According to reporting from CBS Boston, the Lawyers for Civil Rights—a Boston-based legal organization—has filed a federal lawsuit against the Trump Administration in order to protect immigrants in Massachusetts and around the country. The legal complaint was filed on behalf of two immigrant rights advocacy groups: Centro Presente and Pioneer Valley Workers Center—both of which advocate for thousands of members who will be directly affected by the Trump Administration’s proposed policy. Here, our Boston deportation lawyers highlight the most important things that you need to know about this lawsuit.
Understanding the Trump Administration’s Expedited Removal Plan
Through expedited removal as it is currently constituted, undocumented immigrants who are detained within 100 miles of the United States border can be deported on a ‘fast track’. In practice, this means that these immigrants are often ordered deported from the United States without obtaining professional legal representation and without receiving an official court hearing. Further, the expedited removal offers very limited appeal rights.
In July of 2019, the Trump Administration issued new guidelines seeking to radically expand the coverage of expedited removal. Under the new fast track deportation policy proposed by the Trump Administration, any undocumented immigrant in the United States could be ordered removed on an expedited basis unless they can prove at residency in the United States for over two years. To be clear, the Trump Administration’s expedited removal policy would apply in every jurisdiction in the country, including in Massachusetts.
A Lawsuit to Protect Immigrant Rights
It is worth clarifying what exactly the administration is attempting to do with this policy: President Trump is maneuvering to put all undocumented immigrants at risk of immediate deportation. This is a direct effort to take away the standard due process protections provided by United States immigration law. As explained by Iván Espinoza-Madrigal, the Executive Director for the Boston-based civil rights organization Lawyers for Civil Rights (LCR), this latest attack on immigrant rights “puts all of our communities in jeopardy and stokes unnecessary fear.”
The lawsuit filed by the civil rights groups seeks to protect and preserve immigrant rights. An expanded expedited removal policy would deny many immigrants an opportunity to have a full hearing. In most cases, expedited removal begins—and ends— with an evaluation conducted by an immigration officer. The immigrant in question can then be placed on the path towards deportation without having an opportunity to ever make their case in an immigration court.
Discuss Your Case With Our Boston, MA Immigration Lawyers Right Away
At the Goldstein Immigration Lawyers, our skilled Boston deportation defense lawyers are tireless and effective advocates for immigrant rights. You only have a limited amount of time to raise defense against deportation. If you or someone you know is facing deportation, please call us at (617) 722-0005 to set up fully confidential initial consultation. From our conveniently located law office in the heart of Boston, we represent clients throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
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