Acacia Center for Justice

Ayuda is one of our east coast partners in the Unaccompanied Children Program. Since 1973, they have served more than 150,000 low-income immigrants throughout Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia just like Yanci. Their comprehensive and welcoming approach breaks down barriers, helps those in need, and makes our communities stronger. If you are a lawyer in the area interested in working in our Unaccompanied Children Program to represent kids in immigration proceedings, check out their site and give them a follow!

⚖️🌈 Join us for a free webinar on September 6 to learn about using and advocating for Gender Affirming Language in Immigration Court 💻▶️ https://bit.ly/3WZyZiK You can read our practice advisory on gender affirming language in immigration court here ▶️ https://bit.ly/45hip1p Experts from Benach Collopy, the Acacia Center for Justice and Rocky Mountain Immigration Action Network (RMIAN) will describe how advocates, immigration professors, administrators, attorneys, and judges can build a more gender-affirming immigration court. Learn how to use these free tools in your filings, in your advocacy, and for your colleagues and clients. #immigrationcourt #immigrationlaw #webinar #nonprofitevent

The Unaccompanied Children Program is a network of organizations across the country dedicated to training and hiring immigration lawyers to bridge an enormous representation gap for kids in the immigration system. The impact of this work reverberates through a child's entire life, not just in the chance for justice but for the chance to be seen and treated as a human being in a overwhelmingly dehumanizing system. Interested in making a difference with your career? Learn more about our program at https://lnkd.in/e_zdxEcu.

A year-and-a-half into her Justice fellowship at Catholic Charities Community Services, Chrisline shares her experience representing a young client. She talks about the importance of building a rapport with her client and reflects on how this case has made her a better advocate for undocumented youth. Read more of her story here: https://lnkd.in/e2k7EMbN

Being an immigration attorney is not easy. Cases are long-fought, the system is flawed, and laws are ever-changing. It's not easy, but it is absolutely rewarding to know you are making such a positive impact on your clients' lives. To serve them well, it's important to take care of yourself. We're thrilled that the Justice Fellows are learning the skills to find balance in their work to stay in it for the long haul. Curious about the Justice Fellowship? Check out their FAQ page and apply before October 20th! https://lnkd.in/gdyteec4

📄 This week we submitted an amicus brief to the Board of Immigration Appeals that calls for immigration judges to take basic steps to protect the rights of people who appear in court without an attorney ⚖️ There is no right to an attorney in immigration court, which means most people must defend themselves in complicated court proceedings. In cases involving unrepresented individuals, immigration judges must make sure they gather and consider all of the important information so they can make a fair decision. This means judges must simply and clearly explain legal terms and procedures, ask unrepresented people questions to be able to identify forms of relief from deportation and inform people of the steps they must take to apply for relief. Judges should provide detailed guidance to unrepresented people to ensure that they have a fair chance at fighting their case. The brief supports implementing a checklist for immigration judges to use when hearing someone’s case that would identify the protections they are eligible to receive under U.S. law. A simple checklist - standard practice in industries ranging from healthcare to aviation - would help level the playing field for immigrants navigating court without legal representation and ensure they have a fair shot at justice in an arbitrary and complex system. Read the full brief ▶️ https://bit.ly/3MlezM0

We are proud to partner with Family and Immigration Rights Center (FIRC) in our Unaccompanied Children Program. FIRC’s work serves an essential role in a community where the odds of representation for those facing deportation is extremely low. According to Trac data through 2024, people facing deportation have only a 34% chance of finding a lawyer in Tallahassee, Florida’s capital. The odds are even worse (18% percent) in North Florida’s rural counties. Thanks to their work, justice is within reach for more kids facing deportation. If you are a lawyer in the area interested in working in our Unaccompanied Children Program to represent kids in immigration proceedings, learn more about their work here: https://firclaw.org/

America needs more immigration lawyers. As it stands, to achieve universal representation for unaccompanied kids, every free or low-cost lawyer in America would have to represent 78 children each. That's an impossible considering not all free or low cost lawyer represents unaccompanied children or has capacity to take on cases. Whether you're just starting out in your career or if you have been an established lawyer in a related field, we encourage you to explore a career in immigration law. We are placing and training lawyers across America in paid positions at over 100 offices through our Unaccompanied Children Program. Explore opportunities at https://lnkd.in/e_zdxEcu

Applications for Immigrant Justice Corps' Justice Fellowship are open now! Fellows are matched with a host organization and have access to training, hands-on experience working in immigration law, and most of all, a supportive community. Learn more about the Justice Fellowship here: https://lnkd.in/dAe5Rw6j

Lawyers do so much more than navigate the complexities of immigration court: their representation is a testament to the ways in which we uphold each other's humanity and dignity. Immigrant Justice Corps Justice Fellowship is an excellent way for law students and recent grads to get hands-on experience working in immigration law. Applications are open now: https://lnkd.in/dAe5Rw6j