immigration judge san francisco rating 2020

About the Immigration Judge. Hon. It then created a system for the public to file complaints against immigration judges. Country of origin is a big factor in determining who gets to stay in the United States because immigrants from some countries are afforded special protections. She is now awaiting a court date after new lawyers got her case reopened. Attorneyseven conservativesrespected her., Judge Marks explains it another way. SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) It did not take U.S. Immigration Judge Nicholas Ford long to stir up controversy in San Francisco. The 43-year-old, who worked as a nurse in Honduras, lives in a small one-bedroom apartment with her husband, her two sons now 15 and 8 her adult daughter and her grandson. Mattingly, the EOIR spokeswoman, said the agency takes seriously any claims of unjustified and significant anomalies in immigration judge decision-making and takes steps to evaluate disparities in immigration adjudications.. But we have to address these bad judges.. Litigating before the US Supreme Courtand winningmight be the pinnacle of many legal careers, but Judge Marks was not one to sit on her laurels. Lt. Jonathan Scott Simpson '95 has been appointed Immigration Judge, San Francisco Immigration Court, by the Executive Office for Immigration Review. Sixty-one percent of all complaints closed in the fiscal year 2020 ended up being dismissed. SAS Output. Before: Richard A. Paez and John B. Owens, Circuit Judges, and Morrison C. England, Jr., * Senior District Judge. She arrived at the Artesia detention center just weeks after Gutierrez. The 43-year-old father of three from Mexico,who asked to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation, had already gone through three hours-long hearings for his application to obtain permanent residency. She was the first person I knew from our side, says Bette Stockton, who later joined Judge Marks on the bench and retired after 21.5 years as an immigration judge. The judge also questioned why, in an early interview with an asylum officer, Ana never mentioned threats to the parent-teacher association, and instead said she thought the gangs were targeting her for the money her daughters father was sending from the United States to build a house in Honduras. Many immigrants released on bond before their cases are heard have no idea that where they settle could make the difference between obtaining legal status and deportation. In Cleveland, there have been seven complaints filed against the judges in the past five years, according to records obtained from the Department of Justice through a public records request. Men are more likely than women to order deportation, as are judges who have worked as ICE prosecutors. In 2014, an unprecedented 68,000 parents and children, most of them fleeing violence and lawlessness in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, crossed into the United States from Mexico a refugee crisis that has contributed to the bloated backlog of asylum petitions. In 2020, of the 30,173 individuals from the Northern Triangle that received a decision on asylum claims 27,020 were denied. Argued and Submitted November 20, 2020 . U.S. Department of Justice U.S. Department of Justice. Judge-by-Judge Asylum Decisions in Immigration Courts FY 2017-2022 Published Oct 9, 2022 Denial Rate Tables for Prior Periods TRAC is a nonpartisan, nonprofit data research center affiliated with the Newhouse School of Public Communications and the Whitman School of Management, both at Syracuse University. In Mexico, she hired a coyote a smuggler to help them cross into the United States and then turned herself in to Border Patrol agents near Hidalgo. Despite having no immigration law experience, Ford was appointed as a San Francisco Immigration Judge by Attorney General William Barr in 2019 after retiring from his judgeship in Cook County, Illinois. According to TRAC, denial rates were at 54.6% in fiscal year 2016 (the last full year of Barack Obamas presidency). I saw the denial coming after seeing everything that Judge Riley was doing. From 2000 to 2008, she served as a staff attorney for ASK Law Group, in Sherman Oaks, California. Reuters Investigates offers several ways to securely contact our reporters, Before, no one wanted to say anything about the gangs, Gutierrez said. Judge Marks, in keeping with her upbeat character, reflects on the pluses of her role. Sometimes after a court date, I would be so down that I would just say, Forget it, I should just leave.". Judge Marks faced daunting challenges during her tenure. Ana fled with her daughter the night the gang members threatened them on the street. She works as an office janitor and is taking English classes. Gutierrez also said her friend is very forgetful. Do you know the people? Posted November 10th, 2015. The situation in our country is getting worse and worse.. In a 2016 report, the GAO found that little had changed. The Reuters analysis used data from the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), the U.S. Justice Department unit that oversees immigration courts. Visit theBorderReport.com homepagefor the latest exclusive stories and breaking news about issues along the United States-Mexico border. EOIR held a two-day training session last year. The case is currently in the appeal process. The Government Accountability Office studied some proposals for reform in 2017, without endorsing any particular model. You really get those Perry Mason moments in immigration court. I vowed to be my authentic sense of self. Retired Immigration Judge Polly Webber, saw an aspirational role model. We had to jump over a wall, and I hurt my foot doing so, she said in an affidavit. The number of immigration judges Biden appoints will also affect the immigration court backlog, currently at 1.3 million cases. In the asylum application, Olawales client, a 22-year-old asylum seeker from Cameroon, said armed officers from that country sexually assaulted her when she was a minor while they were searching for English-speaking dissidents like her family. All of the new immigration judges discussed in this post were selected by former Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker. It has also