Board Approves New Approaches to Address Immigration Issues in the State Courts

Last month’s E-SJI News included an article on the March 27-28, 2008, roundtable discussion on the issues state courts are facing as a direct result of immigration.  The roundtable participants identified many concerns, including a large increase in the need for court interpreters, concerns for equal access to justice for all, and determining how state and federal laws impact both legal and illegal immigrants.  The group also identified key methods for SJI to provide assistance through the Strategic Initiatives Grants (SIG) program.  A report on the group’s activities, including their key recommendations, was presented to the Board of Directors for their final decisions during the April 18, 2008, Board meeting: 

Strategic Priorities for Addressing the Impact of Immigration in the State Courts

Combined, four Strategic Priorities should guide a comprehensive strategy for the state courts to address the impact of immigration:

1. Increase understanding and awareness about the impacts of immigration in the state courts;
2. Develop and test state and local approaches for assessing and addressing the impact of immigration in the state courts;
3. Enhance state and local court capacity to improve court services affected by immigration; and
4. Build effective national, state, and local partnerships for addressing the impact of immigration in the state courts. 

The Role of SJI in Assisting State Courts with Immigration Issues

SJI, through the SIG program, will assist the state courts in addressing the four Strategic Priorities by focusing on three Program Areas:

1. SJI will build national level partnerships for addressing the impact of immigration in the state courts by:
• identifying the key federal, state and local level public and private organizations who need to participate in examining and addressing the impacts of immigration on the state courts;
• facilitating problem-solving efforts using federal, state, and local partnerships; and
• coordinating all aspects of a national strategic initiative.
2. SJI will support and coordinate state and local efforts to understand and address the impact of immigration in the state courts by supporting:
• the development of assessment, planning, and improvement approaches that can be used to address the impacts of immigration in courts across the nation;
• pilot projects to test, implement, and refine improvement approaches; and
• technical assistance efforts targeting potentially unique state and local needs.
3. SJI  will   coordinate  the development of the knowledge base, forums, and resources for understanding and addressing the impact of immigration on the state courts by supporting:
• preparation of materials documenting the scope and impacts of immigration in the state courts;
• development of bench books addressing the intersection of international, federal, and state law;
• judicial education programs addressing the intersection of international, federal, and state law;
• efforts to inventory best practices for addressing immigration issues in courts; and
• development of performance indicators that measure the impact of immigration in the state courts.

The Board unanimously approved the roundtable’s recommendations.  Staff is now working to finalize specific grants in response to these Program Areas, and will provide updates in future editions of the E-SJI News and other forums.