"People are literally being scooped up without due process rights, being separated from their families. And we have a record number of people in detention centers. The U.S. Constitution guarantees legal counsel for every person facing criminal charges, at government expense if necessary. However, for people fighting deportation in immigration court, federal law provides a right to counsel, but only if they can supply their own attorney."
"California already has relatively robust legal aid for immigrants, channeling tens of millions of dollars in public funds to legal service providers, including a one-time $25 million approved by the legislature last year. For a decade, New York City has invested in universal representation for residents in immigration detention. And several California counties are putting extra resources into deportation defense."
Democratic lawmakers led by East Bay Assemblymember Mia Bonta introduced a bill aimed at guaranteeing legal representation for every California resident facing deportation. California currently channels tens of millions in public funds to legal service providers for immigrants, including a one-time $25 million allocation. While the U.S. Constitution guarantees counsel for criminal defendants, immigration court proceedings only provide a right to counsel if individuals can afford their own attorney, resulting in 57% of detainees lacking legal representation. New York City has invested in universal representation for immigration detention residents for a decade. Similar efforts in New York state and Congress have not yet succeeded.
Read at Kqed
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