Immigration courts, including in Tucson, remain open despite health concern

Union for immigration judges join other calling for DOJ to close courts

TUCSON -- CONTINUE TO HOLDHEARINGS.

THAT'S DESPITE THEONGOING PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS.NINE ON YOUR SIDE'S ROGELIOMARES SPOKE WITH ANIMMIGRATION JUDGE -- WHO'SJOINED OTHER STAFF IN CALLINGFOR THE COURTS TO BE CLOSED.JUDGE SAMUEL COLE HAS BEEN ANIMMIGRATION COURT JUDGE FORALMOST 4 YEARS.

HE SPOKEEXCLUSIVELY WITH KGUN9 AS AMEMBER OF A UNION REPRESENTINGIMMIGRATION COURT JUDGESACROSS THE COUNTRY.

WE REALLYHAVE NO IDEA WHY SOMEIMMIGRATION COURTS ARE CLOSEDAND SOME IMMIGRATION COURTSARE OPEN.

04SEC SEVERALIMMIGRATION COURTS ARE CLOSEDIN CITIES MOST AFFECTED BY THECOVID-19 PANDEMIC.

BUT SOMECOURTS -- INCLUDING THEIMMIGRATION COURT IN TUCSON --ARE STILL HEARING CASES FORDETAINED IMMIGRANTS.

RIGHT NOWTHE DETAINED IMMIGRATIONCOURTS ARE PROCEEDING FULLTILT AND THEY HAVE NOT STOPPEDANY OF THE PROCEEDINGS GOINGON THE DETAINED IMMIGRATIONCOURTS.

11SEC JUDGE COLE SAYSTHE NUMBER OF PEOPLE JUSTWORKING THE CASES THEMSELVESIS ENOUGH TO BE CAUSE FORCONCERN.

THERE'S A PROSECUTOR,THERE'S AN INTERPRETER,THERE'S A JUDGE.

THERE'S MANYCOURT STAFF, BOTH IN THECOURTROOM AND OUT OF THECOURTROOM.

INTERPRETERS AREFLYING ALL OVER THE COUNTRY TOATTEND THESE HEARINGS.

11SECTWICE IN THE LAST 13 DAYSKGUN9 HAS REACHED OUT TO THEEXECUTIVE OFFICE FORIMMIGRATION REVIEW -- THEBRANCH OF THE U.S. JUSTICEDEPARTMENT THAT RUNSIMMIGRATION COURTS.

WE'VEASKED ABOUT CONCERNS REGARDINGTHE CORONAVIRUS -- NO REPLY.WE'VE REALLY BEEN MET WITH,NOT JUST RESISTANCE, BUTSILENCE.

THERE IS ALMOST NODIALOGUE WITH EOIR OR THEDEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ABOUTWHAT'S GOING ON.

11SEC JUDGECOLE WENT AS FAR AS TO SAY THECOURTS ARE ONLY REMAINING OPENBECAUSE OF THEADMINISTRATION'S TOUGH STANCEON IMMIGRATION.

THIS IS REALLYA POLITICAL ISSUE, IT REALL THEAT'S TAKING PRECEDTVERE PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS RIGW.

07SE COURTS TEMPORARILY --ULDN'T SET BACK THE PROCESSTHE IMMIGRATION JUSTICE.

TOLAY A COUPLE MORE WEEKSSHOULD NOT BE AN ISSUE.

04SECROGYOUR SIDE.WHILE A FEDERAL FINANCIAL