Legal Services NYC Condemns Erosion of the Rule of Law

New York, NY – On Saturday, the U.S. government deported 261 immigrants to El Salvador, 137 of whom were deported apparently in defiance of at least one federal court order. This action raises grave concerns about the rule of law in the United States. 

The following is a statement from Christine Clarke, Chief of Litigation and Advocacy at Legal Services NYC:

“As legal service providers assisting asylum seekers and other vulnerable New Yorkers, we are gravely concerned at what appears to be the purposeful defiance of court orders by the U.S. Government, which recently deported immigrants to El Salvador seemingly in spite of a federal court order halting the deportations and ordering the return of the flights to the U.S.

“We believe that any such actions gravely endanger the rule of law in the United States, which requires a collective understanding that no one is above the law, even the federal government. We fight every day for low-income and vulnerable communities who are often otherwise at the mercy of much more powerful forces. When we represent our clients, we explain that the law protects everyone, including them, and that the law binds everyone, from individuals to large corporations to city, state, and even the federal government. Actions that undermine the rule of law endanger our entire legal and judicial system, threatening everyone’s rights.

“At Legal Services NYC, we believe the rule of law is fundamental to our system of government and we are dedicated to continuing the fight for our clients and their rights.”

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Legal Services NYC fights poverty and seeks racial, social, and economic justice for low-income New Yorkers. For over 50 years, LSNYC has challenged systemic injustices that trap people in poverty and helped clients meet basic needs for housing, income and economic security, family and immigration stability, education, and health care. LSNYC fights every day to ensure New Yorkers and their families have access to the services, resources, and protections they need to survive. www.legalservicesnyc.org.