The Center on Race, Immigration, and Social Justice (CRISJ) held a panel on Tuesday highlighting immigration and human rights. Panelists discussed immigration issues and shared their insights.
Kamalpreet Chohan, an immigration attorney in the Sacramento area, introduced the Attorney of the Day program in an effort to bridge the inequality gap for those unable to secure their own counsel. This program was established in 2019, following the opening of the Sacramento Immigration Court earlier that year.
“A lot of immigrants go to immigration court and don’t know what is happening to them. There’s fear now based on the courtroom arrests that are happening. But there was fear before as well. Folks would go to immigration court and not know their rights, not know what’s happening, not even have that legal consult. So this program is to close that gap and give folks the opportunity for legal counsel,” said Chohan.
Chohan also mentioned that the Sacramento Immigration Court hears cases ranging from Sacramento to Kern County, leading to an exhaustion of resources.
“The Sacramento Immigration Court right now is just overburdened. On top of the fact that we only have two immigration attorneys, we have also seen that folks are now getting detained,” said Chohan, mentioning the three detention centers in Kern County. “So now, all the Sacramento judges not only hear non-detained cases but also detained cases. They’re hearing both, so we have seen fewer hearings for non-detained folks because there are so many detained people in detention right now,” she continued.
Joana Nunez, a Women’s and Gender Studies professor at California State University, Sacramento (CSUS), introduced another issue within the immigration community: transphobia in detention.
“Trans women are detained on average more than twice the length of time that other immigrants are detained. Trans people are often placed in units that do not correspond with their gender identity, and they are endangered in those situations,” said Nunez. “Gender-affirming care has been refused more frequently in recent years, and many of the ways people have fought for trans individuals to receive medical support while in detention are being eroded by the current administration. We have seen trans people die in detention,” she continued.
Nunez also noted that people living with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) have been recognized as a protected class; however, due to recent changes, that status may be subject to change.
“LGBTQ people and people living with HIV have been recognized as a group that should be protected and have access to asylum. But because conditions are shifting so rapidly, the public charge rule has changed so that chronic illnesses are now seen as a category that could disqualify someone because they may become a public charge, and HIV is one of the illnesses being considered,” said Nunez.
The panel also introduced Shabana Rahami, an immigrant student at CSUS, who spoke about her personal experience.
“I am an immigrant from Afghanistan, a survivor of war, and a student who believes deeply in the power of education and changing lives. Sometimes I ask myself, am I Afghan or American? Living between two countries is not easy, but these experiences have shaped my strength. I want every immigrant and every student to know this: every struggle, every obstacle, every loss you face is not the end — it is a step forward; it is your strength,” said Rahami.
Rahami continued the conversation on what must be done to help those experiencing hardships.
“I am committed to continuing my education and using my experience to help others who are facing similar struggles and challenges as I am. At the same time, I know hope and determination alone are not always enough; we must also break down institutional barriers and obstacles. If they try to keep people down, we must break down the barriers and difficulties. Let’s unite and create a platform to support each other and uplift those facing challenges, eliminating obstacles and promoting educational equality. The sky should be our limit,” said Rahami.
