News Archives

June 25, 2020 — Each year the National Immigration Project honors a member doing outstanding work for immigrant justice. This year, we are thrilled to honor Linus Chan, who has spent years defending detained immigrants in removal proceedings; and who more recently, was instrumental to the inclusion of immigration in the Minnesota Freedom Fund, a criminal bail and immigration bond fund.

Please join us for a FREE online Happy Hour in Linus’ honor on July 22, 2020 at 7:00pm ET, during the 2020 AILA Virtual Annual Conference on Immigration Law. All are welcome! Honor Linus with a personal message, and celebrate his — and all our — work fighting together to advance immigrant rights and racial justice in 2020. Fun, festivities, camaraderie, and some special surprises.

Read more »
Honor Linus Chan by placing an ad in the Commemorative Program Book »
Register for the FREE online Happy Hour »

June 18, 2020 — Today the Supreme Court ruled that the Trump Administration’s termination of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program was unlawful, granting hundreds of thousands of DACA recipients a temporary but critical reprieve.

Read the press release »

June 18, 2020 — In reaction to today’s Supreme Court ruling allowing the DACA program to continue, the Immigrant Justice Network — a collaboration of the Immigrant Defense Project, Immigrant Legal Resource Center, Just Futures Law, and the National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild — issued the following statement...

Read the statement »

June 17, 2020 — Confining people in a detention center, jail, or prison — where they cannot practice social distancing and are unable to protect themselves from the coronavirus — is cruel, inhumane, and, as we are arguing in court, unconstitutional. The only way to stop people from dying and suffering life-altering complications is by releasing people from detention. We must free them all.

June 15, 2020 — National immigrant and criminal justice advocates filed a joint amicus brief in the Ninth Circuit in the watershed Gonzalez v. ICE litigation, which challenges widespread violations of the Fourth Amendment by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Read the press release »
Download the brief »

June 7, 2020 — This advisory provides some basic guidance on how to advise your noncitizen clients about their rights and risks should they decide to participate in protests.
Download the Practice Advisory »

June 1, 2020 — The Immigrant Justice Network stands with Black communities across the country who are rising up to demand real justice and a profound transformation of our society and institutions.
Read the statement »

May 24, 2020 — In a major win in Louisiana, a district judge has adopted the recommendation to release 14 medically vulnerable immigrants held in ICE jails, represented by NIPNLG, including one additional person not previously included in the magistrate judge’s opinion of April 14, 2020.
Visit the case page »

May 8, 2020 — The District Court has ordered the release of all three detained individuals who were part of NIPNLG's lawsuit against U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE), due to their high risk of serious illness or death because of COVID-19.
Read the press release »
Visit the case page »

May 1, 2020 — NIPNLG, CAIR Coalition, and LAJC released a statement about Judge Liam O’Grady’s decision in their case. The groups had filed a motion for a temporary restraining order asking the court to order immediate release of their clients, who are all at high risk for serious illness or death if infected with COVID-19, from Virginia’s immigration detention facilities.
Read the press release »
Visit the case page »

April 30, 2020 — The District Court has ordered the release of an individual detained by U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Howard County, Md., after an employee at the facility tested positive for COVID-19.
Read the press release »
Visit the case page »

April 29, 2020 — The government’s own medical experts have called coronavirus in immigration detention facilities a “tinderbox scenario.” Particularly as infection spreads throughout immigration detention centers, the medically vulnerable fear for their very lives. This litigation on behalf of immigrants detained in an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”) detention center in Alabama seeks their immediate release so that they can protect themselves.
Read the press release »
Visit the case page »

April 22, 2020 — Arnold & Porter, NIPNLG, and the Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network (RMIAN) sued for the release of 14 medically-vulnerable people currently held in civil immigration detention at the Aurora ICE Processing Center in Colorado, citing the severe risk the COVID-19 pandemic poses to their health and safety. Several of the petitioners are transgender women living with HIV, and all the petitioners have serious medical vulnerabilities that make them especially susceptible to serious illness or death should they contract COVID-19.
Read the press release »
Visit the case page »

April 16, 2020 — Immigration detention facilities have become a breeding ground for COVID-19 as the pandemic rages on. Immigration detention for vulnerable individuals has become a potential death sentence. This litigation on behalf of immigrants detained in an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center in Mississippi seeks their immediate release from civil immigration detention. NIPNLG filed the lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi along with the Center for Constitutional Rights, the MacArthur Justice Center, and Jeremy Jong.
Read the press release »
Visit the case page »

April 14, 2020 — Sixteen medically vulnerable people currently held in six Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facilities in Louisiana filed an emergency petition for release, citing their severe risk of contracting coronavirus and developing life-threatening COVID-19 symptoms. They were part of a petition filed last week on behalf of people in ICE detention in Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana that was dismissed for technical jurisdictional grounds and are now pressing their case in federal court in Louisiana. They are represented by the Center for Constitutional Rights and the National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild (NIPNLG).
Read the press release »

April 13, 2020 — Complaint about DHS/CBP’s border expulsions filed by Human Rights Watch and NIPNLG with DHS oversight components on April 13, 2020. DHS claims it is acting pursuant to a CDC order of March 20, 2020, and can ignore TVPRA (unaccompanied children) and asylum obligations. Acting CBP Commissioner Morgan tweeted on Friday April 10 that more than 11,000 migrants have been expelled, a number including hundreds of unaccompanied Mexican and Northern Triangle children. The complaint requests immediate investigations.
Download the complaint »

April 9, 2020 — The global COVID-19 pandemic is spreading dramatically across the United States, with especially devastating consequences for those trapped in our prisons, jails, and detention centers. This suit is filed on behalf of nine people who are detained by ICE in Virginia despite being especially vulnerable to serious illness or death from COVID-19 due to their age and/or medical conditions. NIPNLG filed the lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia along with the Capital Area Immigrants’ Rights (CAIR) Coalition and the Legal Aid Justice Center (LAJC).
Read the press release »
Download the complaint »

April 9, 2020 — Beginning April 8, 2020, a new final rule authorizes DHS to collect DNA from all detained immigrants. This policy presents serious concerns for the normalization of sensitive biometric collection and the increased criminalization of immigrants. Together with the Electronic Frontier Foundation, the National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild has put together this Explainer to summarize this policy, who is affected, and the concerns of advocates and ethicists that this represents a vast and troubling expansion of the surveillance of immigrant populations. We will continue monitoring the implementation of this rule and related policies for their impact on immigrant communities.
Download the Explainer »

April 8, 2020 — NIPNLG and other immigration groups today moved for an emergency temporary restraining order (TRO) against the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in order to protect the health of immigration attorneys, immigrants, and the public from the impact of dangerous and unconstitutional policies during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Read the press release »
Read more about the case »

April 8, 2020 — Fines, arrests, and surveillance put communities at risk. And for immigrants, it can lead to detention and deportation. As we fight to flatten the curve, we must ensure our communities have the resources they need and reject criminalization policies.
Read the full statement by Immigrant Justice Network »

April 7, 2020 — Under the Trump administration, the government has significantly increased its capacity to investigate U.S. citizens and pursue denaturalization cases. NIPNLG with ILRC, put together this practice advisory as a resource to fight denaturalization. This advisory provides an overview of 3 different grounds of civil denaturalization, and a summary of some of the defenses that have been used in civil denaturalization proceedings, across judicial circuits and districts.
Download the Practice Advisory »

April 1, 2020 – Immigration detention facilities have become a breeding ground for COVID-19 as the pandemic rages on. Immigration detention for vulnerable individuals has become a potential death sentence. This litigation on behalf of immigrants detained in five Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention centers in Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana seeks their immediate release from civil immigration detention.

NIPNLG filed the lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana along with the Center for Constitutional Rights, the Loyola Law Clinic, and the Law Offices of R. Andrew Free.
Read the press release »
Download the complaint »

Mar 30, 2020 – As COVID-19 rapidly spreads in the U.S and in detention facilities, immigration courts and detention facilities have failed to adopt policies that sufficiently protect health and due process rights. This litigation on behalf of several immigration lawyer groups and individuals with pending immigration cases demands that the DOJ Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) and ICE take immediate necessary actions to prioritize the health and safety of attorneys and clients at risk in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. NIPNLG filed this lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
Read the press release »
Download the complaint »

March 30, 2020 – NIPNLG submitted a public comment in response to the EOIR request regarding its Fee Review, 85 Fed. Reg. 11866 (Feb. 28, 2020). NIPNLG urges EOIR to withdraw it’s proposed fee increases, and to instead focus on ensuring due process in the adjudication of immigration applications, which requires an open, robust, and accessible appellate review process. This is particularly true for individuals fleeing violence and seeking asylum, and those who are deemed ineligible for certain crucial immigration benefits because of prior contact with the criminal legal system. We will continue to work towards greater access to justice for those who are most vulnerable to harm.
Download the comment »

