Many Immigrants Face Deportation Without a Lawyer at Their Side in Court. This Program Tries to Help

August 11, 2026

A volunteer lawyer program in Sacramento's immigration court assists unrepresented immigrants facing deportation proceedings, where approximately 52% of the 3. 2 million pending cases nationwide involve people without legal counsel. The program coordinator helps immigrants navigate complex procedures, fill out asylum applications, and understand court requirements, which is especially critical since data shows that represented immigrants have a 47% success rate compared to only 19% for those without attorneys.

Who is affected

Approximately 1.66 million immigrants in pending deportation cases who lack legal representation (52% of 3.2 million total cases)
Kamalpreet Chohan, coordinator of the California Immigration Project's volunteer lawyer program
Judge Susan Phan and other immigration judges in Sacramento
A Guatemalan asylum seeker who was scammed out of $4,500 by a fraudulent lawyer
Children attending court with their parents
Volunteer translators and anti-ICE resistance group members
Nonprofit organizations providing legal assistance to low-income immigrants
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers
Deportation officers conducting arrests

What action is being taken

The California Immigration Project sends volunteer lawyers to immigration courts to assist unrepresented people
Kamalpreet Chohan provides "Attorney of the Day" services, including reviewing documents, explaining procedures, and helping immigrants understand hearing requirements
The organization holds clinics to help immigrants complete asylum applications
Immigration courts are conducting "mega masters" hearings with dozens of respondents simultaneously to clear backlogs
ICE officers are arresting immigrants in court hallways after hearings
Volunteers from a local anti-ICE resistance group are standing ready to help immigrants outside the courthouse
Judges are denying asylum claims at increasing rates

Why it matters

Legal representation dramatically impacts case outcomes, with 47% of represented immigrants winning asylum or permission to stay compared to only 19% of those without lawyers. The difference between having and not having an attorney can determine whether someone builds a future in America or faces deportation. The Trump administration's mass deportation agenda has increased stakes through reduced hearing notice times, courtroom arrests, and accelerated proceedings that make it even harder for unrepresented immigrants to navigate an already complex system. Many immigrants, unable to afford thousands of dollars for private attorneys and facing long nonprofit waitlists, are vulnerable to scams and procedural errors that can result in deportation, making volunteer programs critical stopgaps in areas lacking sufficient pro bono legal resources.

What's next

The California Immigration Project will hold upcoming asylum application clinics
The organization will send an asylum filing guide to the woman concerned about her children
Chohan will alert the young Mexican asylum seeker to the next application assistance clinic
Immigrants must submit documents two weeks before their hearings for judge review
Immigrants need to download and submit receipts for their $102 asylum application fees

Read full article from source: The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint