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Connecticut Attorney Erin O’Neil-Baker, who represents hundreds of immigration clients, said her office received confirmation last month that Hartford Immigration Court will no longer be hearing any more “detained” cases.
“So, every Connecticut resident, their case will be heard in Massachusetts, which is awful,” she said. “What it is, is a huge deterrent. Because attorneys like me do not want to travel to Massachusetts.”
Melvin Medina, public policy and advocacy director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Connecticut, said it’s unclear why the federal government is making the change and what kind of impact it will ultimately have.
He noted that Connecticut’s immigration court in Hartford has a reputation for holding people on high bonds, so moving cases to Boston could be beneficial for some defendants. A study by Syracuse University found the Hartford court was tied with the Tacoma, Washington Immigration Court for having the highest median bond amounts during the first eight months of fiscal year 2018.
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