The fundamental American principle of due process is being systematically dismantled in immigration courts, and a recent case in Cleveland illustrates just how alarming the erosion has become, according to a discussion Thursday on the Today in Ohio podcast.
The podcast team examined the troubling story by Adam Ferrise about the case of Mario Monroy Villalta, who fled to the United States after his sister was murdered in Guatemala. Despite being granted bond in February, Villalta was rearrested by immigration agents in May and has since been denied the opportunity to even argue for bond.
“We’re a country that grants due process. This guy’s sister was murdered. That’s why he got out of dodge. His sister was murdered, his family was under threat, and we’re denying him due process,” said Chris Quinn. “All this is about, it’s due process, one of the signature elements of what America stands for.”
The podcast discussed how Villalta’s attorney, Margaret Wong, filed lawsuits challenging his detention, only to have them dismissed. Wong argued that homeland security attorneys used Trump administration policies to claim the immigration judge who granted Villalta bond had no authority to do so.
Laura Johnston explained the secretive nature of these proceedings: “Wong is arguing in this lawsuit that just got tossed, so it’s not even being considered anymore, that he has a legal right to a bond hearing. She says they’re just trying to wear people down.”
This strategy of attrition is effective against vulnerable immigrants who typically lack resources and support networks. “These are disenfranchised people who usually don’t have a lot of money, don’t have a lot of resources, don’t have a lot of relatives in the United States or people to stick up for them,” Johnston noted.
The immigration courts lack transparency. As Johnston pointed out, “This is a very secretive process, and these people are jailed. We don’t even know who’s being held in the jails because the local county jails won’t tell us because of their contracts with ICE.”
Quinn directly tied these policies to the administration: “It’s the result of Donald Trump’s overzealous pursuit of people who pose no threat.” He expressed particular concern about the use of expedited removal, a process typically reserved for those caught within two years of entering the country illegally.
“Just because you were caught within two years, you get denied due process,” Quinn said. “Donald Trump is getting rid of due process. That’s not what we’re about. And yet where is the hooting and hollering? Where are people standing up to say, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. That’s an American principle. We have to maintain it.”
The podcast hosts noted that cases like Villalta’s likely represent just the tip of the iceberg. “This is probably happening every day to cases we don’t know about,” Johnston said.
Listen to full “Today in Ohio” episodes where Chris Quinn hosts our daily half-hour news podcast, with Editorial Board member Lisa Garvin, Impact Editor Leila Atassi and Content Director Laura Johnston.
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