Vera is committed to securing equal justice for all people, regardless of race, nationality, or country of origin, and to ending mass incarceration while strengthening families and communities. These bedrock values are under siege on our southern border as immigrants flee violence and persecution in pursuit of asylum, family reunification, and a better life in the United States only to face a “zero tolerance” policy. The obstacles facing unrepresented immigrants, and detained immigrants in particular, are immense as they traverse a labyrinth of American immigration law. Yet almost no non-citizens are legally entitled to government-funded representation, and most go unrepresented, facing permanent separation from their loved ones and often unsafe conditions if deported.
This collection of Vera's work spotlights our efforts to expand legal representation and protect due process for immigrants facing detention and deportation.
No Evidence that Criminal Prosecution Deters Migration
The mass criminal prosecution and incarceration of people entering the country without authorization along the Southwest border has been acclaimed as a success in deterring others from making the same journey. Analysis by the Vera Institute of Justice and Dr. Jonathan Kringen of the University of New Haven, however, shows that there is no evidence ...
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 ...
New York, NY – The Vera Institute of Justice and partner organizations today announced that detained New Yorkers in all upstate immigration courts will now be eligible to receive legal counsel during deportation proceedings. The 2018 New York State budget included a grant of $4 million to significantly expand the New York Immigrant Family Unity Pro ...
A Resource for Practitioners, Policymakers, and Researchers
Every year, thousands of unaccompanied children are detained in the U.S. immigrant system. These children—who are not afforded the right to free public defense—must often navigate a web of laws, policies, and government agencies alone. Vera, with funding from the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), works with a national network of legal service p ...
Attaining Compliance with Immigration Laws Through Community Supervision
This booklet describes the Appearance Assistance Program, highlighting innovative strategies designed to increase compliance.