Lawyers for Iraqi immigrants facing deportation say the detainees are being subjected to abuse and intimidation.
A small crowd greeted attorneys with the American Civil Liberties Union as they exited the courthouse. Earlier, the attorneys filed affidavits outlining how they say immigration officers pressured detainees to agree to be deported to Iraq, despite the threat of persecution, torture, and death.
Miriam Aukerman is an ACLU attorney.
“There are also specific instances of racial abuse, things that I cannot repeat on the radio, but horrible things that have been said to the detainees.”
She is asking a federal judge to intervene.
“It’s terrible for anyone, but here we also hear people are being targeted because they’re Iraqi, and I can’t even repeat the things that were said to these individuals.”
She says the detainees are also being threatened with extended detention if they fight deportation.
“We’re really concerned that what’s happening is that people are so scared of staying in detention under these conditions that they are going to give up. They’re going to give up the fight to stay in America, where their families are, where their businesses are, where their communities are.”
The ACLU is asking a federal judge to order the mistreatment to stop. The government’s attorney asked for time to look into the allegations.
The Iraqi Christians are detained because they have criminal convictions in their past. They say they risk persecution, torture, and murder if they are returned.