ACLU accuses court of violating immigrants’ due process in Nebraska, Iowa.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Nebraska has accused the U.S. Department of Justice immigration court in Omaha of violating due process rights in immigrants' removal proceedings. Based on over 500 pretrial hearings between April and August 2023, the report found that judges often read immigrants their rights in group settings, provided inadequate interpretation services for non-English speakers, and failed to inform many immigrants of their rights individually before each hearing. The ACLU recommends that the court should advise immigrants of their rights individually before each hearing, provide adequate interpretation services, and create a program for guaranteed representation. The organization also suggests that the immigration courts should be restructured as an independent court system from the executive branch, with more immigration judges from diverse work experiences.

February 12, 2024
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