HOUSTON – As ICE agents continue making arrests outside Houston immigration courts, immigrants rights organizations and attorneys are stepping up their presence at these hearings. Head of the immigrants rights organization, FIEL, was outside the court on S. Gessner near the Southwest Freeway handing out flyers.
The flyers are in English and Spanish and inform immigrants of what legal avenues they have if a judge moves to dismiss their case.
“If they do dismiss their case, then they have to tell the judge they have the right to appeal, and with that, it should continue their case so that they don’t get picked up by right outside the door,” said Cesar Espinosa, head of the immigrant rights group, FIEL.
The arrests seen in Houston this week deal with immigrants who were accused of illegally crossing the border in the last two years but were allowed to remain in the US while their cases are pending in immigration court. President Donald Trump’s administration does not believe these individuals were properly vetted before being allowed into the US and is revoking their parole. When their case is dismissed they no longer have a legal standing to remain in the US and are subject to arrest and expedited removal.
“Do not come to court alone, but also come to court,” said Espinosa. “If you don’t come to court then it’s going to be worse. The advice is for people to find attorneys to show up to their hearing and then, with legal advice, try to avoid getting their case dismissed.”
Houston immigration attorney Raed Gonzalez helped FIEL produce the flyers handed out at court and he said he expects lawsuits will be filed in cases where a judge dismissed a case without giving an immigrant a chance to appeal the decision.
“It undermines fairness in the judicial process, it increases the risk of wrongful deportation, especially for asylum seekers,” said Gonzalez.
KPRC 2 called the union representing immigration court judges across the country and were told they have no comment at this time.
