John, Imagine that you and your family are forced to flee your home because you have been targeted by violence. You travel to get to a place where you think you and your family are safe. When you get there, you are separated from your family and locked in jail. You don’t speak the language and don’t understand the legal system in this new place. You are not given any information about what is going on, where your family is, or when or how you will get out of jail. This is the reality that thousands of asylum seekers face in the United States. But you can help change this. Having a lawyer can make the difference between safety and deportation. It can make the difference between family unity and indefinite family separation. A lawyer can make the difference between life and death. As a lawyer and supervisor of the asylum project at the National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC), I have witnessed this first-hand many times. Your donation to NIJC today on #GivingTuesday will help ensure a safe future for an asylum seeker fleeing harm and persecution. You can give now at: www.immigrantjustice.org/givingtuesday The need is great, but each asylum seeker who gets a lawyer is a human being whose life could be forever changed. Here is how your donation helps asylum seekers: | |
$30 – 30 minutes of translation for an asylum seeker $100 – One legal consultation with a separated family $300 – Initiates an asylum claim for a family facing deportation $500 – Files a habeas petition to free an LGBT asylum seeker from jail $1,000 – Defends an asylum seeker in one court appearance $2,500 – Provides legal representation to an asylum seeker | |
Put yourself in an asylum seeker’s shoes and think about what safety, stability, and family unity are worth to you. Know that every amount you give has a tremendous impact for asylum seekers. Thank you for protecting those seeking safety in the United States! -Ashley Huebner Associate Director of Legal Services, National Immigrant Justice Center P.S. If you’re able to do a little more, sign up to be a monthly donor to NIJC, which has an even greater, lasting impact for families! | |