Dear friend of IDP,

At the Immigrant Defense Project (IDP), we believe sanctuary laws are more than policies—they’re a reflection of our shared values: safety, fairness, and dignity for all. That’s why we’re working every day to defend and strengthen these essential protections.

Thanks to your support, IDP is leading the fight for sanctuary in powerful and innovative ways:

Four Ways IDP Fights for Sanctuary Laws:

1. Advocating for the New York for All Act
   We’re campaigning to make New York a sanctuary state, joining others like California and Illinois. This legislation would prohibit local resources from being used for federal immigration enforcement.

   
   

2. Exposing Collusion and Fighting for Accountability
   Through our work with the Black Alliance for Just Immigration, we’ve exposed shocking violations of sanctuary laws by city agencies. Emails obtained by IDP revealed city officials collaborating with ICE to detain immigrants—some even signed off with “#teamsendthemback.” As leaders in the ICE Out! NYC Coalition, we’re pushing for stronger accountability mechanisms to prevent these abuses.

   
   

3. Educating and Empowering Communities
   Every year, IDP helps hundreds of immigrants and their families navigate the risks of ICE-policing. Our Detainer FAQ has been accessed over 1,400 times, equipping communities with the knowledge they need to understand local collusion with ICE and make informed decisions.

   
   

4. Building Public Support for Sanctuary
   Through op-eds, media appearances, conversations with journalists, and partnerships with grassroots organizations, we amplify the message that sanctuary laws make everyone safer. We’re changing the narrative to focus on the human cost of deportation and the systemic racism embedded in ICE policing.

Your Impact

When you support IDP, you’re not just funding an organization—you’re driving meaningful change.  

Ms. R’s Story

When Ms. R’s boyfriend was arrested in East Texas, her world turned upside down. He was being held in a county jail with an “ICE hold.” Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had issued a detainer—a request to keep him in custody even after he was ordered released because he paid bail. The detainer directed the jail to notify ICE when he was able to be released from custody, putting him at immediate risk of being transferred to immigration detention.

Unsure of what this meant or how to help, Ms. R searched online and found the Immigrant Defense Project. Overwhelmed but determined, she reached out to us for answers.

We walked Ms. R through what an ICE detainer is and explained the implications for her boyfriend’s case. We helped her carefully weigh her options, including the risks of paying bail, and connected her with local organizations that could offer additional support. We also shared our Detainer FAQ to provide her with the tools to better understand ICE’s tactics and prepare for what might come next.

Her relief was palpable. “Seriously, thank you so much,” she texted us later. “I feel much more educated on how the system works and didn’t act out on a whim. Instead, I carefully thought about the resources we could use to help us out in this situation. Thank you.”

For Ms. R and countless others, sanctuary policies are more than laws—they’re safeguards against double punishment. By interrupting the process of subjecting immigrants to detention and deportation after a release from jail, sanctuary laws interrupt systemic criminalization of immigrants. And with your support, IDP can keep providing this critical guidance and fighting for the protections that make our communities safer and more just.

Sanctuary policies make our communities stronger. With your continued support, IDP can keep fighting to protect these vital laws and ensure our communities are places of safety—not fear.

In solidarity,

Marie Mark, Executive Director

Immigrant Defense Project