Bill > S1912

This bill, 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 include: 1) Requiring the Secretary of Homeland Security to ensure that covered individuals (such as U.S. nationals, lawful permanent residents, and certain visa holders) have a meaningful opportunity to consult with counsel and an interested party (e.g., a relative, visa petitioner/sponsor) during the inspection process, including at secondary or deferred inspection; 2) Prohibiting 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, unless the individual knowingly and voluntarily waives that opportunity; and 3) Clarifying that the bill does not limit any existing rights to counsel or appointed counsel under the Immigration and Nationality Act or other applicable laws.

Justice

https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/1912/all-info