Thursday, June 4, 2009

Immigrants Restore Right to Appeal becuse of Ineffective Representation

One of the last hour executive orders sign by President George Bush was to deny the constitutional right of immigrants facing deportation to appeal because of bad legal representation. The immigration courts, which are administrative and under the US Justice Department's management, had allowed such appeals. Immigrants also have the right to appeal to federal courts. The Justice Department rescinded the order, returning practice to the previous status, and initiated a review of the issue. In federal courts, however, immigrants will not enjoy a right to appeal because of poor representation. The argument often delays deportation, even if it does not eventually succeed. (See New York Times article.)

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