Rights & liberties
removal proceedings
The immigration court process for deporting someone. It is civil, not criminal, so there is no right to a government-provided lawyer.
In full
Cases are heard by immigration judges who work for the Justice Department rather than the judiciary, with appeals to the Board of Immigration Appeals and then to a federal court of appeals. Because the proceedings are civil, respondents may hire counsel but are not provided one, including children appearing alone.
Also written as: deportation
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A plain-language explanation for civic education, not legal advice. When in doubt, the official source named above controls.