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AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT URGES MEMBERS TO DO PRO BONO WORK FOR ASYLUM SEEKERS
Martha Barnett, the President of the American Bar Association recently called upon lawyers to do more pro bono work for immigrants, especially asylum seeking waiting the outcome of their case in detention.  Provision of free legal services has long been a tradition among lawyers, often considered an ethical obligation.  The ABA has come out against the practice of routinely detaining asylum seekers, arguing that they should be detained only if there is evidence that the person is dangerous or a flight risk.

The INS does try to provide immigrants with a list of legal services available in their area, but for someone in detention, that is not very helpful.  Responding to pressure from the ABA, the INS has been working to develop ways to allow attorneys greater access to detained asylum seekers.

The INS is also developing a pilot program to address one of the most criticized aspects of detaining asylum seekers, that of separating families.  The INS plans to create a detention center in Pennsylvania that would house families, but is limited in what it can do because there are not enough funds. 
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