March 24, 2020 – As the global COVID-19 pandemic worsens, ICE is continuing to detain immigrants, including those at the highest risk of severe COVID-19-related illness or death. NIPNLG filed this litigation in Maryland along with the Capital Area Immigrants’ Rights (CAIR) Coalition, the ACLU, and the ACLU of Maryland.
Read the press release »
Download the complaint »
Download Dr. Mishori’s declaration »

March 23, 2020 – The letter explains that expulsions of migrants without adequate fear screenings and subsequent due process are illegal under U.S. and international law. It requests information about “how actual and potential asylum seekers’ rights are protected under these new protocols, including full transparency on guidance sent to CBP officers and agents and CBP’s operational plan.” The letter emphasizes binding domestic and international legal obligations that DHS may be flouting, including the Refugee Act and U.N. Convention Against Torture. The groups conclude that “once again, DHS is now placing federal officials in untenable moral and legal jeopardy by ordering asylum seekers to be returned without adequate fear screening or due process.”
Download the letter »

(Mar 21, 2020) – This practice pointer provides a background on Castillo-Perez, explains the good moral character requirement of non-LPR cancellation, and clarifies the practical implications of the decision. The practice pointer also suggests arguments limiting the decision’s scope and highlights some pitfalls in the attorney general’s reasoning that could be raised on appeal.
Download the Practice Pointer »

March 21, 2020 – The rapid advancement of the global COVID-19 pandemic has caused a public health emergency and presents a fatal threat to incarcerated people. Thousands of immigrants are held in the patchwork of detention facilities in the United States, which is comprised of federal immigrant detention facilities, private detention facilities, and local jails and prisons contracted by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to hold immigrant detainees.
See our COVID 19 resources page »

March 19, 2020 – As the COVID-19 epidemic rages on, it has become clearer than ever that we are all in this together and that all of our fates are deeply linked. We’re only as healthy as the most vulnerable of our communities.
Read the statement »

February 6, 2020 – NIPNLG filed a lawsuit on behalf of immigration attorney Matthew Hoppock against USCIS to obtain transparency over the government’s denaturalization efforts. This suit comes after USCIS failed to provide a single document in response to three FOIA requests filed by Hoppock in 2018.
Read the press release »

January 23, 2020 – This week, the National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild (NIPNLG) and immigration legal organization partners filed an amicus brief at the U.S. Supreme Court in the case of Evelyn Sineneng-Smith v. United States, a landmark case concerning encouraging any noncitizen to remain in the U.S.
Read the press release »

January 22, 2020 – Yesterday, the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court ruled that families formerly imprisoned by ICE at the Berks family detention center have the right to participate in a pending legal challenge to the facility’s childcare license.
Read the press release »

January 21, 2020 –
We write on behalf of the Immigrant Justice Network (IJN) and its four organizational members, Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC), Immigrant Defense Project (IDP), Just Futures Law (JFL), and the National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild (NIPNLG), in response to the above-referenced Proposed Rules published in the Federal Register on December 19, 2019. We write to express our strong opposition to this proposal to amend the asylum eligibility regulations.
Download the comment »

November 19, 2019 – NIPNLG, along with 118 other organizations, and 122 academics wrote a letter urging Congress to #SaveAsylum and end the Remain in Mexico Program.
Read the letter » (PDF)

This brief lifts up the voices and stories of community members whose lives and families have been disrupted by arbitrary, prolonged detention that disregards the many years during which they have lived peaceful productive lives in the United States. The underlying issue is prolonged mandatory detention, without a bond hearing, of persons who were convicted of crimes many years ago. The amicus brief supports the position that such detention is a severe due process violations, and the role of the brief itself is to tell the stories of the people who are impacted by this arbitrary deprivation of liberty.
Download the Amicus Brief »

November 6, 2019 – As a kid growing up along the South Texas border, my siblings and I learned the value of education and hard work from our parents, who labored tirelessly to ensure we had every opportunity to succeed. It wasn’t easy. We lived in the housing projects known as “El Campito” in McAllen, Texas. There was poverty, little or no formal education, and extremely limited access to resources.
Read the full letter from Carlos »

October 16, 2019 – The report addresses two areas of U.S. compliance with its international human rights law obligations: (1) discrimination based on sex and gender, and (2) violations of the human rights of refugees and migrants.
Download the submission »

October 15, 2019 – NIPNLG is seeking applicants for legal internships in our Washington, DC office. Legal interns are exposed to a wide range of legal research and writing projects, including amicus briefs, pleadings in affirmative lawsuits, practice advisories, legislative analyses, legal memoranda, and/or comments on proposed immigration regulations. Interns also assist with the National Immigration Project’s outreach and advocacy work.
Learn more »

September 18, 2019 – NIPNLG submitted public comment in response to the DHS request regarding the Designating Aliens for Expedited Removal rule, 84 Fed. Reg. 35409 (Jul. 23, 2019). According to Law Fellow, Amber Qureshi (pictured left), "the Rule will have immediate and longlasting effects on the equal protection, due process and statutory rights of individuals subject to expedited removal. DHS must halt implementation of the expansion of expedited removal immediately, and take steps to ameliorate the well-documented problems in the expedited removal process as it existed prior to the Rule."
Download the full comment »

September 9, 2019 – During the NLG Convention in Durham, NC, NIPNLG will honor Denyse Sabagh with the 2019 Carol Weiss King Award. NIPNLG will also honor IRAP, the International Refugee Assistance Project, with the 2019 Daniel Levy Award.
Learn more »

August 9, 2019 – Shebaya Joins with New Board Leadership, Including Carlos Moctezuma García as Chair of the Board. She is a long-time immigrants’ rights activist and civil rights lawyer who brings with her a wealth of experience working with and for immigrant communities of color, using litigation and legal advocacy tools to fight back against oppressive, racially discriminatory immigration enforcement policies.
Read more »

A Letter from Carlos Moctezuma García, Board Chair

August 9, 2019 – I am excited to announce that Sirine Shebaya will serve as the next Executive Director of NIPNLG. After an exhaustive nationwide search and careful review of extremely talented candidates, the Board of Directors chose Sirine to lead the organization. I’m also excited to announce that I have stepped in as the new Chair of the Board of Directors.
Read more »

Resistance Lawyering: Fighting for Immigrant Communities and the Rule of Law

July 31, 2019 – SAVE THE DATE! Join us on October 16 in Durham, NC to learn about innovative strategies to address the Trump administration’s continued assault on immigrant communities and the rule of law. NIPNLG presents its Fall 2019 CLE/Continuing Legal Education seminar during the annual NLG Convention #Law4thePeople.
Read more »

NIPNLG to Honor Lisa Brodyaga and Al Otro Lado at AILA

May 2, 2019 – Please join NIPNLG in paying tribute to two extraordinary honorees on the frontlines fighting injustice every day. Lisa Brodyaga has represented asylum seekers and other immigrants, and U.S. citizens, since 1978. Al Otro Lado is a non-profit providing cross-border legal services to refugees, deportees, and other migrants in Tijuana, Mexico and throughout Southern CA.
Learn more about them »
Download the Commemorative Program Book »

We’re Hiring!

May 1, 2019 – NIPNLG is hiring! »

Federal Court Blocks Trump’s Termination of Humanitarian Status for Haitians

April 12, 2019 –Plaintiffs win preliminary injunction on claims that Trump violated federal statute and Equal Protection Clause in terminating humanitarian Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program for tens of thousands of Haitians currently residing lawfully in the United States.

Read the press release »
Download the preliminary injunction »
More information about the lawsuit; links to court filings & decisions »

Ilyce Shugall Selected As NIPNLG’s Next Executive Director

March 13, 2019 –The Board of NIPNLG announced its selection of Ilyce Shugall as the next Executive Director of the organization. Ilyce is a long-time immigrants’ rights advocate and former director of the immigration program at a community-based legal services organization in East Palo Alto, California.

Read the press release »

Freedom Is a Constant Struggle: The Fight to End 287G in Charlotte and Beyond

March 1, 2019 –Join us for a discussion on March 14th with some of the community organizers and lawyers who fought to end ICE collaboration in Mecklenburg County and currently fighting ICE retaliatory raids targeting the community for ending such collaboration.

Read the press release »

Outside Federal Court, Haitian Immigrants and Allies Decry Racism in Trump Decision to Terminate TPS for Haitians

January 7, 2019 – Haitian immigrants affected by the Trump administration's termination of TPS, along with Haitian community members, elected officials, faith and labor leaders and immigration advocates spoke out about the importance and possible impact of a critical lawsuit against the Trump administration over TPS termination for Haiti on Monday morning outside the federal courthouse in Brooklyn where the trial began today.

Read the press release »

Haitian Immigrants and Allies Decry Trump Termination of TPS at Opening of Federal Trial to Halt Possible Deportations

January 7, 2019 – Federal trial begins Monday, January 7, 2019 to protect more than 50,000 immigrants and their families from being forcibly separated by deportation.

