Each day, a 5-year-old girl follows me around like a ghost.
She watches as I work tirelessly, answering frantic calls from people held in detention centers pleading for assistance. Sometimes, that little girl joins me on visits, hearing stories that no child should ever hear — stories of lives being destroyed through family separation and deportation.
When I get home, I am greeted by headlines on how our immigration system is failing. When the little girl sees the news, she cries with me. She asks me how the same country that once was a safe haven for refugees like her has turned out this way. I turn to comfort my inner child and tell her that it will be OK — that a better future is possible.
For me, immigration is not just a topic — it’s my life. I was 5 years old when my father’s outspoken opposition to the Sudanese government made our family targets. Overnight, we fled our home, leaving behind everything we knew and became refugees.
Starting over was not easy, but we were fortunate to be granted the opportunity to build new roots in Louisiana. My experience as a former refugee has inspired me to become an advocate for people who, like my family, were given a second chance. That is why I joined the Louisiana Organization for Refugees and Immigrants as the policy and advocacy organizer.
When I first joined LORI, I had little idea of what working with people held in immigration detention would entail. On my first day, I received calls from strangers asking for referrals for their loved ones who had been detained. Their pleas tugged at my heart. Little did I know about the horrors of abuse that take place in immigration detention centers and the way that the lives of many Louisianans are being disrupted.
According to Immigrations and Customs Enforcement data released in June 2023, Louisiana holds more than 4,416 individuals in immigration detention centers, the second-highest number in the country. More people are being detained here than in a border state like California or Arizona.
The conditions inside detention centers are also eye-opening. I often hear heartbreaking stories of neglect and mistreatment, sometimes leading to illness or even death.
The alarming situation regarding immigration jails in Louisiana is a stark reminder of the urgent need for change.
It’s clear that such facilities are unfit for human habitation and demand immediate attention. After all, nothing says “humanitarianism” quite like locking people up for years before finally deporting them.
What is additionally shocking is our country's response, or rather, failure to respond accordingly. As of June, 3,698,580 active cases were pending before the Immigration Court.
What many Americans may not know is that the Sixth Amendment, the right to legal counsel, is not guaranteed to everyone navigating court in this country. People who have spent years creating a home for their loved ones and themselves are being caught in detention centers, held in limbo due to backlogs or being subjected to representing themselves in court only to be deported.
We need to build sustainable infrastructure and solutions to immigration that respect people’s humanity and grant everyone a fair trial. I support the call for universal representation.
Universal representation expands the Sixth Amendment to include immigrants and refugees, ensuring fair trials by providing legal representation in court. With the current immigration court backlog exceeding 3 million cases, legal representation is critical to keeping families and communities together by ensuring that everyone has a meaningful chance to defend themselves against deportation and its devastating consequences. This change would instill confidence, prevent deaths in detention centers and lessen medical neglect.
Instead of ignoring the harmful impacts of flawed immigration policies, I urge our elected leaders to champion reforms that establish a fair system capable of addressing our immigration challenges effectively. Universal representation is critical.
Access to representation can mean life or death. It's time our government offers this fundamental right to all who need it.