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| Detainees in ICE raids speak out as lawyers scramble to stop deportations | Detainees in ICE raids speak out as lawyers scramble to stop deportations |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A woman picked up in last weekend’s immigration raids who suffers from seizures and had a pending appeal against deportation was taken off a plane by federal officials shortly before she was scheduled to be flown back to El Salvador, advocates have said. | A woman picked up in last weekend’s immigration raids who suffers from seizures and had a pending appeal against deportation was taken off a plane by federal officials shortly before she was scheduled to be flown back to El Salvador, advocates have said. |
| Activists and lawyers have scrambled to prevent the deportation of the 121 people who were detained across the country last weekend and processed for imminent removal in a high-profile federal operation, arguing that they are family members with legitimate asylum claims who have not received due process. | Activists and lawyers have scrambled to prevent the deportation of the 121 people who were detained across the country last weekend and processed for imminent removal in a high-profile federal operation, arguing that they are family members with legitimate asylum claims who have not received due process. |
| Related: 'Fear overrides everything': immigrants desperate for reassurance after ICE raids | Related: 'Fear overrides everything': immigrants desperate for reassurance after ICE raids |
| The woman, whose name is being withheld, was taken off the plane with two others on Thursday morning when stays of deportation were granted, said Mohammad Abdollahi, a spokesman for Texas-based legal aid group Raices. According to a written declaration in her appeal, she has two young children, one of them disabled, and suffers from a chronic epileptic seizure disorder exacerbated by stress. | The woman, whose name is being withheld, was taken off the plane with two others on Thursday morning when stays of deportation were granted, said Mohammad Abdollahi, a spokesman for Texas-based legal aid group Raices. According to a written declaration in her appeal, she has two young children, one of them disabled, and suffers from a chronic epileptic seizure disorder exacerbated by stress. |
| Fearing for their safety in El Salvador because of gang violence that has claimed the lives of several relatives, the family came to the US in June 2014 and turned themselves in at the border, she said. After three days in detention they were released to live with her mother in Atlanta, and she paid $4,000 to a lawyer to handle her case. Following two court dates, she was given a deportation order but was granted a stay of deportation and received a work permit and social security card. | Fearing for their safety in El Salvador because of gang violence that has claimed the lives of several relatives, the family came to the US in June 2014 and turned themselves in at the border, she said. After three days in detention they were released to live with her mother in Atlanta, and she paid $4,000 to a lawyer to handle her case. Following two court dates, she was given a deportation order but was granted a stay of deportation and received a work permit and social security card. |
| At an appointment in October last year, immigration officials ordered her to wear an ankle bracelet and set her next check-in appointment for Monday, 4 January. | At an appointment in October last year, immigration officials ordered her to wear an ankle bracelet and set her next check-in appointment for Monday, 4 January. |
| Two days before that, however, about 10 immigration officers showed up at her house in the early morning. “My mom answered the door. I was in the bedroom with my children, sleeping,” she said. “The officers came right into our bedroom. They told me they were taking me into the immigration office for an appointment, just to review my documents. They said they were just going to go over my paperwork and then they would bring me back.” | Two days before that, however, about 10 immigration officers showed up at her house in the early morning. “My mom answered the door. I was in the bedroom with my children, sleeping,” she said. “The officers came right into our bedroom. They told me they were taking me into the immigration office for an appointment, just to review my documents. They said they were just going to go over my paperwork and then they would bring me back.” |
| “When we got to the immigration office, an officer told me I was actually there because they were going to deport me. I got upset and asked why are they doing this if I had complied with everything, and that I was afraid to return to my country. The officers had taken my phone away and would not permit me to call my lawyer. The officer said everyone claimed they were afraid, indicating that I was lying about this. I got very upset and had an epileptic attack in the immigration office.” | “When we got to the immigration office, an officer told me I was actually there because they were going to deport me. I got upset and asked why are they doing this if I had complied with everything, and that I was afraid to return to my country. The officers had taken my phone away and would not permit me to call my lawyer. The officer said everyone claimed they were afraid, indicating that I was lying about this. I got very upset and had an epileptic attack in the immigration office.” |
| Related: US government deporting Central American migrants to their deaths | Related: US government deporting Central American migrants to their deaths |
| After an eight-hour stay in a hospital, she said, she was taken to Dilley, a Texas detention centre, along with her children, where she said she suffered two more seizures. The woman said that she has a hospital appointment in Atlanta later this month to undergo an operation that could cure her condition. | After an eight-hour stay in a hospital, she said, she was taken to Dilley, a Texas detention centre, along with her children, where she said she suffered two more seizures. The woman said that she has a hospital appointment in Atlanta later this month to undergo an operation that could cure her condition. |
| The woman said that in Dilley she was not given the chance to see a lawyer until after meeting with consular officials on Tuesday, and “the immigration officers made me sign paperwork about how I cannot return for 10 years before I could talk with the consulate. They keep us locked inside. They do not let my children go out and play… | The woman said that in Dilley she was not given the chance to see a lawyer until after meeting with consular officials on Tuesday, and “the immigration officers made me sign paperwork about how I cannot return for 10 years before I could talk with the consulate. They keep us locked inside. They do not let my children go out and play… |
