Sacramento Volunteer Lawyers Help Immigrants Navigate Court Without Counsel
Volunteer lawyers help fill a gap in Sacramento, where 52% of pending deportation cases nationwide involve people without counsel, according to the Vera Institute of Justice.
- Lawyer Kamalpreet Chohan coordinates Sacramento's 'Attorney of the Day' program, sending volunteer lawyers into immigration court to advise unrepresented immigrants navigating deportation proceedings that determine their future in the United States.
- Of the roughly 3.2 million pending deportation cases in United States courts, 52% lack legal representation, according to the Vera Institute. Many immigrants cannot afford private counsel or access limited pro bono services.
- Chohan frequently encounters immigrants scammed by fraudulent lawyers who took $4,500 and provided no help, while legitimate applicants must navigate complex forms, pay a $102 asylum fee, and submit documents two weeks before hearings.
- Research shows 47% of represented immigrants succeed in court versus 19% without counsel. Chohan said the program 'helps bridge that gap,' providing critical guidance during fast-paced hearings where stakes are deportation or remaining.
- Republican President Donald Trump's second term brought court upheaval including 'mega masters' hearings with dozens of respondents at once, intensifying risks for unrepresented immigrants. Adriel Orozco of the American Immigration Council said having an attorney remains critical for navigating the system successfully.
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56 Articles
Lawyer Kamalpreet Chohan passed her finger through a list of 57 names of people scheduled to appear during a morning of hearings at the immigration court in the capital of California and pointed out an obvious absence. "None of these people are represented," she said. Chohan is the coordinator of a program that sends volunteer lawyers to immigration courts to assist unrepresented people and help them focus on the complicated legal system, where …
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SACRAMENTO, California, U.S.A. (AP) — Attorney Kamalpreet Chohan passed her finger through a list of 57 names of people scheduled to appear during a morning of immigration court hearings in the capital of California and pointed out...
Associated Press News
Many immigrants face deportation without a lawyer at their side in court. This program tries to help
A program run by a legal nonprofit aims to help immigrants as they navigate the immigration court system in California's capital.
Program helps people facing deportation without legal aid
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Lawyer Kamalpreet Chohan ran her finger down a list of 57 names of people scheduled to appear during a morning of hearings at the immigration court in California’s capital and pointed out one glaring absence.
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