On May 22, three people were detained by ICE agents after appearing at immigration court in Kansas City, according to immigration attorney Angela Ferguson.
A judge had terminated the cases they had been called for, removing them from the court’s jurisdiction and allowing ICE to detain them — thanks to a set of executive orders from President Donald Trump.
Appearing in KCUR's Up To Date, Ferguson says she worries that these surprise detentions are inspiring fear for Kansas City-area immigrants. As a result, more people are skipping their court hearings, causing judges to terminate these cases as well and making themselves eligible for expedited deportation.
“These are people who are showing up for court wanting to pursue protection from the United States. They want to file for asylum and have a trial, but then they're snatched up,” said Ferguson. “People are afraid, and that fear is going to continue to rise.”
- Angela Ferguson, immigration attorney
- Peggy Lowe, KCUR’s public safety and justice reporter
