Opinion ID: 4541420
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Removal Hearings

Text: On October 11, 2018, three weeks after her arrest, Hernandez had her initial master calendar hearing.1 The IJ advised Hernandez of her right to be represented at no expense to the government by counsel of [her] choice, and Hernandez confirmed that she had received the required list of low-cost legal services providers.2 The IJ then asked Hernandez whether she wanted an 1 At this hearing and all subsequent hearings, Hernandez required the assistance of a Spanish interpreter. 2 Regulations require IJs to ensure that individuals in removal proceedings receive a list of pro bono legal services providers. See 8 C.F.R. §§ 1003.61(b), 1240.10(a)(2). The list is maintained by the Executive Office for Immigration Review. Legal services providers must meet a detailed set of requirements to qualify for inclusion. See generally id. §§ 1003.61-63. As the amici note, the list of free legal services does not appear in the administrative record, even though Hernandez confirmed that she had received a copy of it. We note that the current version - 4 - opportunity to find an attorney, and Hernandez responded that she had an attorney who was not aware of the hearing. The IJ told Hernandez that her next hearing would take place on October 18 and that she should have her attorney enter an appearance as soon as possible. On October 18, Hernandez appeared with her attorney, who entered a limited appearance for the custody and bond proceedings taking place that day. The IJ denied bond based on a Red Notice published by the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL)3 that accused Hernandez of being a gang member.4 The IJ continued the hearing for a week to October 25 -- without objection from the attorney for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) -- to allow Hernandez's bond attorney time to decide of the list, which is available online, does not include any lawyers located in New Hampshire, where Hernandez was detained. See EOIR, List of Pro Bono Legal Service Providers (last updated Apr. 2020), https://www.justice.gov/eoir/file/ProBonoMA/download. 3 An INTERPOL Red Notice is a request to law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action. Red Notices, INTERPOL, https://www.interpol.int/en/How-we-work/Notices/RedNotices (last visited June 3, 2020). In the United States, an INTERPOL Red Notice alone is not a sufficient basis to arrest the subject of the notice because it does not meet the requirements for arrest under the 4th Amendment to the Constitution. About INTERPOL Washington: Frequently Asked Questions, U.S. Dep't of Justice, https://www.justice.gov/interpol-washington/frequentlyasked-questions (last visited June 3, 2020). 4Hernandez denies the allegation; she testified at her merits hearing that she has never belonged to a gang. - 5 - whether she would continue to represent Hernandez. The IJ ended the hearing by warning Hernandez that, if she did not have an attorney by her next hearing, she would have to speak for [her]self and represent [her]self. Hernandez appeared at her hearing the following week without an attorney. The IJ began by asking her about the status of her legal representation: