"The Voice of the New Due Process Army" ————– Musings on Events in U.S. Immigration Court, Immigration Law, Sports, Music, Politics, and Other Random Topics by Retired United States Immigration Judge (Arlington, Virginia) and former Chairman of the Board of Immigration Appeals PAUL WICKHAM SCHMIDT and DR. ALICIA TRICHE, expert brief writer, practical scholar, emeritus Editor-in-Chief of The Green Card (FBA), and 2022 Federal Bar Association Immigration Section Lawyer of the Year. She is a/k/a “Delta Ondine,” a blues-based alt-rock singer-songwriter, who performs regularly in Memphis, where she hosts her own Blues Brunch series, and will soon be recording her first full, professional album. Stay tuned! 🎶 To see our complete professional bios, just click on the link below.
🏴☠️RIDING ROUGHSHOD OVER REQUIREMENTS OF WILBERFORCE ACT, MUMP KAKISTOCRACY CANCELS LEGAL AID CONTRACTS, TARGETS KIDS FOR DEPORTATION WITHOUT DUE PROCESS! ☠️🤬🤮
Wendy Young President, Kids In Need of Defense (“KIND”)
Reacting to this outrageous breach of the law and morality, Wendy Young, the President of Kids in Need of Defense (“KIND”) said:
“The administration’s devastating decision to strip vital legal services away from unaccompanied children runs counter to its stated desire to protect kids, some as young as toddlers, against trafficking, exploitation, and other abuses that make them easy prey for those who would do them harm. The critical legal programs eliminated today have long-standing bipartisan support from Congress, not only because they protect children from danger, but because they also improve efficiencies in the immigration system by ensuring legal counsel for unaccompanied children who otherwise must navigate a complex court proceeding alone. This includes facilitating private-sector pro bono legal services that KIND oversees with almost 900 law firms, corporations, law schools, and bar associations at no cost to the government. The value of these contributions from KIND’s pro bono partners is approximately $1 billion, a significant contribution at a time when the federal government is claiming to seek cost savings. Elimination of the services in this contract, which are mandated by law, makes it all but impossible for many unaccompanied children to appear for their immigration court hearings or otherwise remain in touch with immigration agencies. It severs key lines of communication and coordination between vulnerable unaccompanied children and the institutions in place to ensure their protection.
“While today’s development is unconscionable, Congress can act to restore these key protections. For years, bipartisan spending bills have dedicated resources to this important work. Doing so has never been more important than now. Congress has full authority on its own to remedy the crisis the administration’s actions will yield – authority it should exercise decisively. KIND calls upon the House of Representatives and Senate to work in a bipartisan fashion to mandate robust funding in the FY 2026 federal appropriations package to the Office of Refugee Resettlement for complete restoration of unaccompanied children’s legal services, including full legal representation. The safety of thousands of children depends on it.”
I am a practicing immigration attorney for over 25 years defending and representing individuals in deportation/removal proceedings. I’ve won hundreds of asylum cases zealously fighting for clients within the bounds of the law.
While I appreciate and value your strong proactive advocacy in that regard, it appears to me you’ve lost a sense of balance taking a more extreme position particularly of late.
In an Orwellian twist you seem to have morphed illegal with legal to the extent that all is legal and justified under a human rights umbrella with regards to the current administration. It is, in my view, a measure of Trump/Musk Derangement Syndrome that is wholly out of touch with and in disregard of the legitimate enforcement of our immigration laws as they currently exist on the books.
If we are truly a country of laws, intent on establishing and promoting both Law AND Order, then lawful enforcement, however inhumane it may be or seem, is both necessary and just.
We can no more live in chaos then we can in sometimes harsh execution of our laws that maintain true balance, safety and order in a civilized society.
I have seen my share of harshness and sometimes incompassionate treatment in my time. I haven’t liked it even if it was justified in executing lawful process. The system is too complex with various moving parts for any one person’s control.
So long as it is justified and done with a measure of dignity within the bounds of immigration law, and we’ve zealously represented to our furthest extent we must be willing to accept the process.
But the article you present here presents an extreme and ultra biased picture of the reality on the ground. With its title, words and phrases you’d think we are living in Soviet Russia or Xi Jinping’s China.
Sadly I do not believe this does justice to the cause you promote nor enlighten with a measure of reason worthy of legal argument and analysis. To the contrary, I think it more so belittles and instigates in the nature of emotional activism, rather than the high minded legal advocacy it should be and that we as attorneys should always adhere and aspire to.
Your comment has little to do with arbitrarily eliminating essential due process programs for children which are authorized by the Wilberforce Act and have consistently received bipartisan support from Congress. There is nothing “extreme” about Wendy Young or KIND who, along with many other fine organizations, are doing outstanding work that helps the system function fairly and efficiently. There is neither dignity nor acting within the bounds of law in sending kids into Immigration Court without representation!
I am a practicing immigration attorney for over 25 years defending and representing individuals in deportation/removal proceedings. I’ve won hundreds of asylum cases zealously fighting for clients within the bounds of the law.
While I appreciate and value your strong proactive advocacy in that regard, it appears to me you’ve lost a sense of balance taking a more extreme position particularly of late.
In an Orwellian twist you seem to have morphed illegal with legal to the extent that all is legal and justified under a human rights umbrella with regards to the current administration. It is, in my view, a measure of Trump/Musk Derangement Syndrome that is wholly out of touch with and in disregard of the legitimate enforcement of our immigration laws as they currently exist on the books.
If we are truly a country of laws, intent on establishing and promoting both Law AND Order, then lawful enforcement, however inhumane it may be or seem, is both necessary and just.
We can no more live in chaos then we can in sometimes harsh execution of our laws that maintain true balance, safety and order in a civilized society.
I have seen my share of harshness and sometimes incompassionate treatment in my time. I haven’t liked it even if it was justified in executing lawful process. The system is too complex with various moving parts for any one person’s control.
So long as it is justified and done with a measure of dignity within the bounds of immigration law, and we’ve zealously represented to our furthest extent we must be willing to accept the process.
But the article you present here presents an extreme and ultra biased picture of the reality on the ground. With its title, words and phrases you’d think we are living in Soviet Russia or Xi Jinping’s China.
Sadly I do not believe this does justice to the cause you promote nor enlighten with a measure of reason worthy of legal argument and analysis. To the contrary, I think it more so belittles and instigates in the nature of emotional activism, rather than the high minded legal advocacy it should be and that we as attorneys should always adhere and aspire to.
Thank you
Stephen Santo
Your comment has little to do with arbitrarily eliminating essential due process programs for children which are authorized by the Wilberforce Act and have consistently received bipartisan support from Congress. There is nothing “extreme” about Wendy Young or KIND who, along with many other fine organizations, are doing outstanding work that helps the system function fairly and efficiently. There is neither dignity nor acting within the bounds of law in sending kids into Immigration Court without representation!