Krome Detention Center in Miami Launches New Program To Speed Up Court Proceedings
DHS' Krome Detention Center in Miami launched a new program aimed to speed up immigration court proceedings immigrants facing deportation.
According to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Krome Detention Center has cut an average of 13 days off the time it takes to process deportation cases. An independent study of the center reveals that the Krome Detention Center presently processes cases in 27 days versus the 40 day processing averages of most immigrant detention centers nation wide.
This cut is significant, not only because detention time is reduced, but also because it saves millions of dollars. The cut has also an added benefit, it allows the court system to run more efficiently.
The new program includes orientation, which is intends to give detainees a better overview of their right and the legal process. Orientation includes providing information on available pro-bono lawyers and general information which will allow better pro-se representation. Orientation also provides detainees with information on whether they have legal standing to be in the US. The aim is to make it clear that it is best to have short court proceedings, which will save them legal fees.
“This program is extraordinarily important because there are people in the detained setting that are giving up their rights’ to stay in the country,” said Linda Osberg-Braun, president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association’s South Florida chapter.
Although this program is not new (it was originally launched in 2003 and currently available in 13 sites), the program now at the Krome Detention Center is considered by some, exceptionally successful.
