Dear friend of IDP,
This year began with critical challenges for immigrant rights, and the Immigrant Defense Project is at the forefront of the fight. With the start of the new administration, we’ve ramped up efforts to defend immigrant communities against detention and deportation.
Here’s what we’ve been working on:
Empowering communities: In December, we trained over 2,000 people in an updated Know Your Rights training for advocates, organizers, and allies leading KYR workshops (available in English and Spanish).
Advocacy in action: Yesterday, IDP supported a rally and testified at a NYC Council hearing to defend sanctuary laws. We also coordinated testimony from over 20 advocacy groups and impacted leaders that ensured the overwhelming message from the public was the importance of protecting and expanding sanctuary for immigrant New Yorkers.
Fighting harmful legislation: We’re mobilizing against S-5/HR-29 (the Laken Riley Act), which could expand mandatory detention for people based on theft charges and give state Attorneys General dangerous new powers to interfere with immigration policies long after Trump leaves office.
Building resilience: Our New York Immigrant Defense Table is fostering cross-strategy collaboration to protect immigrant communities.
Tracking ICE raids: We’re creating a statewide decentralized system to monitor and respond to ICE raids, helping attorneys and communities adapt to the administration's tactics.
Next week, we expect a wave of executive orders aimed at ramping up deportations. We are preparing to:
Publish updated guidance for communities and attorneys.
Adapt our Know Your Rights resources to meet new challenges.
Counteract harmful narratives and demonstrate the far-reaching impact of deportation policies.
For those eager to get involved, you can:
📆 Become a monthly donor to sustain this crucial work.
📝 Share our Know Your Rights materials with your community.
📺 Watch our webinars to learn more about how to give a KYR workshop or using FOIA to fight mass deportation
🕵🏽. Read the Operation Palladium briefing guide we published in December about an ICE surge force operation from 2020.
Together, we can stand against injustice and protect the rights of immigrants.
In solidarity,
Marie Mark, Executive Director
Immigrant Defense Project
