Oregon Governor and AG Demand End to 'Mega Master' Immigration Hearings
Oregon Governor Tina Kotek and Attorney General Dan Rayfield on October 6 sent a joint letter to U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche demanding an immediate halt to 'mega master' immigration hearings in the state, the Statesman Journal reported. The mass hearings, which can bring more than 100 people before a single immigration judge at once, have left immigrants increasingly vulnerable to rapid deportation, advocates say.
'These mass hearings undermine the basic fairness that is the foundation of any legal proceeding in America,' Kotek and Rayfield wrote. 'Hearings are scheduled and abruptly rescheduled or moved with little notice, thwarting the due process owed to the individuals at the center of these hearings.'
The Oregonian reported that the mass-scale proceedings began in February. The U.S. Department of Justice has said the mega court hearings are meant to trim the large backlog of immigration court cases, according to USA Today.
Kotek and Rayfield demanded the hearings stop at least until the DOJ can ensure adequate notice, eliminate confusion from overcrowded dockets, provide interpretation services, and explain the criteria used to advance hearings. 'We condemn the use of these mega master hearings. The lack of due process being provided is unconstitutional and un-American,' they wrote.
(Sources: Statesman Journal, The Oregonian, USA Today)
Source: 政治家日报、俄勒冈人报
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: Spicypepper999，CC0（Wikimedia Commons）