been politically charged, as immigration courts fall under the jurisdiction of the, US Department of Justice (DOJ), Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), . Opinion by Judge Owens * The Honorable Morrison C. England, Jr., United States Senior District Judge for the Eastern District of California . Rate This Judge / Califica a Este Juez. The judges in San Francisco, where I served, were told we could not schedule any cases in 2022 until our calendars showed that three cases were scheduled every day through the end of 2021. In May2021, the Ohio chapter of theAmerican Immigration Lawyers Association submitted a group complaint against Riley to the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), an agency within the Department of Justice that oversees immigration courts. They hoped that mothers working together could oust the violent gangs that plagued the campus. On December 18, 2020, the EOIR announced the investiture of an additional 14 immigration judges. Of the 102 complaints that had been resolved when the data were published, only three resulted in discipline, defined as reprimand or suspension of the judge. How do I know this? Robert S. Hough had the highest denial rate (92.2%), according to TRAC. The coalition has urged EOIR to thoroughly investigate IJ Fords conduct and take appropriate action to ensure that individuals who appear in the San Francisco Immigration Court are treated with due process, dignity, and respect. ICE has not released their estimate of how many cases would be cleared under this plan. Attorney General William P. Barr appointed Jeremy J. Butler as an immigration judge in June 2020. He is especially unsuited to hear cases involving survivors of torture applying for asylum and other forms of immigration relief. 2020-03-20T04:49:42Z There is no training on the 2017 calendar. Theres just a real lack of systematic accountability.. The rest were requests for cancellation of deportation orders or other adjustments to immigration status. Transparent and . With the seventh and latest complaint the one led by AILA-Ohio against Riley information regarding the investigation outcome was redacted by the Department of Justice. Juan expected from experience that he wouldonce againface a series of aggressive questionsfrom Judge Teresa Riley, whose intimidating style almost made him give up on his case altogether, he said. Treats immigrants, witnesses, and practitioners in an unprofessional and hostile manner. The year before, according to police records in Honduras, gang members killed a school security guard. Diocesan Migrant and Refugee Services officials say the money will be used to try to win cases for migrants in an El Paso facility with 26 confirmed COVID-19 cases as of October. She was very vocal as head of NAIJ, says Atkinson, especially [on issues] related to fairness and due process. Judge Webber appreciated Judge Markss talents as a spokesperson for the union, remarking on her great voice and quick thinking. I didnt have to scare or browbeat people into my decisions, says Judge Marks. Couch is the toughest of Charlottes three immigration judges, according to the Reuters analysis. Click here for the news release. Judge Chen earned a Bachelor of Arts in 2006 from the University of Oklahoma and a Juris Doctor in 2009 from Harvard Law School. A Honduran migrant wears a sanitary mask while waiting in line to plead . Demonstrates unlawful and inappropriate manifestations of bias in the courtroom. Circuit Court of Appeals, and they rule in favor of immigrants far more often than courts in the 4th Circuit, which includes North and South Carolina, Maryland and Virginia, Reuters found. Coincidence or not, denial rates have shot up more than 30% since Donald Trump became president. Couch wrote in his opinion that Anas difficulty recounting the names of the women on the association board weighed against her credibility. But the bulk of asylum seekers who came during the 2018-2019 migrant surge were Central Americans. Many of the migrants, including Gutierrez and Ana, convinced initial interviewers that they had a credible fear of returning home, the first step in filing an asylum claim. Immigration attorneys and their clients are not the only ones who said they are distrustful of the judicial complaint process. On the journey, they were kidnapped common for Central American migrants and held for a $3,500 ransom. Couch and Holyoak and their courts are not rare outliers, the analysis found. The firm made a wise choice. She was always there for me, emotionally and intellectually.. In Atlanta, 89 percent of cases result in a deportation order. Youre hearing stories of trauma and torture all day long, says Carol King, also a retired immigration judge, and the judge must then make decisions about peoples futures. Charles R. Davis. Are they also Mexicans? Riley said, as shown incourt transcripts cited in a complaint filed later. [ 72 FR 53677 , Sept. 20, 2007, as amended at 79 FR 39956 , July 11, 2014; 85 FR 81655 , 81750, Dec. 16, 2020] The clients loved her, says Ungar. It was a magic zone, says Ugarte, in part because when she made a decision, she bridged the gap in a politically charged environment. SAN FRANCISCO Rebecca Jamil was sitting in a nondescript hotel ballroom in suburban Virginia when she realized that her dream job being an immigration judge was no longer tenable. Its not that she is lying. The word Reviews; Business Tech; Finance; Markets; . Whether you win or whether you lose shouldnt depend on the roll of the dice of which judge gets your case.. Pasadena, California . Hondurans enjoy no special considerations. In the Charlotte court, Anas lawyer focused more narrowly on her political opinion, arguing that she was at risk of persecution for her opposition to gangs in her position on the parent-teacher association board. They landed near Hidalgo, Texas. The Charlotte court was singled out for displaying a particular bias against Central American gang and gender-related asylum claims.. We bought a bus pass to go to Guatemala and from Guatemala to Mexico and to the U.S.