At a packed City Hall press conference on Monday, New Haven attorney Glenn Formica issued a direct appeal to his fellow lawyers: “I don’t care if you practice real estate or elder law – you need to step up now. You hold the line here or there’s no more line.” Formica, a veteran of nearly three decades, spoke on behalf of The American Immigrant Law Clinic, a nonprofit linked to Connecticut Students for a Dream.
ICE arrests at Tweed Airport spark outrage
Formica’s remarks followed a series of ICE arrests of passengers at Tweed New Haven Airport, including the recent detention of 19‑year‑old Southern Connecticut State University basketball player Deng Deng. Deng’s federal habeas petition, which Formica handled, resulted in his release after a judge condemned the federal government’s “mismanagement” of his detention.
Speakers at the press conference, including U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, condemned ICE for depriving detainees of due‑process rights, delaying access to counsel, and denying prompt bond hearings. National Immigration Law Center President Kica Matos called for an end to the “secret pipeline” of data sharing between the Transportation Security Administration and ICE, urging the airport authority to cease its cooperation with the agency.
Legal and moral concerns raised
Formica detailed what he described as a pattern of ICE overreach: arrests of individuals with no criminal record or only minor offenses, both at courthouses and now at airports. He noted that detainees are often given a single phone call, denied immediate legal representation, and pressured to sign a voluntary departure form even when they have viable asylum claims. “They promise money if you self‑deport, but the money never shows up,” he said, calling the practice “deceit.”
According to Formica, ICE detainees are frequently housed in substandard conditions – sleeping on cement floors with foil blankets, facing broken toilets and dirty water, and being charged for phone calls. “This isn’t locked up abroad. This is locked up at home,” he warned.
Call to action for the legal community
Formica urged every attorney in the region to join the clinic’s effort to file habeas petitions and secure the release of those newly detained by ICE. “I took an oath to defend the Constitution,” he said, emphasizing that the fight is not about the president but about upholding the 4th Amendment rights of all people within the United States.
He added that Congress has yet to act decisively, leaving the burden on local lawyers to protect constitutional liberties. “If you’re a criminal‑defense lawyer, I need to see your face,” Formica concluded, urging the legal community to stand together against what he called “lawlessness” by ICE.
Background
The New York Times reported in July that a majority of immigrants arrested by ICE had not been charged or convicted of a crime. The recent arrests at Tweed Airport have intensified local concerns about federal immigration enforcement practices and their impact on New Haven residents.
Original reporting: New Haven Independent — read the source article.
