Colorado will have fund for free defense in immigration court -

PROJECT LAW DISCUSSION ADVANCES

El Comercio de Colorado Newsroom

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The House Judiciary Committee gave initial approval to HB 21-1194, which would provide universal representation to all people who cannot afford an attorney and are detained in immigration proceedings. The law covers children, asylum seekers and refugees. Legislation proposed by Representatives Kerry Tipper and Naquetta Ricks and Senator Dominick Moreno would ensure that no one has to navigate the complex immigration system and face a single judge.

HB 21-1194 would create a fund that would allow public and private contributions through donations, grants, and donations. The program would provide a free attorney through nonprofit legal services organizations to qualified individuals facing deportation proceedings in Colorado immigration court. The need for an immigration court attorney is one that knows Ricks. “As a 13-year-old girl, my family and I escaped a civil war in my native country, Liberia to settle right here in Aurora, Colorado.”

Ricks said her mother went through the immigration system alone and applied for asylum. “Even though we had newspaper clippings describing the trauma my family and I endured, without adequate knowledge of the complicated immigration legal process, we were unable to prove our case in court,” said Representative Ricks. This representative explained that the Bill will grant universal representation to individuals in immigration detention who cannot afford an attorney.

Beneficiary of the free defense

“I came to the United States when I was a minor from Guatemala. I have been in the United States for 23 years, always living in Denver. I have twins who are one and a half years old. I will have another baby next month. And I also have children of one Previous marriage. It means that I am supporting two families. I recently ended up in detention and hiring a lawyer was too much money. I had no hope, “said Catalino, who chose not to reveal his last name.

“Then I found out that I was going to get a free attorney because I was a Denver resident. Having someone represent you changes everything. The judge released me on bail so I could fight my case while living with my family. I saw people in the city. Same situation as me but without representation, and everything went wrong for them. They have just been deported. I am still fighting my case, but I know that if I did not have a lawyer, I would surely not be in the country and I would be in a very miserable situation because my children are here,” said this Guatemalan.

Effects of deportation

Losing a family member to deportation causes trauma and harm to affect families and their entire communities. “Although I was an adult, I was 22 years old, I was completely devastated and distraught by the separation from my family. I failed the semester,” said Valeria Contreras, a resident of Aurora. Contreras continued with her story. “And to this day the trauma being separated from my father affects me. And as an educator I have witnessed the emotional anguish of the students for fear of the deportation of their parents “.