In the July/August edition of Voice for the Defense, Chuck Lanehart’s feature story on Tornillo explores an immigration camp near El Paso, TX.

Tornillo is notable as a center for deported children, as part of the government’s family separation policy.

The story follows the motivations of Frank Chelly, a local public defender that read the Declaration of Independence to a captivated audience on July 3, 2018.

The tradition of reading the Declaration of Independence in communities throughout Texas was started by the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyer’s Association.

Ultimately Chelly’s actions were heard by hundreds of children seeking freedom, covered by the local news and endorsed by attorneys in the TCDLA.