Judge restores legal representation for people in detention who have been
deemed mentally incompetent to represent themselves.
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| Judge revives program providing legal services to people in detention deemed mentally incompetent A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to reinstate the National Qualified Representative Program (NQRP), which funded legal representation for people deemed mentally incompetent to represent themselves while they are detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). "We are relieved to see that the judge held that the government cannot strip this population of their right to a fair hearing without reasoning, justification, or any other plan in place to make sure that these hearings are fair," said Keren Zwick, director of litigation at NIJC. This is a big step toward protecting people's rights in detention. NIJC is proud to work alongside our co-counsel on the case, Amica Center for Immigrant Rights and Zuckerman Spaeder LLP. Read NIJC's full statement reflecting on the ruling. |
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| | New policy brief examines how immigration prosecutions lead to family separations and mass incarceration Congress is proposing new legislation that would further criminalize migration and supercharge the same policies that have packed prisons for profit and created a family separation crisis. Prosecutions of immigration offenses do not make us safer; they cause severe harm, violate due process, and block asylum access. NIJC urges lawmakers to reject these efforts and instead call for more accountability for ICE’s rampant, unchecked civil rights abuses. Read NIJC's brand new policy brief with our partners. |
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| | Advocates file lawsuit to stop illegal ICE arrests at immigration courts NIJC, Democracy Forward, RAICES, and Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of two legal services groups, and people who have been arrested while attending their immigration court hearings. The people represented in the lawsuit appeared at their hearings to request protection or other legal status, only to have a government attorney unexpectedly ask the immigration judge to dismiss their cases. When a judge agreed to the dismissal, the plaintiffs were arrested and detained by ICE officers who were waiting at the courthouse. “We are witnessing an authoritarian takeover of the U.S. immigration court system by the Trump administration," said NIJC Director of Litigation Keren Zwick. "We must continue fighting to overcome the administration’s escalating attacks on the U.S. Constitution and rule of law.” NIJC proudly stands with our community members and will fight this injustice in court. Read more in our statement. |
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| | | | Explainer: Trump and Congress's punishing new immigration fees Congress and the Trump administration imposed unprecedented, excessive new fees for immigration applications and it's hitting our most vulnerable community members the hardest. In July, Congress used a budget bill to quietly codify the Trump administration's most anti-immigrant fee hikes. Now, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is piling on more costs to basic humanitarian protection, work permits, and more to make it nearly impossible for asylum seekers and others to access protection and relief. Stay informed and read NIJC's new explainer examining the impact of these fees. |
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| | Families hurt by family separation win in court A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to reinstate legal aid for families who have been separated under the "zero tolerance" policy. Even since the Department of Justice's courts were told to oversee these services, families have had a harder time staying together, applying for legal status and securing work. IN THE NEWS: “It’s particularly indicative of how cruel and anti-children this administration is," said NIJC senior attorney Jess Hunter-Bowman in an interview with The Guardian. "You know, they seem to have no interest in a fair day in court for people, including those living with lifelong trauma caused by their [previous] policies.” Judge Dana Sabraw's ruling is clear: stripping people of legal aid puts families in danger. Families who are still reeling from past trauma or facing deportation deserve justice. Read more here. |
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| | NIJC testifies at U.S. congressional oversight forum on immigration NIJC Associate Director of Policy Jesse Franzblau spoke at a congressional oversight forum led by members of Congress to call for ICE to face accountability and oversight amidst its rampant human rights violations and misuse of federal funding. "It's really unconscionable that Congress would approve more money for ICE from FEMA accounts," Franzblau said. "The latest reprogramming request from ICE comes on the heels of the historic influx of cash from the reconciliation bill, making the agency the biggest law enforcement agency in the country with a larger budget than the FBI, DEA, ATF, and U.S. Marshals combined - so in the end, the passage of that bill gave billions in slush funds while also caving to executive overreach and abuse of authority." Watch Jesse's full testimonial on YouTube. |
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| | Volunteer lawyers prepare work and asylum applications for dozens of community members We are immensely grateful to NIJC's pro bono partners for their ongoing work to assist our immigrant neighbors. Last month, four of our firm partners participated in a large legal workshop. With about 100 people in the room, NIJC and our pro bono partners prepared asylum and work authorization applications, helping 32 people move forward with their lives here in the United States. Thank you to our network of advocates for using their legal skills to defend due process. |
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| | | | Don’t miss early bird pricing for the 7th Annual NIJC Community for Immigrant Justice 5K Event Information
Race Day
Saturday, October 11, 2025
11:00 – 2:00 p.m. EDT
In-person in Goshen, IN
Virtual Race Week
Saturday, October 11 – Saturday, October 18, 2025 Join us for the 7th Annual NIJC Community for Immigrant Justice 5K this October! Over the past seven years, thousands have come together for NIJC’s 5K to support immigrant rights and raise critical funds for legal services that keep families united, prevent deportations, and protect people's access to legal counsel when they need it the most. Whether you’re participating in Indiana or in your own neighborhood, we look forward to having you join us! Discounted early bird registration is only available through Saturday, August 9th—Sign up now! |
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| | | NATIONAL IMMIGRANT JUSTICE CENTER
111 W. Jackson Blvd., Suite 800 | Chicago, Illinois 60604
immigrantjustice.org |
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