Everyone who comes to the United States seeking protection has the right to be heard. That includes the right to apply for asylum, to explain why they fear returning home, and to have their case decided fairly. But when immigration officials ignore those rights and fast-track deportations without a real hearing, they violate the very laws they’re supposed to follow.

J-C-R-M- is a man from Venezuela who fled his country because he fears the government. Speaking out against those in power in Venezuela can be dangerous, and for J-C-R-M-, staying could have cost him his life. So he came to the United States to seek asylum, the legal process our country offers to people who are fleeing persecution.

In October 2024, U.S. immigration authorities allowed him to enter the country and begin the asylum process, granting him release on parole under his individual circumstances. Since then, J-C-R-M- has followed every rule. He applied for asylum, showed up for court, and did everything the law asked him to do. 

Instead of allowing J-C-R-M- to finish his asylum case with the rights that are due to him in court, the government has dismissed his case and arrested him, seeking to fast-track his deportation.

His legal team has filed a petition in federal court to stop this injustice and protect his right to seek safety. Because in the United States, no one should be punished for asking for protection. And no one, regardless of where they were born, should be denied fairness under the law.