New ICE enforcement guidelines perpetuate harmful framework

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) newly released interim enforcement guidelines have advocates like NIJC concerned the Biden administration is poised to continue past mistakes of framing groups of immigrants as threats rather than ensuring people’s rights are protected. Check out NIJC's FAQ guide for communities about ICE's new enforcement priorities in English and Spanish.

Trump's public charge rule ends

The new public charge rule implemented during the Trump administration is gone! Last night, the Department of Homeland Security announced that it will no longer defend the Trump era rule and revert back to previous guidance. For more info visit the Protecting Immigrant Families national coalition and the Protecting Immigrant Families Illinois coalition.

Online event TOMORROW: A New Era for Protecting the Right to Asylum

Justice & Java: A New Era for Protecting the Right to Asylum
Thursday, March 11, 2021 
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM CT
REGISTER NOW: bit.ly/jj31121

Join us to get up to speed on what is happening now with asylum and learn how you can help advocate for people fleeing persecution. After numerous damaging attacks during the Trump administration, the U.S. asylum system is now seeing a frenzy of changes. NIJC and our community continue to protect asylum by representing thousands of immigrants, aggressively litigating harmful policies, and advocating for policy reform. This event is part of NIJC's Justice & Java series open to all community members to keep you informed about current immigration issues. Sign up now for log in info: bit.ly/jj31121

People in detention struggle to get vaccines

People in jails in Illinois are now eligible to get the COVID-19 vaccine, but many in ICE jails, like our client Irbin, have been left in the dark. “Last year, they brought us some paperwork asking if we wanted to get the vaccine. And everybody in the unit where I’m at, we all said yes. We want the vaccine. We haven’t gotten anything. Not even information," said Irbin. NIJC lawyers David Faherty and Rubin Loyo, and formerly detained client Johannes Favi, all spoke to Chicago Public Radio WBEZ expressing unsafe conditions in immigrant jails and the need to get vaccines distributed to those trapped inside. Read the story in WBEZ.

Children and families at the border need freedom and protection

Immigrant families are still being separated by detention and deportation. Children are still being separated from loved ones at the border. NIJC's Lisa Koop recently spoke to USA TODAY expressing concern, "It really does look and feel in many ways like a parent-child separation. The trauma of the separation is very similar." We continue to call on the Biden administration to stop the detentions, deportations, and separations! Read more in USA Today.

Robert, incarcerated 30 years, speaks out from immigration jail

Robert, an NIJC client, was granted a compassionate release after spending nearly 30 years in federal criminal custody for a nonviolent drug conviction, only to be immediately transferred to ICE jail. He's still languishing in jail during COVID-19.

"Our legal system has something called 'double jeopardy,' where you can’t be punished twice for the same crime. Because I am an immigrant, I’m being punished again and again. Our current laws continue to punish individuals – like me -- even after we complete our sentences," said Robert.

Robert belongs with his family and community. We must transform our laws to stop criminalizing and punishing immigrants and Black and Brown people.

Listen to Robert tell his story from inside an immigration jail.

Celebrating immigrant women

During Women's History Month, we're celebrating immigrant women who lift each other up, connect each other to vital resources, and strengthen our communities. Alejandra is one of them. Read Alejandra's story here and check out NIJC's social media channels where we'll be sharing more from our strong and resilient immigrant women clients throughout the month.

Open jobs at NIJC

We posted new open positions at NIJC in our Chicago office! Are you interested in joining our passionate and talented team providing critical legal services and fighting for humane immigration policies? See descriptions of open positions and apply now at: immigrantjustice.org/careers