Most of the detained plaintiffs in a lawsuit seeking to halt in-person immigration court hearings during the coronavirus pandemic are being held in Arizona. They also want the government to create a secure way to talk with lawyers on the outside, or provide protective gear to keep meetings safe.
Court documents say three detainees are Cuban asylum seekers and one is a green-card holder facing deportation to Mexico. They’re being held in Eloy, and all four have some important court hearings coming up. The lawsuit alleges that some don’t have a lawyer because federal authorities have restricted access to detention centers.
Officials have said lawyers cannot enter detention facilities unless they have their own eye protection, mask and gloves.
The lawsuit accuses the Justice Department’s Executive Office for Immigration Review and Immigration and Customs Enforcement of violating immigration law, federal procedure law, and the Fifth and First amendments.
