Dignity and Due Process for Children Act of 2026

This bill would bar immigration officers from arresting or detaining a person under 18 found in the United States away from a border or port of entry without a parent or legal guardian, while awaiting a removal decision, unless an immigration judge issues a warrant. It would bar members of the Armed Forces, Defense Department contractors, and Defense Department vessels, aircraft, and vehicles from being used to transport unaccompanied children for immigration enforcement, except in areas under a presidential disaster declaration for a natural disaster or weather event. It would bar federal agencies from requiring or pressuring an unaccompanied child to sign certain legal documents, such as waivers of a hearing or agreements to removal, without a chance to consult privately with a lawyer. If the child has no lawyer, the government would have to refer the child to a legal services provider and provide a chance to consult within 5 business days.

Full text and official record on Congress.gov

Sponsors

• Maxine Dexter Democrat sponsor
• 28 cosponsors