On Thursday, April 20, 2017, justice reform leaders and supporters joined the Vera Institute of Justice for Vera’s 11th Annual Gala, Reimagine Justice.
Honorees discussed approaches to criminal justice reform and the future of the movement in a very different federal climate. Samuel David Flores Murillo, a client of Vera’s recently expanded New York Immigrant Family Unity Project (NYIFUP), gave a moving speech about the need for increased support for immigrant families and communities.
Assessing the Impact of Legal Representation on Family and Community Unity
This study evaluates the impact of the New York Immigrant Family Unity Project (NYIFUP). NYIFUP is the nation’s first public defender system for immigrants facing deportation—defined as those in removal proceedings before an immigration judge. Funded by the New York City Council since July 2014, the program provides a free attorney to almost all de ...
As outrage against the federal agency rises, leaders must demand accountability from law enforcement as a whole.
Across the United States, people are furious about the violence and unaccountability of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). At the beginning of this year, nearly two-thirds of voters said ICE had gone “too far,” and half said they supported abolishing ICE entirely. In a more recent poll, 58 percent of respondents who heard about the Jul ...
Two incarcerated interns reflect on finding purpose, professionalism, and possibility through Vera.
Interning while incarcerated is an experience few people have the opportunity to talk about. This summer, we joined the Vera Institute of Justice (Vera) as incarcerated interns, contributing to individual projects while navigating the realities of prison life. Although we shared the same goal of gaining experience in the social justice work environ ...