OUR CLIENTS
The law currently gives immigration authorities broad discretion to detain noncitizens. Our detained clients represent a diverse range of nationalities, backgrounds and life experiences. Some were convicted of a crime, served their sentence, and now face additional detention by ICE. Others have prior deportation orders but returned to the US to reunite with their families. Still others were simply looking for asylum at the border and learned that they’d have to fight their case from behind bars.
We focus on the cases of people detained at Northern California detention facilities. As a leader in local and regional rapid response networks, we also respond in real-time to immigration raids in our community. We challenge the harsh conditions of detention and work to shed light on the lack of access to counsel for detained immigrants.
OUR SERVICES
For detained immigrants, our most common services are:
- Bond Hearings
- Removal Defense (including asylum, cancellation of removal, and U and T visas)
- Credible and Reasonable Fear Interviews
- Habeas Corpus
- Board of Immigration Appeals
- Requests for Prosecutorial Discretion/Release
We provide weekly phone consultations with family members or friends of detained individuals seeking representation. All our detained services are provided pro bono.
If you or someone you know would like to schedule a consultation, please call 415-254-0475.
THE NEED
A congressionally-mandated quota currently requires that ICE fill 34,000 beds every night. In reality, ICE detains thousands more every day in a network of state-run facilities and private prisons. Detainees are housed hundreds of miles away from their families. Their ability to communicate with the outside world and prepare for their immigration case is severely restricted. Detainees usually don’t even get a chance to appear in person in immigration court, but are piped in by videoconference. Often, having an attorney is a person’s only chance to adequately present their case to remain in the United States.
We envision a day when all detained immigrants have representation in immigration court. Please help Pangea increase our capacity to represent detained immigrants and work to end detention.