-Mexico border, according to her court testimony. She was our fearless leader in the union, says Judge King, who was Union site representative in San Francisco while Judge Marks was president. They were elected in 2013 to the board of the parent-teacher association at their children's school in the Honduran capital, Tegucigalpa. Weeks apart, in the spring of 2014, each of the women was confronted by armed gang members who vowed to kill them and their children if they didnt meet the thugs demands. Alumni Relations. Hanrahan's last day as assistant chief immigration judge was May 7, capping a 14-month tenure as the top manager overseeing the 25 immigration judges and dozens of staff at the San Francisco court. Knight Institute Calls on DOJ's Exe cutive Office for Immigration Review to Suspend Policy Silencing Immigration Judges, (Jan. 6, 2020), https: . We were the brave ones. The findings underscore what academics and government watchdogs have long complained about U.S. immigration courts: Differences among judges and courts can render the system unfair and even inhumane. In January of 1987, she was appointed to the bench of the Immigration Court, US Department of Justice, Executive Office for Immigrationone of the first women and one of the first attorneys appointed from private practice. Denial Rate. Updated 10:55 AM EDT, Wed July 1, 2020 Link Copied! She is known for her intelligence and wit, having coined oft-repeated, appropriate zingers that help people better understand the challenges of immigration court, including Immigration judges do death penalty cases in a traffic court setting and Immigration is more complicated than tax law. The state court had plexiglass barriers, an air. At first, Judge Marks wasnt sure shed like the role of judge, in part because there was an assumption about the strong-arm persona shed have to put on to manage her courtroom. (Neither Holyoak nor Couch worked as an ICE prosecutor, according to their EOIR biographies. Juans case was initially assigned to Judge Thomas Janas, an immigration judge in Cleveland who has since retired. Michael Short / Special to The Chronicle 2019. But it still astounded him when Riley calledMexican immigrants illegals while cross-examining his wife about the subcontractors that Juan employed at his construction business. And when there isnt an independent investigatorand you have people on the same team investigating each other, that isnt a fair way to undo the wrong that has been done.. And whether the individual fleeing gang violence in San Pedro Sula or official oppression in Venezuela had legal representation also made a big difference in the outcome of his or her case, according to research from the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse at Syracuse University. Central Americans are among the least successful at gaining asylum from U.S. immigration court judges, a Reuters analysis found. EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) Asylum denial rates in America reached a record high 71.6% in the fiscal year 2020, an immigration think-tank reported. Individuals can sign up for a court watch training at bit.ly/courtwatch1. One evening in April 2014, Gutierrez was watching television at home with her two sons, ages 5 and 11, when she heard banging at the front door. Gutierrez contacted relatives who wired the money. The courts facedand continue to grapple witha crisis of backlogged cases. I have nothing in Mexico. Laura Ramirez, Immigration Judge, San Francisco, 1997-2018. She explains things well. (Reuters) - A conservative judge appointed by former Republican President Donald Trump to the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. From there, cases can be appealed to federal appeals court. She remains active today as president emerita. Complaint process is flawed, advocates say, Judges concerned about discipline procedures, too, Personnel changes at Ohio's immigration court, Ohio chapter of theAmerican Immigration Lawyers Association, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Mexicans and citizens from the Northern Triangle of Central America Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador were the most likely to be turned down. In the San Francisco court, Gutierrezs lawyers argued that she qualified for asylum because as a leader of the parent-teacher association, she was at risk for her political opinion her stand against gangs and for belonging to a particular social group of Hondurans opposed to gang violence and recruitment in schools. A collaborative court watch program run by NLG-SFBA, Freedom for Immigrants, Kehilla Community Synagogue, Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity, and other coalition organizations trains community members to attend and observe immigration hearings and to document what happens, including any failures of due process. Copyright 2005-2023 The Bar Association of San Francisco |, Unpacking the Legacy of Judge Dana Leigh Marks, on December 31, 2021, Judge Dana Leigh Marks* had built an inspiring reputation as a leader, mentor, and advocate. With Riley, it felt like she just wanted me out. Having legal representation increases the chances of winning an asylum case five-fold, said Melissa M. Lopez, executive director of the El Paso-based nonprofit. Were more productive if theyre comfortable, she says. Groups like the Southern Poverty Law Center allege the Attorney Generals Office has weaponized the nations asylum courts against immigrants of color. The courts facedand continue to grapple witha crisis of backlogged cases. John W. Richardson, Immigration Judge, Phoenix, 1990-2018. . In March 1987, the court decided in favor of granting Cardoza-Fonseca asylum, and Judge Marks, just 32 years old, cemented her standing as a legend. This is the phone number you can use to contact the court's clerks or the judges' legal assistants. Character, reflects on the street Judge Markss talents as a staff attorney for ASK Law Group, Sherman! Violent gangs that plagued the campus currently at 1.3 million cases pluses of her role of asylum seekers came... And John B. Owens, Circuit judges, and practitioners in an affidavit of. ) it did not take U.S. immigration Judge in June 2020 Phoenix, 1990-2018. TRAC, denial rates shot. They hoped that mothers working together could oust the violent gangs that plagued campus... Comfortable, she says, it felt like she just wanted me.! 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