Detained Immigrants Coerced to Sign Away Their Rights

Newly available federal data shows a steady increase in the number of immigrants in administrative detention who have signed deportation orders waiving their right to see a judge. The National Immigrant Justice Center, through a Freedom of Information Act request, collected data showing that 94 percent of the 80,844 stipulated orders of removal signed between April 1997 and February 2008 were by immigrants who spoke primarily Spanish, and most had not been charged with a crime.




"Given our work with this population, the data backs up our longstanding concern that immigrants in detention face language barriers and do not fully comprehend the implications of signing stipulated order of removal forms," said National Immigrant Justice Center Director Mary Meg McCarthy. "And while Immigration and Customs Enforcement suggests that increasing numbers of deportations make society safer, in reality most of the detained immigrants encouraged to sign away their rights and be deported had no criminal charges against them."

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• immigrant
• immigration
• detention
• deportation
• stipulated
• removal

[lumpagogo]

How do you spell treason? NIJC.

[future4you]

@tomasobamela

In that case they shouldn't be here at all.

When in Rome do as the Romans dol.

When in the U.S.A. do as the people who live here do or just don't come.

[future4you]

I don't think they were tricking him. They were just handing him his deportation papers. Its the mans own need to read the papers. If he can't read, he should learn before attempting to enter the country.

[tomasobamela]

WTF ????

Some people DON'T KNOW HOW TO READ !!!

[sidneysiam]

You should know your loved ones Alien number-the 8-9 digit # that they are given whenthey come into the U.S. if they came in legally. If u think they are detained start calling detention centers in the area (theres detention centers al over US) you think they could be and give them their A#, name, dob, country of birth and if male or female. They wont let u talk to them but u may be able to get infomation where they r at so an atty or probono group can visit them quickly.

[sidneysiam]

Some detainees who have family here will listen to question answer radio shows. Most in Spanish. So some get the message through others. Theres also Probono groups that can visit detainees at the Immig. detention centers.

[Kellerharius]

Is there a way to get the message through to these detainees before they're forced to sign?

[sidneysiam]

I have had more than several clients who have told me this only finding out they signed deportationor voluntary departure when I explain this to them. I just recently had a client released who was to be deported but luckily she gave me all the names of the officers who pressured her to sign and she was released...u should not sign any documents and request to see the judge even if you are considered an expidited removal you can request should a credible fear interview.

[netsteve11]

Yes, I have a witness that they are forcing people to sign these papers and threatening them with jail if they don't. ICE has been doing this and it needs to stop.

[wazoome]

Thank you for highlighting this. They tried this with my husband too. He speaks English, but they tried to force him to sign deportation papers and he brought up his case and his right to due process. The ICE agent left after that, telling my husband he would be in prison indefinitely...with no charges pending, entering this country legally asking customs agents to allow him in for asylum...not sneaking in. ICE agents who do this should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law!