Florence Immigrant And Refugee Rights Project Inc

THE FLORENCE PROJECT PROVIDES AND COORDINATES LEGAL SERVICES AND RELATED SOCIAL SERVICES TO INDIGENT MEN, WOMEN, AND UNACCOMPANIED CHILDREN DETAINED IN ARIZONA FOR IMMIGRATION REMOVAL PROCEEDINGS.

IN 2021, WE PROVIDED HIGH-QUALITY LEGAL AND SOCIAL SERVICES TO OVER 24,000 THOUSAND IMMIGRANT CHILDREN AND ADULTS FACING REMOVAL PROCEEDINGS IN ARIZONA. OUR CLIENTS INCLUDED INDIVIDUALS IN IMMIGRATION DETENTION CENTERS EXPERIENCING THE WORST COVID-19 OUTBREAKS IN THE COUNTRY AND FAMILIES AND YOUTH AT THE BORDER UNABLE TO APPLY FOR ASYLUM BECAUSE OF CURRENT BORDER POLICIES. OUR CHILDREN'S PROGRAM DELIVERED "KNOW YOUR RIGHTS" PRESENTATIONS TO 11,495 UNACCOMPANIED CHILDREN. WE MET WITH 10,673 CHILDREN TO PROVIDE INDIVIDUAL CASE ASSESSMENTS. WE REMINDED EACH CHILD THAT THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO SAFETY AND PRIVACY WHILE IN GOVERNMENT FACILITIES. WE INQUIRED AS TO THE LENGTH OF THEIR STAYS IN DETENTION AND ASKED THE CHILD IF THE GOVERNMENT POSED OBSTACLES TO THEIR REUNIFICATION WITH FAMILY. WE ADVOCATED ON THEIR BEHALF IF THEY WERE SEPARATED FROM THEIR CAREGIVERS OR DENIED MEDICAL CARE. ALMOST 500 CHILDREN RECEIVED FULL LEGAL REPRESENTATION. WE TOOK SWIFT ACTION TO PROVIDE THE MOST ZEALOUS OF REPRESENTATION AVAILABLE TO FIGHT FOR OUR CLIENTS SUCH AS FILING FOR ASYLUM, VARIOUS HUMANITARIAN VISAS, AND EMPLOYED POWERFUL LITIGATION STRATEGIES. WE RESPONDED TO OVER 150 CASES OF FAMILY SEPARATION.OUR LEGAL TEAMS ALSO AIDED 135 CHILDREN WHO WERE UNDER THE AGE OF FIVE MANY OF WHOM WERE PRE-VERBAL OR UNABLE TO EXPRESS WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO THEM. MANY OF THESE CHILDREN HAD A SOCIAL WORKER HELP ASSESS THEIR CASE BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND CHILDREN UNDER FIVE NEED INTENSIVE SUPPORT.WE SERVED DETAINED ADULT INDIVIDUALS AT FACILITIES LOCATED IN ELOY AND FLORENCE. WE PROVIDED CASE ASSISTANCE OVER 4,000 TIMES AND MAILED OVER 8,600 PACKETS WITH LEGAL EDUCATIONAL INFORMATION TO PROVIDE SELF-HELP CASE SUPPORT. TO PURSUE LEGAL STATUS AND AVOID REMOVAL, ADULTS NAVIGATE COMPLICATED AND DIFFICULT LEGAL PROCESSES, ESPECIALLY WHEN APPREHENDED BY IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES. WE PROVIDED DIRECT REPRESENTATION TO 249 ADULTS, INCLUDING 115 PEOPLE WHO WERE APPOINTED OUR COUNSEL AFTER A JUDGE FOUND THEM UNABLE TO REPRESENT THEMSELVES. WE ALSO REPRESENTED ADULTS ON APPEAL AT THE BOARD OF IMMIGRATION APPEALS AND THE NINTH CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS. WE PROVIDED LIFESAVING SOCIAL SERVICES TO 628 PEOPLE. WE KNOW IMMIGRATION REMOVAL PROCEEDINGS ARE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT AND TAKE YEARS TO COMPLETE. IN THAT TIME, A LOT CAN HAPPEN IN SOMEONE'S LIFE WHILE LIVING IN THE COMMUNITY OR BEING DETAINED. OUR SOCIAL SERVICES PROGRAM ENSURES PEOPLE EXPERIENCING SERIOUS PSYCHOLOGICAL CHALLENGES, IN DIRE NEED OF MEDICAL SERVICES, AT RISK OF TRAFFICKING, OR IN NEED OF ADVOCACY ARE SUPPORTED AND SET UP FOR SUCCESS. OUR SOCIAL WORKERS CREATE A BRIDGE FOR PEOPLE TO NAVIGATE NEW PROCESSES THAT ARE OFTEN UNFAMILIAR