Detainees Imprisoned in NY get Legal Help Pro Bono from NY Attorneys. “NYC Know Your Rights" Report Released by City Bar Justice Center.
By: Keith Brock
Nov 2, 2009
http://www.can-you-hear-us-now.com/
President Obama promised that before the end of 2009 that he would offer comprehensive bill on immigration reform. Two people he named to spearhead this drive are notably Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Labor Secretary Hilda Solis. But with the deepening of the recession it became apparent that maybe this wasn’t the best time to argue for making 12 million illegal aliens, citizens. He at least got that right.
In broad outlines, officials said, the Obama administration favors legislation that would bring illegal immigrants into the legal system by recognizing that they violated the law, and imposing fines and other penalties to fit the offense. The legislation would seek to prevent future illegal immigration by strengthening border enforcement and cracking down on employers who hire illegal immigrants, while creating a national system for verifying the legal immigration status of new workers. Work is going on behind the scenes to bring immigration reform out into the open after the other more important legislation, to the president, such as Socialized Medicine and the Global Change Treaty is signed. The last is currently written to move 2% of the US GDP to 3rd world countries annually. If that is implemented the U.S. working citizen – ½ of the population – will be under such strain that I don’t see how Obama can hit us with more taxes and fees. But in Socialist countries fees and taxes go up to 70% so I assume he sees a lot of forest to cut before there is nothing left to fell.
Of particular note is a new report that was released November 1st by the City Bar Justice Center in NYC, titled: “NYC Know Your Rights Project – An innovative Pro Bono Response to the Lack of Counsel for Indigent Immigrant Detainees” This report, which can be downloaded, is 20 page-double-space report that reviews the results of interviews with 158 detainees counseled at a little known holding facility on the 4th floor of a building above a Post Office called “Varick Building”. The report goes on to state that 39.2% of those interviewed, though here illegally, had possible meritorious claims for relief from removal. For example, one person had escaped detection for 45 years.
There are some excellent graphs in the report that show where the illegal’s are from; I expected most would be from Mexico so was surprised to learn that most are from Central America.
I am referencing the NY Times Articles where you can get their read on what is happening on the immigration front, as well as to get their spin. It appears that the movement is going to be to give the illegal’s free legal service and advice and to fight to get them out of the facilities and back on the street – permanently.
Please follow the links, download the articles, and especially the PDF report that was just released by the City Bar Justice Center and leave comments as to what your take is on this and what you believe the Federal Government should do to solve the illegal problem of those here already and what you would suggest for protecting our borders in the future. All comments are welcome, please be respectful and use sagacity, not sententiousness.
NYC Know Your Rights Project - Nov 1, 2009
NYTimes: Immigrant Jail Tests U.S. View of Legal Access
NY Times: Immigration and Emigration
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Varick Feeral Detention Facility
Posts
