TX-29) (Jan. 31, 2023)
Rep. Chuy García (D-IL-4) (Jan. 31, 2023)
Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ-7) (Jan. 31, 2023)
Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX-18) (Jan. 31, 2023)
Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-CA-51) (Jan. 31, 2023)
Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA-4) (Jan. 31, 2023)
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA-17) (Jan. 31, 2023)
Rep. Derek Kilmer (D-WA-6) (Jan. 31, 2023)
Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL-8) (Jan. 31, 2023)
Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA-12) (Jan. 31, 2023)
Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-NM-3) (Jan. 31, 2023)
Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA-18) (Jan. 31, 2023)
Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA-2) (Jan. 31, 2023)
Rep. Gwen Moore (D-WI-4) (Jan. 31, 2023)
Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY-12) (Jan. 31, 2023)
Rep. Grace Napolitano (D-CA-31) (Jan. 31, 2023)
Del. Eleanor Norton (D-DC-At-Large) (Jan. 31, 2023)
Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL-5) (Jan. 31, 2023)
Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD-8) (Jan. 31, 2023)
Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA-5) (Jan. 31, 2023)
Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-9) (Jan. 31, 2023)
Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA-30) (Jan. 31, 2023)
Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA-9) (Jan. 31, 2023)
Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA-14) (Jan. 31, 2023)
Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-12) (Jan. 31, 2023)
Rep. Norma Torres (D-CA-35) (Jan. 31, 2023)
Rep. Juan Vargas (D-CA-52) (Jan. 31, 2023)
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL-25) (Jan. 31, 2023)
Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ-12) (Jan. 31, 2023)
Rep. Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA-10) (Feb. 2, 2023)
Rep. Greg Casar (D-TX-35) (Feb. 2, 2023)
Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO-1) (Feb. 7, 2023)
Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL-20) (Feb. 7, 2023)
Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY-6) (Feb. 7, 2023)
Rep. Nikema Williams (D-GA-5) (Feb. 7, 2023)
Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-NM-1) (Feb. 21, 2023)
Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA-47) (Feb. 24, 2023)
Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY-10) (Feb. 28, 2023)
Rep. David Trone (D-MD-6) (March 22, 2023)
Rep. Donald Payne Jr. (D-NJ-10) (April 13, 2023)
Rep. Lois Frankel (D-FL-22) (April 17, 2023)
Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA-36) (May 11, 2023)
Rep. Dwight Evans (D-PA-3) (May 30, 2023)
Rep. Summer Lee (D-PA-12) (June 20, 2023)
Rep. Lou Correa (D-CA-46) (June 30, 2023)
Rep. Jill Tokuda (D-HI-2) (Sept. 8, 2023)
Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY-16) (Sept. 12, 2023)
Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA-7) (Sept. 19, 2023)
Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-IL-3) (Oct. 3, 2023)