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IDP Works to Educate Immigrant New Yorkers on the Effects of Marijuana Legalization


Since the historic passage of marijuana legalization last month, IDP has been working to educate community members and allies on what this new law means for immigrant New Yorkers. For decades, New York marijuana convictions have caused immeasurable and irreparable damage to immigrant communities across the state; among other things, marijuana prohibition has resulted in the detention and deportation of thousands of immigrants.

Check out our features in CityLimits and Univision to learn more! Additionally, IDP has released preliminary resources about marijuana legalization and immigration issues for community members (English & Español), immigration attorneys and advocates, and criminal defense attorneys. To learn more about IDP’s work on marijuana legalization and immigration, visit immdefense.org/marijuana. Stay tuned for more resources from IDP on how to navigate the new law.

IDP Offers New, Free Crim-Imm Training Series in May and June!


Beginning next month, IDP is offering a free, four-part online training series on the intersection of criminal and immigration law. The first course in this series, The Ethics of Representing Clients with Criminal Contacts, will run on Thursday, May 6, 2021, from 3 - 4:30 pm ET, and will include tips on how to provide competent and diligent representation to clients with criminal legal system contacts, including accessing support from IDP. Learn more about this training here, or check out all of IDP’s upcoming trainings. 

The full series will provide immigration attorneys and advocates, DOJ-accredited representatives, and support staff information about the intersection of criminal law and immigration law. 
 
The remaining trainings in the series are:
  • May 20, 2021, 3-4:30 pm (ET): Understanding Your Client's Contact with the Criminal Legal System in New York City
  • June 3, 2021, 3-4:30 pm (ET): Steps to Analyze the Immigration Impact of Criminal Contact and Convictions for Immigrant Clients
  • June 17, 2021, 3-4:30 pm (ET): Practice Tips for Representing Immigrant Clients with Criminal Contacts
Applications for New York accreditation to provide CLE credits are currently pending. 

Victory for Immigrants in New Jersey Supreme Court


IDP played a key role in the victory of State v. Rios/Molchor/Lopez-Carrera, a New Jersey Supreme Court case that significantly impacts the rights of immigrants seeking pretrial release. The case considered how trial court judges in New Jersey should apply the state’s Criminal Justice Reform Act— bail reform legislation that overwhelmingly favors pretrial release—to immigrants. In a sweeping decision issued in late March, the New Jersey high court ruled that the CJRA does not allow judges to deny pretrial release to a person solely based on their immigration status.

The decision also affirmed that the CJRA supersedes State v. Fajardo-Santos, a 2009 decision in which the New Jersey Supreme Court had held that judges are permitted to increase money bail for non-citizens who may become subject to ICE detainers. IDP is proud to have joined numerous allies to advance a successful amicus strategy in support of the New Jersey Office of the Public Defender. Notably, the decision cited the "benefit of the helpful briefs submitted in this appeal"—which includes an amicus brief by IDP, NIPNLG, and the Harvard Crimmigration clinic.

IDP Challenges Use of Racially-biased Gang Databases by DHS


For the last year, IDP has been part of the GANGS Coalition, a coalition of organizers, advocates, and directly impacted community members seeking to abolish criminalization tools that rely on gang or crew labels. Last week, the coalition delivered a letter signed by nearly 70 national and regional organizations to DHS Secretary Mayorkas. The letter demands the Biden Administration abandon the use of gang-related convictions and allegations as an interim ICE enforcement priority. In the letter, we cite DHS’s past egregious and pretextual use of gang affiliations, the myriad issues with racial bias and abuse in gang databases, and the harmful impact of gang affiliations in charging practices. For a comprehensive advisory on Biden’s interim enforcement guidelines, check out our resources for criminal defense and immigration attorneys and advocates.
Join IDP in the fight for Immigrant Rights!
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