National Immigrant Justice Center

Check out this recent article in The New Yorker Magazine Inc. quoting NIJC Associate Director of Federal Litigation Mark Fleming and the recent victory in our litigation against the Trump administration, which prohibits ICE from arresting people without warrants or probable cause in parts of the Midwest. Read more about how NIJC and the community in Chicago are defending due process and our immigrant neighbors:

Federal courts have spoken: ICE can no longer operate with racially motivated, reckless abandon without facing legal consequences. A recent ruling strikes down ICE’s ability to arrest people without warrants and without probable cause in the Midwest. This is a critical blow to ICE’s unchecked authority. “If ICE can’t arrest them without a warrant, that really limits the use of racial profiling,” said NIJC's Mark Fleming to The New York Times. “We’re seeing more people who have deep community ties — families, loved ones, people with jobs, some of them U.S. citizens — being taken into ICE custody,” he said.

Our NIJC legal team had the great opportunity to spend the day with Apna Ghar, Inc. (Our Home), connecting with survivors of abuse and discussing ways they may qualify for immigration relief. We’re proud to take part in Domestic Violence Awareness Month and help ensure that everyone in our community feels safe and supported.

"What we have seen now to a much larger scale is federal agents indiscriminately stopping and arresting people without warrants and without probable cause required by federal immigration laws," said NIJC's Mark Fleming in an interview with ABC 7 Chicago. From Albany Park to the suburbs, ICE is disrupting daily life at schools, workplaces, and community spaces. They use unlawful tactics, tear gas, excessive force, and defy court orders meant to protect our rights. What happens when federal agents ignore the law they’re sworn to uphold? Read more here:

Today is the LAST DAY of the #5KforImmigrantJustice virtual race week! Hundreds of people around the country are doing their race to support immigrants in our communities. Check out these photos from our virtual racers! There's still time to join! Sign up at https://lnkd.in/gQxreJVW

This week pro bono volunteers from Cozen O'Connor helped 10 people renew their DACA applications! We're thankful to our pro bono colleagues for spending their afternoon helping their clients maintain stability here in the United States. Whether through clinics or direct representation, our pro bono network plays a vital role in advancing NIJC's mission to establish and defend the legal rights of all immigrants.

The National Immigrant Justice Center is proud to sign on as a partner for the 10/18 No Kings Rally and March in Chicago! We are grateful for the many ways our communities have stepped up to keep each other safe in recent weeks as ICE, CBP, and other militarized federal agents have escalated their attacks on our neighbors. No Kings is an opportunity for people to come together and raise our voices in opposition to the Trump administration’s attacks on families, due process, and rule of law. Join us on Saturday! Shout out to Indivisible Chicago for organizing. 📅 Saturday, October 18th ⏰ 12 PM Rally & March 📍 Butler Field @ Grant Park, Chicago 🔗 https://lnkd.in/g9nQNn6s

Members of the Midwest Immigrant Defenders Alliance gathered at NIJC last week to train a new generation of advocates on how to defend people detained by ICE. In these challenging and rapidly changing times, it's more important than ever that advocates come together to pool our knowledge and resources to ensure due process. Since MIDA’s founding in 2022, NIJC, The Resurrection Project, The Immigration Project, and the Law Office of the Cook County Public Defender have been proud members of the alliance and its mission to increase representation for people detained by ICE. If you or a loved one has been detained and needs assistance, contact the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights' Family Support Network (FSN) hotline at 1-855-435-7693. Learn more about MIDA and community resources you can access on our website here: https://lnkd.in/gvABdRpE

Congratulations to NIJC Associate Director of Legal Services Vanessa Esparza-Lopez for receiving the Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois' Nonprofit Lawyer of the Year Award! Vanessa has dedicated many years to defending immigrants and their families, and we are incredibly lucky to have her on the NIJC team. This is a well-deserved honor! Thank you HLAI for recognizing her work.

The 7th Annual #5KForImmigrantJustice yesterday in Goshen, Indiana was a huge success! Shout out to the hundreds of people who showed up to support immigrants in our communities. We stood strong together to demonstrate this year's theme: Pueblo Unido. Community United. You can still join us! The virtual race week goes through Saturday 10/18. Sign up at https://lnkd.in/gQxreJVW Photo credit: Andrew Kauffman