News and Press Releases

Immigration Courts Move Bay Area Immigration Cases from San Francisco to Southern California San Francisco and Alameda County Public Defenders condemn decision to remove detention cases out of San Francisco as interfering with their ability to defend detainees, demand transparency and seek a halt to recent decision  San Francisco, California — The Trump Administration announced this week that the San Francisco Immigration Courts would stop hearing...

SFPD officers who shot Jamaica Hampton have been assigned back to active duty By Julian Mark – Mission Local – Jan 17, 2020 The two San Francisco Police officers who shot Jamaica Hampton, a man armed with a glass bottle on Mission and 23rd streets in December, critically injuring him, are returning to regular duty, the San Francisco Police Department...

Trump administration abruptly moves hundreds of immigrant hearings out of San Francisco Attorneys representing detained immigrants fear move will in effect deny legal counsel to thousands By Darwin BondGraham – The Guardian U.S. – Jan. 17, 2020 Northern California immigration attorneys are reeling after learning of a controversial Trump administration decision to move hundreds of immigrant detainees’ court hearings out...

SAN FRANCISCO – On Monday, January 6, 2020, a jury acquitted Vihn Tran, 38, of felony charges related to a nighttime attack near Union Square in October 2018. Deputy Public Defender Seth Meisels presented evidence undermining the identification of Tran during what Meisels called a poorly run investigation by the San Francisco Police Department. After a man suffered an unprovoked...

Trans woman sues after surprise Christmas move to Texas ICE facility By John Ferrannini – Bay Area Reporter – Jan. 6, 2020 The San Francisco Public Defender’s office filed a lawsuit in federal court January 3 on behalf of a transgender woman who is fighting deportation. Lexis Hernandez Avilez, 41, was brought to the United States from Mexico as a...