H.R. 9124: Know Your Rights Act

This bill, titled the "Know Your Rights Act," aims to improve the treatment of detained persons, particularly focusing on noncitizens undergoing immigration proceedings. The key aspects of the bill are outlined below:

Establishment of Office of Legal Access Programs

The Attorney General is required to create an Office of Legal Access Programs within the Executive Office for Immigration Review. This office will be responsible for developing and managing legal orientation programs aimed at educating noncitizens about their rights and the procedures involved in immigration law. The Attorney General must submit a detailed plan to Congress within 180 days of the bill's enactment, which will outline how these programs will be deployed within one year.

Legal Orientation Programs

The legal orientation programs will focus on several key areas:

• Assisting noncitizens in making informed decisions about their removal from the country and eligibility for any legal relief.
• Providing information in English and the five most common native languages spoken by the detainees to ensure proper understanding of rights.
• Identifying particularly vulnerable noncitizens, such as unaccompanied minors and individuals with serious mental disabilities, for special consideration by the Attorney General.
• Offering additional legal assistance during various immigration proceedings as specified in various sections of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

Procedures for Implementation

The Secretary of Homeland Security, in coordination with the Attorney General, will establish protocols to ensure that legal orientation programs are accessible to all noncitizens within five days of their arrival in custody. Detainees will be informed about the immigration hearing procedures, their rights regarding these hearings, and provided with resources that may assist them, including a list of potential legal service providers.

Enforcement and Legal Implications

It is important to note that the bill specifies that it does not grant any substantive or procedural rights that can be legally enforced against the United States or its agencies. This means that while the bill aims to provide educational resources and support, it does not create new legal rights for detainees that could be challenged in court.

Funding

The bill includes provisions for necessary appropriations to implement the various aspects of this legislation, though specific amounts are not defined within the bill itself.

Relevant Companies

None found.