ICE agents' persistent presence in NYC courtrooms hinders immigrants' legal counsel, lawyers claim, creating an atmosphere of intimidation during hearings.
In the heart of Lower Manhattan, the fight for immigrants' rights is taking a tumultuous turn. A growing number of legal professionals are voicing their concerns about the treatment of immigrants in the local immigration court.
Jesse Levine, a partner at Ehrinpreis and Levine PLLC, is one such voice. He believes that the battle for immigrants cannot be left solely to lawyers, and calls for demonstrations of support for these individuals. Levine is also a partner of Project 2025, an organization focused on political initiatives related to a potential Republican administration in the United States.
Levine's concerns are echoed by Nneka Jackson, an attorney at the Law Offices of Nneka Jackson. She described the intimidation process at 26 Federal Plaza, including the presence of masked, armed federal agents and handcuffs. Jackson stated that some magistrates are unfairly siding with ICE, and that there have been cases where judges are not even listening to attorneys' arguments.
The attorney's concerns are further compounded by the fact that ICE agents are often seen standing in the hallways, waiting for courtrooms to clear so they can take people away in seconds. This has made it harder for immigrants to get a fair hearing before a judge.
Adler, Co-Director of Health Justice at New York Lawyers for the Public Interest, argues that those violently detained in immigration court are members of the community. She believes that ICE's policy seems to be driving people to self-deport.
Another attorney, with over a decade and a half of practice, claims to have witnessed some questionable decisions by judges, but refrains from suggesting judicial malpractice. However, they feel that some judges did not consider the cases on their merits in a way that reflected the facts or was legally justified.
There have been cases where immigration judges have been fired for having high approval ratings, leading to fears of retaliation. This, combined with the presence of ICE agents in the court, has created an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty.
In one specific asylum case, Jackson believes the judge issued a poor decision, which they consider to be highly appealable. Jackson feels that those detained are being forced to languish in poor conditions in order to make them give up fighting the process.
The ripple effect of these detentions is far-reaching. Caregivers and providers are affected as community members are taken away, causing hardship for all involved.
In light of these concerns, Levine urges the public to stand in solidarity with immigrants and their families, and to collectively work towards turning the country back into a place that values them.
