Access to Counsel

The LAC has long advocated for the right to appointed counsel for indigent immigrants in removal proceedings, as well as fair standards and procedures to remedy the sometimes devastating results of ineffective assistance of counsel. Access to counsel lies at the very core of our legal system and is integral to ensuring a fair process and a meaningful opportunity to be heard. Without counsel, vulnerable noncitizens are often deported without inquiries into their ability to comprehend the proceedings against them.

• Access to Counsel Before DHS
• Ineffective Assistance of Counsel
• Safeguards in Removal Proceedings for Noncitizens Who Lack Mental Competency