National Immigrant Justice Center

06/18/2026

NEW EXPLAINER: Congress passed a new law giving the Trump administration’s mass deportation agencies another $70 billion. This windfall for ICE and CBP comes at the expense of health care and community needs and enables widespread assault on rights.

Swipe through our new graphic explainer series to learn:
✅ where taxpayer dollars have gone
✅ the human cost
✅ how Congress must still hold ICE and CBP accountable

Read more on NIJC's website https://immigrantjustice.org/StopICEfunding

06/17/2026

Village of Palatine's Police Department hosted staff from NIJC and Life Span to train various law enforcement agencies on the requirements for U Visa certifications under the law, helping to ensure equal access to immigration remedies for crime victims in the state of Illinois!

We're grateful for partnerships like these that help strengthen trust within our communities.

06/17/2026

Founded in 1984, the National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC) works to ensure all immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers in and around Chicago have access to legal counsel and a fair day in court. By combining direct legal services with strategic advocacy and litigation, NIJC works to transform the immigration system.

Across Chicago, hundreds of nonprofit organizations – and the people who power them – show up every day with unwavering dedication to strengthen our communities, rise to meet challenges, and support neighbors in need.

Learn how this community changemaker is protecting the rights and dignity of others: https://www.cct.org/stories/protecting-the-rights-dignity-of-all-national-immigrant-justice-center/

06/16/2026

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT 🚨: Congress passed a new law giving mass deportation agencies $70 billion in additional funding.

Read our new blog explaining 1) where taxpayer dollars have gone, 2) why Congress must divest from ICE & Border Patrol, and 3) what Congress can do now to help our communities:

Congress gave the Trump administration’s mass deportation agencies an additional $70 billion, instead of prioritizing our communities needs.

06/16/2026

Today, fourteen years after immigrant youth won DACA protections through organizing and advocacy, the program now faces some of the most serious threats in its history, putting families and communities at risk.

At a recent hearing led by the Chicago Committee on Immigrant and Refugee Rights, NIJC’s Cecilia Mendoza testified about the history of the DACA program, NIJC’s work with our community members who are DACA recipients, and the increasing need to fund immigration legal services.

WATCH Cecilia's testimony and learn why continued advocacy for immigrant youth and all undocumented community members matters now more than ever: https://immigrantjustice.org/blog/nijc-testifies-at-the-chicago-committee-of-immigrant-and-refugee-rights-hearing-on-daca-and-the-legacy-of-daca-recipients-2/

06/13/2026

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS ⚖️: NIJC's Jessica Banuelos, a staff attorney on our Detention Project team, has important guidance for our community members.

In this video, she explains what to do if you or a loved one is detained by ICE, how to locate someone in immigration detention, find qualified legal help, avoid immigration scams, and more.

For more info and resources, visit: https://immigrantjustice.org/for-immigrants/know-your-rights/what-do-if-you-or-loved-one-detained/

WATCH and share your questions & thoughts in the comments!

06/12/2026

Thank you for making the 27th Annual National Immigrant Justice Center Human Rights Awards such an incredible event. ✨

Nearly 1,000 people joined us to celebrate human rights champions and support NIJC's work to defend due process protections and expand access to legal counsel for our community members! Congratulations again to our awardees: Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, Viator House of Hospitality, ITW, and Jenner & Block.

Thank you to everyone who attended, sponsored, donated, and volunteered, you made this event a success. 💙 Check out some photos from the event:

06/12/2026

Today ICIRR and our members participated in the Chicago Committee On Immigrant and Refugee Right's hearing at City Hall on the current status of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, also known as DACA. DACA recipients from ICIRR, Centro Romero, and National Immigrant Justice Center gave testimonies and shared their personal stories, explaining how they have been impacted by recent attacks on DACA and the issues with the temporary nature of the program.

Thank you to Brighton Park Neighborhood Council, World Relief Chicagoland, Illinois Workers in Action, Northern Illinois Justice for Our Neighbors-NIJFON, for participating in public comments and Centro de Trabajadores Unidos and United African Organization for mobilizing members to join us!

Our demand is clear: Congress must move forward legislation like Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929, which would provide a clear and simple avenue for people in the US for at least seven years, including DACA recipients, to gain lawful permanent resident status and ultimately become full citizens of this country!

Access to DACA has been limited, and we must continue to ensure immediate relief and demand the pathway to legalization that our communities deserve.

If you need citizenship or DACA application renewal assistance, or a scholarship to cover DACA renewal fees, reach out to ICIRR’s New Americans Initiative program (NAI) at icirr.org/nai

06/12/2026

This month, pro bono attorneys and summer associates from Kirkland & Ellis LLP participated in a Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) predicate order clinic. After learning the nuts and bolts of the SIJS process, pro bono teams assisted 6 families with 10 petitions benefitting 12 children.

Thank you to our pro bono network for advancing NIJC's mission to provide safety and stability to immigrant community members.

06/10/2026

“When so many Americans are struggling to make basic ends meet, it is unconscionable for Congress to send this money to ICE and CBP," said NIJC's Director of Policy Azadeh Erfani.

Instead of prioritizing the needs of everyday people and families, Congress has passed a $70 billion funding bill for ICE & CBP despite concerns about inhumane treatment of people in detention and violence against our communities.

Nearly 50 people have died in ICE detention since the beginning of last year. We continue to demand not one more dollar for ICE and Border Patrol.

Read NIJC's full statement here:

Congress passed a bill to send about $70 billion in new funding to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), nearly one year after writing the Trump administration another blank check with taxpayer money worth over $170 billion.