Three-year-old child forced to serve as her own attorney in Tucson immigration court

[douglas9]

Three-year-old Lucy approached the lawyer’s table wearing a multi-colored and floral dress and bright red pants.

The child, barely old enough to talk, was one of 25 immigrant children forced to fight removal efforts by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) at the Pima County immigration courthouse in Tucson on Nov. 24.

Unable to reach the chair on her own, Lucy was lifted into the seat by Ana Islas, a lawyer with the Florence Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project (FIRRP), a nonprofit providing legal services to immigrants.

Islas pulled out a brown teddy bear to ease the toddler’s nerves while she faced Judge Irene C. Feldman. Islas is not formally representing Lucy, but provided Feldman with information regarding Lucy’s case due to her age and inability to understand immigration proceedings.

Lucy and the other unaccompanied minors who are fighting removal orders must appear in front of the judge, many without the help of a lawyer, to defend themselves from accusations of illegal entry into the US.


https://coppercourier.com/2025/12/05/childrens-immigration-court/

[Jim__]

1. This is idiocy.

[Mr. Evil]

29. Not only is it idiocy,

it's downright disgraceful.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

2. not sure how "the courts" or "our institutions" will save us when this is what happens

[Xavier Breath]

3. That's the problem with this country: the 'toddler' needing prosecution is never prosecuted.

[IronLionZion]

7. Too many Americans voted for a convicted felon

[Emile]

4. Wow, this is America?

[Lonestarblue]

8. The America we thought we knew is gone, destroyed by the Republican Party and the uber wealthy.

They have been working since the Reagan administration to accomplish a country working only for white supremacists and the oligarchs. We are mostly there now.

[LuvLoogie]

12. This is peak America.

The culmination of its stated premise, laws, checks, and balances.

"Liberty and Justice for All" was a commercial.

[OldBaldy1701E]

14. Hear Hear!

So was the use of the word 'equal'!

[Danmel]

5. John Oliver did a whole show about this

It is truly shocking.
https://www.newsweek.com/john-oliver-last-week-tonight-immigration-courts-868472

[infullview]

10. Your link is broken

[Danmel]

13. Fixed.

[mountain grammy]

22. worked for me, but I saw it when it aired

John Oliver is America's conscience! Thanks for posting.

[Biophilic]

6. This is truly insane and horrifying, and I'm afraid to ask 'what next?'

[JI7]

9. This is what Christianity is about

[Orrex]

15. History will look so kindly on this fine nation of ours

[Midnight Writer]

17. That will depend on who is writing that history.

For example, I was taught in school that the Great Western Expansion was a heroic endeavor, brave people of European descent fighting through the wilderness against "savages" to build a great nation.

They leave out that the Expansion was an operation of mass slaughter and thievery.

I hope that decency will emerge the victor, but I don't see things trending in that direction.

[Orrex]

19. Yikes. That's true.

[Midnight Writer]

16. In addition, Trump is busily firing immigration judges that are "too lenient".

He fired over one hundred just last week. They will be replaced by people who have been carefully vetted and found to be anti-immigrant.

There is not even a fig leaf to cover the fact that these folks' basic rights, rights guaranteed "to all" under our Constitution, are being violated in nearly every one of Trump's deportation cases.

Funny that past administrations have been able to deport just as many folks by following the law. I think the mere fact that Trump has declared a "hunting season" on immigrants will prevent many immigrants from entering the system properly. For Christ's sake, ICE is showing up at immigration offices and grabbing people who are trying to follow the law. Why would immigrants try to conform to our regulations when doing so gets them arrested?

Look at the people who signed up for DACA in good faith. Now ICE is going after everyone who signed.

[dalton99a]

20. +1

[MissouriDem47]

18. Aren't You Glad

That the TACO administration is rounding up the vicious criminals like this little toddler.

[teach1st]

21. The "Orange is the New Black" TV series did a scene about children in immigration hearings

If I remember correctly, the dialogue is based on real court transcripts.

Also, this, "Unaccompanied: Alone in America" from actual court transcripts:

?t=92

[Joinfortmill]

23. Are you fucking kidding me?

[RedWhiteBlueIsRacist]

24. The United States has run its course. It had a good run. The carcass should be divided up between Canada and Mexico.

Adios, eh?

[Solly Mack]

25. We are a sick fucking nation.

[mvd]

26. I thought this would be the Onion

Really bad when Onion level articles are reality.

[pandr32]

27. What the hell have we become?

From the Enlightenment to barbarism.

[twodogsbarking]

28. Three year old attorney, four year old President.

[Texin]

30. This is unconscionable. It is entirely beyond the pale.

[electric_blue68]

31. Surrealy Obscene!

[IcyPeas]

32. Who the hell wrote this into law? What an awful shitshow our justice system is.