El Paso, we love you.

• For those of you also feeling the love for El Paso, here is a great, and nowhere near exhaustive, list of places that we know get the job done to support immigrants and refugees  in that region:
  • Las Americas Advocacy Center
  • Diocesan Migrant and Refugee Services
  • Texas Rio Grande Legal Aide
  • Hope Border Institute
  • Detained Migrant Solidarity Committee
  • ACLU Border Rights Center
  • Catholic Charities of Southern NM
  • Annunciation House
• Our newest project on the US border with Mexico, the El Paso Immigration Collaborative (EPIC) is in full swing. Our staff is working hard, along with our partners, to create the programming that is going to allow us to start attacking the issues that plague immigration detention and immigration court in the El Paso region and to use massive collaborative action to release as many asylum seekers as we can. This is exciting, innovative, wildly creative, game-changing work and we are FIRED UP! We are seeking volunteers for this program both on the ground and remote. We are also looking for early donors to help us put in some infrastructure to make this project soar. If this sounds like you, reach out to our ED at [email protected]. We need you! (Also if you have couches, table, chairs, beds, etc... we are furnishing a volunteer house and Allegra is taking a Uhaul down on Friday the 16-- email [email protected])
• We love to share stories about how your support and our work impacts real families in our community. Last summer, a local family was devastated when their father was detained by ICE. Our whole staff moved fast and was able to get him out of custody and this week our brilliant and determined legal director, Wes Brockway, was able to win his case and stop his removal in front of an immigration judge in El Paso and ensure that he will never be separated from his family again. We are so proud of our client and our legal team and forever moved to be a small part of this family's story.
• Here are some interesting pieces of media to keep you up to date on what's happening in our world: 
  • One organization we admire is Hope Border Institute. Their recent report, "Hope & Resistance" is an incredible narrative of what is currently occurring on the US border and available in Spanish and English. 
  • This is an interesting, critical analysis of the Mississipi ICE raids.
  • This is a cool story from Wired featuring the work of one of our favorite partners, Innovation Law Lab, about how tech can help migrants at the border-- a concept we are really exploring with our new EPIC project.
  • A radio piece about the intersection of our country's disgusting racist  history and the events in El Paso last weekend. 
• This June we began a local Santa Fe project called Safe Place, a legal clinic to assist the growing number of families in our area without lawyers who need to prepare and present a case for political asylum in the El Paso Immigration Court. The program is designed to make sure that they are not alone in that process and figure out innovative strategies to prepare them and accompany them through that process when the numbers to high and our resources to thin for full representation. So far we have onboarded 25 cases to this process, mostly families, and have a large waiting list of people that grows weekly who are still awaiting their first court date. 
• News from NM: ICE is opening the third detention facility for asylum seekers in Estancia, a small town in Torrance County (West of ABQ  and South of Santa). This is a Core-Civic facility that will  house around 800 beds for people who are seeking asylum. They will be given their first credible fear interview in Torrance and will then be moved closer to the border, likely to El Paso, for their court hearings and deportation. Please stay in touch for updates about this newest facility and how we can support the people detained there.
• If you haven't had a chance to check out SFDP's Sylvia Johnson's powerful film Refuge(e) you can watch it here. It is incredible. As a bonus, check out Sylvia's film "Luz's Story" featured by the Atlantic. We are so proud of Sylvia and our clients who bravely share their stories with the world. 
• Check out this post from our director on the American Immigration Lawyer's Association's blog entitled "It is Time To Stop Detaining Asylum Seekers".  Sylvia's films are linked in the content of this post so it is a super informative piece to share with your pals. 
• We have been supporting the hard work of the Detained Migrant Solidarity Network in El Paso whose volunteers are bringing much needed services to trans women in shelter in Cuidad Juarez and waiting for their chance to ask for political asylum. The women in Juarez are in somewhat of a scary position as they have been "metered" which essentially means that they are given a number and told to wait in line to ask for asylum, which can mean many dangerous months in a place where trans women's lives are in danger. Furthermore, when they turn themselves in, they are in danger of being turned back by the Migrant Persecution Policy (MPP) even though LGBTQ folks are not supposed to be turned back. Even if they do make it into custody, they will go into the famously deadly hieleras-- an especially dangerous place for people who are HIV+ and for transgender people who are detained by their genders assigned at birth. We are looking for the support of political leaders in NM and all over the nation who are willing to help us demand that they are either released from the custody as quickly as possible or transferred to Cibola County where our team can represent them and they can have the advocacy they need for a quick parole out of prison. Two trans women have already died in NM in the last 15 months. We know the system is deadly.
• We want to give a huge and heartfelt shout out to our summer staff. One of our priorities here at SFDP is to train the next generation of advocates to be their brilliant, brave bests  in the fight for immigrant justice. This summer we welcomed Tim Zurcher from University of Pennsylvania, Lydia Treatault-Saenz from University of New Mexico, Jordy Gertner from Pomona College, Bryan Thomson from Stanford Law School (former legal assistant at SFDP who is now arguing asylum hearings!!!), and Ben Ranz from University of Cincinnati College of Law.  We are already missing them so much as they prepare to head back to school but keep your eye on this crew and their bright, bright futures. Tim, Lydia, Jordy, Bryan, and Ben, we are so proud of you all-- thank you for being part of our family and for fighting for our clients every day. 
• We also welcome 3 new staff members: Estrella Cedillo joined us a week ago as a staff attorney for our EPIC project (and is already kicking butt), Grace Laria is joining us as our newest Jesuit Volunteer, and Michael Galvan brings their considerable expertise in working with trans asylum seekers as National Lawyers Guild Fellow. We are so excited. 
• Recently there have been threats of raids across our country. For those of you who would like to learn more about how to prepare, respond, and stay safe during these times here are some fine resources to sift through courtesy of the Immigration Advocates Network:
  • Raids Resources and Response
• For those of you who have been admiring those daring "F*ck La Migra" shirts we have been blasting around social media, there is still a chance to get one. RIght Here. We raised 30K in two weeks that is going directly to bringing lawyers to asylum seekers. This kind of unrestricted donation is exactly what helps us stay responsive as things change. We would love to see pics of you in your shirts! Also: does anyone know a super famous person who believes in abolishing ICE and wants to rock a shirt on their instagram?
• Santa Feans, there are lots of events in the coming weeks to get out and support good causes and show up in solidarity with immigrants and asylum seekers: 

