Good morning, Chair Lawson Remer and supervisors. My name is Branden Sigua, and I am a senior policy advocate with the ACLU of San Diego & Imperial Counties and the ISDF coalition.
No person shall “be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.” This is the Fifth Amendment to the US Constitution. It means informing a person about the reasons why they’ve been arrested and giving them a chance to challenge any accusations made against them.
Access to legal counsel is a cornerstone of our justice system. However, under U.S. immigration policy, people, including unaccompanied minors, seeking asylum or facing deportation are not provided court-appointed counsel. This is fundamentally unjust. ALL people deserve due process.
San Diego County’s groundbreaking Immigrant Legal Defense Program (ILDP) closes the justice gap in the federal immigration court system by ensuring ALL immigrants in detention have access to their basic due process rights.
We support this board letter that will ensure that one of the most vulnerable groups – unaccompanied minors – has access to counsel. We also support the letter’s direction ensuring that the ILDP has the appropriate legal administrative support and strong privacy protections.
Due to policy changes by this federal administration, starting next month, hundreds of children in our county will be left to navigate complex legal issues against experienced government prosecutors. By leaving children to fend for themselves in any part of our society, we open the door to further harm against the future of our communities.
San Diego County’s Immigrant Legal Defense Program is a shining example of how we treat our most vulnerable populations. I urge the board to support this expansion of the ILDP. Legal representation isn’t a luxury, it’s a RIGHT.
Thank you.
