A group of Democrats went on to press the Biden administration to enable the deportation appeal process in the United States. Lawmakers argue that the current mechanisms are ineffective and insufficient, and to that end, they call for the creation of a centralized office at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to process deportation appeals, according to The Hill article.

Currently, U.S. laws allow deportees to present their case to return to the country, but appeal processes can be complicated. Of the three existing mechanisms, two involve Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the institution responsible for deportations, which leaves appellants with few resources and without a clear government interlocutor to defend their case.

Democrats are not calling for deportees to be allowed to return immediately, but rather for a centralized unit to be created at the Department of Homeland Security to process such cases. The proposal would be funded with the department's existing budget and would not require congressional action.

“The proposed DHS unit would mirror a similar organization launched last year under Mayorkas called ImmVets, which provides noncitizen U.S. military veterans with immigration assistance, including a centralized hub to process appeals to return after deportation. […] According to the lawmakers, creating such a clearinghouse would not require congressional action, and could be funded with the department’s existing budget”, according to The Hill.

The need to review deportations is especially critical for people who have lived in the United States for long periods and have been separated from their families for relatively minor offenses. Proponents of the proposal argue that the U.S. immigration system is harsher and more punitive for low-income black and brown immigrant communities, which increases the risk of enforcing strict immigration laws in those communities.

The connection between immigration and criminal justice has attracted broad support within the Democratic Party, including members of the Congressional Black Caucus and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. Advocates see immigration as a civil rights issue and hope to strengthen the alliance between blacks and browns to promote changes to the U.S. immigration system.

The Hill story draws attention to pressure from Democrats on the Biden administration to overhaul the deportation appeal process with the goal of making it more effective and fairer. Lawmakers are calling for the creation of a centralized office to process appeals cases to bring justice to deportees and their families. The proposal focuses on the need to address the disproportionality and injustice present in the immigration system, especially for black and brown immigrant communities.