Attorneys helping migrants transition from Joint Base Cape Cod
BOSTON - Attorney Emily Leung with the Justice Center of Southeast Massachusetts is among the attorneys helping to facilitate the transition of nearly 50 Venezuelan migrants now being housed on Joint Base Cape Cod. "There are moments of levity but also a lot of moving parts on the base," said Leung.
Two of the migrants have departed the base, the others working to get settled after being flown from Texas to Martha's Vineyard last week, and now free to leave the base anytime.
Attorneys and social service agencies are an integral part of that help. "Unless and until they're able to secure more permanent resources it's unadvisable for them to leave the base," said attorney Jacob Love with Lawyers for Civil Rights, which has filed a class action suit on behalf of the migrants. It claims they were brought to Massachusetts under false pretenses with false promises of jobs and housing.
A judge has granted a motion to allow the migrants to remain anonymous throughout the process. "It's our view and the court agreed that it would be a threat to their personal safety if their identities are revealed as part of this litigation," said Love.
Attorneys say not too many of the migrants had scheduled hearings that they missed, but they were required to do check-ins with immigration authorities. Given their circumstances they've been given additional time.
"We were able to assist those individuals in complying with those requests and get dates further out so they can get settled," said Leung.
She says not many of the migrants already have family in the U.S. and may even choose to stay in Massachusetts now.
"Families and individuals are counselled to discuss where they want to go and how to achieve that," said Leung.
She says they want to give them hope and trust as they decide their future.