A New Chapter for the Surveillance, Technology & Immigration Policing Project
We are excited to share that the Surveillance, Technology and Immigration Policing Project has transitioned to an independent organization, Surveillance Resistance Lab.
After 11 years at IDP, Mizue Aizeki will transition to lead the Lab full-time. In the 6 years since Mizue started focusing on surveillance at IDP, her work on this issue has grown rapidly. In 2021, she founded the Surveillance, Technology, and Immigration Policing Project, focusing on cutting-edge issues including the rapid expansion of migrant control technology at the border (as well as internally and externally), the increasing role of tech corporations in undermining democracy and local governance, and the commodification of data through “smart city” programs. Alli Finn joined the project in January 2022 and will be transitioning with Mizue as the Lab’s Senior Researcher & Organizer.

As you know, Mizue has been a constant and a powerful organizational leader at IDP for many years amidst challenging and changing political climates. Mizue has done so much in her time with us. Everything from organizing multiple advocacy campaigns to end the entanglement of local law enforcement and ICE policing, supporting person-specific campaigns for individuals impacted by the criminal legal and immigration systems, envisioning and implementing our Advocacy team work on the state and local level here in New York, as well as spearheading IDP's ICE Raids and Community Defense work. IDP is deeply indebted to her for helping make the organization what it is today and for her leadership and service for more than a decade. Mizue will continue to collaborate with IDP to close out and hand-off current work that is not specific to the surveillance project.

At IDP, we see the fight against the growing use of technology as essential to the immigrant rights movement. We are very proud of the work that the surveillance project has done while part of IDP, and look forward to continuing to partner with the Surveillance Resistance Lab as it transitions to this new chapter.

Standing Up for the #CourtNYDeserves
Last Thursday, IDP was proud to stand with its progressive partners in Albany who helped to block Governor Hochul’s conservative pick for the Chief Judge of New York’s courts. IDP worked behind-the-scenes to spearhead a letter to the Governor and Senate leadership from more than 30+ immigrant justice organizations opposing Judge LaSalle’s nomination, and spoke at a press conference held directly before the Senate Judiciary Hearing. We were thrilled to see the Senate Judiciary Committee recognize the concerns of immigrant justice groups when they voted to reject La Salle’s nomination. Click here to read more about the campaign for #TheCourtNYDeserves which is being spearheaded by IDP’s longtime partner the Center for Community Alternatives.

A Vote Against Immigrant Rights
IDP was deeply disappointed by Governor Hochul’s decision to veto the Court Notification Bill, a critical piece of legislation that IDP led the charge on which would have protected immigrants’ constitutional rights in criminal court. IDP and its allies issued a statement condemning the Governor's backroom veto, which was part of a flurry of vetoes that she issued at the end of December. In an in-depth piece, New York Focus detailed how opposition from the District Attorneys Association of the State of New York helped torpedo the bill. Stay tuned for more on IDP’s plans to renew the fight to defend immigrants’ constitutional rights this session.

Building Comm/Unity to Fight Criminalization
Last week, Comm/Unity, a national network of communicators that is anchored by IDP, brought together over a dozen communications staffers from organizations around the country who are dedicated to fighting the criminalization of immigrants. The annual Comm/Vening included sessions on the shifting political and communications landscapes, combatting anti-Blackness in immigration work, and a training on live streaming. For more on Comm/Unity’s work, click here.

A Justice Roadmap for 2023

On January 17th, IDP joined elected officials and more than 120 other advocacy groups to unveil the Justice Roadmap, a legislative agenda that addresses the interconnected harms of the criminal legal and immigration systems. Co-facilitated by IDP and the Center for Community Alternatives, the Roadmap is a unique platform that brings together immigrant justice and criminal legal system reform organizations that are committed to community safety and justice for ALL New Yorkers. To check out the 2023 Roadmap and a full list of endorsees, click here.