RAICES

We’ll see the government in court—again. Today marks the 13th time that RAICES' litigators have stepped up to hold the second Trump administration accountable to the rule of law. This time, we’re suing over the unlawful arrest, and subsequent detention, of people and families in immigration courts nationwide. People and families shouldn’t face the fear of deportation and masked ICE agents as they exercise their due process rights. That’s why RAICES and National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC), along with Democracy Forward and the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area (LCCRSF), are taking action to hold the U.S. government accountable. Together, we’re representing twelve individuals, and organizational plaintiffs Immigrant ARC (I-ARC) and American Gateways, in a class action lawsuit filed today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

🚨 A major win for immigrant rights: A federal judge just ruled that the Trump administration cannot categorically deny asylum claims from people crossing the southern border—overturning a policy Trump enacted on his very first day in office. In his 128-page opinion, Judge Randolph D. Moss made it clear: the Constitution and federal immigration law do not give the sweeping powers Trump claimed. The Trump administration’s prerogative is once again found to be unlawful. It is increasingly clear where the illegality lies—and it is not with the immigrant families upon whom this administration is inflicting unfathomable harm. RAICES is proud to serve as lead plaintiff in this case, alongside Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center and the Florence Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project. We’ll keep fighting for a system grounded in justice and humanity. https://lnkd.in/gCKQ7xFR

Since family detention restarted in March, RAICES has served over 90 families in detention. Parents. Children. Newborns. From these 90 families, we have received nearly 40 reports of medical concerns. Some families have been in detention for at least 50 days, which is more than double the limit allowed by regulations. Many were detained while attending their scheduled immigration court hearings around the nation –– our neighbors across the country. That’s why RAICES filed a declaration of support for the Flores Settlement Agreement — as the federal government seeks to terminate it. The protections outlined in the Flores Settlement Agreement serve as a check against the inhumane treatment of children ICE keeps in settings indistinguishable from adult prisons. These grave violations must come to light –– and we will fight to ensure children and families are protected. Faisal Al-Juburi, Chief External Affairs Officer at RAICES, recently told the Associated Press that conditions at the family detention center in Karnes County, Texas “underscore the urgent need for transparent, enforceable standards and real accountability,” citing what he called an “unconscionable obstruction of medical care for those with acute, chronic, and terminal illnesses.” https://lnkd.in/eEhya6KY

📝  Tell Congress: Act unequivocally to protect habeas corpus, a fundamental American right Without legal basis, the administration is “actively looking at” suspending habeas corpus –– a right guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution that allows a person to challenge their detention before the courts. It ensures every person on U.S. soil is protected from arbitrary and unlawful imprisonment. It’s fundamental to American identity, but, then again, this administration has shown little but disdain for what it means to be an American, hasn’t it? Across the executive branch, they’re pretzeling themselves to circumvent the rule of law, expand presidential powers, and render the independent judiciary irrelevant, likely because judges are doling out inconvenient rulings. So we can’t rest on hope alone. We must take action and demand lawmakers across the partisan spectrum defend our Constitution. Sign the petition! https://lnkd.in/g935Vc5q

Big news: A federal court has just struck down key parts of the Biden administration’s asylum ban. In a major legal victory, the U.S. District Court for D.C. ruled that the administration’s rule restricting access to asylum at the southern border violates federal law and puts people seeking protection in harm’s way. RAICES, alongside Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center and our incredible legal partners — ACLU, National Immigrant Justice Center, Center for Gender & Refugee Studies (CGRS), Jenner & Block, ACLU of the District of Columbia, and Texas Civil Rights Project — challenged this unlawful policy just days after it was announced. The "federal court ruling reaffirms what we’ve said time and again — that the bipartisan war on asylum has obstructed equitable access to fundamental human and legal rights in ways both arbitrary and capricious,” said Javier Hidalgo, Legal Director at RAICES. “This is a major step in righting some of the many wrongs inflicted upon people and families seeking safety in accordance with federal and international law.” This is a critical win for the right to seek safety and a reminder that arbitrary restrictions have real human costs. At RAICES, we’ll continue fighting for a fair, humane, and lawful asylum system — because everyone has the right to seek protection. For more information visit RAICESTEXAS.ORG https://lnkd.in/d37YKb6U

Buried in Trump’s barrage of attacks on immigrants and their loved ones is the alarming practice of family detention in Texas. As RAICES C.E.O. Dolores K. Schroeder notes in her opinion piece published in TIME today: “Over the last two months, our legal team has advocated for more than three dozen detained families and successfully secured the release of half, who can now pursue their immigration cases with their freedom.” The trauma experienced by these families is profound and long-lasting. It's crucial to raise awareness and advocate for the rights and dignity of immigrant families. Get the full story: https://lnkd.in/gHUZvJCc

We are starting to see families trying to flee the U.S. due to fear and anxiety over being separated, detained, and disappeared. This story was featured in "The Guardian" today: “Trump is jailing immigrant families again. A mother, father and teen tell of ‘anguish on a daily basis’” by journalist Maanvi Singh. The story offers a sobering, human-centered look at a family detained after fleeing violence in Colombia. The good news is RAICES attorneys have been able to secure the family's freedom, but their journey ahead is long and uncertain. 🔗 Read the full story: https://lnkd.in/d_aud_2R

RAICES Legal Director Javier Hidalgo reminds The New Yorker readers this week that there is never a need to detain children in immigration detention.  Hidalgo is quoted challenging the government's justification for detaining families and expresses concern about the prolonged detention of children. Read Hidalgo's compelling critique of the renewed family detention policies in The New Yorker. https://lnkd.in/g_ekCv_W.

Our client Soofia’s story struck a nerve—and it moved people to action. In just a few days, over 5,000 letters poured into ICE demanding her release and reunification with her family. Soofia's voice echoed in "Teen Vogue" and yes, her fight for freedom even made it to MSNBC. That didn’t happen by accident. It happened because you helped shine a light on her story. You shared it, lifted it up, and made sure it couldn’t be ignored. For that—we thank you. Behind the scenes, RAICES advocates are working every day to release Soofia from detention. And right now, we’re calling on our community to keep standing with her. Because Soofia deserves more than freedom. She deserves a fair shot at asylum. She deserves to be with her family. Together, we’re going to make sure ICE hears that—loud and clear.

Thousands of people have their eyes on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) following our RAICES community's outpouring of support, sending numerous letters calling for the immediate release of our 19-year-old client, Soofia, who is currently being held in a detention center in Karnes County, Texas—and faces the imminent risk of deportation. Thousands more are learning about Soofia and sharing her story published in Teen Vogue, and we hope that our intervention in her defense will reunite her with her ailing mother and young brothers in the U.S. Public pressure of this scale has often been an effective accountability tool, and even though we’re still fighting to free Soofia, we know that advocacy matters. Every letter is a reminder to ICE that the American people stand in opposition to unjust and unconscionable harms. We are committed to fighting so that this administration cannot quietly disappear more of our neighbors—and families like Soofia’s can remain together and free. Learn more about Soofia’s story by reading Faisal Al-Juburi's piece in Teen Vogue. https://lnkd.in/gh_4ahnC