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Showing posts with label Rick Scott. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rick Scott. Show all posts

Saturday, June 28, 2014

New York City to provide lawyers for poor immigrants facing deportation

While some states have established restrictive procedures against immigrants not in status with US immigration laws, New York City has taken an opposite stance. Today's post is shared from jurist.com

New York lawmakers have approved funding for a program to provide lawyers to indigent residents facing deportation hearings. The New York Immigrant Family Unity Project [Bronx Defenders backgrounder] was created last year but was only funded at $500,000. Wednesday's vote by the New York City Council expands funding to $4.9 million [press release] to greatly expand the program. While defendants in the criminal justice system have the right to an attorney, there is no such right for individuals facing a complicated immigration legal system. This is the first program of its kind in the US [AP report]. Also this week, the New York Council approved a measure to provide identification cards [press release] to all city residents, including those in the country illegally.

In the absence of federal immigration reform, state governments have continued to enact various measures. Last week a Montana judge struck down [JURIST report] most of a voter-approved immigration law that required government officials to check the immigration status of anyone applying for state services. Earlier this month Florida Governor Rick Scott signed a law [JURIST report] allowing undocumented students to receive in-state tuition, joining 16 other states already allowing this. In March South Carolina announced...

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