Dear Friends of IDP,

Today, the Immigrant Defense Project is excited to share an update on the case of a long-time client of ours, Mr. Smith*. When we last wrote to you about Mr. Smith, we had just learned that his immigration case had been terminated, opening the way for him to return to the United States after more than six years of separation from his family.

Now, we are thrilled to report that Mr. Smith has come home! In early January, Mr. Smith flew back to New York City and had his lawful permanent resident status properly restored. Thanks to the tireless work of our pro bono partners at Gibson Dunn and the dedication of IDP’s litigation team, Mr. Smith is back with his family where he belongs.

Mr. Smith’s long struggle began with a single conviction for selling a small quantity of drugs in the early 2000s, during a time of personal tragedy. He was subsequently detained for four years and ultimately deported from his life and his family in Brooklyn. His long-shot victory is a story of strength and determination, but it’s also a story about how deeply our communities have been damaged by the war on drugs and the war on immigrants. Mr. Smith’s case required thousands of hours of attorney time, and dozens of briefs filed with the immigration agencies and federal courts, all to overturn a deportation that Congress should never have authorized in the first place. This system is, in a word: broken.

As we await the inauguration of President-elect Biden, we share Mr. Smith’s story as a nugget of hope for the future and as a marker of resolve to continue this fight—a fight in state legislatures to find alternatives to criminalization, in federal and state courts to recognize constitutional and statutory rights of immigrants, and in Congress to pass truly inclusive immigration legislation. We know that you will be with us every step of the way and thank you—our loyal community of IDP supporters—for making victories like Mr. Smith’s possible.

In solidarity,

Immigrant Defense Project

*Mr. Smith is a pseudonym used to protect our client’s identity.