H.R. 3101: Securing Help for Immigrants through Education and Legal Development Act (119th Congress) Bill Summary

This bill, known as the Securing Help for Immigrants through Education and Legal Development Act (or SHIELD Act), aims to enhance the legal representation for individuals facing deportation in the United States. Here are the main components of the bill:

Grant Program for Legal Services

The bill permits the Attorney General to distribute grants to states, local governments, and organizations. These grants are intended to:

Support recruitment and training of legal staff to represent individuals facing deportation.
Develop the infrastructure necessary to provide legal services.

Purpose and Need

The bill recognizes several issues regarding deportation proceedings:

Unlike criminal cases, there is no guaranteed government-provided legal counsel for those facing deportation, leaving many without adequate representation.
Most individuals in removal proceedings are unrepresented (estimated at 80% among detained individuals), which poses challenges as they must navigate complex legal systems by themselves.
Legal representation has been shown to significantly improve the chances of individuals being released from detention and avoiding deportation compared to those without attorneys.

Program Structure and Eligibility

To qualify for grants, entities must:

Be a state or local government that already contributes public funds towards immigration legal services.
Be a community-based organization, nonprofit, or educational institution that offers immigration-related legal services.
Even entities that train or mentor individuals providing such legal services can be eligible.

Use of Funds

The funds provided through these grants can be used in several ways, including:

Recruitment and educational training programs to increase the number of qualified legal professionals.
Technical assistance to improve the quality of legal representation.
Coordination among local legal service providers for efficient service delivery.
Infrastructure development, including resources aimed at retaining legal staff and addressing challenges like burnout.

Accountability Measures

Entities receiving grants will be required to:

Provide reports detailing the impact of funded services each year.
Submit to audits to prevent misuse of funds.
Outline the use of grant funds, including personnel costs and service outcomes.

Funding Authorization

The bill authorizes $100,000,000 in appropriations for each fiscal year from 2026 to 2027 to support the implementation of these initiatives.

Independent Oversight

The Attorney General, through the Director of the Office of Access to Justice, will maintain independent authority to ensure that the primary goal of increasing access to representation for immigrants is met, free from pressures associated with immigration enforcement priorities.