While Antonini and Cohen is over a thousand miles from the epicenter of the crisis at the southern US border, we have received an escalating number of calls regarding Unaccompanied Minors – known in the media as UACs. The national news has reported on the urgent humanitarian situation on a daily basis and the reasons behind this surge in migration are difficult to encapsulate in a blog post as they are more suited to a textbook.
The Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC) has very recently issued a report indicating that of the more than 100,000 case records reviewed, almost half of the unaccompanied alien children (UAC) appeared in court without an attorney.
The data shows a startling contrast of the outcomes of these cases. In the first 6 months of 2014, 55% of UACs who had no legal representative were given an order of removal. Of the UACs who did have a legal representative for the same period of time, the number was 12%. While every immigration story is unique, cases where foreign nationals are detained at the border are similar in that there are severe limitations on the forms of relief from removal available. If you or a loved one are in this situation, it is important to give yourself the best chance possible for safety and success and contact someone who knows what options are available to you.
Contact the Atlanta Immigration Lawyers at Antonini & Cohen Today
Antonini and Cohen stand for immigrants, and in the coming weeks, we will be assisting in local education and triage efforts for UAC cases that have been shifted to the local area. More information about those efforts will be publicized as our plans are finalized. Meanwhile, our message to the families and children who have been detained at the border and who are now awaiting court dates is to please find yourselves competent counsel and educate yourselves regarding your options.
If you need more information or would like to schedule a consultation with our immigration lawyers, contact us at 404.850.9394 or complete a contact form here.