Immigrant Rights Programs Halted Amid Legal Battle Over Executive Order

Following President Trump's executive order, vital legal assistance programs for immigrants facing deportation have been halted. Nonprofit organizations have filed a lawsuit to challenge the order. The stoppage affects thousands, including asylum seekers like Milagro, who rely on these services for help with complex legal processes.

Following President Trump's executive order just days after his second inauguration, critical legal assistance programs for immigrants have come to an abrupt halt. The Michigan Immigrant Rights Center, which operated a help desk at Detroit's immigration court, was forced to close its services due to instructions from the Justice Department.

The sudden cessation has left many individuals, who previously depended on these programs for guidance in immigration proceedings, without crucial support. A coalition of nonprofits has responded by filing a lawsuit to counter the stop-work order and aim to restore the vital services. Amid federal funding cuts, organizations like the National Immigrant Justice Center are struggling to maintain scaled-down operations to bridge the assistance gap left by the closure.

For people like 69-year-old Milagro from Venezuela, the disruption is more than an inconvenience; it could significantly impact their legal standing in the U.S. Without access to programming that informs them of the complex immigration procedures, hundreds may have to navigate the system alone, risking due process violations and affecting immigration court efficiency.

(With inputs from agencies.)