H.R. 9803 — Protecting Immigrants From Legal Exploitation Act of 2026

This section establishes a federal crime for knowingly or recklessly executing a scheme to defraud any person or obtain money or value through false pretenses in connection with any federal immigration law matter, punishable by a fine, up to 10 years imprisonment, or both. It also creates a separate offense for falsely representing oneself as an attorney or accredited representative in immigration matters, punishable by a fine, up to 15 years imprisonment, or both, and requires full reimbursement to victims for any fraudulently provided services.

This section requires the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Attorney General to promulgate regulations mandating that applicants for immigration benefits identify any compensated preparers (other than immediate family members) and that such preparers sign the submissions with identifying information. It also authorizes the Attorney General to obtain civil injunctions against immigration service providers that engage in fraud substantially interfering with immigration laws or that misrepresent their authority to provide representation before the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security.

This section allows an alien to withdraw an immigration application or submission without prejudice upon attesting that it was prepared by an individual engaged in unauthorized practice of law or immigration practitioner fraud. It requires the Secretaries of Homeland Security and State and the Attorney General to establish procedures for resubmitting corrected applications, exempt from numerical and time limits. It waives the three- and ten-year bars to reentry for aliens who prove by a preponderance of the evidence that they departed the United States based on erroneous advice from such an individual. It directs the Attorney General to issue regulations within 180 days implementing immigration judges’ contempt authority and making civil sanctions applicable to all parties.

This section requires the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Attorney General to conduct a program educating aliens on authorized legal representation in immigration proceedings through cost-effective outreach to immigrant communities. It directs public availability of information on fraud by unauthorized immigration consultants at offices serving aliens and on relevant government websites, with educational materials provided in English, Spanish, and other appropriate languages, and authorizes such sums as necessary, available until expended.

This section establishes grant programs within U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the Executive Office for Immigration Review to award competitive grants to eligible nonprofit organizations for direct legal services to aliens in removal proceedings and completing immigration applications and petitions, including assistance with documents and evidence. It authorizes appropriations of such sums as necessary, available until expended.