Dear Friend:
Imagine you are weeks away from obtaining legal permanent status in the United States. You breathe easier as final paperwork is submitted. You see the smiles, feel the hugs, and plan to celebrate with family and friends in the only country you know to call home. The end of a long, uncertain road is within reach.
But then, an arrest changes everything. Now, with a “criminal” label, your plans for permanent status stall.
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This is the reality of a young man, Richard, who is at the intersection of an entrenched immigration system and increasingly punitive criminal justice policies. Though Richard is visa-eligible, this made no difference to the ICE agents who apprehended him immediately following his release from jail. His sister arrived to take him home, only to hear her brother yelling as ICE agents shoved him into a van and drove away.
He is now in an immigration detention facility, awaiting deportation proceedings – despite being eligible for special visa protections. The label of “criminal” is all that matters.
This harsh reality is not only traumatic to Richard, his family, and his community, it is also extremely perplexing for those in a position to help, including the major New York law firm that had taken on his case before the arrest, and now must navigate the intersection of criminal legal contact and immigration.
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Enter the Immigrant Defense Project. Formed to combat the targeting of immigrants for mass imprisonment and deportation, the Immigrant Defense Project (IDP) knows that the criminalization of immigrants continues to wreak havoc in families and communities across the country.
IDP is committed to helping families stay together and standing up for those impacted by the unjust and racist criminal legal and immigration systems.
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Our hotline is one of the ways we do this. Each person that calls, regardless of who they are, or the exact issues at hand, will be met with a nonjudgmental ear.
Staffed by skilled IDP attorneys and a paralegal, callers receive personalized help to navigate a system that is not set up for success, or even understanding. We receive calls from attorneys unable to lift the veil of mystery on ever-changing policies, as well as calls from concerned family and friends in crisis who just witnessed their loved ones cruelly and aggressively taken away.
This is exactly what happened in Richard’s case. The pro-bono law firm representing him called IDP’s hotline for guidance navigating the complexities of the criminal legal system and immigration policies. As leaders in immigrants’ rights, we helped Richard’s team and family understand what might happen to him while in ICE custody. We identified the date of his first appearance in immigration court and connected his family to the NY Immigrant Family Unity Project to ensure they could make the strongest case possible for Richard’s release.
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There are many ways to support those negatively affected by the immigration system. Our hotline is a proven way to help, and a little can go a long way.
Please, give as generously as you can. People like Richard rely on people like you to provide free services like this. You can make a real difference today.
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Jonathan Monsalve
Executive Director
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