Latest update May 22nd, 2026 12:38 AM
Dec 25, 2016 News
By Attorney Gail Seeram
Many individuals who are detained in immigration detention facilities do not know their rights and are often misinformed by immigration officers and facility workers. Whether you are a U.S. citizen, permanent resident or undocumented immigrant, you have the right to be treated with humanity, respect and dignity while in detention. Detainees do not forgo their human rights while in detention.
OVERVIEW OF IMMIGRATION DETENTION
Immigration detention in the United States has reached crisis proportions. Over the last 15 years, the detention system more than quintupled in size, growing from less than 6,300 beds in 1996 to the current capacity of 33,400 beds.
In 2010, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) held 363,000 immigrants in detention in over 250 facilities across the country. Among those locked up for months or years are survivors of torture, asylum seekers, victims of trafficking, families with small children, the elderly, individuals with serious medical and mental health conditions, and lawful permanent residents with longstanding family and community ties who are facing deportation because of old or minor crimes.
Scores of immigrants are detained without basic due process. Immigration detainees have no right to a lawyer, and an estimated 84% of detainees do not have attorneys. Nor are immigration detainees guaranteed a prompt bond hearing to determine whether their detention is even justified in the first place. In some cases, immigrants convicted of minor crimes are subjected to mandatory detention during their immigration cases and categorically denied bond. The sad result is that thousands of immigrants are needlessly incarcerated, often for months or even years, without ever getting a day in court to determine whether they should even be detained in the first place.
MY RIGHTS WHILE IN DETENTION
Although an immigrant has no right to an attorney, an immigrant can be represented by an attorney but will have to pay legal fees. There are many non-profit organizations that will represent immigrants in detention on a pro-bono (free) basis.
For more information, contact Gail Law Firm:
Email: Gail@GailLaw.com
Phone: 1-877-GAIL-LAW or 407-292-7730
www.MyOrlandoImmigrationLawyer.com
FREE in-office consultation – FREE Live Chat
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Your children are starving, and you giving away their food to an already fat pussycat.
May 22, 2026
…cricket legend says Guyana was a ‘No-Brainer’ for 519 expansion By Rawle Toney Kaieteur Sports – West Indies fast-bowling legend Courtney Walsh has taken another major step in life after...May 22, 2026
Peeping Tom… (Kaieteur News) – Every day, thousands of people in Guyana stand by the roadside, waiting for public transportation. They have one question on their minds: “How much will it cost me?” And the sad truth is, nobody can give them a straight answer. We have a serious problem...May 17, 2026
By Sir Ronald Sanders (Kaieteur News) – An attempt is now being made by a few member states of the Organization of American States (OAS), using procedural manoeuvres, to prevent a proposed “Declaration on the Rights of Persons and Peoples of African Descent” from proceeding to the OAS...May 22, 2026
Hard Truths by GHK Lall “Nothing can come, nothing can come Nothing can come between us…” (Kaieteur News) – Those words are from British singer Sade’s 1988 song of the same name. It wasn’t her doing the honours in Guyana. Greet, Mr. Jacob Helsberg, U.S. Undersecretary of Economic...Freedom of speech is our core value at Kaieteur News. If the letter/e-mail you sent was not published, and you believe that its contents were not libellous, let us know, please contact us by phone or email.
Feel free to send us your comments and/or criticisms.
Contact: 624-6456; 225-8452; 225-8458; 225-8463; 225-8465; 225-8473 or 225-8491.
Or by Email: glennlall2000@gmail.com / kaieteurnews@yahoo.com