Aug 4th, 2009
Posted by Michael Tan, Immigrants' Rights Project at 08:59am	Immigrants' Rights, Prisoners' Rights

No End in Sight: Immigrants Locked Up for Years Without Hearings

Today, the ACLU argued in federal court on behalf of Alexander Alli, Elliot Grenade, and a proposed class of immigrants who are being detained in Pennsylvania jails for months, or even years, while their deportation cases are being decided.

The ACLU contends that these individuals are being locked up unlawfully and denied the most basic form of due process: a hearing over whether they need to be detained in the first place. Based on today’s argument, the federal court in the Middle District of Pennsylvania will decide whether Alli and Grenade should receive individual hearings on whether their detention is necessary and whether the class action can go forward.

Unfortunately, as the government expands its enforcement efforts, and Congress authorizes more and more detention beds, larger numbers of immigrants are being locked up without the process that the Constitution requires.

Consequently, the ACLU is launching a web page, No End in Sight, with an issue brief, links to resources, and profiles of immigrants who have been detained for prolonged periods of time without meaningful review. Many immigrants, including many featured on the site, ultimately win a right to stay in the country based on, for example, their fear of persecution in their home countries or their ties to family and community here in the United States. Yet they are forced to spend months or years in detention, at great expense to taxpayers and great hardship to themselves and their families, in order to win their right to rights to home and safe haven.

Forcing people into this devil’s bargain violates the most basic freedoms that this country stands for. While the government should not release someone when they have a reason to detain them, everyone has a right to their day in court.

Permalink |	Immigrants' Rights, Prisoners' Rights

1. American patriot Says:
   Aug 4th, 2009 at 7:30pm

   Yeah and it probably saved a lot of crime from happening too. Hopefully it's worth the lengthy stay and they get deported. Isn't that the law? Seems so wishy washy nowadays.

2. Linda Says:
   Aug 6th, 2009 at 9:13am

   I don't get it - I really don't. I am a US Citizen, lucky enough to be born here. I know I am lucky and I would wish everyone could feel safe and secure in their home. I have nothing against legal immigration. We are and always should be a welcoming nation. I do however have issue with illegal immigration. The ACLU is so hyped on protecting people who have broken our laws. Why? Citizens of the US have died making our country what it is today and the ACLU seems bent on destroying it. The ACLU had a purpose, I won't deny that. The organization has done some good and probably continues to do some. But these off the wall crusades are voiding that.

3. Vic Livingston Says:
   Aug 6th, 2009 at 11:28am

   PA is a ground zero for an American Gestapo. When will Gov. Ed Rendell wake up and realize HE'S in the cross-hairs, too?

   Governor and staff, read this. Local police, thoroughly co-oped and compromised by their federal grants, know all about this:

   http://nowpublic.com/world/gestapo-usa-govt-funded-vigila nte-network-terrorizes-america

   OR http://NowPublic.com/scrivener RE: "GESTAPO USA"

4. anon Says:
   Aug 6th, 2009 at 2:18pm

   I've seen "the face of fascism" in NY, IA and FL. Sadly, it seems that no one is listening and/or cares.

   I can't say exactly who is behind it or involved, but it would seem that some in law enforcement -- some in our government -- are involved.

   Property is vandalized, homes are surreptitiously entered, and individuals are under very tight, if not constant, surveillance. It's shameful and an outrage that this is not being investigated. Why isn't the ACLU helping?

5. Joy Hill Says:
   Aug 13th, 2009 at 6:47am

   Those immigrants who are in the US illegally should have no rights. We are overrun with illegals and they are ruining our lifestyles, causing our property to go down. They should get a work permit if they want to come to the US and then go back and make Mexico better instead of dragging America down.

6. t Says:
   Aug 13th, 2009 at 8:54pm

   I am glad to see that others such as Am. Patriot, Linda, and Joy (mostly) concur with my view points. Can't asses Vic's or anon's points - not enough relevance here? Anyway, I support legal immigration, but cannot support the ACLU stance on illegal immigration of "amnesty now, deal with the consequences later". Keeping illegals in detention must looke better to them than deporation. Pick your fight, ACLU - I am sure that if the illegal wished to "go home until legally entering" versus stay in detention the govt. would oblige for those not having committed a felony.

