Fair Day in Court for Kids Act of 2026

This bill would require the federal government to provide legal representation to unaccompanied immigrant children who appear in immigration court. It also seeks to guarantee access to counsel for certain detained noncitizens and to give people and their attorneys a copy of their immigration files before removal proceedings.

This affects unaccompanied children in immigration proceedings, other noncitizens held in federal detention, immigration courts and judges, the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Justice, and the legal aid organizations that would provide representation.

If it passes, the government would have to arrange and fund legal counsel for covered children, which would increase federal spending and require coordination with legal service providers. Supporters say it improves fairness and due process for children who often cannot navigate the system alone, while others have raised concerns about cost and the effect on how quickly cases move.