Providing for Consideration of H.R. Washington, D.C. Admission Act; Providing for Consideration of H.R. Access to Counsel Act of Providing for Consideration of H.R. National Origin-Based Antidiscrimination for Nonimmigrants Act; and for Other Purposes

Floor Speech

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Ms. SCANLON. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of the rule providing for consideration of the NO BAN Act, the Access to Counsel Act of 2021, and the Washington, D.C. Admission Act. All three bills advance important policies that I am proud to support.

I will never forgot the night in January 2017 that the Trump administration's ban on travel from Muslim countries went into effect. I was not yet in Congress, and my job involved coordinating free legal services across the U.S., including representation for immigrants.

As foreign citizens landed in the U.S., they were told that their travel papers were revoked while they were in the air, and some were taken into custody and some were immediately deported. Families were separated, and friends and relatives arriving to pick up loved ones at U.S. airports frantically tried to get information about them. Many were denied the right to counsel, who were trying to reach them.

Attorneys and immigration agencies across the country immediately mobilized to help those impacted by the illegal and ill-conceived ban. I spent the next few weeks working around the clock, dispatching volunteers to airports, mobilizing translators, and organizing legal efforts.

Having seen the chaos and cruelty caused by the Trump administration's ill-fated ban, I am particularly pleased by the opportunity to pass the NO BAN Act and the Access to Counsel Act.

First, the NO BAN Act would ensure that no future administration would have the authority to discriminate against people based on their religious background or national origin when choosing to restrict the entry of immigrants into our country.

Having witnessed the chaos and cruelty of the Muslim ban, I wholeheartedly support this legislation, which would prevent future administrations from similarly abusing their executive authority.

I am also proud to support the Access to Counsel Act, which would ensure that individuals at ports of entry can seek legal advice, whether from volunteers or at their own expense, during the screening process. Access to counsel is critical for ensuring the fair and equitable enforcement of our laws, but especially in immigration matters where the law is so complicated and the consequences so grave.

Madam Speaker, I support these three bills, which would make our immigration laws more fair and protect due process.

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