This bill establishes a grant program, administered by the Attorney General through the Office for Access to Justice, to enhance legal representation for individuals facing removal. The program aims to expand access to legal services by increasing the workforce and strengthening the infrastructure needed to provide such representation. Eligible entities include States, units of local government, community-based organizations, nonprofit organizations, and educational institutions that provide or coordinate immigration-related legal services. Grant funds can be used for various purposes, including workforce recruitment and training for lawyers, accredited representatives, social workers, and community navigators, as well as providing technical assistance , language training, and specialized legal support. The bill also supports strategies for staff retention, promoting diversity, and growing legal services infrastructure in underserved areas. Recipients must submit certifications and annual reports detailing their activities and impact. The program includes accountability measures such as audits by the Inspector General, prohibitions for nonprofit agencies with offshore accounts, and limitations on conference expenditures. An appropriation of $100,000,000 is authorized for each of fiscal years 2026 and 2027 to carry out these provisions.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Immigration
SHIELD Act
USA119th CongressS-4142| Senate
| Updated: 3/19/2026
This bill establishes a grant program, administered by the Attorney General through the Office for Access to Justice, to enhance legal representation for individuals facing removal. The program aims to expand access to legal services by increasing the workforce and strengthening the infrastructure needed to provide such representation. Eligible entities include States, units of local government, community-based organizations, nonprofit organizations, and educational institutions that provide or coordinate immigration-related legal services. Grant funds can be used for various purposes, including workforce recruitment and training for lawyers, accredited representatives, social workers, and community navigators, as well as providing technical assistance , language training, and specialized legal support. The bill also supports strategies for staff retention, promoting diversity, and growing legal services infrastructure in underserved areas. Recipients must submit certifications and annual reports detailing their activities and impact. The program includes accountability measures such as audits by the Inspector General, prohibitions for nonprofit agencies with offshore accounts, and limitations on conference expenditures. An appropriation of $100,000,000 is authorized for each of fiscal years 2026 and 2027 to carry out these provisions.