Federal public defender explains challenges under ‘zero tolerance’ immigration policy

As the immigration debate continues, federal courthouses around the country are hearing cases about illegal entry and that in turn is doubling the workload for federal public defenders.

The zero tolerance policy has drastically changed the way public defenders are handling their cases here on the border.

Assistant federal public defender, Alex Almanzan, says ever since the zero tolerance policy went into effect, his caseload has increased.

He explained that it’s become a challenge because the main focus for his clients is no longer on the criminal charges they are facing.

“Now that comes secondary to their most pressing issue, ‘Where are my children?,” said Almanzan. “And to imagine that and to sit there with some other human being and having to experience that you definitely feel that secondary trauma.”

Almanzan then has to get to work on locating the children of his clients.

He’s relied on local organizations in their help in finding some of the children, but he says he constantly runs into roadblocks when he has to go through the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) for information.

“We’ve had a number of occasions when they (ORR) don’t return our phone calls,” Almanzan said. “Sometimes they will just leave us on hold for one or two hours without giving any information.”

Almanzan has had some success in locating the children of his clients and he says it starts with developing trust.

“We struggle, but you have to do your best no matter what,” Almanzan said. “Even though they’re meeting a stranger for the first time, you have to build their confidence and follow through that you will do what you say and you will do everything you can to help locate the children and do something to help reunite them.”

Almanzan is also a father and he says while it’s taken a toll on him emotionally, seeing parents separated from their children, he has to remain grounded because of the job he has to do.

“It’s trauma, and I feel that trauma,” Almanzan said. “If I’m not able to use my resources to bring my center back down then I’m not going to be able to be an effective federal defender and that’s what is most important.”