TO OUR CLIENTS DUE TO THEIR CULTURE, LANGUAGE, OR EXPERIENCE. IN OUR ADULT SOCIAL SERVICES PROGRAM, 65 PERCENT OF THE REFERRALS WERE RELATED TO MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS, INCLUDING SUICIDALITY, COMPETENCY, AND SEVERE TRAUMA. OUR CLIENTS WITNESSED, ENDURED, AND SURVIVED LIFE-THREATENING COVID-19 OUTBREAKS IN DETENTION FACILITIES, A VERY TRAUMATIZING EXPERIENCE. OUR SOCIAL WORKERS STEPPED UP TO HELP OUR CLIENTS RECEIVE CRITICAL SERVICES WHEN THEY NEEDED IT MOST. AT THE BORDER, WE PROVIDED LEGAL ORIENTATIONS TO OVER 2,600 ADULTS IN NOGALES, SONORA, MEXICO THAT DIRECTLY AFFECTED OVER 4,200 PEOPLE WHEN CONSIDERING THE ACCOMPANYING FAMILY MEMBERS. WE PROVIDED INDIVIDUAL CONSULTATIONS TO OVER 1,300 PEOPLE AT THE BORDER TO EXPLAIN CURRENT POLICIES AND TO PROVIDE GENERAL LEGAL EDUCATION ABOUT THE RIGHTS OF ASYLUM SEEKERS. WE SUCCEEDED IN HELPING 2,115 PEOPLE PURSUE ASYLUM CASES SAFELY IN THE U.S. ON ONE DAY ALONE, WE ASSISTED TWO INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE SPEAKERS, THREE WOMEN WITH LATE STAGE PREGNANCIES, ONE WOMAN WITH A HIGH-RISK PREGNANCY (UMBILICAL CORD WRAPPED AROUND BABY'S NECK), AND FIVE REFERRALS OF MEDICAL CONDITIONS, PARTICULARLY FOR CHILDREN (A MINOR CHILD WHO HAS UNDIAGNOSED CONVULSIONS; A MINOR CHILD WITH EPILEPTIC SEIZURES; A MINOR CHILD NEEDING AN EYE OPERATION; AN ADULT SON WITH AN INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY WHO WOULD OTHERWISE BE AT RISK OF FAMILY SEPARATION AND DETENTION; AND AN ADULT WITH A BRAIN TUMOR).WE RUN A ROBUST PRO BONO PROGRAM FOR BOTH CHILDREN AND ADULTS SO THAT LAWYERS OUTSIDE OF OUR ORGANIZATION MAY STAND WITH IMMIGRANTS. WE HAVE FOUND THAT ATTORNEYS IN OUR COMMUNITY WANT TO ADVOCATE FOR PEOPLE SEEKING ASYLUM AND THOSE THREATENED WITH DEPORTATION. IN 2021, WE MENTORED PRO BONO ATTORNEYS THROUGH THE FILING OF 64 FORMS OF RELIEF FOR ADULTS AND CHILDREN, AS WELL AS PROVIDING GENERAL ADVOCACY. OUR PRO BONO PARTNERS TOOK ON VARIOUS LEGAL MATTERS RANGING FROM INDIVIDUAL REPRESENTATION TO MAJOR LAWSUITS. WE ADVOCATED ON BEHALF OF OUR CLIENTS WITH VARIOUS GOVERNMENT AGENCIES. WE OPPOSED THE TITLE 42 BORDER CLOSURE AND THE MIGRANT PROTECTION PROTOCOLS, ALSO KNOWN AS "REMAIN IN MEXICO," BECAUSE THE LAW DICTATES THAT PEOPLE BE ALLOWED TO SAFELY SEEK ASYLUM IN THE U.S.! WE SUED THE GOVERNMENT TO OPPOSE ITS UNJUST TREATMENT OF PEOPLE AT THE SOUTHERN BORDER AND IN DETENTION. WE LITIGATED 40 INDIVIDUAL CASES BEFORE THE CIRCUIT COURTS (THE COURTS IMMEDIATELY UNDER THE SUPREME COURT) WITH MAJOR WINS, RESOLVING EIGHT OF THOSE CASES. ONE OF THE WINS INCLUDED A PUBLISHED NINTH CIRCUIT DECISION FINDING THAT MANY PEOPLE WHO HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN DENIED CITIZENSHIP WERE IN FACT U.S. CITIZENS AND SHOULD NOT BE SUBJECT TO DEPORTATION. WE SIGNED OR DRAFTED OVER 31 AMICUS BRIEFS, FILED 12 ORGANIZATIONAL COMMENTS ON PROPOSED RULES AND REGULATIONS, JOINED 96 JOINT ADVOCACY EFFORTS, PURSUED TWO CIVIL LAWSUITS, AND FILED BOTH MANDAMUS AND HABEAS CORPUS CLAIMS. WE FOUND EVERY POSSIBLE AVENUE TO ADVOCATE ON BEHALF OF OUR CLIENTS, AS WE ALWAYS HAVE AND ALWAYS WILL.