Don't Abandon Immigrant Children
- da: Care2.com
- destinatario: The Department of Homeland Security
Children who appear in immigration court currently have no right to a court-appointed attorney.
These children often do not speak or understand English, and even if they do, they have no one to explain to them how the court system works. Nonetheless, they are still expected to testify under oath, file legal documents, and navigate complex immigration law.
It's a joke to call this a justice system. Tell the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to assign a lawyer to all children appearing in immigration court.
This is not a luxury or a privilege; anyone facing charges in criminal court - regardless of age - always has legal representation.
A child facing a complicated legal ruling should have access to an experienced adult who can, at the very least, explain what is happening to them.Tell DHS to assign a court-appointed lawyer to any child in immigration proceedings.
Dear Secretary Napolitano,
I am writing to urge you to offer the basic right of legal representation to minors in immigration proceedings. A child facing a complicated legal ruling deserves an experienced adult who can, at the very least, explain what is happening to them.
This is not a luxury or a privilege; it is the same right that rapists, murderers, and other criminal defendants already have in criminal court.
[Your comments here]
It is inexcusable that young children are expected to represent themselves in complex legal proceedings. The federal government's interests in each case are represented by a trained attorney. The very least DHS can do for these children is assign them an attorney.
Sincerely,
[Your name here]
