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Congress debates federal funding bill amid nationwide backlash against ICE and Border Patrol

Congress is currently in negotiations over a federal spending bill that includes funding for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol. Thousands of organizations nationwide have called on Congress to reject increased funding for ICE and Border Patrol and demand accountability for federal agents’ deadly actions, following violent attacks and raids against our communities. 

Last week, after the House of Representatives passed a 2026 fiscal year bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Senate rejected giving more money to these abusive agencies.  

"The mass mobilization of communities across the country rising up and speaking out against ICE’s and CBP’s violence has forced Congress to finally exercise its authority and consider measures to rein in the agencies’ abuses," said NIJC's associate director of policy, Jesse Franzblau, in response to the Senate's refusal to give billions more to DHS, ICE, and Border Patrol.  

TAKE ACTION: Call Congress at (202) 224-3121 and tell your members of Congress to demand no more funding for ICE and Border Patrol and ensure meaningful policy changes to stop the violence against our communities! And send a message via our online action form to make sure your voice is heard.

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Venezuelans in the U.S. face uncertainty

As the situation in Venezuela remains tenuous, NIJC encourages Venezuelans in the United States to seek the advice of counsel and pursue their lawful right to protection under U.S. laws.  

IN THE NEWS: "It's devastating and tragic that you have people who risked everything only to find a completely dysfunctional system [in the United States]”, said NIJC Director of Legal Services Lisa Koop to USA TODAY, speaking on the uncertainty Venezuelan immigrants face after the Trump administration's actions in Venezuela and the prior revocation of Temporary Protected Status (TPS). 

See NIJC’s FAQ in English and Spanish featuring information about legal consultations and people’s rights under current U.S. law. 
 
Watch videos in English and Spanish from NIJC staff with guidance for Venezuelan community members.

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Courts push back against Trump administration’s mandatory detention directives 

According to POLITICO, more than 300 federal judges (including 33 who were appointed by the Trump administration) have rejected the Trump administration's attempt to expand mandatory detention. In more than 1,600 cases, the judges ruled against the administration, ordering for people to be released or the chance for bond hearings.   

Learn more here. 

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Families of people in detention raise alarm about due process and rights violations

Access to legal counsel and due process remains dangerously out of reach for many people who are trapped in immigration detention. In a recent interview with The Maine Monitor, NIJC Director of Policy Azadeh Erfani shed light on the alarming reality that families and attorneys are facing. 

“People have literally disappeared. Lawyers, experienced lawyers, have not known how to locate their own clients after they’ve been taken into custody and then suddenly find out that they’re in Louisiana or Texas, getting very quickly prepared to be deported." 

Read the article here.

Recording | Protecting Immigrant Rights in 2026: A Briefing with NIJC Experts

In case you missed it, at the beginning of the year, NIJC experts held a virtual event to discuss how we are applying lessons learned in the past to strengthen our advocacy for immigrant rights and protect our communities in 2026. Watch the event.