Fair Legal Representation for Immigrant Detainees
Appleseed has released its comprehensive assessment of the nation's Immigration Courts -- Assembly Line Injustice -- and proposed systemic changes to address such issues as inadequate staffing, over-reliance on video conferencing as a substitute for in-person court proceedings, inadequate access to court records, ineffective translation services, and difficulty securing adequate representation for detainees.
Assembly Line Injustice - Key Findings
National Appleseed Release
Texas Appleseed contributed to this report -- and is currently partnering with Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld LLP to investigate barriers to fair legal representation for the estimated 15 percent of detainees who suffer from a mental illness. Texas is equipped to hold more than a third of the nation's immigrant detainees. Kristen Jesulaitis, Houston partner with Akin Gump, is leading the 20-member legal team working on Texas Appleseed's Immigration Courts project. Akin Gump partner Steven Schulman of Washington, D.C., who heads the firm’s world-wide pro bono practice, joined the team this spring on visits to Texas immigration detention facilities. The Texas Appleseed report and policy recommendations are expected this fall.
(L-R) AKIN GUMP (HOUSTON) PRO BONO ATTORNEYS PHYLLIS YOUNG, KRISTEN JESULAITIS, STEVEN SCHULMAN (WASHINGTON, D.C.), MATTHEW MARTINEZ, DEBBIE YEE AND JOHN STRICKLAND WITH TEXAS APPLESEED'S ANN BADDOUR
BACKGROUND:
Number of Immigration Courts in Texas: 8 in U.S.: 55
Immigration Court Locations: Dallas, El Paso SPC, El Paso, Harlingen, Houston SPC, Houston, Port Isabel, San Antonio
Completed Immigration Court Caseload for FY 2008:
in Texas: 62,512 in U.S.: 339,071
Number of immigration detention facilities in Texas: 20
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