Rosen Leads Push Urging Dept. of Justice to Fully Staff Essential Immigration Program

WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen led a group of her Senate colleagues in a letter urging Attorney General Todd Blanche to restore full functionality of an essential immigration program that provides legal support for migrants who would otherwise not have access to it. The Department of Justice's Recognition and Accreditation program allows for non-attorney individuals who work or volunteer at nonprofit organizations to provide legal support to immigrants. However, due to severe staff cuts by the Trump administration, there are currently only two employees left in the program, neither of whom has authority to approve or deny new applications. Senator Rosen was joined by Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Angus King (I-ME), Peter Welch (D-VT), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Brian Schatz (D-HI), and Mark Kelly (D-AZ).

"According to the DOJ website, the T&A program aims to increase the availability of competent immigration legal representation for low-income and indigent persons, thereby promoting the effective and efficient administration of justice," wrote the Senators. "Unfortunately, the DOJ's own actions have undercut the stated intent of this program, with CBS News reporting earlier this year that the DOJ reassigned lawyers who were responsible for renewing and approving applications, leaving the program with only two employees, neither of whom have the authority to approve or deny new applications."

"By training and accrediting individuals who are not attorneys, the R&A program helps reduce swelling court backlogs and allows immigrants to gain access to quality legal assistance for their asylum," the Senators continued. "We urge you to undo the Department's harmful staffing cuts and reassignments and either reinstate or train the necessary staff to restore the program's ability to process both new and renewal applications for individuals and nonprofit organizations in a timely manner."

You can read the full letter HERE.

Senator Rosen has continued to speak out against the Trump Administration's attacks on key immigration services. In April, she forced a bipartisan Senate vote to reverse a Trump rule ending the automatic extension of work permits for workers with legal status. Senator Rosen also sent a letter urging Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Joseph Edlow to fix the extensive visa processing backlogs and delays that are impacting immigrants' ability to obtain work permits. Last year, Senator Rosen helped introduce legislation to protect permanent residents' access to legal counsel when facing immigration proceedings.

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