Bills · S 5324
IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS
Senate BillS 5324Immigration
Fairness to Freedom Act of 2026
The bill would provide publicly funded legal representation to people unable to afford counsel in specified immigration proceedings and related matters, with rules for appointments, records and timing.AI-written
INTRO AUG 6· LAST ACTION AUG 6
PASSAGE CHANCESLONG SHOT
3%
READING
12MIN
COSPONSORS
8
READER REACTIONS0 TOTAL
NO VOTES YET · BE THE FIRST
- Introduced only
tl;dr
AI-writtenA government-paid lawyer for eligible people facing removal. The bill also sets deadlines for appointing counsel and providing case records.
LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS
STEP 2 / 8Introduced
In Committee
Reported
Passed Senate
Passed House
Conference
To President
Became Law
WHAT THE BILL DOES
AI-writtenThe bill would change who pays for legal help in covered proceedings: eligible people would be entitled to representation at government expense, with representation continuing through later stages of the case. It would also give people and their lawyers time and access to government-held records before proceedings move forward.
The bill could affect how quickly covered proceedings begin, since they generally could not start until counsel is appointed and the required records have been received for at least 10 days. The reviewed excerpt does not show the bill’s funding amounts or all of its provisions.
KEY PROVISIONS
5AI-extractedPROVISION 01
Creates a right to government-paid legal representation for people who cannot afford qualified counsel in specified removal proceedings and related legal matters.
This would make publicly funded legal help available to eligible people in a broad range of covered immigration cases.
PROVISION 02
For a person in custody, the right to counsel would attach upon placement in federal custody or issuance of certain documents starting proceedings; appointment must occur no later than 24 hours after the person is taken into Department of Homeland Security custody.
The timing rules are intended to provide legal help early, including before a proceeding formally begins.
PROVISION 03
Counsel would generally represent a person continuously through covered proceedings and related appeals, including proceedings in immigration and federal courts.
Representation would not be limited to a single hearing or stage of a case.
PROVISION 04
The person and counsel would receive relevant government-held records; the immigration file must be provided within seven days after counsel is appointed, and proceedings generally must wait at least 10 days after all required records are received.
The person and lawyer would have time to review records before a covered proceeding moves forward.
PROVISION 05
A person may qualify through a sworn statement that their family income is at or below 200 percent of the poverty line; the bill also describes eligibility based on whether a person’s resources and income are enough to obtain qualified counsel.
These rules describe who may receive government-appointed counsel.
SPONSORSHIP
1 + 8
D· California
YRS IN OFFICE
25
BILLS LED
97
COSPONSOR BREAKDOWNBIPARTISAN · 0%
DEM 7 REP 0 IND 1
ACTION TIMELINE
2 EVENTSAUG 6
Introduced in Senate
AUG 6
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
BILL INFO
TypeSenate Bill
NumberS 5324
Congress119th
StatusIn Committee
IntroducedAug 6, 2026
Last actionAug 6, 2026
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IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS · JUDICIARY COMMITTEE · INTRODUCED AUG 6, 2026
Senate BillS 5324Immigration
Fairness to Freedom Act of 2026
The bill would provide publicly funded legal representation to people unable to afford counsel in specified immigration proceedings and related matters, with rules for appointments, records and timing.AI-written
INTRODUCED AUG 6, 2026· LAST ACTION AUG 6, 2026
PASSAGE CHANCES
3%
READING
12 min
COSPONSORS
8
COMPLEXITY
Complex
