Hennepin County is now one of only a few regional jurisdictions to fund legal representation of its residents in deportation proceedings. This past summer a new legal defense fund was established by Hennepin County in cooperation with three nonprofit organizations. The grant and the participating organizations — Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid (MMLA), Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota (ILCM) and the Advocates for Human Rights (Advocates) — aim to provide universal representation to immigration defendants regardless of the merits of their case. Preference is given to people who were transferred from the Hennepin County jail to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody.

Speaking to the Star Tribune, Peggy Russell, managing attorney with MMLA said, “Many immigrants who are placed in removal proceedings are lawful permanent residents who pay taxes and are at risk of extended detention and separation from their families.” She also noted studies emphasizing the rate of success for immigrants with legal representation in establishing a right to stay in the United States.