The Latin phrase pro bono is a shortened version of pro bono publico, which means for the public good. Lawyers are among the few professions encouraged to provide free pro bono services to those who cannot afford to pay. Pro bono services form the backbone of UIDN’s new legal services for the immigrants it serves.

So far, a robust group of a dozen or so attorneys have volunteered to participate, says Dave Clegg, the Kingston lawyer (and former Ulster County District Attorney) spearheading the effort. Right now, the program has a dual focus: supporting immigrants in dealing with both long-term and deportation-related legal issues, and helping them to prepare for potential deportation.

“The Trump administration and ICE and the Department of Homeland Security are trying to put undocumented immigrants in a box where there is no due process,” Dave notes. “If there is no due process, we won’t even have the opportunity to do our job. There is nothing more dangerous than to pick somebody off the street, say with no proof they are a gang member or criminal and deport them to a foreign country. I know of nothing more heinous in the legal world. Exactly what we are going to do, what we’ll be able to do, is a moving target – just as the Trump world of immigration is a moving target,” Dave explains.

The volunteer attorneys are holding regular legal clinics, where people can get basic legal support, advice, and guidance for families. In some types of cases especially those involving neglected or abused children, they have begun to also represent people in court.

Credit: Americans for Immigrant Justice

Dave adds that UIDN volunteer lawyers can also support immigrants who face criminal charges locally, for example, by ensuring that judges understand how a lower-level charge might help protect someone from deportation.

The UIDN lawyers are also screening people to support them if the worst happens. For example, have they planned for what would happen to their children if they were deported? The volunteer team helps parents prepare for this situation by working with them to complete legal temporary guardianship documents.

“We attorneys spend our lives dealing with ethical issues, due process, the rule of law. Everything we do depends on everyone following the same rules. If they don’t, we’re in a dictatorship. We must stop what’s happening, oppose it, stand against it. That’s why most of our volunteers are willing to give their time and resources to this effort,” says Dave.

Attorneys interested in joining UIDN’s volunteer legal program should contact Dave by emailing uidn@ulsterimmigrantdefensenetwork.org.