The Houston Immigration Legal Services Collaborative (HILSC) released a new report today, Communities Torn Apart: The Impact of Detention and Deportation in Houston. This report addresses the manner in which the existing immigration system impacts our community, including an overview of the processes by which a staggering number of Harris County and Houston-area residents are detained and deported, often without legal representation.

The report was published in anticipation of a vote today, November 10, at the Harris County Commissioners Court, which is expected to allocate $2 million in funding for the Immigrant Legal Services Fund, as well as $500,000 for immigration legal representation for victims of crimes. This $2.5 million allocation to fund immigration legal services would be the largest in Texas and on par with funds for large cities nationally.

Houston Leads will hold a press conference later today after the vote – watch the livestream on the Houston Leads Facebook page!

Since 2018, Houston Leads has urged the Commissioners Court to allocate a sufficient amount to help meet the growing need for legal representation in deportation proceedings in Harris County, particularly among low-income residents.