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Immigration Unit Added To Cook County Public Defender's Office

CHICAGO (CBS) -- The Cook County Public Defender's Office has a new unit to help immigrants in court.

Public Defender Amy Campanelli said one of the most crucial things immigrants need in the justice system is a right to counsel.

"It is really horrific in this day and age that you can be detained, your liberty can be taken, you can then be removed from the country all without the right to counsel. You may not speak the language," Campanelli said. "There's a prosecutor there. There's a judge there. But nobody there to represent you,"

The new unit will help clients be fully informed whether they're in criminal or immigration court.

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