There’s a growing push from lawyers and law advocates to urge lawmakers to take action to protect undocumented immigrants during court hearings.
Washtenaw County Prosecutor Eli Savit has announced that he is joining the effort to encourage the Michigan Supreme Court to bar ICE agents from making arrests in state courthouses.
He says he has noticed a pattern of non-citizens who are either victims or witnesses of crime not showing up to court due to fears of deportation. He says not having a law in place to protect their safety makes prosecuting certain crimes difficult.
“People should be comfortable coming forward to testify about, potentially, a really dangerous situation!”
Savit says there have been numerous instances of immigrants being arrested while attending hearings at Washtenaw County courts. He says this proposed ruling would preserve the integrity of Michigan’s judicial process and protect all residents.
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