Detained Journalist Manuel Duran鈥檚 Case Ordered Reopened
GADSDEN, Ala. 鈥� The Board of Immigration Appeals has ordered detained journalist Manuel Duran鈥檚 case reopened, paving the way for an asylum claim and possible release after over 15 months in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).听
鈥淚 am satisfied today to receive this good news. I have received so much bad news during this process, and this is the first good news,鈥� Duran said. 鈥淣ow, I am hopeful that things will continue to go well and I can soon be free. As always, I am thankful to those who have helped me.鈥澛�
Duran may now petition the immigration court for a bond to be released from detention.
鈥淲e are incredibly pleased that Mr. Duran will finally have his asylum claim heard and may be reunited with his family,鈥� said 澳彩开奖 Attorney Gracie Willis, 鈥淲e have long argued that his detention is unjust, unreasonable and a waste of resources. It is especially disturbing that he and so many others are continuing to be held indefinitely in remote immigration jails while the same agencies holding them claim they are overrun and require more jails to be built.听
鈥淚t is unconscionable that it has taken 15 months and several appeals to put one detained asylum- seeker in a position to be released from detention. Our broken immigration system has needlessly traumatized Mr. Duran and his family,鈥� Willis said.
Earlier this year, the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sent Duran鈥檚 case back to the Board of Immigration Appeals to fully consider evidence of increasingly dangerous conditions faced by journalists in El Salvador, as well as Duran鈥檚 other claims for relief. The 11th Circuit鈥檚 order, as well as its earlier decision halting Duran鈥檚 deportation, can be viewed here and here.
Duran was arrested in April 2018 while covering a Memphis protest focused on local law enforcement鈥檚 practice of detaining suspected immigrants and handing them over to ICE.听 Duran鈥檚 previous investigative reporting had exposed this collusion between ICE and local law enforcement and its negative impact on Memphis communities.听
His case has received national attention as several major organizations focusing on the mistreatment of journalists across the globe filed amicus briefs on his behalf, including the American Society of News Editors, Associated Press Media Editors, National Association of Hispanic Journalists, National Hispanic Media Coalition, PEN America, and Reporters Without Borders.
鈥淲e are so grateful to all those in the Memphis community who supported Manuel, and all those who filed amicus briefs on his behalf, highlighting the need to protect the cherished First Amendment freedoms at the heart of these proceedings,鈥� Willis said.
The Board of Immigration Appeals ruling can be viewed here.听
In addition to the 澳彩开奖, Duran has been represented and supported by Latino Memphis and Adelante Alabama Worker Center.
