HB 21-1194 Summary

• Creates the Immigration Legal Defense Fund administered by the Department of Labor and Employment to provide legal representation for indigent immigrants in Colorado immigration court proceedings.

• Defines "indigent" as individuals with household income not exceeding 200 percent of federal poverty guidelines and establishes criteria for "qualifying organizations" (501(c)(3) nonprofits with Colorado offices and immigration law expertise) to receive grants.

• Allocates 70 percent of funding to organizations serving detained immigrants facing deportation and 30 percent to organizations serving nondetained immigrants, with two-thirds of nondetained funding reserved for services outside the Denver-metro area.

• Grant recipients must use funds solely for legal representation through immigration appeals, litigation expenses (translation, evaluations, fees), and related services; cases must be accepted regardless of likelihood of success.

• Appropriates $100,000 to the fund for fiscal year 2021-22 and requires annual reporting on client demographics, case outcomes, and service metrics to the Joint Budget Committee.