In brief
Chancely Fanfan, a Haitian immigrant, was arrested during a scheduled ICE check-in despite having no criminal history and complying with immigration requirements. His situation, alongside two others, is at the center of a lawsuit that argues these detentions are unlawful and violate due process rights. The UCLA School of Law indicates dozens of similar cases have arisen in San Diego, highlighting a troubling trend among immigrants who were previously cleared for release but face new detentions during routine appointments.
SAN DIEGO (AP) — A week before Chancely Fanfan was scheduled to attend an immigration court hearing in San Diego, he received a letter from the Department of Homeland Security instructing him to show up for what he thought would be a routine check-in with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement after his hearing. After the 31-year-old Haitian man showed up with his wife and 11-month-old baby to his court hearing and ICE check-in on October 20, immigration officers arrested him, providing no reason other than that the government required it, his attorneys said.Fanfan had no criminal history and showed up to all his court hearings and check-ins since his arrival in the U.S. last year, according to the petition filed Tuesday in the Southern District of California. The Center for Immigration Law and Policy and the Center for Human Rights & Constitutional Law are challenging the October detentions of Fanfan and two others following their check-ins with immigration officers.“Petitioners have had no criminal contact since their prior releases from DHS custody, and two petitioners have no criminal history of any kind,” according to the petition. The petitioners were detained after entering through or between U.S. ports of entry when they came to the country. After vetting, they were released from federal custody.The lawsuit alleges that immigrants are being deprived of due process after previously being declared fit for release, only to be arrested and detained when suddenly summoned to reappear at an ICE office. Many cases involve people whose immigration court proceedings are reopened. The UCLA School of Law’s Center for Immigration Law and Policy stated that detentions in San Diego alone “are certainly in the dozens, and likely exceed 100.”A gardener from Mexico, known only as Lorenzo, recounted his experience of being told to report to ICE after years of silence regarding his immigration status. He expressed concerns about the increased arrests during recent check-ins. As arrests continue to rise, a federal judge will decide whether to release the three petitioners in question and determine the legality of these recent detentions. This situation underscores critical debates surrounding immigration policy and its enforcement practices.
