Source: Huffington Post
Immigrants are less likely to be prosecuted with the assistance of counsel, according to a new study.
According to the study of over one million immigrant court cases, only fourteen percent were prosecuted without an attorney. In hopes of combating immigrants’ minimal access to lawyers, New York officials have recently decided to fund a statewide network of attorneys to represent people undergoing deportation proceedings.
From 2007 to 2016, approximately 1,500 citizens were detained by immigration officials. In response to heightened anxiety among undocumented immigrants and permanent residents since Donald Trump took office, a number of cities and states have declared themselves as sanctuaries, vowing to protect immigrant rights. However, having a lawyer is not guaranteed in immigration court.
This significant step towards justice mirrors New York’s previous efforts in 2013, when the New York Immigrant Family Unity Project represented over a thousand clients who were at risk of forced separation from their families simply because they could not afford a lawyer.
Read full story at: Huffington Post