John,

This week, my team and I helped host a Legal Observer training run by the Detroit & Michigan Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild.

I’m a proud member of the Detroit & Michigan Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild, which protects the rights of people fighting for social change. This work is especially needed now as Trump tries to criminalize and deport protesters.

The group has successfully defended Black Lives Matter protesters, stopping Detroit police from using violent attacks and baseless mass arrests in 2020 and beyond.

Recently, while providing ongoing support for pro-Palestinian protesters and holding universities accountable for violating students’ rights, the Detroit & Michigan NLG Chapter has had to pivot in response to the new presidential administration.

Now they must respond to increased requests for Legal Observers at anti-fascist actions, legal representation for immigrants, and Know Your Rights trainings for immigrant communities. These are powerful tools against Trump’s attacks: ICE can’t round up as many people now that more folks know they don’t have to answer the door.

With escalating attacks on students, immigrants, and our right to free speech and due process rights, can you chip in now to support the National Lawyers Guild Detroit & Michigan Chapter’s urgent work?

The Detroit & Michigan NLG Chapter trains Legal Observers who attend demonstrations around the state to monitor law enforcement behavior toward activists. They work with NLG attorneys to share information that can help activists in court and to coordinate arrest support for activists. Legal Observers also often deter police violence by being present.

Fighting against police brutality for decades, the Detroit & Michigan Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild has provided Legal Observers and jail support for the Ferguson Uprising and the George Floyd uprising. In 2020, Legal Observers from the Detroit & Michigan Chapter showed up for over 100 consecutive days of racial justice marches in Detroit and at many protests in other parts of Michigan.

The group coordinated legal support and defense for over 400 protesters around the state and won a Preliminary Injunction against the Detroit police’s abuses of protesters, leading to a ruling that the City of Detroit and the Detroit Police Department violated the constitutional rights of protesters. An important victory for the movement!

As organizers from Palestine Solidarity Grand Rapids said at a recent event with the Detroit & Michigan Chapter of the National Lawyer's Guild, “knowing that networks like the NLG exist and that Legal Observers have our backs at actions make the work safer and give us the support we need to be in the streets fighting for justice.”

Now the Detroit & Michigan NLG Chapter is fighting back against the Trump administration’s attacks on our communities, including speaking out for transgender and intersex American citizens in opposition to the administration’s changes to gender markers on passports.

The NLG Detroit & Michigan Chapter does all this with just two part-time staff members, a team of volunteer attorneys and Legal Observers, and often limited funds.

Can you chip in today to help the National Lawyers Guild Detroit & Michigan Chapter continue defending our human rights in this urgent moment?

Thank you so much for continuing to defend our rights, including our right to protest. Together we will keep building progressive power for the world we all deserve where all people can thrive.

In solidarity,

Rashida

P.S. You can find out more about the Detroit and Michigan Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild here, and you can find their Guide to Immigration Resources here.