{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://scholten.house.gov/media/press-releases/scholten-helps-introduce-bipartisan-bill-protect-migrant-children-address", "Scholten Helps Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Protect Migrant Children, Address Immigration Court Backlog", "2023-11-01", "2023", "2023-11", "Democrat", "House", "MI", "Hillary J. Scholten", "S001221", "scholten.house.gov", "scholten", "https://scholten.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congresswoman Hillary Scholten (D-MI) joined U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Reps. Dan Goldman (D-NY), Maria Salazar (R-FL), and Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-OR) in introducing legislation to combat the immigration court backlog and strengthen due process rights for unaccompanied migrant children.\n\n\u201cLet\u2019s be clear about one thing\u2013infants and children should not be in a situation where they have to stand trial in immigration court,\u201d said Rep. Scholten. \u201cWe have a deeply broken immigration system in this country. But as we continue the long and complicated work for repairing it, of fighting for justice in a political climate that has grown callous to the suffering of children, the next best option is creating a court that works to accommodate their unique needs. As a mom, I\u2019ll never stop fighting for these vulnerable kids.\u201d\n\n\u201cSince joining the Senate, I\u2019ve fought to reform our broken immigration system, keep our country safe, and protect innocent children who cross the border seeking asylum. This legislation will ensure kids fleeing violence and persecution are able to understand and participate in immigration court proceedings and are treated with the dignity, respect, and care they deserve,\u201d said Senator Bennet.\u201cThis bipartisan, pragmatic legislation demonstrates that we can find common ground and repair our broken immigration system to uphold the rule of law and honor our country\u2019s heritage.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Biden Administration has failed on our Southern Border. Our country is facing nearly 3 million border crossings in 2023 and continued dysfunctional immigration policies. Each of these problems only exacerbate the severe backlog at our immigration courts and inhibit due process for individuals navigating the legal system. Unfortunately, these failures especially impact unaccompanied children, who are sometimes required to face a judge at their removal proceeding alone,\u201d said Senator Murkowski. \u201cNo child should be left alone in court\u2014and the United States of America can and should do better for vulnerable children. That\u2019s why I cosponsored this commonsense effort that would enhance the efficiency of immigrant courts and due process for children\u2014while also training judges on how to hold proceedings specific to minors. While we have a long way to go in addressing the many and significant problems with our immigration system, particularly in securing our borders, this effort takes real, pragmatic to ensure a more streamlined and appropriate process for vulnerable children.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe have an obligation to protect the children who arrive at our borders without their families, and it is vital that we make our immigration system easier for these young people to navigate,\u201d said Rep. Goldman. \u201cChildren coming to the United States alone have often traveled hundreds of thousands of miles to escape extreme violence and other dangers. Far too often, these children are left alone to navigate a judicial system they do not understand, frequently in a language they don\u2019t speak, and sometimes without a lawyer to represent them. A dedicated children\u2019s court within our immigration system will allow us to tailor a complicated immigration system to a child\u2019s needs and ensure they receive due process and essential assistance.\u201d\n\n\u201cChildren are often the greatest victims of our broken immigration system,\u201d said Rep. Salazar. \u201cWe must do better to meet children\u2019s needs while streamlining immigration court proceedings and making our courts more efficient. I\u2019m proud to co-lead the Immigration Court Efficiency and Children\u2019s Court Act to improve outcomes for children, families, and the American people in our backlogged immigration courts. And most importantly \u2013 keep them safe.\u201d\n\nUnaccompanied migrant children face unique obstacles as they navigate the complex U.S. immigration system. After they are placed into removal proceedings, many unaccompanied children appear alone before a judge in immigration court. Children\u2019s cases are legally complex and often take longer than adult cases to hear. As a result, there are more than 62,000 pending unaccompanied children\u2019s cases in the United States.\n\nThe bipartisan, bicameral Immigration Court Efficiency and Children\u2019s Court Act is a common sense proposal to strengthen due process for vulnerable children and combat the immigration court backlog. The legislation would establish a Children\u2019s Court within the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) focused on the adjudication of unaccompanied children\u2019s removal proceedings.\n\nThe newly established Children\u2019s Court would require:\n\nSpecially Trained Personnel: Children\u2019s Immigration Court judges would receive special training on child trafficking, developmental and trauma-informed practice, and docket management tools.\n\nChild Participation Protocols: The Children\u2019s Court would ensure that children can easily attend court, actively engage in the process, and fully understand their rights to help overcome typical challenges in children\u2019s proceedings. The bill would require that the Court utilize child-appropriate procedures to help ensure that children comprehend the proceedings, are treated appropriately for their developmental stage, and have sufficient time to secure counsel.\n\nCoordination with Legal Services Organizations: Legal services organizations would coordinate with the Court to help children access legal screening and immigration proceedings at the same time and place to ensure that children obtain counsel faster and more efficiently. This approach reduces unnecessary time in court and can prevent procedural delays.\n\nThis legislation is supported by 40 organizations, including World Relief, National Immigration Forum, Church World Service, Women's Refugee Commission, American Immigration Lawyers Association, American Bar Association, and the Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network (RMIAN).", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:01:09Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://scholten.house.gov/media/press-releases/scholten-helps-introduce-bipartisan-bill-protect-migrant-children-address"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.5441491268575191, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}