COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OK $1M LEGAL DEFENSE FUND FOR INDIGENT IMMIGRANTS FACING DEPORTATION
The fund, which is almost two years in the making, will support indigent immigrants in detention and those who are facing deportation or are at risk of losing their legal immigration status. The only criteria is that someone lives in Bexar County and cannot afford to hire an attorney.
Noncitizens make up as much as 13% of Bexar County’s population, or up to 240,000 people, Bethke said.
“There’s a dearth of legal representation for immigrants in removal proceedings and not in removal proceedings as well,” said Edna Yang, co-executive director of American Gateways, which is one of two nonprofits whose attorneys will provide legal assistance through the fund.
Bexar County Commissioners Court on Tuesday voted 4-1 to approve a $500,000 contract each with American Gateways and Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services, or RAICES.
