On Wednesday, February 1, 2017, Senior Associate Attorney Abbie Weibel joined other Colorado volunteer attorneys in the Due Process in Action (DPIA) Pro Bono Legal Project at Denver International Airport (DIA).
Since Saturday, January 28, 2017, DPIA volunteer attorneys have been available to assist arriving immigrants and family members at DIA impacted by President Trump’s Executive Order, “Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States.”
The primary goals of DPIA project are to:
1) provide pro bono representation to immigrant travelers who are denied admission to the United States at the Denver port-of-entry or are detained by Custom and Border Protection (CBP) upon arrival in Denver;
2) assist family members of travelers in obtaining information from CBP regarding their loved ones;
3) monitor the processing of arriving and departing immigrants to ensure due process; and
4) show support for all who may be affected by President Trump’s Executive Orders.
While none of the passengers who arrived from international destinations on Wednesday were subject to the travel ban or required legal assistance, legal monitors were in place to ensure due process rights.
Denver Mayor Michael Hancock was also present to thank the volunteer attorneys and offer the support of his office in efforts to protect immigrants’ due process rights and provide assistance and information to family members of affected immigrants.
On February 3, 2017, the Federal District Court for the Western District of Washington issued a Temporary Restraining Order, temporarily prohibiting CBP from enforcing the President’s Executive Order. The prohibitition is temporary. Both the volunteer attorneys from DPIA and lawyers at Kolko & Associates will continue to monitor the status and implementation of the Executive Order.
For more information regarding President Trump’s Executive Orders, the DPIA Project or immigrant due process rights, please contact Kolko & Associates, P.C.
