This webpage is to tell you about the settlement of a class action lawsuit, Hamama v. Adducci, brought on behalf of people who had final orders of removal to Iraq.
This lawsuit started in 2017 and challenged removal of Iraqi nationals and their prolonged immigration detention.
The settlement limits why, when and for how long Iraqi nationals in the class can be detained during and after removal proceedings. The settlement also provides other protections, like limiting what counts as a violation of an order of supervision.
The settlement does NOT affect your individual immigration case, or your ability to challenge removal. The settlement also does NOT limit the government’s ability to remove you to Iraq if you lose your immigration case.
For more information about the settlement, read the class notice, available here in English and here in arabic.
Because the settlement of a class action decides the rights of all class members, the Court must approve the settlement. Class members will receive a notice about the settlement explaining their rights.
The Court will have to decide whether to give final approval to the settlement before it can take effect. There will be a Fairness Hearing on July 31, 2024 at 2 p.m. where the Honorable Mark A. Goldsmith, United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Michigan, will decide whether to approve the settlement. The hearing will be held at the Levin United States Courthouse, Room 815, 231 Lafayette Blvd., Detroit, MI 48266. You can attend if you want but are not required to do so.
The settlement is very detailed. Class members will receive a notice explaining the settlement. That notice is also available here in English and here in arabic.
Yes. The attorneys have held a webinar where they explained the settlement.
To get a copy of the settlement in English, click here.
To get a copy of the settlement in Arabic, click here.
We recommend that you first listen to the webinar about the settlement, which is available here.
If you still have questions, you can talk to your immigration attorney or send general questions to hamama@aclumich.org.
The Hamama attorneys cannot provide individual advice about how the settlement applies in your specific case. For that, you need to talk to your immigration attorney.
We have collected expert reports, briefs, and other documents to help Iraqis and their attorneys in their immigration cases. They are here.