Californians facing deportation could be guaranteed an attorney under a new program

"Immigrants with attorneys are five times more likely to win their cases than those without one, according to a recent report from the American Immigration Council. Another study from the UCLA School of Law found that immigrants who had legal counsel were 5.5 times more likely to obtain relief from deportation than unrepresented immigrants."

"AB 2600 represents California's chance to stand up for our values: a commitment to due process, dignity, and the principle that justice shouldn't depend on what you can afford. The law would virtually extend that protection to Californians undergoing deportation proceedings."

"Thousands of California residents go through the civil immigration system without an attorney. That often involves navigating complex legal proceedings and hearings, meeting filing deadlines, and following procedural rules, almost entirely in English, without the help of a lawyer. As a result, many people are separated from their families, friends, and communities, detained, and deported."

Thousands of California residents navigate civil immigration proceedings without attorneys, resulting in family separations, detention, and deportation. Unlike criminal defendants protected by the Sixth Amendment, immigrants in civil court lack guaranteed legal representation. Research demonstrates immigrants with attorneys are five to five-and-a-half times more likely to win cases and obtain deportation relief. Assemblymember Mia Bonta introduced AB 2600 to address this disparity by creating a state program providing legal representation to Californians facing deportation, prioritizing those in immigration detention facilities. The law would fund public defender offices, nonprofit legal organizations, and private immigration attorneys, extending due process protections and ensuring justice accessibility regardless of financial means.

Read at The Oaklandside