4-year-old migrant girl, other kids go to court in NYC with no lawyer: 'The cruelty is apparent'

[Nevilledog]

https://gothamist.com/news/4-year-old-migrant-girl-other-kids-go-to-court-in-nyc-with-no-lawyer-the-cruelty-is-apparent

In shelters across New York, migrant children sit in front of computer and TV screens, appearing virtually in real court proceedings. They swivel in chairs, walk in circles and play with their hair — while immigration judges address them on the screens in front of them.

“The reason we’re here is because the government of the United States wants you to leave the United States,” Judge Ubaid ul-Haq, presiding from a courtroom on Varick Street, told a group of about a dozen children on a recent morning on Webex.

“It’s my job to figure out if you have to leave,” ul-Haq continued. “It’s also my job to figure out if you should stay.”

The parties included a 7-year-old boy, wearing a shirt emblazoned with a pizza cartoon, who spun a toy windmill while the judge spoke. There was an 8-year-old girl and her 4-year-old sister, in a tie-dye shirt, who squeezed a pink plushy toy and stuffed it into her sleeve. None of the children were accompanied by parents or attorneys, only shelter workers who helped them log on to the hearing.

Immigrant advocates and lawyers say an increasing number of migrant children are making immigration court appearances without the assistance of attorneys, which they say will lead to more children getting deported.

*snip*

[Irish_Dem]

1. This is absurd, ridiculous and a travesty.

Shame on the judges for play acting a kangaroo court.

[NotHardly]

9. Making a joke instead of providing protection...wonder if he can look at himself in a mirror?

[33taw]

13. Trump can. The Judges should be ashamed.

[Irish_Dem]

14. He needs to hang his head in shame.

[ck4829]

2. Is there something stopping an attorney from raising their hand and saying "I represent this kid"?

The media is in the room, are there any lawyers?

[chowder66]

6. From the article....

The Trump administration on March 21 terminated part of a $200 million contract that funds attorneys and other legal services for unaccompanied children, who arrived in the United States without parents or legal guardians. While that action is being challenged in court, immigrant advocates say the impact is already being felt, as lawyer groups pull back on services – leaving some children on their own.

.....

The now-terminated contract paid for attorneys to represent 26,000 children across the country and “friend of the court” programs for children, which provide attorneys in court to help pro se respondents navigate the court process. The figures were provided by the Acacia Center for Justice, the nonprofit that manages the contract and doles out money to other providers across the country.

The federal contract funnels $18 million to nine legal providers across New York state to represent some 1,800 children, according to Sierra Kraft, executive director of the ICARE Coalition, a New York-based organization that advocates for expanding access to legal representation for immigrant children.

Kraft said that before the contract was terminated, she saw 30% to 40% of children in a given docket without lawyers. Now, she said, the number has increased to 50% to 60%.



There is a lot more in the article.....

[Passages]

3. A new low. Under Trump this happens at least once a day.

[OLDMDDEM]

4. This is really sick.

[Solly Mack]

5. That's not due process. Not at all.

If that passes as "the rule of law", something is seriously wrong with how it is defined.

[Biophilic]

7. How can a four year old represent themselves?

Yes, this is just play acting. How can a legitimate judge agree to participate in this kind of travesty?

[IbogaProject]

23. That should be instant Bar revocation proceedings!

I understand it's complex, like who helped them get here? But the kids are the ones who can't understand court.

[patphil]

8. This demonstrates the cruelity and depravity of the Republicans.

Where will they deport them to, and who will care for them after deportation?
But more importantly, where are their parents or guardians?
How can this happen in America?

Welcome to Trump World.

[LiberalArkie]

10. When a kid is deported are they sent to the El Salvador prison like the older people?

[Iamscrewed]

11. Reality

We were better once, what went wrong and why?

[jayschool2013]

12. The only logical conclusion

MS-13 must be recruiting at a very young age.

(Sarcasm, of course)

We are so fucked.

[MaineBlueBear]

15. Makes my stomach turn

Low, even by the standards of this administration.

[DFW]

16. How could a Pakistani judge be addressing Latino children under ten and expect them to know what is happening?

It's amazing the UN even tolerates us as members, besides the money.

The Human Rights Commission should be hauling us before the Hague and the World Court for this.

[Buddyzbuddy]

17. Republican party, "what about the children".

I guess they're not the right kind of children. What about the millions in free pro Bono work from those cowardly law firms. Doesn't cost the gov't anything.
The whole Republican party are some very evil sh.ts.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

18. This country is profoundly sick.

[LittleGirl]

19. I don't know enough words

to describe my contempt.

[byronius]

20. Dark hearts did this.

May they all suffer for it.

[angrychair]

21. To be clear about what immigration courts are

Immigration judges are not "judges" in that they are DOJ employees, executive branch and not part of the judicial branch of government.
All the trappings and rules and procedures and policies, don't exist in Immigration court as the DOJ can pretty much make it up as they go which is why you can have a 2 year old appear in "court" alone and be asked very serious and meaningful questions by an adult "judge" that damn well knows a two year old has no idea what is being said and it doesn't even matter.
This is NOT a new thing and people have been calling it out for many, many years. People like Adam Conover (Adam Ruins Everything fame) and John Oliver have both done very good and well researched segments on immigration courts and children years ago.

[Pas-de-Calais]

22. Fork this cruelty