Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, a Democratic candidate for president, introduced a bill this week that would require attorneys for asylum claimants in the United States.
Current law mandates that asylum-seekers have the rights to counsel and to hire an attorney. But some immigrants, such as economic refugees, claiming asylum face difficulty financing legal representation.
“This would not only guarantee a more humane way to process asylum claims and other legal protections, but it would improve the efficiency of our immigration courts and help our country do a much better job of managing our immigration system,” Gillibrand told CNN.
Under the bill, called The Funding Attorneys for Indigent Removal (FAIR) Proceedings Act, claimants or a member of any eligible groups are provided an attorney if they face removal proceedings. The language of the legislation focuses around immigrants with disabilities and those who have been victims of violent crimes.
Gillibrand’s bill has received several co-sponsors, including fellow presidential candidates Sens. Cory Booker and Bernie Sanders.
Reps. Donald McEachin and Zoe Lofgren introduced a version of the bill in the House in 2018, receiving 55 co-sponsors.
