Can a 3-year old represent herself in immigration court? This judge thinks so.

[muriel_volestrangler]

A senior Justice Department official is arguing that 3- and 4-year-olds can learn immigration law well enough to represent themselves in court, staking out an unconventional position in a growing debate over whether immigrant children facing deportation are entitled to taxpayer-funded attorneys.

Jack H. Weil, a longtime immigration judge who is responsible for training other judges, made the assertion in sworn testimony in a deposition in federal court in Seattle. His comments highlighted the plight of thousands of juveniles who are forced to defend themselves each year in immigration court amid a surge of children from Central America who cross the southwestern U.S. border .

“I’ve taught immigration law literally to 3-year-olds and 4-year-olds,” Weil said. “It takes a lot of time. It takes a lot of patience. They get it. It’s not the most efficient, but it can be done.”
...
Weil’s deposition came in a case in which the American Civil Liberties Union and immigrant rights groups are seeking to require the government to provide appointed counsel for every indigent child who cannot afford a lawyer in immigration court proceedings.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/can-a-3-year-old-represent-herself-in-immigration-court-this-judge-thinks-so/2016/03/03/5be59a32-db25-11e5-925f-1d10062cc82d_story.html?hpid=hp_hp-more-top-stories_immigrationkids-930am%3Ahomepage%2Fstory

Where do you find judges who are that stupid, and how do you make them responsible for training other judges? And dumb enough to admit their stupidity in court? Shouldn't judges have a basic understanding of humans before they're let loose on the world?

[raging moderate]

1. These judges are not stupid.

They are unprincipled liars.

[Angry Dragon]

2. his position does not say much about the qualifications it takes to be a judge or

an immigration attorney

[KentuckyWoman]

3. Appointed in Dec 2009

Ugh.

[bemildred]

4. What a weasel. nt

[Solly Mack]

5. I say we keep all the 3 & 4 year old (obvious) geniuses and deport the judge.

[WhiteTara]

6. He's not stupid, just callous

and rather inhuman.

[Hortensis]

11. He may well be an "authoritarian follower" with

that kind of behavior. They give their loyalty to the leadership they have chosen, and also entrust them with decisions of conscience. This guy's almost certainly just running with the loyal pack, no matter how well he might wrap it up in high-sounding verbiage.

[Takket]

7. "Your honor, move for recess for potty training and some apple juice?"

[Iggo]

8. Is it a taxpayer funded court?

Well then they get a taxpayer funded attorney.

Fuck you, Judge.

[ripcord]

13. The law needs to be changed

They don't get an attorney because they aren't charged with a crime.

[KamaAina]

9. “I’ve taught immigration law literally to 3-year-olds and 4-year-olds,”

?En espanol? That's what I thought.

[Iggo]

10. “I’ve taught immigration law literally to 3-year-olds and 4-year-olds,”

Bullshit, that fucking liar of a judge!

And it's a deposition, so he's lying under oath, right?

[Arazi]

12. I thought this was the Onion at first

[surrealAmerican]

14. Any child that young who can understand the law ...

... ought to be granted citizenship ...

... and a scholarship to the university of their choice. We need these brilliant young immigrants.