Lawyers for Iraqi immigrants facing deportation say the detainees are being subjected to abuse and intimidation. The case played out Thursday in a Detroit courtroom.
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.”
The government asked for time to look into the allegations.
The Iraqi Christians face deportation because they have criminal convictions in their past.
The judge scheduled a telephone meeting with lawyers next week to determine the next steps in the case.
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— Rick Pluta is the Managing Editor and Reporter for the Michigan Public Radio network. Contact WEMU News at 734.487.3363 or email us at studio@wemu.org
