The latest wave of federal funding cuts by the Trump administration has forced one of the few organizations that provides legal services to immigrants in Vermont to furlough half its paid staff.
The Vermont Asylum Assistance Project represents unaccompanied minors in removal proceedings, helps Afghan refugees maintain their legal status and provides assistance to immigrants seeking asylum in the United States.
Executive Director Jill Martin Diaz told 开云体育 that a "stop work" order issued by the Department of the Interior Tuesday has blocked a key source of federal funding for the small nonprofit, and forced it to furlough two legal fellows and immediately close intake for new cases.
鈥淪o what this means is as we see an increase in people being prioritized for immigration proceedings, enforcement of removability, there鈥檚 now less legal services available to those folks,鈥� Martin Diaz said.
The Vermont Asylum Assistance Project is one of hundreds of organizations nationwide grappling with federal orders that have slashed funding to groups that provide legal assistance to unaccompanied immigrant children and other noncitizens navigating the country鈥檚 complex immigration system.
"The Trump administration continues to choose politics over the rule of law and cruelty over humane treatment of children,鈥� said Mary Meg McCarthy, executive director of the National Immigrant Justice Center. 鈥淲ithout funding for immigration lawyers, children who arrive in the United States alone will not have access to due process to navigate this country鈥檚 punitive and complex immigration system.鈥�
The National Immigrant Justice Center says the Trump orders are illegal and has called on Congress to halt the freeze.
In the meantime, Martin Diaz said their organization will have to stop taking on new clients (its managing about 40 cases now), and ramp down programs that provide technical assistance and legal advice to other Vermont organizations working with immigrant clients.
There鈥檚 not many attorneys doing this type of work here.Brett Stokes, Vermont Law & Graduate School
Martin Diaz said the move will have consequences for immigrants who rely on pro bono legal services to remain in the country legally.
鈥淢any folks who are coming into contact with the immigration system have legal claims to permanent status,鈥� Martin Diaz said. 鈥淎nd the only reason why they have not yet invoked those claims, sought relief, pursued work authorization, pursued status, is lack of authorization to council.鈥�
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Brett Stokes is the director of the Vermont Law & Graduate School鈥檚 Center for Justice Reform Center, which also provides free legal services to noncitizens. He called the cuts to VAAP 鈥渁 blow to the able and available hands to provide this kind of work.鈥�
鈥淭here鈥檚 not many attorneys doing this type of work here,鈥� Stokes said. 鈥淭he capacity to provide services is a bit smaller than in other states.鈥�
Stokes said funding cuts targeted at organizations like VAAP appears intended to abet the Trump administration鈥檚 broader mass deportation goals.
鈥淲e鈥檙e seeing the administration focus so heavily on increased enforcement and mass deportations without paying attention to due process or the rule of law in a lot of cases,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd then on the other hand, they鈥檙e making it harder for these folks who are being targeted to access legal services by, in a lot of cases, hitting them in their wallet.鈥�
Martin Diaz is urging lawmakers to pass legislation this year that would lay the groundwork for a new 鈥淥ffice of New Americans鈥� in Vermont. They said the office would provide a 鈥渟tatewide immigrant services hub鈥� to support access to legal aid, workforce integration and social services.
Chittenden County Sen. Martine Gulick, lead sponsor of the bill, said staffing cuts at the Vermont Asylum Assistance Project underscore the need for a more coordinated system.
鈥淚t鈥檚 an important first step in putting the supports and the resources that we need for folks in our state who are incredibly vulnerable, but also incredibly motivated to be part of our community 鈥� and add to our workforce, add to our tax base, to our grand list.鈥�
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