Indivisibles,

Across the country, immigrant families are being targeted, detained, and forced to face a legal system that is increasingly stacked against them -- often without a lawyer by their side. Families are being separated. Children are left without parents. Kids are forced to represent themselves in court against trained government attorneys. Mass raids threaten to tear apart up to 6.2 million people in mixed-status families from the communities they’ve helped build. 

No one should be locked in a detention center or torn from their loved ones simply because they can’t afford bond or legal representation. That’s why, for our Giving Tuesday fundraiser this year, we’re asking folks to donate to the Defending Our Neighbors Fund.

Your donations will support organizations on the ground who are providing legal representation for immigrant families. Donations to the fund are tax-deductible and thanks to a set of generous donors, we can verify that every gift will be MATCHED, up to $1 million, until December 31.

The Defending Our Neighbors Fund is a nationwide initiative hosted by our friends at the United We Dream Network, the ACLU, and the Abundant Futures Fund. It is a historic, national effort to make sure our immigrant neighbors have fair access to legal representation. You can learn more about the fund here. 

Last year, more than 2.5 million people went through immigration court without legal representation. Access to a lawyer is often the difference between a family staying together or being separated indefinitely.

The Defending Our Neighbors Fund moves quickly to meet the needs of immigrant families. They make grants to trusted legal service providers and, when possible, community bond funds nationwide. These organizations work near detention centers, in areas where lawyers are scarce, and in communities with large immigrant populations. 

The grants help organizations keep experienced attorneys on staff, respond quickly to urgent cases, represent children who would otherwise face court alone, and help families post bond so loved ones can stay together. Your matched donation today helps make sure more families have access to legal support when they need it most. 

This Giving Tuesday, join us in standing indivisible with our immigrant neighbors and loved ones, and donate to the Defending Our Neighbors Fund.

The Defending our Neighbors Fund is a testament to the power of our communities to care for and show up for each other. We are everyday people showing up for each other, pooling together our resources, and finding ways to support our neighbors.

In solidarity,
Indivisible Team