GHIRP - Galveston-Houston Immigrant Representation Project

GHIRP - Galveston-Houston Immigrant Representation Project Through zealous representation, GHIRP ensures that immigrants in the community have equal access to due process in our complex immigration system.

We are a group of dedicated lawyers and legal professionals committed to providing high-quality legal services to low-income immigrants in the Galveston-Houston area. GHIRP's mission is to build a resilient, diverse community by providing comprehensive representation and holistic legal services to immigrants in need. Sign up for GHIRP email updates here:
https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/mplGKey/GHIRP

On August 5, GHIRP Managing Attorney Alexa Sendukas joined immigrant rights advocates from across the country for a nati...
08/07/2026

On August 5, GHIRP Managing Attorney Alexa Sendukas joined immigrant rights advocates from across the country for a national press briefing to discuss the future of legal representation for unaccompanied immigrant children.

The discussion followed the federal government's announcement of its intent to award a $150 million cooperative agreement to a private Houston law firm to provide legal services for children in ORR custody beginning August 15, 2026.

As Alexa shared during the briefing:

"At a time of heightened ICE enforcement against immigrant children and families, especially in Texas, children need urgent legal assistance more than ever. They deserve lawyers who are trained in child-friendly and trauma-informed representation who know how to effectively advocate on their behalf and ensure their rights are respected."

Every child deserves due process, dignity, and a meaningful opportunity to be heard.

🎥 The full recording of the press briefing is available through the link in our bio.

Update since the briefing: A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to release approximately $65 million in unpaid fees to nonprofit organizations that provided legal services to unaccompanied migrant children facing deportation. We welcome this important development and will continue to keep our community informed as we learn whether GHIRP and our partners receive the funds owed and what this means for the future of legal representation for immigrant children.

🔗 Read the full Los Angeles Times article and explore additional news coverage featuring GHIRP Managing Attorney Alexa Sendukas through the link in our bio.

Thank you to our nationwide partners, including Amica Center for Immigrant Rights and the Florence Immigrant & Refugee Rights Project, for standing together to protect the rights of unaccompanied immigrant children.

Since receiving INSF funding, has helped hundreds of community members by providing eligibility screenings, limited an...
07/29/2026

Since receiving INSF funding, has helped hundreds of community members by providing eligibility screenings, limited and direct legal representation, citizenship assistance, and fee waivers that helped make their immigration goals possible.

Behind every number is a person.
A parent seeking stability.
A refugee rebuilding their life.
A longtime resident finally becoming a U.S. citizen.

These outcomes were possible because legal help was available when people needed it.

Help us keep that door open. Donate today: ghirp.org/donate 💚

These are not just programs. They are pathways to safety, stability, and opportunity!Every month, provides legal consu...
07/22/2026

These are not just programs. They are pathways to safety, stability, and opportunity!

Every month, provides legal consultations, Know Your Rights presentations, citizenship assistance, family-based immigration services, and support for survivors of violence and persecution.

Without continued funding, immigrant families may lose access to trusted legal guidance during one of the most challenging periods they have faced in years.

The funding is ending. The need is growing. Help us protect these services for our community. Donate today: ghirp.org/donate 💚

Many unaccompanied children arrived in the United States after surviving trafficking, abuse, and violence. Now the Trump...
07/20/2026

Many unaccompanied children arrived in the United States after surviving trafficking, abuse, and violence. Now the Trump administration is withholding $65 million from their lawyers — and the contract funding their representation expires July 31.

Every child deserves someone who can explain the process, protect their rights, and stand beside them in court.

As attorneys, we show up for these kids every day. We are asking you to show up too. Tell Congress to protect immigrant children tinyurl.com/protect-kids.

🚨 On July 16, 2026, GHIRP Executive Director Chiqui Sanchez Kennedy spoke during a press conference about the devastatin...
07/17/2026

🚨 On July 16, 2026, GHIRP Executive Director Chiqui Sanchez Kennedy spoke during a press conference about the devastating impact that funding delays and harmful immigration policies are having on unaccompanied children.

Last year, a federal court ordered the Trump administration to continue funding legal representation for unaccompanied immigrant children, ensuring they have an attorney by their side in immigration court. Yet nonprofit legal service providers, including GHIRP, have not been paid for this work since November 2025, putting critical legal services at risk.

