NIJC releases new FAQ for Venezuelan community members.
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Thank you for your support in 2025! We are grateful to begin this new year with you by our side as we continue fighting for human rights and justice for all. Thanks to the tremendous generosity and commitment of supporters like you, we raised a record-breaking total to close out 2025 and unlocked a match grant that made a huge difference for our community members. You fuel the life-changing legal services, advocacy that frees people from detention, and litigation that challenges unjust and unlawful policies. The work ahead is long and difficult, but it is made possible by the courage and perseverance of the NIJC community. Thank you for standing with us in 2026. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: On Human Rights Day, we honored community members like you for your efforts to defend the dignity and rights of our community members. Listen to NIJC Senior Attorney Evan Gorelick’s special message about your impact! |
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Limits to ICE’s warrantless arrests remain in place The Castañon Nava consent decree, which limits U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) ability to arrest community members without warrants or probable cause, remains in effect. In the latest ruling, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld key protections while requiring individual assessments before people who were unlawfully detained are released from immigration detention. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) did not seek appeal to the Supreme Court. Briefing and oral argument on the merits of the case will now proceed at the Seventh Circuit on an expedited schedule. Read updates about the case and what the latest ruling means. We'll continue to post updates on our website as the case evolves. |
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Federal court stops ICE from detaining immigrant teens turning 18 In a major victory, a D.C. federal court ruled to enforce a permanent injunction in the case, Garcia Ramirez v. ICE, effectively blocking ICE from unlawfully detaining unaccompanied immigrant teens immediately after they turn 18, and from re-detaining them. “[It] sends a powerful message: ICE can’t put teenagers in dangerous, overcrowded facilities just because they turned 18,” said NIJC Associate Director of Federal Litigation Mark Fleming. “There are safer, lawful options that keep young people connected to school, family, and community. That’s what the law requires, and that’s what this order restores.” Learn more about the court order here. |
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Community partners launch new program to help free people from detention As ICE's unlawful arrests continue, the Trump administration has blocked access to bond and other legal pathways that have previously given people a chance to be released and pursue their immigration cases from outside a detention center. In response, NIJC and partners have launched the Illinois Habeas Project to identify unlawful detentions, file petitions of habeas corpus in federal court, and secure people's release from detention while they await the next steps of their immigration proceedings. In the Chicagoland area, habeas efforts have freed more than 100 people so far in just a few months - and we look forward to assisting more people in 2026. Read Block Club Chicago's coverage here. |
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New report reveals what neighbors face in ICE detention Since early September 2025, ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents have worked with other federal agencies to abduct thousands of our community members during the Trump administration’s “Operation Midway Blitz.” Inside detention facilities such as the notorious location in Broadview, Illinois, people of different origins and gender identities all face severe due process and human rights violations including blocked communication with loved ones, rapid deportations before securing legal counsel, pressure to sign departure documents, denial of medical care, solitary confinement, and other life-threatening conditions. NIJC’s latest report exposes the conditions people are facing after Operation Midway Blitz arrests and shares the stories of three people who NIJC has helped free from these abuses. Read the report to learn more. |
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Governor Pritzker signs bill halting immigration arrests in Illinois courthouses In a major victory for Illinois, Governor Pritzker signed HB 1312, prohibiting civil immigration arrests in and around state courthouses. This is a significant step to protect due process rights and ensure everyone can access justice without fear of persecution. NIJC is grateful to elected officials: State Senator Celina Villanueva, State Representative Norma Hernandez, Senate President Don Harmon, Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch, and our community partners for standing in solidarity to protect immigrant communities. Learn more. |
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New jobs and internships available at NIJC NIJC is now accepting applications for summer 2026 internships and is hiring for several full-time positions across all experience levels and programs! See all open positions and apply now! |
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| | NATIONAL IMMIGRANT JUSTICE CENTER
111 W. Jackson Blvd., Suite 800 | Chicago, Illinois 60604
immigrantjustice.org |
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