WATCH: John Oliver Breaks Down How the U.S. Withholds Justice From Immigrants

By Kenrya Rankin Apr 02, 2018

The host of “Last Week Tonight With John Oliver” breaks down the dysfunction that drives America’s immigration court system in the above video from yesterday’s (April 1) show.

By telling stories of people who were killed after being deported, sharing clips of interviews with judges—including one who says they are essentially conducting “death penalty court cases in a traffic court setting”—and staging a court reenactment, he illuminates a system where the majority of defendants, even children, don’t have legal representation. There are some laughs, but they are borne of despair, as Oliver—who lives in the United States via a green card—details how the Trump administration’s xenophobia negatively impacts the lives of immigrants.