ROCKVILLE, Md. (AP) - A Maryland county is considering whether it will fund lawyers for immigrants facing deportation.
Montgomery County Council members tell The Washington Post they expect some pushback over a proposal to spend $374,000 on the effort. Council members debated the issue Tuesday and scheduled a May 1 public hearing on it.
Deportation proceedings are civil matters, not criminal, so people facing deportation aren’t entitled to public defenders.
The funding would apply to those facing deportation with a household income at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level who haven’t been convicted of crimes including rape or murder. The money would go toward Washington-based nonprofit Capital Area Immigrants’ Rights Coalition.
If approved, the county will join the city of Baltimore, Prince George’s County and other jurisdictions that fund legal representation for immigrants facing deportation.
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This story has been corrected to show the Montgomery County Council debated whether it will fund lawyers for immigrants facing deportation. The Washington Post had reported the council would vote Tuesday.
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Information from: The Washington Post, http://www.washingtonpost.com
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