Injustice: Lawyers Pick Public’s Pocket to Keep Illegal Aliens in U.S.
Taxpayers in some 50 cities and counties are paying more than $66 million for lawyers to keep illegal aliens, foreign criminals and other immigration violators in the United States.
According to a new study by the Immigration Reform Law Institute (IRLI), a growing number of deportation defense programs are providing “free” legal services to aliens in Immigration Court. Such work is often done without public knowledge or consent; it’s just another seemingly innocuous disbursement of local funds to non-profit organizations.
What’s not to like? Plenty.
The cost for legal aid to illegal aliens is on top of the $140 billion tab that migrants run up on other state and local services, ranging from schools to hospitals to jails.
“Amid budgetary shortfalls, states, cities and towns across America have increasingly reduced expenditures on essential services such as police protection and public transportation,” the IRLI report notes. “Nevertheless, the number of jurisdictions establishing deportation defense funds continues to grow.”
A gaggle of open-borders organizations are cashing in with like-minded municipalities. IRLI identified the Vera Institute of Justice as “the primary architect of the nationwide plot to force American taxpayers to bankroll defense lawyers for aliens in Immigration Court.”
By law, foreign nationals in proceedings at the Immigration Court may be represented by counsel, provided that they locate, retain and pay for their own attorney. That makes legal and practical sense.
“But,” IRLI points out, “U.S. citizens do not get free counsel when they are facing eviction from their homes, mortgage foreclosures, tax liens or repossession of a motor vehicle. So why should U.S. citizens be forced to pay for lawyers to represent foreign nationals who, at worst, might get a free ride home courtesy of Uncle Sam?”
Adding to the mockery is a Texas program that was not included in the IRLI study because it handles (mishandles?) criminal defense work. Tapping the state’s $4 billion Operation Lone Star border security program, one law firm racks up billable hours on behalf of migrants facing charges in local courts. Some barristers do not even appear competent.
In a recent case, an attorney from the Lubbock Private Defenders Office went AWOL, prompting one flummoxed judge to complain, “The bottom line is this lawyer is not around, and I don’t know where the heck he is.”
Like lawyer, like client?