Jason Rittereiser Will Represent Immigration Officials Who Refuse to Enforce Trump’s Immoral and Illegal Family Separation Policy

Jason’s law firm HKM Employment Attorneys will provide pro-bono legal assistance to federal and state employees who refuse to enforce Trump’s policy separating children from parents

Issaquah, WA – Former King County Deputy Prosecutor and 8th Congressional District Democratic Candidate Jason Rittereiser announced today that his law firm HKM will challenge the Trump administration’s policy to force federal and state employees to separate children from their parents. HKM will provide pro-bono representation to any employee tasked with implementing this policy who objects to enforcing this cruel policy but fears retaliation should they refuse to do so.

“Like so many Americans, I am outraged by the Trump administration’s policy of separating children from their parents.  This is un-American,” Jason said. “Today I am announcing that we are launching a nationwide pro-bono legal effort to proudly assist any federal or state employee who refuses to enforce this horrific policy.”

While prominent figures on both sides of the aisle have raised serious concerns about this immoral policy out of the Trump Administration, Jason’s legal effort is the first of its kind to provide legal assistance for employees who refuse to enforce the Trump Administration’s “zero tolerance” policy responsible for the separation of more than 2,000 children from their parents at the southern border.

After the Trump administration’s announcement that he will only end family separation as part of a larger bargain that overhauls the entire immigration system, legal protections for workers could be the first step to forcing the Trump Administration to reconsider their terrible policy.  

At least one immigration official responsible for caring for the children affected by this policy has already resigned over this policy. Antar Davidson, an employee of nonprofit Southwest Key that operates more than two dozen shelters for migrant children from Texas to California, said that he resigned after he was instructed to inform six year old and ten year old siblings that they could not hug each other as they grieved the separation from their mother.

If you’re a federal or state employee interested in learning more about your legal rights and options, go to www.hkm.com/child.