HB5502 Summary: Right to Counsel in Immigration Proceedings Act

• Establishes a Task Force on Counsel in Immigration Proceedings consisting of 7 members appointed by the Governor in consultation with legislative leaders and state officials to investigate universal legal representation for immigrants in removal proceedings.

• Task Force must investigate the estimated number of covered individuals facing removal proceedings, current legal representation infrastructure, additional resources and costs needed to provide universal counsel, available funding sources, and feasibility of a state-sponsored bond fund.

• Defines "covered individuals" as any person subject to removal proceedings under federal immigration law who is either an Illinois domiciliary or has proceedings conducted in Illinois, and "covered proceedings" as immigration court hearings, appeals, detention challenges, and related proceedings.

• Task Force must submit findings and recommendations for providing full legal representation to covered individuals by July 1, 2021, with separate analysis for state domiciliaries versus non-domiciliaries, income levels, proceeding types, and current representation percentages.

• Act takes effect immediately upon becoming law and is automatically repealed on July 1, 2022; members serve without compensation and the Department of Human Services provides administrative support.