| “I don’t understand why they want to deport me, if I complied with all the requirements. We had our life here. My children were doing well in school. my child was getting the help he needed. I was going to be treated for my condition. Both of my parents and some of my siblings reside in the United States.” | “I don’t understand why they want to deport me, if I complied with all the requirements. We had our life here. My children were doing well in school. my child was getting the help he needed. I was going to be treated for my condition. Both of my parents and some of my siblings reside in the United States.” |
| Her story echoes another statement seen by the Guardian, in which a different woman detained in Atlanta argued that her efforts to remain in the country have been hampered by ineffective counsel and a lack of explanations and translations of legal proceedings; that she was misled by officials during the raids and was told that she no longer had a right to an attorney. | Her story echoes another statement seen by the Guardian, in which a different woman detained in Atlanta argued that her efforts to remain in the country have been hampered by ineffective counsel and a lack of explanations and translations of legal proceedings; that she was misled by officials during the raids and was told that she no longer had a right to an attorney. |
| On Thursday night an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) spokesperson said that “as a result of recent enforcement actions, ICE thus far has removed a total of 77 individuals to Honduras, Guatemala and Mexico”. According to ICE, 235,413 people were “removed or returned” in fiscal year 2015, a markedly lower number than in the previous seven years. | |
| Most of those held in last weekend’s round-up were taken to Dilley. Abdollahi said that a coalition of on-site lawyers had not been able to reach everyone but their success in winning temporary reprieves for those they had come into contact with indicated that the migrants had legitimate claims for asylum that were undermined by a lack of access to effective counsel. | Most of those held in last weekend’s round-up were taken to Dilley. Abdollahi said that a coalition of on-site lawyers had not been able to reach everyone but their success in winning temporary reprieves for those they had come into contact with indicated that the migrants had legitimate claims for asylum that were undermined by a lack of access to effective counsel. |
| A study last year by the Syracuse University Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse showed that most central American mothers with children did not have legal representation in immigration court, but having a lawyer was critical to their prospects of success. | A study last year by the Syracuse University Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse showed that most central American mothers with children did not have legal representation in immigration court, but having a lawyer was critical to their prospects of success. |
| Abdollahi said the emergency stays have been granted by the Board of Immigration Appeals, the highest review body, to give it more time to review the cases. In the meantime, the families are expected to remain in detention. | Abdollahi said the emergency stays have been granted by the Board of Immigration Appeals, the highest review body, to give it more time to review the cases. In the meantime, the families are expected to remain in detention. |
| Advocates said that the number of people being granted stays after meeting with lawyers challenged Monday’s assertion by Jeh Johnson, the Homeland Security secretary, that the operation had targeted those who “have exhausted appropriate legal remedies”. | Advocates said that the number of people being granted stays after meeting with lawyers challenged Monday’s assertion by Jeh Johnson, the Homeland Security secretary, that the operation had targeted those who “have exhausted appropriate legal remedies”. |
| A Department of Homeland Security official said in a statement that “Attempting to unlawfully enter the United States as a family unit does not protect individuals from being subject to the immigration laws of this country. ICE will continue to pursue the removal of persons who fall within DHS immigration enforcement priorities, including families who are recent unlawful border crossers and who are subject to final orders of removal.“The repatriation of individuals with final orders of removal – including families and unaccompanied minors – to their home countries, is part of our broader ongoing effort to address the rising surge of families and individuals arriving at our southern border.” | A Department of Homeland Security official said in a statement that “Attempting to unlawfully enter the United States as a family unit does not protect individuals from being subject to the immigration laws of this country. ICE will continue to pursue the removal of persons who fall within DHS immigration enforcement priorities, including families who are recent unlawful border crossers and who are subject to final orders of removal.“The repatriation of individuals with final orders of removal – including families and unaccompanied minors – to their home countries, is part of our broader ongoing effort to address the rising surge of families and individuals arriving at our southern border.” |
| Mostly taking place in Texas, Georgia and North Carolina, the raids focused on central American families who had arrived in the US since May, 2014, when the number of unaccompanied minors and families making unauthorised crossings of the southwest border began to spike, placing the US immigration system under acute strain. | Mostly taking place in Texas, Georgia and North Carolina, the raids focused on central American families who had arrived in the US since May, 2014, when the number of unaccompanied minors and families making unauthorised crossings of the southwest border began to spike, placing the US immigration system under acute strain. |
| The Southern Poverty Law Center said on Thursday that it is investigating whether illegal tactics were used by federal agents during the round-ups. The operation has attracted criticism from Democrats who said the policy of removing families is divisive and in contrast with the Obama administration’s generally sympathetic rhetoric towards refugees. | The Southern Poverty Law Center said on Thursday that it is investigating whether illegal tactics were used by federal agents during the round-ups. The operation has attracted criticism from Democrats who said the policy of removing families is divisive and in contrast with the Obama administration’s generally sympathetic rhetoric towards refugees. |
| On Thursday, Bernie Sanders, the Democratic presidential hopeful, wrote to Barack Obama criticising the raids as “inhumane” and urging him to “acknowledge that most of [the] families are refugees seeking asylum and entitled to humanitarian protection and legal counsel.” | On Thursday, Bernie Sanders, the Democratic presidential hopeful, wrote to Barack Obama criticising the raids as “inhumane” and urging him to “acknowledge that most of [the] families are refugees seeking asylum and entitled to humanitarian protection and legal counsel.” |