If there’s one topic that is likely to incite debate in both private and public settings, it is immigration. Florida is home to thousands of people who emigrated from other countries of origin. Many may be interested in an ongoing situation out west, involving a U.S. immigration law case filed by the federal government against another state.
A staff attorney for the Immigrant Legal Resource Center spoke about an amicus curie brief the center filed regarding the case. The attorney said the federal government’s case may ultimately impede the state from effectively monitoring immigration detention centers. There are several existing laws meant to protect immigrants against abuse and personal rights violations when taken into custody in that state by Immigration Customs and Enforcement officers.
The attorney for representing California in the lawsuit noted that the state is obligated to oversee immigration detention practices throughout its jurisdiction. California ranks second highest in the nation regarding the number of people Immigration and Customs Enforcement detains. In fact, more than 5,000 immigrants are taken into custody every day throughout the state.
Substandard medical care, physical and sexual abuse and other acts of negligence are problematic issues in many immigration detention centers. One man, age 44, reportedly asked for medical help for two years for painful symptoms he was experiencing. Officials apparently denied his requests for medical attention until it was too late; he saw a doctor approximately one month before the cancer that was ravaging his body took its final toll. Florida residents facing legal problems related to U.S. immigration law may discuss their situations with experienced attorneys who can help them seek solutions.
Source: hrw.org, “US Suit Risks Cloaking Immigrant Detention Abuse“, Accessed on May 22, 2018
