L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti recently announced that his government is going to create a $10 million legal defense fund to help immigrants in removal proceedings. Chicago has similar plans to create a $1.3 million legal protection fund, while New York City already has one in place. Other progressive cities such as San Francisco are likely to follow suit.
Mexico should also lend a hand. It can ramp up its own funding efforts to hire U.S. based-lawyers to assist its citizens in immigration courts.
The Mexican government already provides legal assistance through its 50 U.S. consulates, but resources are scarce and staff lawyers are often overworked, underpaid and underprepared to navigate the U.S. immigration system.
“Consulates already have a fund and program to hire external lawyers called PALE,” says Javier Montano, a Miami-based immigration lawyer who works pro bono with Mexicans and Central Americans. But he says funds are very limited and the program often depends on an attorney’s good will to charge less.
“In reality it’s not enough. It only works for cases that become a priority for the consulates, such as when a person is detained and makes headlines,” he said.
The Mexican government could create tax incentives for Mexican companies to fund legal assistance programs, similar to the tax breaks the government already gives Mexican corporations to fund arts and charities.
Mexico is better off fighting for immigrants’ rights in the U.S. legal system rather than trying to stop deportations once the removal orders are being executed.
