Washington D.C.— U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff is working to ensure fair legal representation for people detained or questioned at U.S. airports or other ports of entry.
Sen. Ossoff is working to pass the Access to Counsel Act to ensure those adults with proper documentation who are detained or questioned by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have a meaningful opportunity to consult with counsel, a family member, or an advocate at ports of entry.
“I’m leading this push in the Senate to ensure fair access to a lawyer for travelers detained at airports and other ports of entry,” Sen. Ossoff said.
In 2017, a travel ban issued by the Trump administration left many U.S. citizens, documented immigrants, visa holders, and refugees with valid entry documents temporarily detained and stranded in airports without access to legal representation.
In many instances when people traveling to the U.S. with valid travel documents are stopped by CBP for inspections or questioning, they are not offered the opportunity to consult counsel, an advocate, or family member, leading to unfair and unfounded searches and seizures.
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