NEW INITIATIVE: Angry Tias and Abuelas of the RGV Legal Defense Fund

As the refugees at our southern border face ever worsening conditions, we Tias have decided that we must establish a special legal defense fund for extraordinary cases. There are of course, thousands of asylum seekers who need legal help, and we applaud the many immigration lawyers already working night and day, and usually free of charge, to assist them.

There is a special category of cases, however, that is causing us great concern. These are the asylum seekers who have been denied parole and/or bond, and have been in detention, suffering brutal and prison like conditions, for long periods of time. Some have been detained for three years or more even though they have never committed a crime. In many places there are no partitions between toilet bowls, the food is inedible, and the lack of medical care is outright dangerous. The guards constantly humiliate and punish the migrants, telling them they should never have come here. Medical experts make it clear that such harsh conditions greatly worsen post traumatic stress. The goal is to drive people to despair until they give up and go home.

We notice that persons from Africa are disproportionately denied release to their families, and are left in detention until they receive asylum or are deported. This can and does take years. We also see people with grave medical conditions who are detained long term in conditions that threaten their health.

We wish to pay for some or all of the legal fees needed for attorneys to take on appeals in these cases, or to challenge long term detention in special cases. Clearly, we will only be able to assist in a few cases which present extraordinary dangers and/or injustices.

Priority will be given to cases involving asylum seekers from Africa who have been unreasonably denied parole or bond, and to persons with dangerous medical conditions, who are suffering long term detention.

HOW YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE:

Two ways to contribute:

1) Through our website! Click on the “Donate” button. Complete the form, and in the field where your last name goes, please indicate “LF” after your name. This will designate your donation to the Legal Fund.

2) By check: payable to our fiscal sponsor, Progress Texas Institute, with notation “FBO Angry Tias Legal Fund” on memo line. Mail directly to them at Progress Texas Institute, 1023 Springdale, #11D, Austin, TX 78721”.

Thank you so much!