Every delayed payment means fewer attorneys, fewer advocates, and fewer children with access to due process nationwide. These are not just funding delays. They are barriers to justice for children seeking safety.

That is why yesterday, we returned to court, demanding accountability and immediate compliance. The government has a legal and moral responsibility to protect unaccompanied children from the moment they enter its care through the conclusion of their immigration proceedings. It has failed to uphold that duty.

Thank you to El Paso Matters for highlighting this urgent matter and amplifying the voices of organizations like GHIRP, advocating to protect immigrant children.

📰 Read the full story: https://elpasomatters.org/2026/07/16/estrella-del-paso-unaccompanied-migrant-children-legal-representation-reimbursement-dispute/

Proud to stand alongside our fellow plaintiffs: .center • • • • • • .w.i.r.p • • •

The effects on mental health are among the most concerning challenges we witness every day while working alongside immig...
07/16/2026

The effects on mental health are among the most concerning challenges we witness every day while working alongside immigrant families.

At GHIRP, our team members hear heartbreaking stories daily from children, parents, and survivors carrying unimaginable trauma, family separation, violence, prolonged detention, and uncertainty about their future.

Beatriz from our Galveston team shared: “The hardest part of our jobs is to be awakened to the suffering of most of our clients. We listen to horrific stories, and it makes us sad and angry. One thing I always tell clients when they share their stories is: ‘It was not your fault.’
These five words matter. Sometimes people say, ‘I know,’ but when you look them in the eyes and say it again, that is when they realize they have been blaming themselves for a long time. No matter their age or gender, they cry hearing another adult say those words out loud.”

Our Immigrant Children & Youth (ICY) Program Managing Attorney, Alexa Sendukas, also reflected on the emotional toll prolonged detention and family separation are having on children in ORR custody and their loved ones: “These children are incredibly resilient, and we are constantly inspired by their perseverance through the toughest moments. At the same time, we are determined to hold the government accountable for the injustices being inflicted on some of the most vulnerable members of our community.”

At GHIRP, we continue advocating for immigrant children and families through direct legal representation, federal litigation, advocacy, and community support.

Behind every case is a human being deserving of dignity, safety, healing, and hope. 💚

GHIRP's Community Immigration Program provides trusted immigration legal services to hundreds of individuals and familie...
07/14/2026

GHIRP's Community Immigration Program provides trusted immigration legal services to hundreds of individuals and families across Houston and Galveston.

Through this program, we offer Know Your Rights presentations, monthly Walk-In Days, legal consultations, pro se assistance, representation before USCIS, and advocacy in immigration court, helping immigrant families understand their rights and navigate an increasingly complex immigration system.

The Immigration Naturalization Service Fund (INSF) that supports much of this work is ending, while the need for these services continues to grow.

Every day, more families turn to GHIRP for trusted legal guidance, citizenship applications, family reunification, humanitarian relief, and protection of their rights.

Without new funding, the Community Immigration Program may be forced to significantly reduce these critical services at a time when our community needs them most.

💚 Help us ensure immigrant families continue to have access to the legal support they deserve.

Donate today: ghirp.org/donate

🚨 Every child deserves due process. Every child deserves to be heard.A new investigation by the reveals that the federa...
07/09/2026

🚨 Every child deserves due process. Every child deserves to be heard.

A new investigation by the reveals that the federal government may be planning to transfer unaccompanied immigrant children to Texas in an effort to accelerate deportations, raising serious concerns about children's access to legal representation and a fair legal process.

Unaccompanied children are some of the most vulnerable people in our immigration system. Many have escaped violence, persecution, trafficking, or abuse. U.S. law recognizes these risks and offers protections to help keep them safe and ensure they have access to justice.

We should all be concerned by reports that these protections might be weakened or ignored. Children should not be rushed through immigration cases without real access to a lawyer or a fair hearing.

At GHIRP, we are committed to standing up for unaccompanied children and making sure they get the legal help they need.

📰 Check out the Texas Tribune investigation and find out how you can help protect unaccompanied children. Link: https://tr.ee/8rnvBPYRJ0

💚 Every child deserves safety. Every child deserves due process. Every child deserves justice.

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P. O. Box 36329
Houston, TX
77236

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Friday 9am - 5pm

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