Councilmember M. Lorena González (Position 9, Citywide) issued the following statement after Federal Judge Richard Jones issued a nationwide order that temporarily prevents the Department of Justice from issuing cease and desist orders to immigration lawyers:
“Today’s ruling demonstrates that lawyers and advocates defending immigrants and refugees will not back down in the face of the Federal Government’s fear-mongering. The Department of Justice cannot and should not prevent immigration lawyers from providing quality legal services to the very people who need those services. I applaud the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project for not only standing up to this attempt at suppression, but for continuing to support and defend immigrants and refugees as they are continually and unfairly targeted by this administration. The City Council, who just voted to allocate $1 million to fund civil legal aid for immigrants and refugees, will continue to follow this case with great interest. In the meantime, I have asked the City Attorney’s Office to file an amicus brief in support of the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project.”