Read the media advisory »

Deportation of Domestic Violence Survivor Halted After ICE Arrest at Courthouse

November 27, 2018 – The Charlotte Immigration Court terminated the deportation case of domestic violence survivor Maria (last name withheld) with the support of ICE. Termination of her deportation proceedings will allow Maria to remain with family and community, including her two young children, and pursue immigration relief as a key witness and victim of crime.
Read the press release »

November 13, 2018 – Today a federal judge in the Eastern District of New York ruled that a lawsuit challenging the Trump Administration’s decision to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for U.S. Haitians should go forward, rejecting the government’s motion to dismiss. Judge Kuntz issued his ruling after holding a two hour hearing.
Read the press release »

November 1, 2018 – Mijente and NIPNLG released a new report that exposes the major ways that DC participates in raids and deportations of its community members, and calls on DC officials and community to end its collaboration as a concrete step towards the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Read the press release »

October 31, 2018 – At the #Law4thePeople Convention from October 31-Nov. 4, 2018, NIPNLG was thrilled to be honored by the National Lawyers Guild with the Law for the People Award. The awards ceremony took place at the Conference in Portland, OR at the Benson Hotel.
Read more »

October 30, 2018 – Annie Benson, Senior Attorney of the Washington State Defenders Association was awarded Carol W. King Award. Mijente, a digital and grassroots hub for Latinx and Chicanx movement building and organizing, was awarded the Daniel Levy Award.
Read the press release »

October 25, 2018 – NIPNLG, together with the #ReleaseMN8 campaign, Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC), and the University of Minnesota James H. Binger Center of New Americans, today launches the Southeast Asian American Solidarity Toolkit: A Guide to Resisting Detentions and Deportations from the #ReleaseMN8 Campaign. This one-of-a-kind resource provides organizing, advocacy, and legal tools, tips, and resources to support families whose loved ones are facing detention and removal.
Read the press release »
Read the report »

October 25, 2018 – Today, NIPNLG and the law firm of Davis Wright Tremaine filed a lawsuit on behalf of NWDC Resistance, Detention Watch Network, and the Coalition of Anti-Racist Whites in the Western District of Washington to stop Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) unconstitutional policy of retaliating against undocumented immigrants engaged in First Amendment-protected advocacy in support of immigrants’ rights.

Read the press release »
Download the complaint »

October 25, 2018 – NIPNLG, Mijente, and the Immigrant Defense Project announce a new report that focuses on how tech companies and contracts are fueling immigration enforcement and highlights the long history of the technology industry’s “revolving door” relationship with federal agencies, how the technology industry and its products and services are now actually circumventing city- and state-level protections for vulnerable communities, and what we can do to expose and hold these actors accountable.

Download the report (PDF) »

The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) practices with respect to Tier III terrorist organizations are inconsistent, lacking in transparency, and harmful to noncitizens seeking immigration relief. This practice advisory will address three potential ways respondents can challenge Tier III determinations in removal proceedings.

Read the practice advisory »

July 26, 2018 – Experiencing Vicarious Trauma. Ten Things to Remember, a podcast from Penelope Young Andrade, LCSW. Direct legal work with clients can be both rewarding and emotionally challenging. When working with individuals who have experienced trauma -- whether at the border, in a detention center, or elsewhere -- it is important to be aware of your own emotional responses.
Learn more »

July 11, 2018 – NIPNLG and more than 200 immigrant, faith, racial justice, and criminal justice allies issued a call to Congress to decriminalize migration by repealing the laws that make migration a crime-8 U.S.C. 1325 and 8 U.S.C. 1326. Federal laws that punish “unlawful entry” and “illegal re-entry” are the legal weapons behind the heart-breaking separation of parents and children by the Trump administration.
Learn more »

NIPNLG and its Immigrant Justice Network partners vehemently oppose the Ryan and Goodlatte anti-immigrant criminalization bills (HR 4760 and Ryan immigration bill). For analysis, talking points, social media toolkit, and voting recommendations visit http://immigrantjusticenetwork.org/poisonbills.

Raha Jorjani is an Immigration Defense Attorney with the Office of the Alameda County Public Defender in Oakland, California, and directs California’s first public defender Immigration Representation Unit. She was our honoree at AILA in San Francisco.

Download the Program Book »

This practice advisory provides information and background on Motions to Terminate removal proceedings based on the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) violation of agency regulations.

Read the practice advisory »

A collection of surveillance and enforcement information that impacts immigrants. This edition examines new policies from DHS focused on the interior, and also includes a section on social media collection at the border, as the Administration has announced major new initiatives.

Download the newsletter »

May 23, 2018 – The EBR is a new system of records that “allows the DHS to receive, maintain,and disseminate biometric and associated biographic information from non-DHS entities, both foreign and domestic...pursuant to formal or informal information sharing agreements or arrangements (“external information”) or with the express approval of the entity from which the Department received biometric and association biographic information.

Download the statement » (PDF)

May 23, 2018 – Statement by NIPNLG, ACLU, Immigrant Justice Network, Immigrant Defense Project, Immigrant Legal Resource Center, National Immigrant Justice Center, and the Senate Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on Border Security and Immigration “TVPRA and Exploited Loopholes Affecting Unaccompanied Alien Children”

Download the statement » (PDF)

May 22, 2018 – NIPNLG joins with other organizations urging representatives to Vote “No” in the following statement: “On behalf of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, and the 108 undersigned organizations, we write to urge you to vote NO on The FIRST STEP Act (H.R.5682). While well intentioned, this bill takes a misguided approach to reforming our federal justice system.”

Read the letter »
Download the letter » (PDF)

May 15, 2018 – NIPNLG announced the release of additional emails and documents from DHS, particularly US Citizenship and Immigration Services, obtained through our FOIA litigation. DHS supplanted the mandatory process proscribed under our laws with a politicized fishing expedition to paint all Haitians as criminals and unauthorized immigrants.
Read the press release »
Download emails produced by USCIS in response to the FOIA request and litigation »
Download memo issued by Senate Foreign Relations Committee Democratic Staff »

May 15, 2018 – NIPNLG proudly announces its recognition of member Raha Jorjani at its annual member reception at the 2018 AILA convention. Jorjani is an Immigration Defense Attorney with the Office of the Alameda County Public Defender in Oakland, CA, and directs California’s first public defender Immigration Representation Unit.
Learn more »

April 19, 2018 – The U.S. Supreme Court issued a decision to stop the federal government from sweeping noncitizens unfairly into removal (deportation) proceedings under an enduring but constitutionally vague legal statute. That statute, known as 18 U.S.C. §16(b), according to the Court, fails to meet the minimum test for fairness and due process under the law, and was therefore struck down. Justice Neil Gorsuch cast the deciding vote.
Read the press release »
Download the Practice Advisory »
Sample Statutory Motion to Reconsider and Terminate Removal Proceedings in Light of Sessions v. Dimaya »

NIPNLG v. DHS: Records Regarding the Termination of TPS for Haiti

April 17, 2018 – USCIS Director who Removed “Nation of Immigrants” from Mission Found Directly Contradicting Agency’s Report. Documents released today as a result of Freedom of Information Act litigation present new evidence in the multiple lawsuits accusing the Trump administration of racial animus and violation of required procedures in its cancellation of temporary protected status for Haitians.

Download the complaint » (January 2018)
Read the press release » (April 17, 2018)
Download documents produced by DHS and DOS in response to the FOIA request and litigation » (April 16, 2018)
Download emails produced by DHS in response to the FOIA request and litigation » (April 16, 2018)

Asylum-Seeking Families Detained at Berks Seek to Intervene in State Licensing Case

April 11, 2018 – Families and legal representatives say interests not adequately represented by state agency. The Berks prison is one of only three in the country in which immigrant parents and children are incarcerated together, and it is the only one that had a state-issued license to operate.

Read the press release »
Download the petition »

New Suit Alleges Unlawful Conduct by Trump Administration Officials, Seeks Injunctive Relief to Prevent Deportation of Over 50,000 Haitian TPS Recipients

March 15, 2018 – The Administration’s Decision to Terminate Program Exposes Complete Lack of Knowledge of Immigration Law Resulting in Violations of the Administrative Procedure Act, Plaintiffs’ 5th Amendment Rights and Regulatory Flexibility Act

Read the press release »
Download the complaint »

Undocumented Activist Targeted by ICE Asks Immigration Judge to Throw Out Case Based on First Amendment »

March 13, 2018 – Maru Mora-Villalpando, Washington-based Organizer Facing First Immigration Court Date, Files Motion to Terminate Deportation Proceedings, Citing First Amendment Violations. Staff Attorney Elizabeth Simpson said, “We expect government officials to discharge their duties in a fair and non-discriminatory way. By targeting Maru because of her political activism, ICE is directly contravening that trust, and threatening our fundamental right to free speech and assembly.”

Read the press release »
Download the Motion To Terminate »

Paromita Shah Speaking at Sunshine Week 2018

March 6, 2018 – Fighting for Transparency and Freedom of Information. March 9, 2018 @ 8:30 am. Knight TV Studio, 555 Pennsylvania Ave NW Washington, DC 20001. Free and open to the public. Registration required.

Learn more »

Surveillance and Technology Newsletter

February 12, 2018 – Surveillance and technology-driven surveillance is the emerging centerpiece of DHS enforcement and becoming big business for private companies. From raids to visa vetting, the Department of Homeland Security has invested in scanning technology, such as fingerprint, facial, and iris technology, to carry out such enforcement tactics.

