S. 2219: A bill to clarify the rights of all persons who are held or detained at a port of entry or at any detention facility overseen by U.S. Customs and Border Protection or U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

S. 2219: A bill to clarify the rights of all persons who are held or detained at a port of entry or at any detention facility overseen by U.S. Customs and Border Protection or U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

116th Congress · introduced 2019-07-23 · Immigration · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2019-07-23 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Harris, Kamala D. [D-CA] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. 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

A bill to clarify the rights of all persons who are held or detained at a port of entry or at any detention facility overseen by U.S. Customs and Border Protection or U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Plain summary

This bill establishes various protections for aliens in certain immigration-related proceedings or inspections. When an alien is undergoing certain types of inspections or is subject to a removal, exclusion, or deportation proceeding, the alien shall be entitled to representation by counsel of the alien's choice. The current statute only states that an alien is entitled to representation in removal proceedings. The bill also removes a statutory requirement that the government bears no cost for such representation. If such an alien is subject to detention or inspection at a port of entry and cannot meet with counsel, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) or U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) shall provide for remote communication with counsel. If such an alien has been denied access to counsel, the alien may not submit paperwork to abandon lawful permanent resident status or to withdraw an application for admission. The detention of an individual at a port of entry or a CBP or ICE facility shall (1) be limited to the briefest term and the least restrictive conditions necessary; and (2) include access to food, water, and restrooms.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), 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

A bill to clarify the rights of all persons who are held or detained at a port of entry or at any detention facility overseen by U.S. Customs and Border Protection or U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

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Arguments against (opponents)

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Alternatives

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Harris, Kamala D. [D-CA] · 6 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Kirsten E. Gillibrand (D-NY), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Cory A. Booker (D-NJ)

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).
Statute: A written law passed by a legislature. A statute can be changed by a later law; changing a constitution needs an amendment.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-116s2219.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/s>

Record fed-us-cong116-s2219 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116