Boron
Boron, CA · Municipal
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Bakersfield Now
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The Fresno Bee
ICE detainees from Fresno area denied legal visits, transferred to Texas, lawyers say
Central Valley detention facilities have denied attorneys access to detainees picked up by ICE in Fresno and the region during an immigration enforcement surge that started early last week, lawyers say. Many of those detainees have already been transferred to a Texas facility after they agreed to sign voluntary departure forms, attorney Ambar Tovar, director of Legal Services with the UFW Foundation, told The Fresno Bee. She said family members have reported to the foundation that detention facility officers appear to be pressuring detainees to sign the forms and circumvent their due process rights. “Speaking to their relatives, they’re saying every so often an officer will come to where they’re being held and say, ‘All right, who’s ready to sign?,’” she said. “It’s a tactic of not providing the opportunity to consult and look into their immigration relief options.” “They are making these decisions despite asking for legal counsel and not having the opportunity to consult with someone,” Tovar said. The UFW Foundation and its partner organizations have identified the names of 65 people detained in Fresno County since the start of last week, she said, adding that the true number of detentions is likely much higher. Community groups and