  • Thursday, August 15th 7:30PM - Front Porch Summer Series with documentary film screenings of How We See Them and The Soul of a Nation. Located at 23 Camino Valle, Santa Fe, NM 87508. Must RSVP by emailing [email protected]. All donations will benefit the new Art Therapy program at the Santa Fe Dreamers Project.

  • Saturday, August 24th 4:00PM - Classical Music Concert at the Unitarian Universalist Church. $20 suggested donation at the door to benefit the Santa Fe Dreamers Project. Located at 107 West Barcelona St Santa Fe, NM 87505.

  • Sunday, August 25th 11:30AM - Donation Barre Class at Rise Barre Studio. Located at 501 Franklin Ave Santa Fe, NM 87501.

  • Until August 30th - Uprooted: Tales of Leaving Home Art Exhibit at 7 Arts Gallery. 20% of proceeds to benefit Santa Fe Dreamers Project for the month of August. For more information contact  [email protected] or visit http://melindasilverfineart.com. Located near 125 Lincoln Ave Santa Fe, NM 87501.

  • Saturday, August 31st 11:00AM-2:00PM - New Mexico Faith Coalition for Immigrant Justice’s Summer Fundraiser Event. Featuring Keynote Speaker Allegra Love. Including ‘New Mexico Feast Day’ Lunch, Guitarist D’Santi Nava, Cash Bar, Silent Auction, and more. Located at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center.

  • Saturday, September 14th 5:00-7:00PM - Somos Un Pueblo Unido Presents: Defending Our Community, Protecting Human Rights. A fundraising reception in support of Somos. $125 per person. At the Santa Fe home of Joseph Maestas.

  • Friday, September 20th - Reverence: Rage Queer Rock Opera. Door donations benefiting Santa Fe Dreamers Project. More information to come.