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Event: We've Got the Power A Virtual Event on the Power of District Attorneys in Criminal Justice

District attorneys wield enormous power in the criminal legal system. They have the power to decide the fate of people accused of crimes at every stage of a criminal case. They have tremendous sway over other actors throughout the criminal legal system, including policing practices and enforcement. We, the people, have the power to influence how they operate. On July 15, 2020 the Vera Institute of Justice was joined by Big Freedia, prosecutors, public defenders, advocates, organizers, and others for an interactive virtual event with music, art, and discussion.

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The Lawyers on the Front Lines of the War on Immigrants

The Trump administration is inflicting unprecedented violence and cruelty on immigrants. Legal service providers are trying their best to protect them, even as the system crumbles.

Maria Chavez has seen firsthand the horror her clients are living with. After fleeing violence in Sudan, Yousif* applied for asylum in the United States. Chavez, the legal director for the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans, represented him through the process. During a break in proceedings as the judge considered his application, t ...

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More People Are in Immigration Detention Than Ever Before

Vera’s research reveals what ICE is not sharing with the public and the vast scale and human cost of Trump’s immigration agenda.

Recent reports show that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is currently holding more than 59,000 people across the United States—a record and unprecedented high. To imprison such an enormous group of people, ICE has built a massive, nation-spanning network of detention centers. Beyond the notorious stateand federally-run facilities like th ...

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October 02, 2025
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ICE Is Still Terrorizing Los Angeles: Local Leaders Need to Show the Country How to Protect Our Communities

With Washington, DC, now facing the racial profiling and militarized policing that have made LA less safe, local leaders can show the country how to rebuild trust.

Over the past two weeks, the country’s eyes have turned toward Washington, DC—many with horror, some with delight. The streets of the capital now swarm with federal agents, National Guard soldiers, and federalized police targeting people for supposed threats to public safety like sleeping outside or even throwing a sandwich. This worst of this occ ...

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August 21, 2025
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