The legislation is a direct response to the
President's misguided Muslim ban. In the chaos following the release of the executive order, people
across the country were detained at airports and denied opportunities
to consult with hundreds of attorneys who were there ready to provide
legal support. Some of these people were deported without any access to
due process. Even now, we are getting reports of people who are
literally relinquishing their legal permanent resident status without
consulting with anybody because they don't understand what they are
signing. Detention and deportation without due process happens far too often,
even though due process is a right that we hold so dear as Americans. For years, we have heard these cases of people being denied the right
to counsel, and my bill, the Access to Counsel Act, ensures that anyone
who is detained by CBP or held in ICE custody will get access to
counsel. This is a commonsense measure, and I know that there are many who are
fearful of what will come next.
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deported deportation