SEATTLE — An attorney with the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, a legal defense nonprofit for immigrants, noticed something unusual last week at the Seattle Immigration Court.
After finishing a client’s hearing, she saw individuals outside who appeared to be law enforcement officers.
"Eventually, we started hearing of other community members, whose cases were being dismissed by the judge at the request of the government prosecutors, eventually were being detained," said Malou Chavez, Northwest Immigrant Rights Project executive director.
Chavez said three people were detained May 21 and another three or four were detained May 22.
"Dismissal sounds great -- your immigration case ends, that's perfect, you're no longer in deportation proceedings," Chavez said. "But many of our community members, especially under the expanded authority of expedited removal by this administration, [face serious risk]. If someone entered the country with less than two years of living in the country, and don't have anything pending before U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services or the immigration court, then they're going to be subject to what's called 'expedited removal.’”
In a statement, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) acknowledged that arrests are taking place outside immigration courthouses.
“Secretary Noem is reversing Biden’s catch and release policy that allowed millions of unvetted illegal aliens to be let loose on American streets," the DHS spokesperson said. "This Administration is once again implementing the rule of law.
Most aliens who illegally entered the United States within the past two years are subject to expedited removals. Biden ignored this legal fact and chose to release millions of illegal aliens, including violent criminals, into the country with a notice to appear before an immigration judge. ICE is now following the law and placing these illegal aliens in expedited removal, as they always should have been.
If they have a valid, credible fear claim, they will continue in immigration proceedings, but if no valid claim is found, aliens will be subject to a swift deportation.”
Despite community fears, Chavez urged individuals to continue attending their immigration hearings.
"Mostly because if someone doesn't show up, then they're likely going to be deported or removed in their absence," Chaves said. "Someone who doesn't show up and gets ordered removed by the immigration judge in their absence loses the chance … for an appeal."