# 119-hr-10943: Counsel for Kids Act of 2026

119-hr-10943, Counsel for Kids Act of 2026, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Scholten, Hillary J. [D-MI-3] (D-MI); status introduced (as of 2026-11-04).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-10943
- As of: 2026-11-04
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-10943
- Congress: 119
- Title: Counsel for Kids Act of 2026
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2026-10-29
- Sponsor: Rep. Scholten, Hillary J. [D-MI-3] (D-MI)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Policy area: unknown
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2026-11-04

## Summary

**Guarantees in-person, independent legal counsel for unaccompanied alien children** in all immigration proceedings at no cost to the child. It also removes language that barred government-covered litigation costs, making room for government or other funding to pay for representation. - Unaccompanied children: UACs in Health and Human Services or Homeland Security custody must get in-person, independent lawyers in every immigration hearing and be protected from mistreatment, exploitation, and trafficking. - Health and Human Services: The Secretary must establish a third-party provider network to deliver that counsel and safeguard children while in custody. - Legal funding and providers: The bill strikes "at no expense to the Government" from two Immigration and Nationality Act sections, removing an explicit statutory barrier to government-funded representation and clarifying that counsel can be paid without that restriction.

## Provisions PRIA read

- Free in-person lawyers for unaccompanied kids: benefit, high. If enacted, unaccompanied alien children who are or were in HHS or DHS custody would be provided in-person legal counsel by an independent third party in all immigration proceedings at no cost to the child. The bill would exclude children described in subsection (a)(2)(A). The Secretary of Health a…
- Remove government cost limit for counsel: mixed, low. If enacted, the bill would strike wording in two Immigration and Nationality Act sections that says representation is provided “at no expense to the Government.” This would remove the express statutory cost limitation but would not itself require the Government to pay for representation or require…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-3151: SHIPS for America Act of 2025
- 119-hr-6900: American Affordability Act of 2025
- 119-hr-4669: FEMA Act of 2025
- 119-hr-7977: Energy Bills Relief Act
- 119-hr-4393: DIGNIDAD (Dignity) Act of 2025
- 119-hr-7481: Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2026

## Sources
- [119-hr-10943 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/10943)

## Related
- [119-hr-3151: SHIPS for America Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-3151)
- [119-hr-6900: American Affordability Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-6900)
- [119-hr-4669: FEMA Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-4669)
- [119-hr-7977: Energy Bills Relief Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7977)
- [119-hr-4393: DIGNIDAD (Dignity) Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-4393)
- [119-hr-7481: Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7481)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-10943 (as of 2026-11-04).