Immigrant Rights Leader Ravi Ragbir and Community Organizations File First Amendment Lawsuit Challenging the Targeting of Immigrant Rights Activists

February 9, 2018 – Immigrant rights leader Ravi Ragbir, together with NIPNLG, the New Sanctuary Coalition of New York City, CASA de Maryland, Detention Watch Network, and the New York Immigration Coalition, filed suit (Ragbir v. Homan) in federal district court in the Southern District of New York today to challenge the recent targeting of immigrant rights activists by federal immigration officials. Pending briefing and consideration of a preliminary injunction motion, the government has agreed to stay Mr. Ragbir’s deportation temporarily.

2018 Removal Defense Conference – Fierce and Fearless Lawyering: Taking it to the Next Level

February 9, 2018 – Thursday, April 12, 2018 in Washington, DC or via Webcast. A joint venture between AILA, the AILA/Council Immigration Justice Campaign, and the National Immigration Project. **NIPNLG members (who are not also AILA members): please contact pgoldstein@nipnlg.org for an NIPNLG member discount code.**
Register today »
Learn more »

NIPNLG Welcomes New Staff Attorney Khaled Alrabe

February 8, 2018 – Khaled joins the National Immigration Project from the Human Rights Center at UC Berkeley, where he was a researcher working on immigration, human trafficking, and accountability for victims of sexual violence through international courts. Khaled was a law fellow at the National Immigration Project in 2015-2016; he holds a BA from Harvard University and a JD from Georgetown University. Khaled is based out of Berkeley, CA.

Lawsuit Seeks Disclosure of Trump Policy Behind the Termination of Haitian TPS

January 25, 2018 – National Immigration Project of the NLG and Professor Margaret Satterthwaite filed a Freedom of Information lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Department of State (DOS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to obtain records documenting the reasons behind the government’s decision to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians – a decision that imperils the well-being of 58,000 Haitians and their families in the United States.

Read the press release »
Download the complaint »

ICE Releases Man After 10 Months of Wrongful Detention

January 25, 2018 – After more than 10 months in a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center, Wilmer Catalan-Ramirez has been released and reunited with his family. ICE has also granted him the ability to remain in this country while his visa application is processed. Catalan-Ramirez’s detention was initially triggered when the Chicago Police Department (CPD) falsely included him in its Gang Database and then shared that false information with ICE.

Read the press release »

Man Whose False Inclusion in CPD Gang Database Made him ICE Target Reaches Settlement with City of Chicago

December 6, 2017 – A settlement has been reached between the City of Chicago and Wilmer Catalan-Ramirez, whose false inclusion in the Chicago Police Department’s “Gang Database” and the sharing of that information with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) triggered a nightmarish chain of events that left him imprisoned, in severe physical pain and mental anguish, and fighting deportation.

Read the press release »

Groups Demand ICE, DHS Reveal Information on Use of Fingerprinting Machines During Immigration Raids

December 6, 2017 – Mijente and the National Immigration Project of National Lawyers Guild (NIPNLG) filed a lawsuit demanding that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reveal the information requested related to their use of mobile fingerprinting units, or biometric devices, in immigration raids and other immigration enforcement actions.

Read the press release »
Download the lawsuit »

Fight Congressional Proposals to Expand Immigration Enforcement and Criminalization

December 6, 2017 – Both Democrats and Republicans are under intense pressure to cut a deal and pass a spending bill. Now is the time to influence these negotiations and show Congress that our communities will say NO to the expansion of immigration enforcement.

Read our alert, and take action now »

A Letter from Javier N. Maldonado, NIPNLG Board Chair

November 29, 2017 – I too am an immigrant. I still remember life on the outskirts of the city when I came to the U.S. in 1974. The anxiety and fear was palpable–even for folks like me who had no real reason to fear. Just the climate of checkpoints, airports, being questioned, everyone trying to speak perfectly, and not be suspect. My family felt afraid.

Read the letter »

NIPNLG Condemns Trump Decision to Terminate TPS for Haitians

November 21, 2017 – The Trump Administration’s decision to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians living in the United States is destructive, anti-immigrant, and morally wrong.

Read the statement »

National Lawsuit Seeks to Expose Secrecy of Immigration Raids

November 13, 2017 – Organizations around the country are highlighting local ICE enforcement tactics and filing a federal lawsuit against ICE and DHS for refusing to release information regarding Operation Mega, the recent announcement of what was supposed to be the “largest raid in U.S. history.”

Read the press release »

NEW! Legal Memorandum on Smuggling, Harboring Under 8 U.S.C. § 1324 (a)

September 27, 2017 – NIPNLG publishes Legal Memorandum: Understanding the Federal Offenses of Harboring, Transporting, Smuggling, and Encouraging under 8 U.S.C. § 1324(a).
Download the Legal Memorandum »

Crimes and Immigration Seminar: An Advanced CLE for Immigration and Criminal Practitioners

September 24, 2017 – Join us at our annual seminar for immigration and criminal defense attorneys led by national expert faculty on October 13th at NYU School of Law. Learn more and register for the event »

Chamroeun Phan Finally Released to His Family

September 22, 2017 – After more than 387 days in immigration detention, Chamroeun Phan of Maplewood, MN, came home to his family on Monday. In May, Phan's immigration attorney, Mai Neng Moua, successfully argued that Phan's deportation to Cambodia should be cancelled because of the undue hardship it would cause his family. But the Trump administration appealed the immigration judge's ruling and refused to release him from detention. As part of the #ReleaseMN8 campaign, Phan's release Monday came as the result of intense community advocacy and legal challenges.
Read the press release »

NIPNLG, ILRC and NIJC Oppose H.R. 3697

September 9, 2017 – H.R. 3697, the “Criminal Alien Gang Member Removal Act,” purports to use concern for public safety to obscure its true impetus, apparent racial animus. This Act is another example of Congress working overtime to implement Trump’s anti-immigrant agenda. Read the statement »

NIPNLG Condemns Trump Decision to Terminate DACA

September 5, 2017 – We stand in solidarity today - and every day - with immigrant recipients of DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals). Read the press release »

New Report Exposes the Toll of Trump’s Anti-Immigrant Agenda on Immigrant Women and Communities in Georgia

August 22, 2017 – Compiled by the Georgia Latino Alliance for Human Rights (GLAHR) and NIPNLG, The Luchadoras of Georgia tells the story of everyday women caught in Trump’s deportation pipeline--where traffic stops by local police has become the focal point for deportation and helped spur a 75% increase in ICE arrests.
Download the report »
Read the press release »

Shoba Sivaprasad Wadhia, 2017 member honoree @ AILA 2017

July 1 , 2017 – On June 23, 2017, friends and members of the National Immigration Project gathered for the 2017 NIPNLG Member Reception during the annual American Immigration Lawyers Association convention, this year in New Orleans. 2017 Member Honoree Shoba Sivaprasad Wadhia accepted her recognition for outstanding work on behalf of immigant justice.
Click here to read the Program Book produced for the occasion, in honor of Shoba »
Click here to see photos and more from the event »

June 23, 2017 – A U.S. District Court in Washington state rejected the Trump administration’s effort to dismiss a lawsuit targeting a once-secret program used to deny qualified Muslim immigrants from obtaining citizenship and permanent residency status, and also granted the case class-action status.
Read the press release »
Download the opinion »

June 5, 2017 – NIPNLG and Mijente released a guide that outlines how community-based organizations can develop a security and defense plan in the event that federal law enforcement targets leaders or staff for federal investigation and prosecution, such as smuggling, harboring, and transporting charges and related federal crimes.

Download the report in English »
Download the report in Spanish »
Read the press report »

May 26, 2017 - "Dismantle, Don’t Expand: The 1996 Immigration Laws" offers policy-makers, advocates, and reporters an accessible study of the 1996 laws, the devastating human and fiscal impact their implementation has had on millions of Americans, and the argument for doing away with them.
Download the report »
Read the press release »

May 4, 2017 - “Shoba is a principled leader, a staunch advocate for immigrants, and mentor to scores of students. We are proud to recognize her contributions to our struggle and to our movement.” Please honor Shoba by placing a congratulatory message in the Commemorative Program Book being produced in her honor for the occasion. Deadline to be included is June 2, 2017. Learn more »

May 1, 2017 - “I saw the immigration agents slam my husband to the floor while we told them he was injured, but they still hurt him and took him to detention…There needs to be consequences for everyone responsible for hurting our family, for my husband, and so that it doesn’t happen to others. That’s why today we are here marching and why we are filing the lawsuit.”

April 27, 2017 - Paromita Shah and sixteen other distinguished panelists will speak on June 22, 2017 at the Georgetown Law, Center on Privacy & Technology. Since the Snowden disclosures of 2013, it's been a truism in Washington that "everyone is watched." But history shows that not everyone is watched equally: Instead, people of color, immigrants, religious minorities, and LGBT persons have disproportionately been the targets of government tracking.

