Committee backs funding for statewide immigration liaison at Public Defender's office

House Bill 2600 would appropriate funds for a full‑time equivalent Deputy Public Defender 3 position to serve statewide as an immigration liaison and to advise on constitutional issues. The Office of the Public Defender told the committee it handled more than 34,000 cases statewide last year and lacks centralized immigration expertise required by Padilla v. Kentucky and related mandates.

Haley Chang of the Public Defender’s office said the proposed position would provide a centralized resource to advise defense teams across Oahu, Maui, Kauai, and the Big Island circuits and to reduce the risk of ineffective‑assistance claims. The Richardson School of Law clinic and immigrant-rights advocates supported the request and suggested an amendment to explicitly authorize the position to advise on immigration matters during criminal proceedings.

The committee recommended moving HB 2600 forward with amendments and a defective effective date and noted the position would be statewide, not limited to a single circuit.