11 Jan Immigrants throughout the nation worry about raids
Over the course of the past few weeks many immigrants may have feared being swept up in raids that took place in various locations throughout the United States. Though none of those raids took place in Pennsylvania, it is likely that individuals who reside in the state and fit the profile of the immigrants who were taken into custody, were worried.
The immigrants who were impacted by the raid were individuals who came to the U.S. from Central America countries such as Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador. Readers may recall that many of the people who entered the U.S. from those nations were women and children. Over 60,000 minors made their way to the U.S. in the summer of 2014. In an effort to escape violence raging in their home countries, upon arriving, some sought refugee status, with varying levels of success.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, many of the people who were caught in the sweep were children. Immigrant rights activists are crying foul over the sweeps. They cite the face that these individuals were unable to get their asylum claim heard due to not understanding the system and being unable to afford a lawyer.
As is the case with many legal matters, having a lawyer on your side can make a big difference in the outcome of an immigration issue. Immigration laws are complex and ever changing and the average person, who does not have a thorough understanding of the case types, is usually not in a situation to effectively represent themselves. Because if this, when possible, it imperative that a lawyer be hired to handle an immigration issue.