7. Pam Floyd Says:
   Aug 15th, 2009 at 7:58pm

   I am so tired or the A.C.L.U. standing up for everything that is the wrong side to be fighting for.The word ILLEGAL,means just that.If you are illegal in this country, you do not have any rights.The people that are legal in this country ,are losing more rights every day ,while Illegals are gaining rights.Unless you are a legal American ,The "American"Civil Liberty Union should not even be involved. Get it,the word AMERICAN means just that!

8. roald Says:
   Aug 17th, 2009 at 1:29pm

   Joy, do you feel the same way about the illegal aliens who are not brown? The hard-working illegals from Ireland, for example?

   Can you provide non-anecdotal that we are overrun, our lifestyles are ruined, or our properly values are going down by illegal aliens?

   t, I don't read every article on this site and ask you to help me find references to the ACLU's stance of “amnesty now, deal with the consequences later”. From what I have read, their goal is protect the rights, established by our Constitution and laws, for everyone in this country, citizen or not.

9. getaclue Says:
   Aug 17th, 2009 at 6:19pm

   I agree with Pam Floyd! ILLEGAL is ILLEGAL. Why does the ACLU promote illegal activities? ACLU really stands for Anti-American Clueless Liberals of Ungodliness!

10. Christian American Patriot Says:
    Aug 17th, 2009 at 7:04pm

    ILLEGAL IS ILLEGAL! Why is the ACLU promoting illegal activities? ACLU stands for Anti-Christian Liberals of Unlawfullness!

    I posted this before but it was taken off why?

11. Socialist Worker Says:
    Aug 29th, 2009 at 10:05am

    The US Gov't demands from other nations that American Corp's. have the right to sell their comodities in those nations even if it means destroying a local industry or market. Yet when the victums of these policies come here the same US government nows says these people are 'illegal'. Before WWII in Nazi Germany Jews became an illegal people will the same thing happen here to people with a brown skin who look "Mexican"?

12. Edwin Meyer Says:
    Sep 4th, 2009 at 9:31pm

    In 1988, I was so incensed at George Bush I's ACLU bashing that I started contributing, and have done so continuously since.

    I reduced my contribution considerably after the ACLU started sloganizing "no one is illegal" (or some similar phrase), which angered me because of what I viewed as its implicit support of the flood of illegal immigrants which continue to pour into this country.

    But I can find no trace of any such slogan now, so with some misgivings, I am yet again sending another check. I hope that most of it is used wisely.

13. SGT US ARMY Says:
    Sep 6th, 2009 at 1:59pm

    I think they all should be deported if you are in this country as a guest and you break our laws you should be deported IMMEDIATELY and never be allowed back

14. Mike Says:
    Sep 7th, 2009 at 9:35pm

    In 2001 the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China sent the following response to the U.S. government re it’s immigration policies:

    “This is to advise that Chinese citizens who entered the United States legally as permanent residents, especially those who were children when they came, are not permitted to enter the People’s Republic of China as a deportee.

    For those Chinese citizens who have finished serving their sentences in the correctional institutes, it is unfair to continue detaining them only because they are not United States citizens but foreigners. Especially those who were little children when they legally immigrated to this country with his family, and were brought up and educated here in the United States.

    The Consulate General urges that they should be released from INS’s custody and stay together with their families in the United States, otherwise, it is against the spirit of humanitarianism and human rights, which the United States always advocates.”

15. Sharon Norris Says:
    Nov 15th, 2009 at 5:35pm

    I strongly disagree with the ACLU representing any "illegal immigrants". I use to be a strong supporter of the ACLU until they betrayed the "American" public by disgracing our system in support of those who knowingly and willingly violated the laws of our country to get here. Immigration laws are in place for a reason. Because some one bypasses the laws and comes to our country illegally does NOT automatically give them the same rights under our constitution. My family serves our country's military. Many young men and women have died honoring our country and our constitution. All illegal immigrants should serve time for violating the 'immigration laws' and then be deported immediately. Our constitution is for Americans, not anyone who comes here illegally.