Bill · S. 4142· Senate(119-S-4142)
SHIELD Act
- Introduced
- 3/19/2026
- Last activity
- 3/19/2026 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- Sponsored by
- Edward Markey
- Cosponsors
- - 3 - 0
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The SHIELD Act authorizes the Attorney General to provide competitive grants to States, local governments, and various organizations. These funds are intended to support the recruitment, training, and development of staff and infrastructure to protect the due process rights of individuals facing removal. Eligible entities include government units and community-based or nonprofit organizations that provide or coordinate immigration-related legal services. The program aims to strengthen the legal services workforce and infrastructure to ensure high-quality representation. It specifically targets the expansion of services to meet the needs of all individuals facing removal proceedings. The bill authorizes up to $100,000,000 for each fiscal year from 2026 through 2027.
Yes· 3 of 5
Would immigrants be better off under this?+8
The bill specifically aims to increase access to high-quality, linguistically appropriate legal representation for individuals facing removal.
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?+7
The bill expands access to legal representation which is critical for individuals facing removal regardless of their ability to pay.
Would Hispanic Americans be better off under this?+6
The bill provides resources to improve legal defense and infrastructure for individuals facing removal, a demographic that includes many Hispanic Americans.
The opposite
Does this reduce what the federal government spends?-1
The bill authorizes $100,000,000 in annual spending for legal services development.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Increased Access to Legal Representation: The bill seeks to expand access to representation for individuals facing removal by increasing the workforce and strengthening legal services infrastructure (Section 3(a)).
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High-Quality and Specialized Services: Funds can be used to enhance the capacity to provide high-quality, holistic, and linguistically appropriate legal services (Section 3(d)).
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Workforce Development: The act provides for recruitment and training programs for lawyers, accredited representatives, social workers, and community navigators (Section 3(d)(1)).
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Support for Complex Cases: Technical assistance can include specialized legal support for complex defense cases in Federal and State courts (Section 3(d)(2)(C)).
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Addressing Regional Disparities: The program aims to grow legal services capacity in locations with significant unmet needs or less capacity than the national average (Section 3(d)(6)).
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Diversity and Inclusion: The bill encourages recruiting and retaining legal staff from underrepresented backgrounds to promote diversity in the field (Section 3(d)(5)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Strict Oversight and Audit Risks: Grantees face audits by the Inspector General to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse, and an "unresolved audit finding" can impact a group's ability to receive future grants (Section 5(b)(1)).
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Restrictions on Nonprofit Organizations: Nonprofit agencies that hold money in offshore accounts to avoid certain taxes are prohibited from receiving grants (Section 5(b)(2)(B)).
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Limitations on Conference Spending: There is a $100,000 limit on conference expenditures unless specific written approval is provided, which may restrict organizational gatherings (Section 5(b)(3)(A)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Immigrants+8Good For Low Income Households+7Good For Hispanic Americans+6
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Pathway To Citizenship+5
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Government Transparency+3
- Economy And Finance
- Reduces Government Spending-1
- 3/19/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- 3 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
Alex PadillaDemocrat · California
Adam SchiffDemocrat · California
Elizabeth WarrenDemocrat · Massachusetts