National Immigrant Justice Center Urges Congress to Pass Legislation Protecting Human Rights of Asylum Seekers

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom issued a report card today evaluating the failure of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to respond to the Commission's February 2005 report on how "expedited removal" threatens the rights and safety of asylum seekers. Here are the facts about the expedited removal process.

Immigrant Groups and Detainees Petition Department of Homeland Security: Demand Enforceable, Comprehensive Detention Standards to Protect Basic Human Rights

The National Immigrant Justice Center, other immigrant rights organizations and 84 immigrant detainees petitioned the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) today to issue regulations governing detention standards for immigrant detainees. DHS developed standards in 2000 to ensure the "safe, secure, and humane treatment of individuals" detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, but the standards are not legally binding.

The Office of Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released a long anticipated report on the treatment of immigrants held in detention by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Investigators documented poor health care and systemic failures to respond to detainee's requests for treatment. In addition, DHS failed to provide immigrants with adequate information regarding legal services, and in some cases actively prevented detainees from contacting attorneys.

"Josè Hernan's deportation back to his native Ecuador for violating his tourist visa was supposed to be quick and easy. "Within a few days," Hernan was told the morning after he arrived at the Chippewa County Jail in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan — as long as he signed a "voluntary departure" form, essentially relinquishing his right to seek legal help."

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