April 6, 2017 - Information is power. Together, we are providing critical information to fight the new war on immigrants. Here's how. Yesterday, the NIP published a community advisory on Social Media, Criminalization, and Immigration with our allies at Research Action Design. The advisory warns noncitizens how immigration agents may use social media accounts for deportation proceedings and other actions. It also includes ways to reduce risk. The advisory got 900 hits its first day. We are now translating it into Spanish.
Read the full letter »

When elected officials in Miami-Dade county turned their backs on immigrant families, local children and youth refused to back down. This April, they’ll caravan from Miami to Washington, DC to demand that our elected leaders stand up to Trump’s bullying and defend their families, their friends and their future.

In a recent Leafly article, Sejal Zota estimates that in 2013 alone, roughly 6,000 people were deported for personal possession of marijuana. According to the article, "A big part of the new, bolder tactics on the border is the stepped-up investigation of an immigrant or traveler’s mobile phone, email, and social networking data."

April 3, 2017 - DHS uses social media accounts, such as Facebook and Twitter, in immigration enforcement. Information shared on social media could be used against a person to arrest you, detain you, put you in fast-track deportation or regular deportation proceedings, or to stop you from getting immigration benefits, such as a green card, DACA or TPS.

March 28, 2017 - Groups file request for information from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security requesting information about current protocols and constitutional safeguards for the use of biometric machines.

March 27, 2017 - They say back down, we say double-down. Donald Trump is adding cruelty to an already deeply flawed U.S. immigration and detention system. His contempt for immigrants includes a vicious smear campaign that tars both noncitizens and sanctuary cities. NIPNLG is fighting him every step of the way.

March 10, 2017 - This latest executive order is just the same as the last one but with a bit of artful legal drafting to try to withstand judicial scrutiny,” said Trina Realmuto, Litigation Director of the National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild.

March 8, 2017 - Following months of sustained community advocacy, long-time Minnesota resident Ched Nin was released to his wife and their five children in late February after being held by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for over six months.

March 7, 2017 - This community advisory seeks to provide legal and policy analysis on key changes in immigration enforcement resulting from the major shift in DHS policies. Covered are those topic areas that we believe will most impact community defense strategies.

February 1, 2017 - Civil and immigrant rights groups asked a federal court to lift the unconstitutional ban that blocks Muslim immigrants lawfully living in the United States from becoming U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and asylees, among other things.
Read the press release »

January 31, 2017 - Our collective fight against President Trump is just beginning. Together, a horrendous situation is being met with great force, creativity, litigation, and resistance. We've been working around the clock to support organizing, agitating, and impact litigation from coast to coast. From airport actions across the US this weekend, to Trump counter-inauguration actions and the historic Women’s March, to a lawsuit filed suing the President – it’s been a busy January!
Read Paromita's full letter »

January 30, 2017 - NIPNLG along with the American Immigration Council, and Northwest Immigrant Rights Project filed a nationwide, class action lawsuit challenging the Trump Administration’s executive order, “Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States,” on grounds that it violates the Constitution’s guarantee of equal protection under the law and statutory prohibition against discrimination.

Read the press release »
Download Complaint: Class Action, Declaratory & Injunctive Relief »
Download Complaint: Exhibit A »

NIPNLG Secures Release of 9 Detainees in Dallas, TX Over Weekend

January 30, 2017 - Legal Director Sejal Zota, Board member Javier N. Maldonado, and Vinesh Patel took the case of Shahin Hassanpour, a 70-year old Iranian woman who received her U.S. immigrant visa in September, 2016; and who upon entry to the U.S., would have been granted lawful permanent residence.

Download the press release »

Statement: NIPNLG Denounces President Trump’s Discriminatory Executive Order

January 28, 2017 - We denounce this Executive Order in the strongest of terms. History demonstrates that such policies and laws as the Chinese Exclusion Act, the so-called Japanese internment, the Palmer Raids, Operation W**back , and others, are in retrospect viewed as irreconcilable with the tenets of democracy.

Download the press release »

FAQ for Community Groups Immigration Enforcement Executive Actions: Interior Enforcement

January 26, 2017 - This advisory is intended to provide community groups with a preliminary summary and analysis regarding these changes in interior immigration enforcement, which we will revise as we learn more about enforcement practices under the New Administration.

Download the FAQ »

Press Release: We Must End the Normalization of Mass Criminalization

January 26, 2017 - President Trump’s executive orders on immigration exemplify contempt for the human rights and safety of millions of Americans of color – and if enacted by Congress, will have far-reaching societal consequences beyond their stated scope. Read the full press release, put out in conjunction with Immigrant Justice Network »

Call to Action: Help Stop the Deportation of 18-Year-Old Yosselin Herrera

January 23, 2017 - “In 2014, I fled El Salvador because of gender violence and threats from the MS 13 gang. I came to Siler City to reunite with my family. If I’m sent back to El Salvador, it could mean my death sentence.”
Download the flyer in English »   Descargar en español »

January 11, 2017 - We anticipate that more and more noncitizens may want to engage in political protest in Washington, DC. The National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild (NIPNLG) supports the political rights of noncitizens, and believes it is critical to prepare appropriately if you plan to visit Washington, DC by plane, car, bus or train. Knowing the risks and preparing for them should be part of the planning process for every group or delegation traveling to Washington, DC.

Read the Advisory and download the infographic »

Advisory: Trump Considers Targeting Muslims for Special Registration: Q&A

November 23, 2016 - Trump Has Not Yet Revived NSEERS. While there are rumors that the Trump Administration may revitalize NSEERS (National Security Entry/Exit Registration System), there is no Special Requirement currently in place. Preliminary Q&A below.

Read the Advisory »

Report: Abuse, Neglect Common at Immigrant Detention Centers in South

November 21, 2016 - Trump Deportation Plan Would Worsen Detention Center Failures. Investigation finds detainees are routinely denied due process, and frequently endure inhumane conditions in isolated facilities that have little oversight from the federal government.

Read the press release »
Download the report »
View report infographics »

NIPLNG Stands in Solidarity with the Movement for Black Lives

Read our statement » Take the pledge »

Harsh Treatment of Immigrant Youth Exposes an Unjust System

November 3, 2016 - Paromita Shah writes in the Huffington Post, "Imagine how terrified you would be if your loved one went missing with no trace. Such tactics are not only degrading and dehumanizing. They are cruel. And now they are a way of life in North Carolina and Georgia." Read the blog »

Settle Lawsuit Challenging Failure of U.S. Customs and Border Protection to Timely Respond to FOIA Requests

October 5, 2016 - In accordance with a settlement reached by the parties, a federal district court dismissed a class action lawsuit which challenged U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) nationwide practice of failing to timely respond to requests for case information under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). The suit was filed in 2015 by five immigration attorneys and 13 noncitizens, all of whom had filed FOIA requests that had been pending between 7 and 24 months—significantly longer than the 20-business day period set by law for an agency to respond to a FOIA request.

Read the full press release »
Read the article, "CBP Settles FOIA Fight with Immigration Attorneys, Noncitizens" by Kelly Knaub

The National Immigration Project applauds the Tenth Circuit’s decision in Golicov v. Lynch

September 19, 2016 - It is the fourth federal appellate court that has ruled in favor of due process and fair notice for immigrants, joining the Ninth, Sixth, and Seventh Circuit courts. The National Immigration Project has been working to challenge this particular statutory provision for many years because of its vague language and inconsistent application. We have witnessed the confusion and uncertainty caused by 16(b) both for noncitizen defendants as they try to determine the immigration consequences of their pleas, and for fact-finders who try to apply its nebulous provision. Today's decision reinforces the principal that every noncitizen facing removal should be guaranteed a consistent application of the laws and a judicially fair process. The case was argued by Skyler Anderson, with the National Immigration Project as amicus.
Download the decision »

Community Members Urge Dept. of Homeland Security to Release Crucial Document on Systemic Civil Rights Violations at Etowah County Immigrant Detention Center

September 8, 2016 - NIPNLG and civic, faith, immigrants’ rights activists gathered to announce the filing of a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for a key document issued by the Department of Homeland Security/DHS’s civil rights watchdog office calling for the closure of the infamous Etowah immigrant detention center in Gadsden, Alabama.

Download the press release »
Read the FOIA Request »

North Carolina Youth Wildin Acosta and Alexander Soriano Released From Detention

August 18, 2016 - NIPNLG celebrates the release of two North Carolina teens and calls for ICE to release other incarcerated youth.

