I take the elevator open to the public to the 8th floor. I have to go through a similar metal screening as at the airport where three huge white men in grey uniforms armed with guns and other black objects sit or stand to the side peering through the door at me, assessing my danger (to them) level I’m sure.
I’m gruffly ordered to stand behind a yellow line here-to-fore invisible to me, which I do. I’m directed to put my bag on the conveyor belt, empty my pockets, and proceed through the screening door way, which I do. I’m then ordered to turn off my phone, that I’m allowed to keep, as recording or taking pictures is not allowed.
I proceed to the docket info that lists the people who are to be seen today in the court room I’m observing. I’m mostly there to monitor DHS people for you see, they have a new deportation tactic that spreads a false hope in the mind of the refugee.
DHS has or intends to charge people with some infraction that will get them deported if admitted to. This court hearing is a chance for them to deny the charges and/or request a hearing date, which the judge can then set.
BUT if DHS dismisses the charges, then they have ICE officers outside the courtroom doors to then arrest the refugee and whisk her or him, or the whole family, away to detention to be shipped out to some prison somewhere.
My responsibility is two fold: one concerning the ICE agents; one concerning the refugees. I have to try to find out the refugees’ name and immigrant number (sound familiar? If you have ancestors who were picked up in hitler’s germany, you will recognize the similarity to the inked number on their forearms).
If they’re being rushed off, most importantly getting their emergency contact’s name and number of someone here to inform them – especially if they don’t have a lawyer and I’m betting 100% of the time DHS pulls this bait and switch is where there is no lawyer present.
I’m also to try to find out their present city and country of origin, when they entered the u.s., and if they used the CBP One App – all info hard to get when bullies are trampling people’s rights and dignity.
Lastly or firstly, depending on how violent ICE is being, I try to loudly and quickly inform them of or reiterate their rights to remain silent, to have a lawyer, to NOT sign any papers or answer questions until they have a lawyer present. And to remind ICE of their obligation to uphold these rights.
From ICE, I try to get their names and badge numbers, why they are loitering around, whether they intend to arrest anyone.
