U.S. Department of Justice

Executive Office for Immigration Review

Office of the Director

5107 Leesburg Pike, Suite 2400

Falls Church, Virginia 22041

NEWS RELEASE Contact: Public Affairs, (703)305-0289 or (703) 305-1188

Fax: (703) 605-0365 or (703) 305-0985

Internet: www.usdoj.gov/eoir

June 2, 1998

THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE FOR IMMIGRATION REVIEW
AWARDS THREE CONTRACTS IN "RIGHTS PRESENTATIONS"
RELATIVE TO IMMIGRATION COURT PROCEEDINGS

FALLS CHURCH, VA. -- The Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) selected three organizations for a pilot project to provide legal rights demonstrations to unrepresented aliens in Immigration Court proceedings. The EOIR pilot program will demonstrate and measure the impact, in terms of efficiency and effectiveness, of "rights presentations" at Immigration Court proceedings.

Presently, Immigration Judges are required to assess the needs of unrepresented aliens and act to ensure that these parties have a clear understanding of the charges against them, their procedural rights during the hearing process, and their options for relief. In addition, Immigration Judges seek to provide adequate time for unrepresented aliens to marshal facts, documents, and witnesses which may be helpful in pursuing the relief they seek. As a result, the time required to inform these unrepresented aliens places a severe burden on the courts' dockets. Informing aliens of the legal provisions prior to appearance in court should reduce this burden.

While rights presentations have generally been thought to benefit the judicial process, there does not exist any hard data to support this view. EOIR, in an effort to glean more than anecdotal evidence, sought to test the potential benefits of rights presentations by commissioning a number of short-term, high-impact pilot projects whose effects can be measured more directly. Three contract awards have been made with overall funding of about $60,000 split among the awardees. Awardees include:

• Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC) -- CLINIC is a public interest legal corporation that serves indigent immigrants through Catholic Charities' immigration programs nationwide. CLINIC provides support services, including training and mentoring, to its network of diocesan immigration offices. It also represents immigrant populations when the capacity of its affiliate programs to do so is overwhelmed. These include Haitian boat people, other persons seeking political asylum, and immigrant detainees. CLINIC provides a range of services that include direct representation in immigration matters, consultations on cases handled by local service providers, training and workshops on immigration law, administrative advocacy with local and national INS officials, impact litigation, and recruitment and training of pro bono attorneys. CLINIC will provide rights presentations to persons facing immigration court proceedings at the San Pedro detention facility near Los Angeles, California.

• American Bar Association Fund for Justice and Education, Center for Immigration Law and Representation (ProBAR) - ProBAR is a pro bono program which has a long history of and commitment to pro bono work as well as experience in immigration advocacy. ProBAR benefits from the long-term support of the American Bar Association, the State Bar of Texas, and the American Immigration Layers Association. In addition, ProBAR has provided legal pro bono assistance to immigrant detainees at Harlingen, Texas since 1989.



• Florence Immigrant and Refuge Rights Project, Inc. (Florence Project) -- The Florence Project is a non-profit organization which provides free legal advice and representation to individuals detained by the Immigration and Naturalization Service at the detention facility in Florence, Arizona. Since 1989, on a pro bono basis, the Florence Project has been serving the needs of detained aliens and is accredited by the Board of Immigration Appeals. From the outset, the Florence Project recognized that access to all detainees and a targeted expedient legal service delivery system were necessary components in a high volume detention court setting. The Florence Model evolved with the rights presentation and case assessment as the vital centerpiece. The Florence Project is currently completing know-your-rights, bond, and appearance assistance videos and comprehensive defense packets all which incorporate the new law.

It is anticipated that the pilot projects will last no longer than 90 days.