Download the press release »

Lugo-Resendez v. Lynch: Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals

July 29, 2016 - The American Immigration Council and NIPNLG applaud the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision yesterday in Lugo-Resendez v. Lynch. The decision strongly reaffirms the importance of immigrants’ statutory right to file a motion to reopen, a procedural protection meant to ensure a proper and lawful outcome in an immigration proceeding. Download the press release »

DHS Supplementary Guidance on Sensitive Locations Fails to Address Aggressive Raids

July 26, 2016 - NIPNLG Calls on DHS Secretary Johnson to Release Wildin Acosta and Other Raid Victims. Download the press release »

Victory in Fifth Circuit, Gomez-Perez v. Lynch

July 11, 2016 - Fifth Circuit Agrees with NIPNLG Amicus Brief in Hermenegildo Gomez-Perez v. Loretta Lynch. Congrats to NIPNLG Legal Director Sejal Zota. Download the decision »

Victory in Sixth Circuit Opinion, Shuti v. Lynch

July 7, 2016 - The side supported by an NIPNLG amicus brief won in the Sixth Circuit in a published opinion, Shuti v. Lynch. 16(b) Crime of Violence was found unconstitutional. NIPNLG was amicus in this case. As the government presently tries to get the Supreme Court to review the decision in Dimaya, now there is no longer a circuit split. Read the decision here: http://www.ca6.uscourts.gov »

Honoring Debbie Smith on the Occasion of NIPNLG's 45th Anniversary Year

June 24, 2016 - Debbie is a much-loved attorney, advocate, and former NIPNLG board chair. She has been a principled advocate, mentor, and litigator for decades. Download the book honoring her »

June 27, 2016 - Family and Community Call on Release of North Carolina Youth Now Entering 6 Months of Incarceration. The Immigration Judge at Stewart Detention Center set the bond amount for Yefri at $30,000, a highly disproportionate and unnecessary amount to place on a high school student and his family. Unfortunately, this high bond amount comes at no surprise given that the Immigration Court in Georgia is one of the most anti-immigrant in the country. Download the press release »

(June 24, 2016) A bond hearing for Yefri Sorto Hernandez will be held on Monday, June 27th at Stewart Detention Center at 8:00AM. A judge will decide to either grant a bond to the 19-year old West Mecklenburg High School senior and allow him to return to his family, school and community in Charlotte or to deny his request for bond and sentence him to remain in jail indefinitely. Download the press release »

June 24, 2016 - This week the U.S. Supreme Court issued its ruling in U.S. v. Texas. While many of us anticipated this outcome, it still comes as a blow. But we know that the NIPNLG community is if anything resilient, and that now, as we always have done, we stand in solidarity with the nation's immigrants and immigrant famlies. Read the full letter »

May 23, 2016 - A Congressional briefing entitled, "ICE Raids on Immigrant Youth: The Harm to Youth Education and a Driver of Youth Incarceration," will be held Wednesday, May 25th at 3:00 in the Rayburn House Building, Room 2226. Download the press pelease »

April 26, 2016 - NIPNLG filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request on Operation Border Guardian, an Immigration and Customs (ICE) enforcement and detention program targeting Central American teenagers for deportation since January 2016. Since January, there has been widespread public attention and Congressional concern regarding the devastating impact of "Operation Border Guardian" on communities, families and schools particularly in North Carolina and Georgia. Read the press release »

April 21, 2016 - Each year at the annual AILA convention (American Immigration Lawyers Association) NIPNLG recognizes a member of our community who has made outstanding contributions to the cause of immigrant justice. We are proud to announce our 2016 honoree on the occasion of NIPNLG's 45th Anniverary Year, Debbie Smith. More »

April 6, 2016 - NIPNLG is helping detainees file pro se prosecutorial discretion requests with some limited success. We’re pushing for others to be released as well. As Fahd Ahmed of DRUM says in this article (which also quotes Assoc Dir Paromita Shah): “The Obama administration just deported nearly 100 South Asian detainees who crossed three continents seeking safety in the US.” Read the full article on alternet »

For months, North Carolina families, teachers, students, and civil, labor and faith organizations have been fighting the detention and deportation of NC teenagers such as the imminent deportation of Wildin Acosta. While ICE Director Sarah Saldaña granted Wildin a stay of one more day to file his appeal, Wildin remains detained in Georgia and could be deported as early as tomorrow. Read the press release »

Administrative Complaint – Extreme Temperatures in CBP Short Term Detention Facilities

February 2, 2016 - NIPNLG, in collaboration with Programa de Defensa e Incidencia Binacional and the ACLU of New Mexico, filed an administrative complaint on behalf of persons held by CBP in short-term detention facilities where they are exposed to extreme temperatures. The administrative complaint also challenges the agency standards addressing temperature controls in short-term facilities, but asserts that the agency fails to abide even by these standards. Download the complaint » [PDF]

Ongoing Litigation against CBP

Check out some of the ongoing litigation efforts against CBP and get inspired to bring your own challenge at www.HoldCBPAccountable.org, a joint project of NIPNLG, the American Civil Liberties Union, American Immigration Council, and the Northwest Immigrants Rights Project.

• Final judgment and settlement in Rios-Diaz, et al. v. Colonel Tom Butler, Montana Highway Patrol, et al. The settlement requires adherence to a new policy clarifying that Montana State’s Highway Patrol will not stop or prolong detention for purposes of verifying immigration status, even if requested to do so by CBP or ICE. In addition, the judgment also requires, among other things, training for MHP officials as to the new policy, requires MHA to collect data on all traffic stops anytime MHP contacts DHS and requires MHP to submit annual reports regarding racial profiling;
• FTCA Administrative Complaint filed by Justice for Our Neighbors in Nebraska on behalf of U.S. citizen child who was arrested by CBP (even though she presented her valid U.S. birth certificate at the airport). She was first held in an “hielera” or icebox by CBP, before being transferred to ORR, which continued to hold her in custody for 44 days, before finally being released to family in Nebraska;
• Administrative complaint to Office of Inspector General and the Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties of DHS filed against CBP on behalf of persons held by CBP in short-term detention facilities where they are exposed to extreme temperatures. The administrative complaint also challenges the agency standards addressing temperature controls in short-term facilities, but asserts that the agency fails to abide even by these standards. The complaint was filed by NIPNLG, in collaboration with Programa de Defensa e Incidencia Binacional and the ACLU of NM;
• On February 4, 2016, after Plaintiffs accepted the settlement offer of $80,000.00, the parties stipulated to the dismissal of the FTCA action against CBP in Quinonez Flores v. USA, in the Eastern District of New York; the plaintiff in this case was held for three days in deplorable conditions in CBP detention (a “hielera”) in south Texas;
• On January 4, 2016, Plaintiffs filed their opposition to the government’s motion to dismiss or in the alternative for summary judgment in Jacobson et al. v. DHS et al., a First Amendment case involving the right to photograph and monitor Border Patrol checkpoints;
• On February 1, 2016, Plaintiffs filed their opposition to the government’s motion to dismiss their amended complaint in Askins et al. v. DHS et al., a First Amendment case involving the right to photograph at Ports of Entry;
• Exciting developments in Doe v. CBP, the class action challenging overnight detention in “hieleras” within Border Patrol facilities throughout much of Arizona. The Court certified a class and denied Defendant’s motion to dismiss Plaintiffs’ constitutional claims, although it did dismiss the APA claims. Pending before the court are Plaintiffs’ Motion for a Preliminary Injunction; Defendants’ Motion to Seal much of the evidence filed (currently under seal) in support of preliminary injunction; and a motion by the newspaper, the Arizona Republic, to intervene for the purpose of opposing the sealing of this evidence.

Creative Strategies in Immigration Court Defense and Litigation

NIPNLG and the Immigration Clinic at University of Miami School of Law present Creative Strategies in Immigration Court Defense and Litigation, a one-day Continuing Legal Education skill-building seminar on April 29, 2016. Please join us and learn from national experts at this day-long seminar.

View the full agenda, details, directions, and more »
Register today! »

Assoc. Dir. Paromita Shah Speaks out against Raids in the Washington Post

January 18, 2016 – “When President Obama stood up for the [Syrian] refugee program and stood up against the blanket racism directed at anyone who appeared to be Middle Eastern or Muslim, I think people were happy,” said Paromita Shah, associate director of the National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild. “But they can’t square it with what he is doing now....”

Read the full article at wapo.st/1nfXTZ5 »

Law Students! Magio Fellowship Deadline is Approaching

The Michael Maggio Immigrants' Rights Summer Fellowship Program application deadline for our 2016 Summer Fellowship is Friday, February 1, 2016!

Find out more at maggiofellowship.org »

You have Rights! Know Your Rights!

January 9, 2016 - Share these cards by printing them out, and/or sharing on social media. Help protect immigrant families from an abuse of their legal rights.

Cards are available in multiple languages here »

Barbara Hines on Democracy Now!

January 8, 2015 - Check out NIPNLG board member Barbara Hines on Democracy Now! speaking out against raids in Dilley, Texas, as well as flawed immigration policy overall. Speak!

Read the article at http://bit.ly/1ZaM55Y »

Report Suspicious ICE Activity: NIPNLG Joins United We Dream Hotline

January 5, 2016 – Report any suspicious ICE activity in your area.

We urge you to call (844) 363-1423 or text WATCHICE to 877877. Share the information to protect your community from detention and deportation!

View materials in English and Spanish »

A Message from Executive Director, Dan Kesselbrenner

Every year at this time I try to savor the hard-won victories and learn from the setbacks, in order to make the National Immigration Project/NLG better able to respond to the enormous challenges facing our communities in the year ahead.

