Many immigrants arrive at U.S. borders, hoping to be granted entrance to Florida or other states under the process of asylum. To do this, they must prove that they are fleeing countries of origin that pose imminent threats of death or other dangers to themselves. U.S. immigration law allows immigration officers to detain such immigrants until such time that their cases can be fully adjudicated in court.
A judge recently ruled that a federal detention center in another state must undergo immediate reform. This particular facility has apparently been holding asylum-seeking immigrants in detainment without the possibility of parole. The judge ruled that immigrants must be informed of their rights to appeal parole denials.
Immigrants at the New York detention center must also be told why their paroles have been denied. An immigrant advocate who supports the judge’s recent ruling said reform will help to end indefinite confinements for immigrants who may be able to reside with their family members while they await their asylum hearings. If an immigrant can prove that he or she poses no national security risk, he or she is supposed to be eligible for parole.
U.S. immigration law is complex and often changes. Also, protocol in Florida may vary from processes in other states, making it all the more challenging to navigate the system, especially if a language barrier is involved. The good thing is that an experienced immigration attorney is able to act on behalf of a concerned immigrant to help simplify (and perhaps, expedite) the asylum process.
Source: law.com, “Judge Rules Federal Detention Facility in NY Must Reform Treatment of Asylum Seekers“, Nov. 20, 2017
