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House committee advances bill to fund counsel in immigration hearings after broad testimony
Summary
The House Committee on Economic Development and Technology voted to pass SB 816 with amendments, directing the judiciary to partner with legal-service providers to expand immigration counsel and training. Supporters said counsel increases access to relief; opponents raised fiscal and federal preemption concerns.
The House Committee on Economic Development and Technology advanced Senate Bill 816, which would fund and expand access to legal counsel in immigration proceedings and require the judiciary to coordinate training with legal-service partners.
Supporters told the committee that legal representation materially improves outcomes in immigration court. “Immigrants who have legal representation are four times more likely to be released from detention at custody hearings,” Nathan Lee for the ACLU of Hawaii said, citing research in his testimony. Danah Jo Ramos of the Refugee and Immigration Law Clinic asked the committee to include training for lawyers and students so the program can be sustained beyond initial funding.
The bill drew a string of supporters during the hearing, including Sandy Ma of the Legal Clinic and Liza Ryan Gill, executive director of the Hawaii Coalition for Immigrant Rights. Gill described recent enforcement actions she said affected children and families on Hawaii Island and said lack of counsel can have life-or-death consequences for people seeking asylum or other relief.
Opposition witnesses framed the bill as a federal issue and flagged state fiscal impacts. “Allocating state resources to fund this program could divert funds away from other pressing local priorities such as housing, education, and health care,” Brett Colbus testified in opposition.
In response to questions, committee staff and supporters said the requested funding and a required partnership with law-school clinics and service providers are intended to build capacity and training for deportation defense and asylum work. The committee accepted an amendment requiring the judiciary to partner with entities capable of training and educating law students and legal practitioners to provide immigration representation.
At decision making the committee voted to pass SB 816 with amendments; members noted Representative Holt was excused. The roll-call tally was not recorded in the hearing transcript; the committee chair reported the recommendation to pass with amendments was adopted.
