Ninth Circuit to Hear Oral Argument in Juvenile Immigrant Right to Counsel Case
David Rogers on Politico previews a Ninth Circuit case to be argued next week. As he puts it, “A landmark child migrant case” comes before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit next week in Seattle, where a three judge panel will hear oral arguments as to the right of juveniles to counsel in removal proceedings.
The case was brought against then-Attorney General Eric Holder in July 2014 by the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project and the American Civil Liberties Union. The Obama administration has aggressively defended the fairness of the current system and downplaying the legal harm to the children.
The panel of judges who will hear arguments in the case are two Republicans appointees — Andrew Kleinfeld and Milan Smith— and one Democrat, Margaret McKeown.
The case is J. F.M. v. Loretta Lynch . It is an I Interlocutory appeal by the government and cross-appeal by plaintiffs, alien juveniles, in plaintiffs’ lawsuit claiming that all juveniles in immigration proceedings should be given representation at taxpayer expense.
KJ