Texas Rep. Greg Casar speaks out on immigration court proceedings

Greg Casar speaks on immigration policies

Democratic U.S. Congressman Greg Casar is speaking out about the way immigration laws are being enforced in Texas courtrooms.

TEXAS - Democratic U.S. Congressman Greg Casar is speaking out about the way immigration laws are being enforced in Texas courtrooms. 

The Trump administration has been aggressive in its promise to carry out mass deportations. 

According to the White House, ICE arrests are up 92% in Texas, when compared to this time last year. 

"We have the most secure border right now under President Trump and Secretary Noem, and this only sets us back with these radical left agendas," said Attorney and Former White House Staff Secretary Derek Lyons. 

Dig deeper:

Recently, the White House has challenged certain amendments in the U.S. Constitution, including the right to due process regardless of legal status, as well as birthright citizenship. 

"There are constitutional rights, like the right to due process," said Susham Modi, an attorney at Modi Law Firm. "It's a way for the federal government to quickly deport somebody without a court hearing. What's unprecedented about this is that they had the court hearing, and then those cases are trying to be dismissed."

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The Trump administration stated that its goal is to make the country safer and has directed ICE to target convicted criminals who are in the country illegally. 

"We always build our operations or investigations on casework on knowing individuals that we needed to target because they were criminals, because they had conducted violent crimes against individuals in their communities," said U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. 

Greg Casar speaks on immigration policies

What they're saying:

But not everyone agrees with the execution of these policies. 

Democratic U.S. Congressman Greg Casar of Texas went to a courthouse in San Antonio on Monday to sit in on immigration court proceedings, which he called 'deeply disturbing.' 

"What I saw in the courthouse today: complete disrespect for and no due process for these immigrants showing up at court," said U.S. Congressman Greg Casar. 

Casar said some did not have legal representation and did not get a chance to present their case. 

"Once you ignore the constitutional rights and due process of immigrants, then that is a slippery slope to starting to ignore due process and constitutional rights for families as well," said Casar. 

Casar said he was also bothered by the lack of translation because they did not understand what was happening. 

"I was the first person to tell this man that he was likely about to be deported," said Casar. "He then showed me his thumb, which had been clearly chopped in half, severed, where he said that he had been tortured in Venezuela for being an advocate at their national Congress." 

Other states have reported ICE agents waiting outside of immigration courts to make arrests. 

"When he stepped one foot out of this courtroom, there was a whole group of federal officers," said Casar. "They handcuffed him and then threw him on a bus to God knows where."