John, right now, we are facing an unprecedented moment in our nation's history. Earlier this month we celebrated our country’s independence, meanwhile, our nation’s founding values and democracy are under threat. At NIJC, we remain committed to defending due process and the values that support our families and communities. Recently we’ve made progress to impede the Trump administration's assault on immigrants’ rights: - A federal judge ruled that legal aid must be reinstated for families who were unjustly separated under the administration's "zero tolerance" policy
- A federal court blocked the administration's attempt to end the process of seeking asylum at the U.S. border
- Our communities and members of Congress mobilized to call for accountability and oversight for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and protect what remains of due process
Nonetheless, ICE continues to act with lawless impunity and now has access to historic amounts of new funding. Due to the recent passage of the budget bill, vital community support programs have been slashed to reroute more than $150 billion in funds so ICE can separate families; terrorize neighborhoods, schools, and businesses; and disappear our immigrant neighbors. But every day, amidst these challenges, our community members are showing that their strength and resilience is not limited by ICE’s fear tactics. Heidy, an NIJC client who won asylum with her daughter and is now a U.S. citizen, affirms that it’s never too late for people to achieve their dreams. After making the dangerous journey from Honduras to the United States, Heidy and her daughter first were sent to a family detention center in Texas. Thankfully, a visit from a legal services provider helped the pair secure their freedom and make their way to Indiana, where they joined family and contacted NIJC. With the help of NIJC's Indiana team over the course of many years of advocacy, Heidy won asylum, became a permanent resident, and then a citizen. She is now pursuing her dream of being a teacher in hopes of making a positive impact on the next generation of students in our communities. | 
