Bill > HR1573

This bill, titled the Access to Counsel Act of 2021, aims to clarify the rights of certain individuals who are held or detained at a port of entry or at any facility overseen by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The key provisions of the bill are as follows: 1. It requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to ensure that individuals subject to secondary or deferred inspection have a meaningful opportunity to consult with counsel and an interested party, such as a relative or the petitioner or sponsor of their visa, during the inspection process. 2. It allows counsel and interested parties to advocate on behalf of the individual and provide information, documentation, and other evidence to the examining immigration officer. 3. It prohibits the Secretary from accepting an abandonment of lawful permanent resident status from a lawful permanent resident without first providing them a meaningful opportunity to seek advice from counsel, with an exception if the individual knowingly, intelligently, and voluntarily waives that opportunity in writing. 4. The bill defines "counsel" to include licensed attorneys and individuals accredited by the Attorney General to represent individuals in immigration matters. The bill aims to provide greater access to legal counsel and support for individuals going through secondary or deferred inspection at ports of entry or other facilities overseen by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

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https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1573/all-info