Send Us Back! Attorneys for Artesia
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The Problem
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is detaining between 400-500 women and children refugees in a detention center in Artesia, New Mexico where there are no permanent legal services. The majority of these families are fleeing domestic violence and gang violence in their home countries and seeking protection in the United States. Many of the children detained in Artesia are nursing babies and toddlers; others are older kids like the 6-year-old girl who colored in Eeyore in the photo. Many of the women have endured abuse and rape in their home countries.
Government attorneys are arguing that they pose a national security risk, despite their lack of criminal history. As such, ICE is refusing to set reasonable bonds for the families to be released while fighting their deportation cases. Some of the women and children have been detained since June of this year.
The Attorneys
In October, a group of volunteer defense attorneys from Northern California traveled to Artesia to help staff the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) Pro Bono Project that is providing full scope representation to the detained women and children. The Pro Bono Project in Artesia is depedent on volunteer attorneys to come from around the country to represent these families. There is only one full-time attorney working on the ground. Attorneys are urgently needed in December during the holiday season when it's more difficult to secure volunteers.
Four attorneys from the October Norcal contigent plan to return to Artesia for the week of December 7-13th. Your donation will help cover the basic travel and living expenses for the Northern California delegation. The attorneys will be providing pro bono representation to the women and children. All four are experienced, Spanish-speaking immigration attorneys who run their own immigration law practices in Northern California. Because they have already worked in Artesia, they will be able to hit the ground running. You can learn more about the four attorneys below:
Tala Hartsough
Jennifer Doerrie
Helen Lawrence
Jacqueline Brown Scott
You can also find out more about the October delegation to Artesia here and here.
The Impact Attorneys Have
Attorneys have had an enormous impact in Artesia. Lower bonds are being granted and, as of today's date, there is a 100 percent success rate in the women's asylum cases. Read more information about the dramatic difference legal representation makes for detained immigrants in this report.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is detaining between 400-500 women and children refugees in a detention center in Artesia, New Mexico where there are no permanent legal services. The majority of these families are fleeing domestic violence and gang violence in their home countries and seeking protection in the United States. Many of the children detained in Artesia are nursing babies and toddlers; others are older kids like the 6-year-old girl who colored in Eeyore in the photo. Many of the women have endured abuse and rape in their home countries.
Government attorneys are arguing that they pose a national security risk, despite their lack of criminal history. As such, ICE is refusing to set reasonable bonds for the families to be released while fighting their deportation cases. Some of the women and children have been detained since June of this year.
The Attorneys
In October, a group of volunteer defense attorneys from Northern California traveled to Artesia to help staff the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) Pro Bono Project that is providing full scope representation to the detained women and children. The Pro Bono Project in Artesia is depedent on volunteer attorneys to come from around the country to represent these families. There is only one full-time attorney working on the ground. Attorneys are urgently needed in December during the holiday season when it's more difficult to secure volunteers.
Four attorneys from the October Norcal contigent plan to return to Artesia for the week of December 7-13th. Your donation will help cover the basic travel and living expenses for the Northern California delegation. The attorneys will be providing pro bono representation to the women and children. All four are experienced, Spanish-speaking immigration attorneys who run their own immigration law practices in Northern California. Because they have already worked in Artesia, they will be able to hit the ground running. You can learn more about the four attorneys below:
Tala Hartsough
Jennifer Doerrie
Helen Lawrence
Jacqueline Brown Scott
You can also find out more about the October delegation to Artesia here and here.
The Impact Attorneys Have
Attorneys have had an enormous impact in Artesia. Lower bonds are being granted and, as of today's date, there is a 100 percent success rate in the women's asylum cases. Read more information about the dramatic difference legal representation makes for detained immigrants in this report.
Organizer
Laura Polstein
Organizer
San Francisco, CA
