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https://sentinelcolorado.com/metro/volunteers-in-denver-across-the-nation-flock-to-immigration-courts-to-support-migrants-arrested-in-the-hallways/>
"SEATTLE | After a Seattle immigration judge dismissed the deportation case
against a Colombian man — exposing him to expedited removal — three people sat
with him in the back of the courtroom, taking his car keys for safe-keeping,
helping him memorize phone numbers and gathering the names of family members
who needed to be notified.
When Judge Brett Parchert asked why they were doing that in court, the
volunteers said Immigration and Custom Enforcement officers were outside the
door, waiting to take the man into custody, so this was their only chance to
help him get his things in order. “ICE is in the waiting room?” the judge
asked.
As the mass deportation campaign of President Donald Trump focuses on cities
and states led by Democrats and unleashes fear among asylum-seekers and
immigrants, their legal defenders sued this week, seeking class-action
protections against the arrests outside immigration court hearings. Meanwhile,
these volunteers are taking action.
A diverse group — faith leaders, college students, grandmothers, retired
lawyers and professors — has been showing up at immigration courts across the
nation to escort immigrants at risk of being detained for deportation by masked
ICE officials. They’re giving families moral and logistical support, and
bearing witness as the people are taken away.
The Northwest Immigrant Rights Project was inundated by so many community
members wanting to help that they made a volunteer training video, created
“Know Your Rights” sheets in several languages and started a Google sheet where
people sign up for shifts, said Stephanie Gai, a staff attorney with the
Seattle-based legal services non-profit.
“We could not do it without them,” Gai said. “Some volunteers request time off
work so they can come in and help.”
Robby Rohr, a retired non-profit director said she volunteers regularly.
“Being here makes people feel they are remembered and recognized,” she said
“It’s such a bureaucratic and confusing process. We try to help them through
it.”"
Via Kenny Chaffin.
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
