Today, we met a man who ICE separated from his 5 yr old daughter. We offered to represent him for free but he couldn’t stand being detained and signed his own deportation. Instead of helping him fight for bond, he asked us to help make sure his 5 yr old would be deported with him
He said he never had been in prison, and didn’t expect to end up in such a terrible place when he asked for help at the border. He hasn’t spoken to his daughter since they were separated a month ago. He said he felt too depressed in detention to keep fighting his case
He is afraid to go back to his country, but said he would rather search for another safe place than suffer another day in detention. Unfortunately, there’s no guarantee that he’ll be able to see his daughter soon, or that we’ll be able to make sure they’re deported together
If she is released to her family near Los Angeles, she might not have her first hearing for many months. We’d have to ask to advance her hearing and request Voluntary Departure w/ safeguards due to her age
What if her father can’t find a safe place in his country to be able to receive her? What if he is hurt or killed before we can reunify them?
It didn’t help having to tell him that asylum law just changed for the worse, and that it would be harder than ever to win his case. The fact that they were fleeing gang violence means his daughter wouldn’t fare much better in her case
As we were leaving, the prison guard asked if he was ‘bored’ and wouldn’t mind helping them clean the visiting area. Of course he complied, but he certainly won’t be paid for his work. Just one more way CoreCivic will profit from his suffering
