55 wind farm protesters arrested
KAHUKU, Oahu — More than 50 protesters were arrested for refusing to move out of the way of a convoy bringing equipment to a Hawaii wind farm construction site.
Honolulu Police Chief Susan Ballard said Friday that 22 people were arrested at the west Oahu location where the equipment convoy was stationed. She says another 33 were later arrested on the North Shore, where the project is being built.
Ballard says police are investigating a fallen wooden utility pole that left hundreds without electricity in the Sunset Beach area. She says a chain-saw was used to cut it down.
It’s the latest protest of a Hawaii project. Wind farm opponents say the turbines cause health problems and are noisy. Some opponents say they’re inspired by the success of the protesters blocking construction of a giant telescope on the Big Island.
Hawaii’s lack of pro bono lawyers affecting immigrant asylum
HONOLULU — A shortage of Hawaii attorneys who can handle cases on a pro bono basis is hampering the progress of immigrants seeking asylum in the U.S., officials said.
As many as 150 Central American migrants seeking asylum who found their way to Hawaii from the southern U.S. border with Mexico need the free legal services. About 40 migrant families from countries including Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador were sent to Hawaii, officials said. Many fled violence.
“We have been seeing people arriving here in Hawaii quite often with no English skills whatsoever. They’re coming from pretty poor environments and they’re given a plane ticket and a notice to show up in court,” said John Egan of the Refugee and Immigration Law Clinic at the University of Hawaii law school.
Egan and his law students took a dozen pro bono cases of asylum-seekers, he said.
Even though it is more likely migrants would win their cases if they have lawyers, there is no guarantee asylum would be granted, Egan said.
He said he hopes immigrants would make their court appearances in the coming months with lawyers by their side.