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119-s-1201119th Congress

Strengthening Immigration Procedures Act of 2025

Sponsored By: Senator Murphy, Christopher [D-CT]

Introduced

Summary

1. The Hook: This bill would create a clear federal route for noncitizens to raise ineffective assistance of counsel claims in immigration matters. It would set definitions and a single standard for when poor lawyer performance harmed the fairness of immigration proceedings and apply that standard to all cases whether pending, future, or already decided.

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2. The Impact:

  • People in removal, exclusion, or related proceedings could challenge past lawyer errors when those errors were so serious they deprived them of a fair process. The claim covers any stage, including motions to reopen or reconsider.
  • People whose immigration cases were fully adjudicated before enactment would still be able to bring these claims under the new rule.
  • Immigration judges, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Attorney General would evaluate counsel performance under a standard tied to Strickland v. Washington, creating a uniform test across immigration matters.

3. The Bottom Line:

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

New remedy for ineffective immigration lawyers

If enacted, you would be able to raise a claim that your lawyer was ineffective in any immigration matter. This would cover exclusion, deportation, and removal proceedings, including motions to reopen or reconsider, and matters before DHS or the Attorney General. To win the claim, you would need to show counsel performed deficiently and those errors were so serious they deprived you of a fair proceeding. If enacted, this would apply to cases pending now, started after, or already decided before the law takes effect.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Murphy, Christopher [D-CT]

CT • D

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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