Sitting in court listening to Judge Naselow at the LA immigration court deny Jose’s asylum case. Jose came to this country seeking safety as a 17 year old. He came alone. He has been detained for 19 months (585 days). Seeking safety shouldn’t be this hard.
#dueprocess4all 1/
Jose was shot
in the stomach because he refused to join a gang in Guatemala. He survived the gunshot wound, but fled the country to save his life. 2/
Put yourself
in his shoes for a minute. You’re 16, and have the courage to stand up to a gang. You’re shot in the stomach. You survive, and like any other human, you run for your life. 3/
Instead of being met with compassion at our border, he was met with abject cruelty. The government used unreliable dental scans to make the false case that he was an adult. 4/ latimes.com/local/lanow/la…
Forget the fact that the government suddenly has resources to use X-Ray machines to scan migrants with the intention of making the case that they are adults and can therefore be thrown in jail --- while numerous children die in their custody from preventable diseases. 5/
After 585 days in an ICE prison, a denied bail hearing in April, Jose is shackled and standing before Judge Naselow asking for mercy. We are proud to represent him, but I can’t describe what it’s like to be sitting here watching all of this. 6/
We are a nation that was built on compassion. Jose is a teenager. In his short time, he’s shown tremendous courage. He is a kind, courageous, inspiring person. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers. 7/
Judge Naselow is still reading her decision. It took her a few minutes in chambers to decide, but she has been reading her decision for more than 45 minutes. She’s explaining how getting shot in the stomach by one of the most vicious gangs in the world isn’t enough. 8/
We submitted hundreds of pages of evidence. HUNDREDS. We filed dozens of motions. And yet, here we are sitting next to our shackled teenage client while the judge denies his request for safety and protection. 10/
Jose looks dazed as does our legal team, most of us fighting back tears. So after 585 days in an ICE prison, her decision has been made and it is send him back to the same place he was shot and almost killed. This is the same ruling she makes in 91% of cases. #AppealReady 11/
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