H.R. 656: DREAMers, Immigrants, and Refugees (DIRe) Legal Aid Act

116th Congress · introduced 2019-01-17 · Immigration · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2019-01-17 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Correa, J. Luis [D-CA-46] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

DREAMers, Immigrants, and Refugees (DIRe) Legal Aid Act

Plain summary

DREAMers, Immigrants, and Refugees (DIRe) Legal Aid Act This bill directs the Department of Justice to make grants to nonprofit legal services providers to provide immigration law-related services to certain aliens facing removal or at risk of being denied entry into the United States. The services shall be available to an alien who (1) is lawfully admitted for permanent residence, (2) has received Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status, or (3) qualifies for admission as a refugee or whose spouse or parent so qualifies. The Department of Homeland Security shall report to Congress about the immigration outcomes of aliens who have legal representation compared to those who do not.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

DREAMers, Immigrants, and Refugees (DIRe) Legal Aid Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

AI explanation – may be wrong, check the official text

No AI explanation yet. It takes up to a minute to write and is then saved for everyone.

Limited to a few requests an hour per person.

The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Arguments against (opponents)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Alternatives

Needs sources: no published alternatives yet (for example a different bill, a law instead of an amendment, or keeping current law). We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Correa, J. Luis [D-CA-46] · 59 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY), Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY), Rosa L. DeLauro (D-CT), Doris O. Matsui (D-CA), Julia Brownley (D-CA), Diana DeGette (D-CO), Frederica S. Wilson (D-FL), Marc A. Veasey (D-TX), Henry C. "Hank" Johnson, Jr. (D-GA), Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), John Garamendi (D-CA), Betty McCollum (D-MN), Maxine Waters (D-CA), Donald S. Beyer, Jr. (D-VA), Gregory W. Meeks (D-NY), Peter Welch (D-VT), Bradley Scott Schneider (D-IL), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Pete Aguilar (D-CA), Mark Takano (D-CA), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), James P. McGovern (D-MA), Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX), Ro Khanna (D-CA), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Salud O. Carbajal (D-CA), Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Darren Soto (D-FL), Jimmy Gomez (D-CA), Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA), Linda T. Sánchez (D-CA), Janice D. Schakowsky (D-IL), Adam Smith (D-WA), Mike Quigley (D-IL)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Correa, J. Luis [D-CA-46] reported raising $1.5 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Securities: Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-116hr656.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/hr>

Record fed-us-cong116-hr656 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116