National Immigrant Justice Center Explained

The National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC) is a center affiliated with the Heartland Alliance in the United States that "is dedicated to ensuring human rights protections and access to justice for all immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers."^[1] Its executive director is Mary Meg McCarthy^[2] and it is headquartered in Chicago.^[1]

Programs

NIJC has a number of programs dedicated to helping immigrants and affording them legal representation and protection:^[3]

• Jeanne and Joseph Sullivan Program for Protection of Asylum Seekers: This is a network of approximately 1000 pro bono lawyers who seek to defend asylum rights.^[4]
• Defenders Initiative: This initiative seeks to provide information to defenders in criminal cases at the federal, state, and local level so that they can provide better advice to their clients on the potential immigration consequences of being convicted of crimes.^[5]
• Gender Justice Initiative: This upholds the rights of immigrant women, and helps those who are victims of domestic violence and crime.^[6]
• Detention, Democracy and Due Process Project: This aims to uphold the due process rights of immigrants held in detention or subject to deportation.^[7]
• Immigrant Children's Protection Project: This aims to protect the rights of detained and non-detained immigrant children who may be subject to deportation.^[8]
• Immigrant Legal Defense Project: This offers free and low-cost legal representation and related services to immigrant families in need.^[9]
• Counter-Trafficking Project: Provides comprehensive legal services and case management for children and adult survivors of human trafficking.^[10]
• LGBT Immigrant Rights Initiative: Defends equal protections for LGBT immigrants.^[11]

External coverage

Media coverage

NIJC's work has been cited in articles about immigration, immigrant detention, and refugees in the New York Times^{[12] [13] [14]} the Wall Street Journal,^[15] The Guardian,^[16] and numerous other publications.^{[17] [18] [19]} Letters from the editor by NIJC's executive director have been published by the NYT^{[20] [21]} and WSJ.^[22]

See also

• American Immigration Lawyers Association
• Federation for American Immigration Reform
• Immigration Policy Center
• National Immigration Law Center

Further reading

• 10.1080/10282580.2013.798506 . 6895684928 . The criminalization of immigration and the privatization of the immigration detention: Implications for justice . Contemporary Justice Review . 16 . 2 . 251–63 . 2013 . Ackerman . Alissa R . Furman . Rich .

Notes and References

1. Web site: About NIJC. August 8, 2014. National Immigrant Justice Center. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140812084627/https://www.immigrantjustice.org/about-nijc. August 12, 2014.
2. Web site: NIJC Staff. August 8, 2014. National Immigrant Justice Center.
3. Web site: Programs. National Immigrant Justice Center. August 8, 2014.
4. Web site: Jeanne and Joseph Sullivan Project for Protection of Asylum Seekers. National Immigrant Justice Center. August 8, 2014.
5. Web site: Defenders Initiative. August 8, 2014. National Immigrant Justice Center.
6. Web site: Gender Justice Initiative. National Immigrant Justice Center. August 8, 2014.
7. Web site: Detention, Democracy & Due Process Project. August 8, 2014. National Immigrant Justice Center.
8. Web site: Immigrant Children's Protection Project. August 8, 2014. National Immigrant Justice Center.
9. Web site: Immigrant Legal Defense Project. National Immigrant Justice Center. August 8, 2014.
10. Web site: Counter-Trafficking Project. National Immigrant Justice Center. August 8, 2014.
11. Web site: LGBT Immigrant Rights Initiative. National Immigrant Justice Center. August 8, 2014.
12. News: Innocents at the Border: Immigrant Children Need Safety, Shelter and Lawyers. The Editorial Board. June 16, 2014. August 8, 2014. New York Times.
13. News: Aid Groups Allege Abuses of Young Border Crossers. Preston. Julia. June 11, 2014. August 8, 2014. New York Times.
14. News: Sick Detained Immigrant to Appeal to U.N. for Help. Bernstein. Nina. June 24, 2010. August 8, 2014. New York Times.
15. News: Correct the Record, Rights Groups Say After DoJ Admits Mistake . Bravin. Jess. May 4, 2012. August 8, 2014. Wall Street Journal.
16. News: Immigration groups allege abuse of migrant minors by US border patrol. Alliance of immigration and civil rights organisations file complaint claiming 'widespread and systematic' abuse of unaccompanied migrant children in border agency control. McVeigh. Karen. June 11, 2014. August 8, 2014. The Guardian.
17. News: Groups cite 'horrific' conditions at immigrant detention center. The Hill. Goad. Benjamin. July 24, 2014. August 8, 2014.
18. News: Rep. Gutierrez responds to Sen. Kirk's remarks on immigrant children. Skiba. Katherine. July 11, 2014. August 8, 2014. Chicago Tribune.
19. This Baptist Charity Is Being Paid Hundreds of Millions to Shelter Child Migrants. Altman. Alex. August 4, 2014. August 8, 2014. Time.
20. News: Lawyers for Immigrants. May 4, 2011. August 8, 2014. New York Times. Mary Meg McCarthy.
21. News: The Failures of Our Immigration Detention System. Mary Meg McCarthy. January 28, 2009 . February 5, 2009 . August 8, 2014. New York Times.
22. News: Showing Compassion To Young Immigrants. Rep. Jason Chaffetz is misguided in his claims that the rise in child migration to the U.S. results from a blanket desire for amnesty.. Mary Meg McCarthy. February 9, 2014. August 8, 2014. Wall Street Journal.