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U.S. NEWSSaturday 15 August 2015

Lawyers: Immigrant family detention lengthy, unsafe in US

Immigrants from El Salvador and Guatemala who entered the country illegally board a bus after women to pay to secure under pressure and after
they were released from a family detention center in San Antonio. A group of immigrant rights their release. bonds have been set, the
lawyers say that detention of women and children caught crossing the U.S.-Mexico border ille- “Children are placed at lawyers said in the filing.
gally is lengthy and unsafe, challenging the government’s claims that immigrant families are held risk every day,” the lawyers In late July, the judge ruled
only briefly and that their detention doesn’t violate a longstanding ban. said in the filing. that Homeland Security
The government poured should release all children
(AP Photo/Eric Gay) millions of dollars into two from the centers “with-
large detention centers out unnecessary delay,”
SETH ROBBINS late a longstanding ban. The government has said in Texas for women and along with any mothers not
Associated Press In a filing Thursday to a U.S. the mothers and children children after tens of thou- deemed a flight or national
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Immi- District judge in California, are held for just weeks sands of immigrant families, security risk.
grant rights lawyers say the the group of lawyers also while their asylum claims mostly mothers Many have petitioned for
detention of women and said the health and safety are processed. But the law- with children from Central asylum after fleeing gang
children caught crossing of immigrant children is be- yers said the families are America, crossed the Rio and domestic violence
the U.S.-Mexico border ille- ing jeopardized by “hope- held for longer because Grande into the U.S. last back home.
gally is lengthy and unsafe, lessly inadequate” medical immigration officials delay summer. Last week, Homeland Se-
and they are challenging and psychological care the screening and process- A third, smaller facility, is in curity attorneys asked the
the government’s claims at the detention facilities ing of asylum claims and Pennsylvania. judge to reconsider her rul-
that immigrant families are where they say the families routinely hinder access to All are overseen by U.S. Im- ing, saying detention times
held only briefly and that are routinely kept for more legal help, and because migration and Customs En- have been shortened and
their detention doesn’t vio- than a month. bonds are too high for the forcement but managed that further limiting family
by private prison operators. detention could spark an-
They currently hold some other surge in immigrants
1,400 people, down from from Central America.
more than 2,000 earlier this The lawyers asked the
summer. judge to implement her
Homeland Security and ICE earlier ruling calling for the
officials have said they aim quick release of detained
to release families as soon women and children.
as they pass interviews that
are the first hurdle to be- Peter Schey, one of the
ing granted asylum. In re- lead attorneys and execu-
cent weeks, more women tive director of the Center
have been fitted with an- for Human Rights and Con-
kle monitors when released stitutional Law, called the
from detention, sometimes policy of detaining children
inhumane. q

Coal company, Montana tribe sign onto Washington coal port

MATTHEW BROWN in exchange for a 49 per- been battered by com- of construction financing, tribal Legislature. Construc-
Associated Press cent stake in the project, petition from cheap natu- Curtsinger said. tion of the port would make
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — A spokesman Rick Curtsinger ral gas and more stringent Washington state’s Lummi it easier for Cloud Peak to
Wyoming company has en- said Friday. restrictions on pollution Nation has pressed the U.S. develop and mine coal on
tered a partnership to de- The port in the Puget caused by burning the fuel. Army Corps of Engineers to the reservation, he said.
velop a Washington state Sound, just south of the U.S.- Port sponsor SSA Marine re- deny the project’s permit “It’s basically a low-risk, 5
coal port for shipments of Canada border, would ac- tained a 51 percent own- because it would disrupt percent stake,” he said.
the fuel to Asia, in a deal commodate almost 60 mil- ership in the project. The the tribe’s fishing practices. Construction costs for
that gives Montana’s Crow lion tons a year of coal and tribe’s stake in the port The proposal also has met Gateway Pacific have
Tribe the future option of a other commodities. would come out of Cloud strong opposition from en- been estimated at $700
5 percent stake in the proj- Cloud Peak, based in Gil- Peak’s share, and Curtsing- vironmental groups wor- million, although that could
ect. lette, plans to construct a er said there is no upfront ried about the greenhouse change depending on any
Cloud Peak Energy paid $2 major mine on the Crow financial obligation for the gases and other pollutants conditions attached to
million up front and will pay Reservation. Crow. However, if the Crow produced by burning coal. pending permits from state
up to $30 million to cover Coal companies hope ex- exercises its ownership op- Crow Chairman Darren Old and federal agencies, said
permitting expenses for the ports to Asia will shore up tion, the tribe would be Coyote said the deal still SSA Marine Senior Vice
Gateway Pacific Terminal, their industry, which has responsible for 5 percent needs approval from the President Bob Watters.q