Only 14% of immigrants in the custody of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office have legal representation, accuses the Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).
For this reason, said organization that defends immigrants and civil rights requested public records about the access that immigrants have to legal resources, after constant complaints from foreigners.
“Legal materials are crucial for people in ICE custody, particularly those without legal advice,” Marisol Domínguez Ruiz, of the ACLU’s National Prison Project, said in a statement.
ICE has a daily average of 24,000 migrants in its custody throughout the country, but a very low percentage has legal advice.
The materials requested by the ACLU from the immigration agency can help determine the future of detained persons.
“[Pueden evaluar] whether or not they can successfully argue their cases and stay in the United States with their families, or if they face deportation and separation from their loved ones.
The ACLU says it has documented frequent and serious barriers to communication with attorneys by migrants detained at ICE facilities across the country.
Migration agency regulations require places where detainees remain to ensure that detainees have access to comprehensive legal materials, including the electronic library for the protection of their rights.
But, according to the ACLU, “detainees frequently complain about barriers that prevent them from using legal remedies.”
The request was made under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).
With information from EFE
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