Americans for Immigrant Justice

Reminder: Refugees and asylum seekers have a $124 billion net positive fiscal impact on the United States.

Our Lucha Program joined Miami-Dade County's Community Action and Human Services Department for the 2024 Domestic Violence Awareness Month Kick Off event to provide information and services to immigrant survivors of domestic violence to help them thrive. Americans for Immigrant Justice helps survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking at no cost. If you are in need of our services, please contact us by phone at 305-573-1106 or by email at luchainfo@aijustice.org

We are so happy to share that our 9-year-old client just received her T-visa, putting her on a path to legal permanent residency. The client wrote a note and drew a picture for her attorney, AI Justice supervising attorney Elsa Lopez, who has been representing the child since she was 5 years old. When we first met this client 4 years ago, she was in a children's immigration detention facility. AI Justice helped keep the child safe and secure her legal status in the U.S., which will change her life and benefit future generations.

Tomorrow join AI Justice Executive Director, Sui Chung, and Pro Bono Program Director, AJ Hernandez, at Florida International University's Modesto Maidique Campus for the 'I Stand With Immigrants Day of Action".

On display in our office: Berta Cáceres by Erin Currier Berta Isabel Cáceres Flores (1971 – 2016) was one of the leading organizers for environmental justice and indigenous land rights in Central America. In a country with growing socioeconomic inequality and human rights violations, Berta Cáceres rallied her fellow Lenca people of Honduras and waged a grassroots campaign that successfully pressured the world’s largest dam builder to pull out of the Agua Zarca Dam. She cofounded the National Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras (COPINH) to address the growing threats posed to Lenca communities by illegal logging, fight for their territorial rights and improve their livelihoods. Cáceres was murdered in her home in 2016 in an attempt to silence the fight for environmental justice and indigenous land rights in Central America. Cáceres is survived by her mother and four children, who tirelessly continue her struggle and legacy. This portrait of Cáceres hangs in our office to remind us: JUSTICE NOW

Congratulations to AI Justice supervising attorney Cat Walker and her client Kameille in winning withholding of removal, which prevents Kameille's deportation! We first met Kameille when she was detained at Baker County Detention Center. Kameille is a lesbian woman from Jamaica who has faced discrimination both in her home country and while navigating the immigration system in the U.S. Kameille has been an incredible partner in the fight for justice. Inside Baker, she helped other detained women access their rights and speak out against abuses. Since her release, she has been involved in the Shut Down Baker campaign alongside AI Justice, speaking out against the injustices she faced while detained. In August, she presented at the Human Rights Clinic of Miami's Annual Symposium, raising awareness among medical school students about the unique barriers to physical and mental healthcare for people navigating the U.S. immigration system. It's an honor to have helped Kameille on her path to freedom from detention and supported her ongoing fight for justice.

You're invited! Join us for a toast in celebration of our pro bono partners and learn how you can generously lend your time to provide immigrants in our community with compassionate representation through AI Justice’s Pro Bono Program. The evening will also serve as an opportunity to meet AI Justice’s leadership team, including Executive Director Sui Chung and Director of the Pro Bono Program A.J. Hernandez Anderson. Current and aspiring pro bono partners are welcome to RSVP at https://lnkd.in/e8VbmxxS

❗ POSTPONED- Due to the impact of Hurricane Milton in Florida, we have decided to postpone the webinar originally scheduled for Wednesday, October 9. A new date will be announced soon. In the meantime, we hope everyone stays safe, and we look forward to reconvening in the near future.

Our Detention team helps detained immigrants obtain release and fight deportation so that they can be reunited with their families and community. Katherine Almendarez, paralegal for AI Justice’s Detention Program, shared her personal story of being detained while seeking asylum in the U.S. and the importance of continuing to help people in immigration detention. Learn more about our Detention Program at https://lnkd.in/gz9pPPRj

Mass deportations would only hurt American industries that heavily rely on undocumented workers to thrive. Read more on American Immigration Council's report: https://lnkd.in/gB9FMKH9