Strategic Initiatives Grants: Impact of Immigration on the State Courts
SJI’s new Strategic Initiatives Grants (SIG) program is enabling SJI to address national court issues as they occur, and develop solutions to those problems. For example, recent immigration growth is having a significant impact on state and local courts. Court along the Southwest Border and other areas of the United States with large immigrant populations are contending with issues such as how to provide culturally appropriate services; increase in gang-crime cases involving immigrants; and the impact of federal and state immigration policies on court operations. For FY 2008, SJI is using the SIG program to address immigration issues in the courts at a national impact level.
On March 27-28, 2008, SJI kicked off the SIG program by holding a roundtable discussion consisting of court administrators (including a state court administrator), state court judges, the National Center for State Courts (NCSC), and representatives from the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance and Board of Immigration Appeals, to discuss the issues state courts are facing as a direct result of immigration. The group identified many issues, 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. For example, the group discussed at length how state and local sentencing practices can cause an immigrant to be placed in a deportable status under federal law. These types of dilemmas clearly demonstrate the need for state court judges and court personnel to be educated on federal immigration laws.
The meeting started with a brief outline on the relationship between state and federal immigration laws; then NCSC gave the results of a recent survey among judges which identified the key issues they are facing. Afterwards, the roundtable participants held discussions on how immigration is impacting their jurisdictions, and reported on some of the solutions that could address these problems. The meeting concluded with the group identifying key methods for SJI to provide assistance through the SIG program. A report on the group’s activities, including their key recommendations, will be presented to the Board of Directors for their final decisions during the April 18, 2008, Board meeting. Once the Board decides on the next steps, SJI will begin rapidly implementing the programs and projects chosen.
SJI is very excited about this new effort, and will provide updates in future editions of the E-SJI News and other forums
