Telesca Center Releases Statement on Proposed Detention Facility
Legal Services Organizations at the Telesca Center for Justice Oppose Proposed CBP Detention Facility at the Federal Courthouse in Rochester
ROCHESTER, NY — Legal services organizations based at the Telesca Center for
Justice–Empire Justice Center, JustCause, and the Legal Aid Society of
Rochester–stand in firm opposition to a proposal to establish a Customs and Border
Protection (CBP) detention facility within the Kenneth B. Keating Federal Building in
downtown Rochester.
The Telesca Center for Justice is located in close proximity to the Courts in order to
facilitate access to justice for low-income individuals in Monroe County. The Telesca
Center was established nearly 20 years ago and remains a national model for
excellence in providing access to justice by co-locating Monroe County’s four legal
services organizations in a single building. The Telesca Center for Justice serves over
50,000 people a year facing civil legal problems including housing, immigration, family,
and public benefits issues.
The increased presence of federal detention authorities will cause clients to fear visiting
our offices, and will decrease the number of individuals who will receive civil legal
services. These services are essential to ensure everyone in our community has equal
access to justice. Many of the individuals served at the Telesca Center have matters
pending before one of the state courts located in the Monroe County Hall of Justice,
including Rochester City Housing Court and Monroe County Family Courts. The attempt
to quietly install an around-the-clock detention operation in Rochester’s federal
courthouse will have a chilling effect on those entitled to access all the courts and
services located in downtown Rochester.
In addition, many of our clients access the Keating building each day for a number of
reasons. Fear of immigration authorities may keep many away who are required to
attend court and entitled to use the services of our federal government. While New York
has a law barring immigration authorities from arresting individuals attending New York
courts, there is no such law at the federal level. The federal court houses courtrooms
which handle criminal cases and civil rights cases, requiring attendance of victims and
witnesses; our state senators’ offices; a daycare that serves members of the
community; the federal probation office; Bankruptcy Court; and the U.S. Attorney’s
Office. These will all become less accessible, both because community members may
be more reluctant to enter the building and because events occurring with immigration
authorities may interrupt and obstruct access to the building.
Why We Oppose This Facility:
● Reducing Essential Human Services: The impact of locating the CBP
detention operations in such close proximity to essential human services and
charities located in the Four Corners area of downtown Rochester will deter
individuals from seeking the help they need.
● Weaponizing the Courts: A courthouse must be a sanctuary for due process.
Forcing our clients and neighbors to navigate CBP detention operations to seek
legal recourse creates an environment of fear and intimidation.
● No Judicial Purpose: Remarkably, those detained in this facility would not even
appear before the judges in the building; they would be processed and shipped
elsewhere.
Our Demand:
We oppose the use of the Keating building for use as a CBP detention facility, and
demand that plan be reversed.
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View the statement HERE.
