# 119-hr-9259: Fair Day in Court for Kids Act of 2026

119-hr-9259, Fair Day in Court for Kids Act of 2026, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Lofgren, Zoe [D-CA-18] (D-CA); status introduced (as of 2026-10-31).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9259
- As of: 2026-10-31
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-9259
- Congress: 119
- Title: Fair Day in Court for Kids Act of 2026
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2026-06-11
- Sponsor: Rep. Lofgren, Zoe [D-CA-18] (D-CA)
- Cosponsors: 34
- Policy area: Immigration
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2026-10-31

## Summary

**Creates government-funded legal representation for unaccompanied children in immigration proceedings.** The bill would require the Department of Health and Human Services, through the Office of Refugee Resettlement, to provide or appoint counsel at government expense and ensure access to counsel in custody and border facilities as soon as practicable after custody or a Notice to Appear is issued. - Children and families: Counsel must represent an unaccompanied child at every stage of removal and related DHS or State court matters, and representation continues if the child turns 18 or is reunified. The child must be told about provided counsel within 72 hours of custody. - Agencies and legal providers: HHS must build systems to identify, recruit, train, and oversee attorneys and use pro bono lawyers to the maximum extent practicable. Model guidelines for representation will be developed with immigration courts, DHS, and outside groups. - Process and enforcement: DHS must allow access to counsel in ICE and CBP facilities. If HHS fails to appoint counsel, the usual limits on motions to reopen do not apply and filing a motion to reopen stays removal.

## Cosponsors (34)

- Rep. Pocan, Mark [D-WI-2] (D-WI), 2026-10-06T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Gomez, Jimmy [D-CA-34] (D-CA), 2026-09-24T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Dean, Madeleine [D-PA-4] (D-PA), 2026-09-24T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [D-FL-25] (D-FL), 2026-09-24T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Wilson, Frederica S. [D-FL-24] (D-FL), 2026-09-24T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Williams, Nikema [D-GA-5] (D-GA), 2026-09-24T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Quigley, Mike [D-IL-5] (D-IL), 2026-09-24T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. DelBene, Suzan K. [D-WA-1] (D-WA), 2026-10-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Moore, Gwen [D-WI-4] (D-WI), 2026-10-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Scanlon, Mary Gay [D-PA-5] (D-PA), 2026-10-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Stanton, Greg [D-AZ-4] (D-AZ), 2026-10-29T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Costa, Jim [D-CA-21] (D-CA), 2026-10-22T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Barragán, Nanette Diaz [D-CA-44] (D-CA), 2026-06-11T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Carbajal, Salud O. [D-CA-24] (D-CA), 2026-06-11T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Crockett, Jasmine [D-TX-30] (D-TX), 2026-06-11T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Davis, Danny K. [D-IL-7] (D-IL), 2026-06-11T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. DeGette, Diana [D-CO-1] (D-CO), 2026-06-11T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. DeSaulnier, Mark [D-CA-10] (D-CA), 2026-06-11T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Garcia, Sylvia R. [D-TX-29] (D-TX), 2026-06-11T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Goldman, Daniel S. [D-NY-10] (D-NY), 2026-06-11T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Jacobs, Sara [D-CA-51] (D-CA), 2026-06-11T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Jackson, Jonathan L. [D-IL-1] (D-IL), 2026-06-11T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4] (D-GA), 2026-06-11T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Krishnamoorthi, Raja [D-IL-8] (D-IL), 2026-06-11T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Simon, Lateefah [D-CA-12] (D-CA), 2026-06-11T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Dexter, Maxine [D-OR-3] (D-OR), 2026-06-11T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Ramirez, Delia C. [D-IL-3] (D-IL), 2026-06-11T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Ansari, Yassamin [D-AZ-3] (D-AZ), 2026-06-23T00:00:00.000Z
- Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large] (D-DC), 2026-06-23T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Foster, Bill [D-IL-11] (D-IL), 2026-06-25T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Smith, Adam [D-WA-9] (D-WA), 2026-06-25T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Hoyle, Val T. [D-OR-4] (D-OR), 2026-06-25T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-36] (D-CA), 2026-06-30T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Randall, Emily [D-WA-6] (D-WA), 2026-08-03T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Free lawyers for unaccompanied children: benefit, high. If you are an unaccompanied child, the government would provide a lawyer at no cost for immigration court and related DHS or state cases. HHS/ORR would have to appoint a lawyer as expeditiously as practicable after a Notice to Appear or after placing the child in custody. The child must be told wit…
- Access to lawyers in detention facilities: benefit, low. The bill would require DHS to provide access to lawyers for all noncitizens detained in ICE or CBP facilities, including private contractor facilities. Unaccompanied children in detention, holding, and border facilities would also get access to counsel inside those places.

## Related bills

- 119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act
- 119-hr-8800: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027
- 119-hr-51: Washington, D.C. Admission Act
- 119-hr-20: Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2025
- 119-hr-5390: FAMILY Act
- 119-hr-15: Equality Act

## Sources
- [119-hr-9259 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/9259)

## Related
- [119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7973)
- [119-hr-8800: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-8800)
- [119-hr-51: Washington, D.C. Admission Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-51)
- [119-hr-20: Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-20)
- [119-hr-5390: FAMILY Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-5390)
- [119-hr-15: Equality Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-15)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9259 (as of 2026-10-31).