Read the full letter »

Paromita Shah in al Jazeera America Article

Gang or No Gang, Many Immigrants Legally Stymied by Injunctions

"A lot of different people can be in an area covered by a gang injunction,” said Paromita Shah, associate director of the National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild in Washington, D.C. “A gang injunction is meant to bar conduct in an area so that people suspected of being gang members do not talk to one another. It could be based on age or whether they’re driving in the same car.”

Read the full article »

Sejal Zota Quoted in US Law Week Article on Dimaya and its Future

October 27, 2015 – In response to the victory we had a couple of weeks ago in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, many are wondering what the future of this decision will hold for us. Read the article to see what Sejal and others had to say »

Crimes of Violence No Longer Grounds for Deportation in 9th Circuit

October 19, 2015 – In a victory in the fight for due process and fair notice, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals held that 18 U.S.C. 16(b)—used to deport immigrants for an aggravated felony crime of violence and crime of domestic violence—is unconstitutionally vague. Earlier this year, the Supreme Court had found that a similar crime of violence definition used to enhance federal criminal sentences is unconstitutionally vague.

United States v. Johnson, 135 S. Ct. 2551 (2015). In Johnson, the Court interpreted the so-called “residual clause” of the Armed Career Criminal Act (ACCA), and it reasoned that the statute did not give people fair notice of the conduct prohibited and invited arbitrary enforcement.

In a 2-1 opinion, the Ninth Circuit held that § 16(b) suffers from the same indeterminacy. Because 16(b) employs the same unpredictable mode of analysis as the ACCA, the Court found that it too violates due process. This means the government will no longer be able to use this immigration ground against noncitizens for any purpose in the Ninth Circuit. The decision will help countless immigrants.

The case was argued by Andrew Knapp for petitioner and Sejal Zota of the National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild for amicus.

Read the decision »

Read our Practice Advisory "How Johnson v. United States May Help Your Crime of Violence Case" »

NIPNLG Succcesfully Challenges CBP's Extensive FOIA Delays

September 17, 2015 - In a victory in the fight for government transparency and accountability, District Court Judge Donato denied CBP’s motion to dismiss in a strongly worded decision. The Court recognized that “CBP’s records are critical to noncitizens and their attorneys in evaluating immigration options and the possibility of remaining legally in the United States.”

He then roundly rejected the government’s claim that CBP’s failure to meet the statutory deadlines is not actionable, finding this argument “wholly at odds with the statute and cases” and that CBP’s reading of the relevant cases “could not be less persuasive.”

The Court concluded that Plaintiffs adequately alleged a FOIA violation and ordered CBP to file an answer within ten days. Oral arguments on the Plaintiffs’ Motion for Class Certification took place on October 7, 2015.

The Court ordered a six-month discovery period to permit the collection of evidence regarding CBP’s pattern and practice of delays in responding to FOIA requests. Co-counsel are the Law Offices of Stacy Tolchin, the National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild, the American Immigration Council and Northwest Immigrant Rights Project.

Read the full decision »

Defending the Rights of Immigrants - Remarks by Kathy Moccio, NIPNLG 2015 Member Honoree

June 19, 2015 - National Harbor, MD - NIPNLG 2015 Member Honoree, Kathy Moccio, presented remarks during the reception in her honor, as she was presented with her recognition at our annual Member Reception at the annual AILA convention. Moccio noted that the full potential of the Padilla decision is inextricably tied to the strength of the nation's public defense:

A crisis in criminal law that isn’t often talked about is the state of public defense. While we must advocate against the melding of the criminal and immigration systems, we must also realize that as long as crim-imm is in place, public defenders will be the front line of defense against a non-citizen’s removal from the U.S. The power of Padilla is inherently tied to the strength of public defense.

Download Kathy's full remarks »

Trina Realmuto to be Honored with Jack Wasserman Award

May 27, 2015 - Boston, MA - NIPNLG's Litigation Director Trina Realmuto has been named this year's recipient of the prestigious Jack Wasserman memorial award for excellence in litigation in the field of immigration law, by the American Immigration Lawyers Association/AILA (aka "Litigator of the Year"). The award ceremony was held on Sat. June 20, 2015 at the annual AILA convention at the Gaylord Convention Center in National Harbor, MD.

Download more info about Trina Realmuto »

NIPNLG Represents Man Held Illegally on Immigration Detainer

May 8, 2015 - Springfield, MA - A man held illegally on an immigration detainer is seeking monetary damages over his detention. After an argument at a New Year’s Eve party, a federal immigration dragnet landed Jorge Sanchez in jail for weeks, on a direct path to deportation. NIPNLG and the ACLU are representing Mr. Sanchez.

Download the Press Release »

Kathy Moccio Honored on June 19, 2015 at Annual NIPNLG Member Reception during Annual AILA Convention

May 4 , 2015 - The National Immigration Project announces that it will honor Kathy Moccio at its annual member reception during the annual AILA convention (American Immigration Lawyers Association) in National Harbor, MD.

NIPNLG Annual Member Reception & Recognition Honoring Kathy Moccio

Friday, June 19, 2015
5:30-7:00pm
Room Chesapeake E-F
Gaylord Convention Center
National Harbor, MD

Kathy Moccio is a Minnesota-based public defender working with noncitizen clients on the immigration issues inherent to their case. She teaches immigration law at the University of St. Thomas School of Law, and has served as a consultant to the Urban Institute in its publication of Facing Our Future–Children in the Aftermath of Immigration Enforcement. Board member Maria Baldini-Potermin offered this statement: "Kathy is a great and giving person who devotes countless hours and energy to unaccompanied minors, refugees, and asylum applicants in Minnesota. Deeply caring and dedicated, Kathy also gives of her time and effort to teach and mentor law students and attorneys from all walks of life about immigration law, particularly the immigration consequences of criminal dispositions."

Please Help Us Recognize this Tireless Member

Place a Congratulatory Message in the Commemorative Program Book

Rates are as follows:

• Full-page ad (5 x 8):  $1,200
• Half page ad (5 x 3 ¾ ): $600
• 1/4 - page ad (3 ¾ x 2 ½ or 5 x 2):  $400
• 1/8 - page ad (2 ½ x 2):  $250
• Simple listing (no message): $150

You may place your ad by returning this form to Pamela Goldstein.

Ads must be placed by June 3, 2015. There is no charge to attend the reception.

Please contact pgoldstein@nipnlg.org for further information.

Hold DHS Accountable for Fair Implementation of New Policies - New Report from NIPNLG and United We Dream

April 17, 2015 - Today, the National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild and United We Dream released a scathing new report detailing instances in which ICE field offices ignored key provisions in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)'s Enforcement Memo released in November, 2014. The Memo explicitly created 3 priority categories for deportation, and provides detailed guidance on how DHS agencies and its employees should exercise discretion for individuals facing deportation or detention.

Prosecutorial Discretion Denied paints a harrowing picture of the ways in which local ICE field offices over the past 4 months have routinely ignored, denied, overlooked, or mishandled legitimate requests and evidence from immigrants seeking prosecutorial discretion in the review of their cases. The result has been the continued shredding of the social fabric of immigrant and mixed-status communities and families throughout the United States.

The report is a call to DHS to change course immediately. "Without an unconditional commitment to [making] improvements, it is difficult to see how the new prosecutorial discretion policies differ from the old failed ones."

Download the Full Report »
Download the Press Release »

NIPNLG Co-files Lawsuit Challenging Failure of U.S. Customs and Border Protection to Release Agency Files

March 13, 2015 - Yesterday, a class action lawsuit was filed by three immigration attorneys and eleven noncitizens challenging U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) nationwide practice of failing to timely respond to requests for case information under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). FOIA gives an individual the right to access information that the federal government possesses about him or her within 20 business days of making the request. CBP routinely fails to provide requested documents within 20 days, but instead takes months—and in many cases more than a year—to provide documents.

Plaintiffs and others like them are forced to delay filing applications for lawful permanent residence while they wait for necessary documents from their own case files. By bringing this case as a class action, the plaintiffs seek to remedy CBP’s system-wide failures in its management of FOIA requests. The case was filed by the Law Offices of Stacy Tolchin (NIPNLG Board chair), Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, NIPNLG, and the American Immigration Council.

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NIPNLG Statement on Texas v. United States

February 18, 2015 - NIPNLG views the preliminary injunction in Texas v. United States -- that temporarily blocks the implementation of the new deferred action initiatives announced last November -- as a momentary setback. We remain confident that the courts will ultimately uphold the new deferred action initiatives, which will bring relief to millions of noncitizens who have worked and waited tirelessly for years to contribute more fully to U.S. society. In the meantime, we will continue to fight back against draconian measures that erode noncitizen rights; and work to ensure that individuals eligible for these new programs are not deported while awaiting a final court decision.

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New Practice Advisory Published - for Practitioners Assisting Individuals Seeking Relief under New Federal Program

November 25, 2014 - The National Immigration Project (NIPNLG) and the Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC) have published a new Practice Advisory for Criminal Defenders entitled, New "Deferred Action for Parental Accountability" (DAPA) Immigration Program Announced by President Obama. The nine-page Advisory seeks to provide sound technical assistance to criminal defense practitioners regarding the new federal program.

