H.R. 3127 · Where this bill is now
In committee
Introduced in the House, sent to the Committee on the Judiciary, Apr 30, 2025
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryProvides free lawyers in immigration cases
This bill would establish a right to government-funded legal representation for people who can't afford lawyers in certain immigration proceedings, like removal hearings and bond hearings. It creates a new Office of Immigration Representation to set up regional boards that would arrange legal representation through public defender organizations, community groups, or private attorneys. Immigration cases wouldn't start until someone has been assigned a lawyer.
How it affects you
If you're facing removal from the U.S. or an immigration bond hearing and can't pay for a lawyer, this bill would entitle you to free legal representation at government expense. For others, this would be a change to how immigration courts operate, since these proceedings currently allow lawyers but don't provide them for free.
Read the official summary (Introduced in House, Apr 30, 2025)
Fairness to Freedom Act of 2025
This bill establishes a right to legal representation in certain immigration proceedings (e.g., removal and immigration bond hearings) at the government's expense for individuals who cannot afford representation. The bill also establishes various entities to facilitate such legal representation.
Currently, individuals in these immigration proceedings may be represented by counsel but not at government expense.
The bill addresses various issues related to such legal representation, including (1) the scope of the representation, (2) criteria for determining whether the individual is financially unable to afford representation, and (3) requirements relating to allowing the individual to meet with their lawyer and receiving relevant documents. Immigration proceedings may not commence until counsel has been appointed.
The bill also establishes the Office of Immigration Representation to ensure that qualified individuals who cannot afford legal representation receive the representation as required by this bill. The office's duties shall include establishing (1) administrative regions throughout the United States, and (2) a local immigration representation board for each region.
The local boards must, subject to the office's approval, develop and implement plans for providing legal representation under this bill. To provide such legal representation, the local boards may (1) establish one or more immigrant public defender organizations, (2) contract with existing community defender organizations, and (3) establish a panel attorney system.
The bill establishes minimum funding requirements for the office.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
1st SessionH. R. 3127
A BILL
Fairness to Freedom Act of 2025
Sponsor: Rep. Norma J. Torres (D-CA-35) · Introduced Apr 30, 2025 · Immigration · 1 version of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Apr 30, 2025: “Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.”
Sections
Sections · 1
Title I — Guaranteeing the right to counsel · 2
Title II — Office of Immigration Representation · 10
- Sec. 201DefinitionsNo change
- Sec. 202Establishment; purpose; independenceNo change
- Sec. 203Board of DirectorsNo change
- Sec. 204DirectorNo change
- Sec. 205EmployeesNo change
- Sec. 206Local immigration representation boardsNo change
- Sec. 207Types of immigration defendersNo change
- Sec. 208Compensation and reimbursement of expenses of counselNo change
- Sec. 209Services other than counselNo change
- Sec. 210Immigration Representation Advisory BoardNo change