Detained asylum seeker, formerly denied access to interpreter, has been granted release

We are grateful to our partner Al Otro Lado for sharing this story with our team at Respond Crisis Translation. Respond played a vital role in ensuring the success of this case, which would have been impossible without the commitment and language expertise that all of our incredible volunteer translators bring to this work everyday. All victories in immigration cases deserve to be celebrated, and we are honored to be able to share this story with our network.

J.A.S., originally from Mexico, has worked in agricultural fields in the United States for years. He was arrested by local police and detained at Otay Mesa Detention Center for months where he was denied access to an interpreter in his native language of Amuzgo, an Oto-Manguean language commonly spoken in the states of Guerrero and Oaxaca, Mexico. Respond translated his identity documents, and Al Otro Lado successfully represented him in bond. He was granted release and is now living in Austin, TX pursuing his immigration case.