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New Advisory for Individuals Seeking Relief under New Federal Program

November 22, 2014 - NIPNLG has published a one-page Alert for individuals with criminal convictions or arrests considering applying for the recently announced Deferred Action Programs.

Download the Alerts: English » Spanish »

Groups Launch AdminRelief.org for New Federal Program

November 20, 2014 - In the wake of President Obama’s announcement of executive action on immigration, NIPNLG as part of a coalition of national immigrant rights groups has launched a new website of free resources related to the new federal program.

The Administrative Relief Resource Center (www.adminrelief.org) seeks to be maximally helpful to legal service providers, allies in the faith, labor, and other social movements, and all practitioners and advocates working with the noncitizen population.

Contents include:

Summary of Administrative Relief »
Overview of Administrative Relief for Community Members »
Overview of Administrative Relief for Community Members (Spanish) » Community Education Presentation » Community Education Presentation (Spanish) »

The CIRI coalition (Committee for Immigration Reform Implementation) includes: the American Bar Association (ABA), AFL-CIO, American Immigration Council (AIC), American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAAJ), Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC), Center for Migration Studies (CMS), Fair Immigration Reform Movement (FIRM), Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC), Immigration Advocates Network (IAN), NALEO Educational Fund, National Council of La Raza (NCLR), National Immigration Law Center (NILC), National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild (NIPNLG), The National Partnership for New Americans (NPNA), PICO National Network, UFW Foundation, UNITE HERE, United We Dream, and World Relief.

CIRI has been meeting to plan implementation strategies since its inception during the National Legalization Planning Conference held in June 2013 in St. Louis, MO.

Groups Sue U.S. Government over Life-Threatening Deportation Process Against Mothers and Children Escaping Extreme Violence in Central America

August 22, 2014 - Today NIPNLG and allies sued the federal government to challenge its new and unlawful “fast-track” expedited removal policies that are being used against mothers and children detained in Artesia, New Mexico. Artesia is a remote detention center stationed hundreds of miles from the nearest city. The groups include: NIPNLG, the American Civil Liberties Union, American Immigration Council, National Immigration Law Center, Van Der Hout, Brigagliano & Nightingale, LLP, ACLU of New Mexico, ACLU of the Nation’s Capital, ACLU of San Diego & Imperial Counties, and Jenner & Block.

"These women and children sought refuge in the United States after enduring the brutal murders of their loved ones, rapes, death threats, and other atrocities,” said Staff Attorney Trina Realmuto. “Over the last several weeks we have collected evidence that shows the government is disregarding our laws, and pushing mothers and children through a deportation mill.”

Dozens of declarations by attorneys stationed at Artesia describe conditions that make it virtually impossible for mothers and their children to consult with their attorneys, access legal help, obtain notice of their hearings, and meaningfully prepare their claims for asylum or any defenses to deportation. Moreover, a significant percentage of women are victims of rape and domestic violence, and are forced to answer traumatic questions, including detailed descriptions of rape, while their children are present.

In a bizarre twist, mothers and children present their cases to immigration judges stationed in Arlington, Virginia - nearly 2,000 miles away - by televideo. Attorneys near Arlington, Virginia, attempting to observe hearings for due process violations, often face locked courtroom doors.

“This process is forcing women and children to forfeit valid asylum claims,” said Paromita Shah, Associate Director of the National Immigration Project. “We cannot allow the government to hide a fatally flawed process behind locked courtroom doors.”

The lawsuit, M.S.P.C. v. Johnson, was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

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For press or related inquiries, please contact Associate Director, Paromita Shah: pshah@nipnlg.org.

U.S. District Court Issues Final Order Approving Settlement in Duran Gonzalez v. Holder

July 21, 2014 - The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington issued a final order approving the settlement in the case of Duran Gonzalez, et al. v. U.S. Department of Homeland Security, et al.  The settlement will allow a group of nearly 1,500 people the opportunity to remain in the United States with their families.

After 8 years of litigation that included three separate published opinions from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, the Court approved a settlement that will allow hundreds of individuals the opportunity to reopen their previously denied applications for permanent residence so that they can remain in the United States with their families. The settlement will also allow individuals in the class who have already been removed from the United States the opportunity to submit applications through the U.S. consulates. 

The National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild teamed with the American Immigration Council, Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, the Law Offices of Van Der Hout, Brigagliano and Nightingale, and the Law Office of Stacy Tolchin in litigating this class action.

Related Class Action Materials »

Members of Congress Gain New Tool to Protect Constituents from Continuing Deportations

June 27, 2014 - Rep. Raul Grijalva hosted a briefing in Washington D.C. where United We Dream, PICO National Network, National Immigration Project and various other immigrant rights groups released a unique guide that aims to enable members of Congress to assist families facing imminent separation through deportation.

Read the Press Release »
Download the Comprehensive Guide by United We Dream »

DACA Renewal Process is Announced

June 24, 2014 - NIPNLG summarizes the DACA renewal process, including highlights related to Criminal, Public Safety, and Removal issues. Please click here to read the update and highlights.

On June 5, 2014, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced the process for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) renewal and released a revised Form I-821D, Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. USCIS also updated its Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) webpage on DACA.

To learn more about the DACA renewal process, please join us for our DACA Renewal Webinar on July 15, 2014. 

Congratulations, Zachary Nightingale! Annual NIPNLG Reception to Honor Work of Outstanding Member on June 20, 2014 in Boston

May 22 , 2014 - NIPNLG member Zach Nightingale will be honored at our annual member reception at the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) annual convention. Zach is a passionate and talented champion of immigrant rights. His unrelenting defense of justice for noncitizens embodies the values and mission of the National Immigration Project. He is known for his unstinting work ethic, commitment to justice, and passion for doing what is right.

The reception takes place on June 20, 2014 in Boston's Marriott Copley Place. All are welcome. All proceeds benefit NIPNLG. Questions? Please contact Bethany [at] nipnlg [dot] org.

Upcoming Seminars & Events

April 23, 2014 - NIPNLG announces its spring 2014 Continuing Legal Education (CLE) seminar, Exploring Immigration Defense Strategies, to take place on May 30, 2104 in Seattle, WA, followed by a reception hosted by Rios & Cruz, P.S. For upcoming seminars and events please visit nipnlg.org/seminars.html.

Supreme Court Makes Exception for Immigration Cases in Criminal Case Decision

April 7, 2014 - On March 26, 2014, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a decision in a criminal case that makes it easier to convict people with prior minor domestic violence offenses - but NOT in the immigration context, thanks to an amicus brief filed by ASISTA, NIPNLG, and others.

Read the Decision Read the Amicus Brief Read our Practice Advisory on "United States v. Castleman"

District Court Grants Preliminary Approval of Settlement Agreement and Amends Class Definition in Duran Gonzalez

March 28, 2014 - On March 21, 2014, the District Court granted preliminary approval of the settlement agreement, including amending the class definition, in Duran Gonzalez.  The court set a fairness hearing for July 11, 2014, at which the Court will consider whether to approve the settlement.

Read the Notice of Proposed Settlement/Hearing Read the Proposed Settlement Agreement Read the Full Announcement

Website Launches to Expose Border-Related Abuse and Litigation: holdcpbaccountable.org

March 26, 2014 - An alliance of immigration advocacy groups announces the launch of HoldCBPAccountable.org, a website that catalogues lawsuits and administrative complaints brought against U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The American Immigration Council (AIC), the National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild (NIPNLG), the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (NWIRP), and the ACLU of San Diego and Imperial Counties have joined forces to document litigation that exposes CBP abuses, including unlawful searches and seizures, removals based on coercion and misinformation, and the use of excessive and sometimes deadly force by Border Patrol agents and CBP officers.

Read the Press Release

Victory for Immigrants' Rights: Detainers are Not Mandatory

March 5, 2014 - The Third Circuit ruled today that detainers are merely requests, and therefore it is not mandatory for jails to comply with them. This is the first Circuit Court to address the issue, and a significant victory in the struggle to reduce the overreach of the Department of Homeland Security into the affairs of local police departments.

Congratulations due especially to ACLU Immigrants' Rights Project Staff Attorney, Kate Desormeau, who represented the appellants and argued the case; and to former NIPNLG Criminal Justice Fellow, Lena Graber, who helped shape an amicus brief filed in the case on behalf of NIPNLG. NIPNLG applauds this major gain in the effort to protect the constitutional rights of noncitizens.

Read the Decision

New Resource on How Arrests and Convictions Separate Immigrant Families

February 14, 2014 - As part of the Immigrant Justice Network and CAMBIO, NIPNLG anounces a new resource in English and Spanish entitled, The Short Immigration Guide to How Arrest & Convictions Separate Families, designed for community-based organizations, immigrant communities, and all advocates of fair and just immigration policy. This illustrated guide explains how arrests and convictions affect immigrants, discusses the impact of current immigration reform proposals, and provides stories and tools for communities to fight back and keep families together. Download the Illustrated Short Guide below: