Senator Harry Reid of Nevada and several other democratic lawmakers have introduced a bill that would require the Attorney General to appoint legal counsel for children in removal proceedings.  The current immigration laws do not provide counsel for immigrant adults or children in removal proceedings.  At present, unrepresented immigrant families and unaccompanied children are required to represent themselves before the immigration judge and are forced to defend themselves against well-trained trial attorneys from the Department of Homeland Security, unless they can afford to hire an immigration attorney.  Not surprisingly, having an immigration attorney significantly increases the likelihood that the immigrant will be successful before the immigration court.  Statistics support that almost half of children in removal proceedings are without counsel and almost 70 percent of families in immigration proceedings are without counsel.  The purpose of this bill introduced by Senator Reid is to provide minors and other vulnerable populations with the right to counsel.  Given the political divide on immigration, Senator Reid’s bill will undoubtedly face opposition in Congress.