Restoring Access for Detainees Act

Sponsor: Christopher Murphy (Democratic-CT)November 6, 2025

AI-generated ?

Report an error

Introduced

In Committee

Passed One Chamber

Passed Both Chambers

Signed into Law

Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Detained individuals would get free phone calls to family and lawyers, paid for by the federal government.

This bill would bring back free phone and electronic communication for people held in immigration detention. It would ensure they can contact family and legal help, which was stopped in 2024 due to a lack of funding. The federal government would pay for these calls, helping detainees stay connected and access legal support.

What Would Change

Today, a program that provided free phone service to immigration detainees was halted in 2024 due to a lack of funding, and existing communication options are considered inadequate. After this bill, the Department of Homeland Security would be required to provide free communication services, including initial 10-minute calls to family and lawyers, at least 200 free minutes each month for family contact, and unlimited free minutes for legal and official communications, all paid for by the federal government.

Key Provisions

Requires initial 10-minute calls to immediate family and legal counsel when first detained or moved to a new location.
Provides at least 200 free minutes each month for calls to immediate family members.
Provides unlimited free minutes for calls to lawyers, consulates, immigration courts, and other government offices.
Prevents monitoring or recording of legal and official calls, unless a court issues a lawful warrant.
Requires the Department of Homeland Security to create rules to stop staff from preventing detainees from making calls.
Lets detention facilities set rules for when and where calls happen, but they cannot limit calls to legal representatives.

View on Congress.gov

S 3146 · 119th Congress · November 6, 2025 · AI Summary by gemini-2.5-flash · 10/10

Restoring Access for Detainees Act

What Would Change

Key Provisions

Lobbying Activity