Senate bill · S. 391 (119th Congress)
Access to Counsel Act of 2025
U.S. Senate
Summary
Access to Counsel Act of 2025 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.
Summary from the Congressional Research Service. How we handle summaries
From Congress.gov and official rosters. This record was last updated Sep 8, 2026. About our data
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Where it stands
Assigned to a committee for review.
- Introduced
- In committee
- Up for a vote
- Passed one chamber
- Passed
- Enacted
Committee
House Committee on the Judiciary · U.S. House of Representatives
Also referred to Senate Committee on the Judiciary · U.S. Senate.
Cosponsors
Adam B. Schiff, Andy Kim and 12 more on Agora
Showing the cosponsors who are on Agora, A to Z. The official record may list more.
Read on Congress.gov (opens in a new tab)- Democratic14
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Full history
- May 14, 2026
Introduced
Introduced in U.S. Senate
U.S. Senate
- Feb 4, 2025
Introduced
Introduced in Senate
U.S. Senate
- Feb 4, 2025
In committee
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S595-596)
U.S. Senate
- Feb 4, 2025
Referred to committee
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S595-596)
- Feb 4, 2025
Referred to committee
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S595-596)