The Colombian asylum-seeker spoke to Judge Joseph Y. Park in Spanish through an interpreter: “I have a tumor that is 10 inches by 12 inches on my chest,” he said in San Francisco’s immigration court today.
On the bench, where he sat, a folder of medical documents laid open with a Medi-Cal card peeking out from his wallet.
“I need to stay here to continue my treatment,” he pleaded. He wore a black mask and had a short buzz-cut with visibly balding, patchy spots from chemotherapy.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers had already arrested five individuals at 630 Sansome St. on Friday morning. All those arrested — one Indian man, a Chinese woman and three Colombians — were asylum-seekers who attended court without lawyers.
Judge Park empathized with the Colombian man, saying, “I lament your situation.” But the Department of Homeland Security attorney moved to dismiss his case, indicating that ICE would likely arrest him immediately upon exiting the courtroom.
He stayed in the courtroom for about 45 minutes as others pleaded their cases. At the end of the hearing, the pro-bono “attorney of the day” spoke to the Colombian man as everyone else exited. The two later walked down the hallway to the elevator, seemingly free, without ICE accompaniment.
He was, for now, one of the lucky ones. Of the 18 people who went before Judge Y. Park on Friday, five were arrested by ICE for transport to a detention center.
One, young mother, wearing a red leather jacket and wide-rimmed black glasses, sat with her three children. Her youngest, around 7, snuggled into her arm. Another woman, seemingly in her early 30s, sat with an elderly man and anxiously tapped her foot.
In all cases, DHS followed the now-familiar pattern: Ask for a dismissal, and arrest the asylum-seekers regardless of the judge’s decision.
“I have no idea why this is happening,” a second Colombian man, whose case DHS moved to dismiss, told Mission Local. “I live a clean life,” he said, shaking his head.
A Chinese woman, who filed for asylum in July of last year, appeared nervous as she spoke to the judge. Park scheduled an asylum hearing for her to come back on Dec. 23 at 8:30 a.m.
DHS interjected to say, “The department moves to dismiss the case without prejudice.”
When Judge Park asked why, DHS replied simply: “It is in the interest of the government to dismiss the case.”
The Chinese woman authorized her translator to speak on her behalf, telling Mission Local, “I was persecuted in China because I violated the one-child policy and was forced to have an abortion.” The translator added, “The government officials took her to the hospital against her will.”
When she exited the courtroom alongside another asylum-seeker, both were immediately arrested.
One ICE officer could be heard saying, “Get behind the door.” Another said, “Close the door,” and both disappeared from the courtroom’s view.
Before the hearing, the translator said he had told her there was “no way” she would be arrested when his client had expressed fear.
“She was taken away and the officers didn’t answer my questions,” the Chinese woman’s translator said. He does not know when she will be released.
His voice started to rise, both in sadness and anger. “This harms the U.S. reputation,” he said, “I tell this to Donald Trump. I tell him this today.”
Outrageous. They not only take our jobs, and eat our pets, they use up our precious medical resources which the President has designated a national emergency which can be accessed only with health insurance provided by a trillion dollar financial firm which does not delay or deny coverage. The criminal should have been seized by a group of masked men, beaten, robbed, tied up in chains, and put in prison where he can no longer threaten law abiding freedom loving citizens.
Why doesn’t the Mayor order the San Francisco Police Department to confront and arrest ICE agents who are harassing citizens of our City?
“This harms the U.S. reputation,” Understatement of the year.
Same with backing the genocide in Gaza and arming the oppressive criminal occupier.
It harms human beings, it’s not in the government’s interest actually.
SF is a tourism town. Lurie had better figure out something better than silence.
On both issues. The same issue – human rights, protected under our Constitution.
Even for non-citizens, even for people in another country, we have a sworn duty.
Speak up Dan. Not just at sports events and concerts, not just when it’s fun.
The silence is deafening.
“I have no idea why this is happening,” a second Colombian man, whose case DHS moved to dismiss, told Mission Local. “I live a clean life,” he said, shaking his head.
Does no one, including their lawyer, explain to them that this country has immigration laws?
Did the judge even question the man’s views on Israel? It is a well-known fact that many “cancer patients” are radical leftwing activists who are part of the Hamas terrorist network which is planning to bomb hospitals and starve children in SF. Time to take the gloves off