Immigration

• In the highly publicized Hamama v. Adducci, the firm filed suit, in cooperation with the ACLU of Michigan, to enjoin the removal of hundreds of Iraqi nationals from the United States without due process in the immigration courts. Our clients, who are largely Catholic, Kurdish and other religious and ethnic minorities, face persecution, torture and possibly death if returned to Iraq. The district court granted an injunction and stayed removal to allow our clients the chance to pursue immigration relief and ruled that the roughly 300 class members in immigration detention deserve bond hearings and should not serve prolonged detention during immigration proceedings. The district court granted class certification and appointed a Miller Canfield attorney as class counsel. While some of the relief has been limited on appeal, many of the class members have been successful in adjusting their status. Some, including lead plaintiff Sam Hamama, have become U.S. Citizens.
• Miller Canfield has worked on several family separation matters, from reuniting parents with children to seeking damages for the harm and distress caused by this unnecessary action. The firm represented a 31-year-old mother from Honduras who had been detained while crossing the border in Arizona in May. She and her 13-year-old son were taken into custody and separated for several weeks as she was moved between detention centers. We represented the mother in her remote bond hearing. After arguing that our client was an ideal candidate for release and was not a flight risk or threat to the community, we achieved the best possible outcome as the court ordered the minimum bond. We then worked with agencies in several states to track down her son connect them in a safe home of family members in the United States. We also have represented 10 parents and children seeking compensation from the government for the incredible pain and trauma they endured from their separations at the border.