Complaint alleges misconduct by El Paso immigration judges, culture of hostility
Aaron Martinez, El Paso TimesPublished 4:37 p.m. MT April 3, 2019
Immigration court in El Paso is known as the
“BYE-BYE-PLACE,”
kek with judges being accused of continuously violating the due process rights of asylum seekers and creating a “culture of hostility,” according to a complaint filed by immigration lawyers.
The American Immigration Council and the American Immigration Lawyers Association filed a joint administrative complaint with the U.S Department of Justice Executive Office of Immigration Review, the Office of the Inspector General, and the Office of Professional Responsibility.The complaint, which was filed on behalf of immigration lawyers and their detained clients, states that El Paso immigration judges are hearing thousands of asylum cases a year but are only granting a small number of claims.
It adds that judges also are creating uphill battles for asylum seekers and lawyers by discarding legal requirements.
"Detained immigrants are faced with near-impossible obstacles to accessing a fair day in court,” Katie Shepherd, national advocacy counsel for the Immigration Justice Campaign, said in a statement. “For detained asylum seekers who are unrepresented by counsel, the chances for long-term safety in the United States are almost nil. El Paso has served as a staging ground for unjust government policies like the piloting of family separation and now the expansion of Remain in Mexico.”
https://www.elpasotimes.com/story/news/immigration/2019/04/03/complaint-alleges-misconduct-el-paso-immigration-judges/3357416002/