The University of Hawaiʻi Refugee and Immigration Law Clinic is reporting a significant jump in calls from the Honolulu Federal Detention Center.
In 2023 and 2024, the clinic received no calls from the center.
But Stephanie Haro Sevilla, a postgraduate fellow and immigrant advocate at the clinic, told senators that starting in 2025, it has received repeated calls.
She explained that due to the rapid rise in calls from the detention center, it established an immigration detention hotline.
“The purpose of this hotline is to provide emergency response for individuals and their families who have been detained by ICE or when ICE is on the scene," she said. "This number has been distributed widely to bridge the gap in providing immigration legal services. Since the beginning of this hotline, we’ve received more than 200 calls."
While those in federal immigration court have the right to legal representation, there is no equivalent to a public defender or court-appointed attorney. Because of that, there are limited options.
According to The Legal Clinic, there are only 12 immigration attorneys in the state. About six are non-profit, and a private attorney can cost about $10,000. The expense is high because asylum cases can be time-consuming and require specialized expertise.
The Legal Clinic Executive Director Bettina Mok explained that those with legal representation are five times more likely to obtain relief from deportation and 10 times more likely to be released if they are detained.
"When we're able to effectively defend clients' petitions for asylum and the right to stay in the U.S., it often means keeping parents united with young children here or with their aging parents," she said. "It can mean keeping a local business owner from being returned to a home country where she may face persecution and life-threatening harm."
The UH Refugee and Immigration Law Clinic said it has assisted 125 of those detained by ICE and has made 39 visits to the Honolulu Federal Detention Center.
Those detained at the Honolulu Federal Detention Center, or their family members, can call or text the Immigration and Detention Hotline at 808-204-5951 for legal assistance. People are encouraged to have the full name of the detained individual ready.
