John, we're nearing the end of 2020! The challenges of the last year have been many, but I’ve been consistently blown away by the incredible strength and resilience I’ve seen blossom from communities in the face of so much adversity, whether we were facing down the pandemic, this country’s legacy of violence against Black communities, or the continued decimation of the rights of immigrants and asylum seekers.

Today, as we celebrate International Human Rights Day, I want to thank you on behalf of the National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC) for everything you’ve done this year to stand alongside your immigrant neighbors, and for defending the rights of your community. 

This year, with your help, we secured the freedom of more than 60 people who were locked up in immigration jails while COVID-19 spread uncontrollably. We pivoted our education and outreach resources, leading Know Your Rights sessions, legal clinics, and trainings for volunteer attorneys with digital tools to keep our communities safe and informed. Not only that, but you took action more than 13,000 times, speaking out against harmful proposed regulations and demanding more humane and racially just immigration policies. 

You can read more about these victories for human rights and the impact they have had on the thousands of immigrants who have received NIJC’s services on our blog at: https://immigrantjustice.org/staff/blog/protecting-human-rights-2020.