Dear Pamela,
Immigrants are everyday people with hopes and dreams, families and friends, who contribute to our communities and local economies. However, the Trump administration is perpetuating a baseless and dangerous narrative about immigrants that will have far-reaching consequences.
Under President Trump's anti-immigration agenda, United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids are happening across the country, sowing panic and harming our communities.
For decades, the immigration system has failed to ensure a fair and humane process for people seeking safety, security, and stability in the United States. Something Andres* knows far too well. |
Andres moved to New York City from Ecuador with his family. After a few years, they overstayed their visas—not because they meant to, but because the immigration lawyer they hired took nearly $10,000 from them and botched their case. And just like that, Andres and his family became undocumented.
The City University of New York system allowed Andres to continue his education at Macaulay Honors College despite his legal status. But he had no work authorization and no ability to travel. He lived under constant fear that a simple encounter with law enforcement could end in deportation. |
Eventually, he was able to apply for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals and navigate the arduous process with the help of a lawyer. Even with his education and training and everything he knew about immigration, having a lawyer was a game changer. The system is just that complicated.
Last April, after more than two decades of uncertainty, Andres finally became a U.S. citizen. His story had a happy ending, but that's not the case for everyone. There are millions of people—many in far more vulnerable situations—who have to navigate this complex process alone.
That's why Vera is working alongside our partners to expand immigration legal defense programs at the state and local levels while fighting for passage of the Fairness to Freedom Act at the federal level.
Together, we can protect one another and advocate for due process, family unity, and humanity in our immigration system.
In solidarity,
Vera Institute of Justice *Name changed to protect identity. |
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