REPS LIEU, JACOBS AND ESPAILLAT INTRODUCE BILL TO ENSURE CONGRESSIONAL OFFICES CAN ASSIST DETAINEES HELD AT ICE AND CBP CENTERS
WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Ted W. Lieu (D-Los Angeles County), Congresswoman Sara Jacobs (D-CA), and Congressman Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, introduced legislation that guarantees individuals held at immigration detention centers have access to congressional constituent casework services upon request. The Fairness and Access for Immigrant Rights (FAIR) Act would establish a clear, enforceable process for detainees in immigration detention centers to have access to the necessary privacy release forms (PRFs) and requires detention center facilities to notify the appropriate congressional office within seven days of a detainee’s request for assistance.
“Constituent casework is an essential part of every congressional office’s representational duties because it enables us to advocate for and on behalf of constituents having problems with the federal government,” said Congressman Ted W. Lieu. “Casework has become an incredibly important tool during the Trump Administration’s extreme ICE raids, where we have seen innocent people and children, including American citizens, being inappropriately detained. Creating a clear and enforceable way for detainees to access the services of their congressional office is critical in protecting detainees’ rights. I am pleased to work with Representatives Jacobs and Espaillat on this important issue.”
“Congress can’t effectively conduct oversight and ensure accountability if the people in immigration detention facilities can’t reach out for help,” said Congresswoman Sara Jacobs. “I’ve heard from families of several detainees at Otay Mesa detention facility who didn’t have someone in their corner pushing to protect their legal and human rights simply because they hadn’t been given the forms that allow congressional offices to legally and effectively intervene on their behalf. That’s why I’m proud to help introduce the FAIR Act to guarantee that every detainee can request congressional assistance regardless of where and how someone is detained.”
“Ensuring the privacy of vulnerable individuals and families seeking assistance from any government agency remains at the forefront of public service,” said Congressman Adriano Espaillat. “Whether related to immigration, education, or healthcare coverage, individuals must fill out a privacy release form, not only to provide consent to work on their behalf, but to establish a transparent level of standards for how these cases are managed. I am proud to join Congressman Lieu as a co-sponsor of the FAIR Act to provide clear guidance for how detention centers manage requests for sensitive documents from detainees and their loved ones throughout the casework process.”
READ FULL TEXT OF THE BILL HERE
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