Indian detainees in Oregon to get access to lawyers

WASHINGTON:A US judge has ruled that illegal migrants held at a facility in Oregon state, including 52 from India, must be allowed access to a lawyer.

The ruling came in response to a lawsuit filed by the Oregon unit of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which had been repeatedly denied permission by authorities to meet the detainees.

The migrants were apprehended for illegally crossing into the US as part of a “zero tolerance” policy that was being enforced by the Trump administration starting May.

The 52 detainees from India, who have described themselves to authorities as Sikhs and Christians, were not separated from their families, authorities have said. According to reports, they sought asylum in the US alleging religious persecution in India.

However, they are likely to be sent back. Dianne Schweiner, an attorney with the justice department, said: “All are being detained right now for the purposes of deportation.”

There are at least 40 more Indians in a detention facility in New Mexico state and an official from the Indian consulate in Houston was scheduled to meet them on Tuesday.

US authorities have not responded to multiple requests from Hindustan Times for further information.

Indian officials are also not clear about the number of Indians in New Mexico. Activists have said the number could be higher than 45, and that some of the detainees have been there for some months. HTC