Thanks to a generous grant from The Morton K. and Jane Blaustein Foundation, CAIR Coalition will be expanding our legal services program in Maryland to include a third detention facility – the Worcester County Jail in Snow Hill, MD. Starting in February, CAIR Coalition will be making regular monthly visits to the facility to provide “Know Your Rights” presentations, individual consultations and pro bono placement of cases to nearly 180 detained immigrant men and woman.
The Worcester County Jail, located on the Eastern Shore, holds the largest concentration of immigrant detainees in Maryland. However, due to its remote location, it was not being served by any immigrant service provider. Now, the immigrant detainees there will have access to much needed legal assistance. In addition to serving the facility in Snow Hill, CAIR Coalition will continue to provide legal services to immigrants detained at the Howard County Detention Center and the Frederick County Detention Center which hold roughly 70 and 50 detainees respectively. With the addition of the facility in Snow Hill, CAIR Coalition will now be serving nearly 300 immigrant detainees in Maryland.
Along with our increased presence in Maryland detention centers we have also expanded our law school partnerships. Currently, American University’s Washington College of Law provides CAIR Coalition with a core group of volunteers that accompany staff on every Frederick and Howard visit and assist in following up with detainee cases. Starting in February, students from The University of Maryland Law School will also begin assisting us with Maryland cases. They will review files in the Baltimore Immigration Court on behalf of detainees whose cases we are attempting to place and they will assist us with Reasonable and Credible Fear Interviews held in Baltimore. They will also join us on visits to the detention center in Snow Hill to help with intake.
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