THREAD: It is morally indefensible that court hearings for immigration detainees are still happening. This is my experience visiting my clients early last morning at South Texas Detention Complex in TX, where new “safeguards” were in place to “protect” against #COVID19 1/11
It started w filling out a screening sheet. Families are no longer able to visit their loved ones, only attorneys. Detainees w/o lawyers often rely on family to coordinate their legal defense. Saw a man wanting to take ev to his wife’s hearing but wasn’t able to 2/11
Attorneys are now forced to meet w clients at the windows where families typically visit, instead of contact attorney rooms. Because most of my clients r trans, no other attorneys mtngs can happen at the same time. All other attorneys had to wait while I met w 8 ppl! 3/11
We had to talk through the cord phones which have no guarantee of being secure. Officers kept walking in to access the vending machines & I complained to get them to stop. This actually happened 4/11
When I asked how my clients would sign my docs their solution is contact visitation. So all this and I ended up being in the same room with them anyway 😡 5/11
They were not given a pen so they had to use mine, despite the screening sheet saying not to share. When I told the officers, their only concern was whether I had left a pen behind w my clients, not whether I couldve exposed them 6/11
When I met w a client who was male, 2 other attorneys did consults a few windows down. I could hear EVERYTHING they were saying 7/11
1 attorney ended up doing consults in the contact room cus she asked the supervisor nicely, making all their “precautions” pointless 8/11
It is clear that there is no sensible plan in place. Courtrooms were packed w detainees. Nothing is actually being done to safeguard anyone 9/11
I’m so angry that I was forced to expose my clients, but with their ongoing detention & quickly approaching hearings, I had to see them. I shouldn’t have to be making decisions between safety & representation 10/11
Release all immigration detainees now and stop court hearings until an alternative can be made. There is no other way to prevent exposure. #FreeThemAll 11/11
