DREAMers, Immigrants, and Refugees (DIRe) Legal Aid Act

To require the Attorney General to make grants to nonprofit organizations to offer legal assistance to certain aliens lawfully admitted for permanent residence, DACA recipients, and refugees, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the DREAMers, Immigrants, and Refugees (DIRe) Legal Aid Act 2. Grants for legal assistance (a) In general Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Attorney General shall, subject to the availability of appropriations, make grants to nonprofit legal services providers with immigration law expertise to provide legal services and advice with respect to the immigration laws (and any executive branch orders, regulations, rules, memoranda, or other guidance under such laws) to aliens who— (1) are present in the United States; (2) are described in subsection (b); and (3) have been ordered removed, are in removal proceedings, or are at risk of being denied entry or admission into the United States. (b) Aliens described An alien is described in this subsection if— (1) the alien is lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residence; (2) the alien received a grant of deferred action under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program established pursuant to the memorandum of the Secretary of Homeland Security dated June 15, 2012; or (3) the alien, or the alien’s spouse or parent, has been admitted, or has been determined to be qualified for admission, as a refugee. (c) Dissemination of contact information The Secretary of Homeland Security shall provide aliens described in subsection (a) with the contact information for providers receiving funds under this section and shall afford aliens in detention an opportunity to speak in person or by telephone to, and arrange representation by, such a provider. (d) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 to carry out this section. 3. Study on disparities in outcomes for aliens in removal proceedings based on having legal representation Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through the Under Secretary for Science and Technology, shall carry out a study on the relative outcomes for individuals in removal proceedings who have legal representation as compared to individuals who lack legal representation and shall submit to the Congress recommendations for correcting any disparities in outcomes found through such study.

Summary: DREAMers, Immigrants, and Refugees (DIRe) Legal Aid Act This bill directs the Department of Justice to make grants to nonprofit legal services providers to provide immigration law-related services to certain aliens facing removal or at risk of being denied entry into the United States. The services shall be available to an alien who (1) is lawfully admitted for permanent residence, (2) has received Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status, or (3) qualifies for admission as a refugee or whose spouse or parent so qualifies. The Department of Homeland Security shall report to Congress about the immigration outcomes of aliens who have legal representation compared to those who do not.