Access to Counsel Initiative Announced During ISLA Anniversary Luncheon
Prince George’s County Council Member Deni Taveras (D) – District 2, is pleased to welcome the “Access to Counsel Initiative” to Prince George’s County, which will extend quality legal counsel to all eligible County residents who are detained without representation. The announcement was made by the Immigrant Justice Corps (IJC) during the 2nd Annual Immigrant Services and Language Access (ISLA) Initiative Luncheon hosted by Council Member Taveras, the Capital Area Immigrants’ Rights (CAIR) Coalition and the University of Maryland, on Friday, February 21, 2020 at the University of Maryland in College Park.
Under the initiative, IJC, the country’s first fellowship program dedicated to meeting immigrants’ needs for high-quality legal counsel, will partner with CAIR, which ensures equal justice for local immigrants at risk of detention and deportation through legal support and advocacy, for a two-year Access to Counsel Initiative to provide representation to all County residents detained in immigration custody who cannot afford legal representation.
District 2, represented by Council Member Taveras, has the highest immigrant population in Prince George’s County. Council Member Taveras says Prince Georgians benefit when every resident has an opportunity to thrive in our communities.
“With the support of the Immigrant Justice Corps, the ISLA initiative will offer legal counsel and support to County residents who have been detained. The expansion in services will keep our communities’ diverse tapestry intact and minimize the social and economic impact caused by family separation. This is also a valuable resource to ensure that every County resident feels comfortable participating in the 2020 Census.”
The ISLA Initiative was established as part of the approved FY 2018 County Budget (CB-55-2017), which followed the adoption of Council Resolution 2-2017, legislation introduced by Council Member Deni Taveras (D) – District 2, denouncing anti-immigrant activity, racial bias and discrimination, hate speech, hate crimes and harassment in Prince George’s County. The ISLA initiative is coordinated and managed through the Prince George’s County Human Relations Commission.
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