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IMMIGRANT LEGAL RESOURCE CENTER

Working with and educating immigrants, community organizations, and the legal sector to help build a democratic society that values diversity and the rights of all people
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Local Policy Interventions for Protecting Immigrants

Local policies are the main drivers of policing, prosecution, and the deportation machine. This resource provides examples of effective policy language localities can use to protect community members.
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Issues/Areas of Expertise

Asylum
Citizenship and Naturalization
Civic Participation
Community Resources
Crimes
DACA
Detention
Enforcement
Family-Based
Immigrant Youth
LGBT
Policy Advocacy
Post-Conviction Relief
Prosecutors
Public Charge
Removal Defense
U Visa/T Visa/VAWA

Projects and Networks

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Immigrant Justice Network

The Immigrant Justice Network (IJN) engages in advocacy, education, technical assistance, training, communications, and litigation to address the needs of those caught in the intersection of the criminal justice and immigration systems.
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New Americans Campaign

The New Americans Campaign (NAC), a project of the ILRC, is a nonpartisan, groundbreaking national network of legal-service providers, faith-based organizations, businesses, foundations and community leaders that is paving a better road to citizenship.
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Collective Freedom Project

The Collective Freedom Project tells the stories of the local efforts where people — both U.S. citizens and non U.S. citizens — came together to fight unique campaigns against criminalization in their communities.
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United Coalition for Immigrant Services

United Coalition for Immigrant Services is a partnership between two collaboratives comprising 16 organizations that provide free and low-cost immigration legal services to children, families, and older adults in Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties.

Latest Items

Toolkit & Reports
Resources

Immigration Relief Toolkit for Criminal Defenders
Publication Date
12/10/2024
Many noncitizen defendants are already deportable (“removable”). This includes all undocumented people, as well as lawful permanent residents (green card-holders) who have become deportable because of a conviction. If immigration authorities find these people – which is likely to happen – they will be deported unless they are granted some kind of immigration relief.   For these defendants, staying eligible to apply for immigration relief is their most important immigration goal, and may be their highest priority in the criminal defense.
Toolkit & Reports
Resources

Centering Directly Impacted People in Immigrant Justice Work: A Framework
Publication Date
06/10/2025
The Immigration Legal Resource Center (ILRC) has developed a comprehensive framework to enhance its engagement with directly impacted community members. This framework is designed to systematically involve these individuals in the ILRC’s activities, ensuring that their voices and experiences are central to our work.
Toolkit & Reports
Resources

2023 Annual Report
Publication Date
06/01/2024
The ILRC has published its 2024 Annual Report, which includes information about the initiatives the organization took that year, as well as the organization's financial position.
Toolkit & Reports
Resources

2024 Annual Report
Publication Date
06/04/2025
The ILRC has published its 2024 Annual Report, which includes information about the initiatives the organization took that year, as well as the organization's financial position.
FAQs & Explainers
Resources

Community Resource on Freedom of Information Act Requests
Publication Date
06/05/2025
The Freedom of Information Act is a law that established the right of public access to certain executive branch information from the federal government. This step-by-step guide helps advocates and community members better understand how to make such requests to attain data about themselves or others from USCIS.
Practice Advisory
Resources

Immigration Consequences of Prop 36 and Other New California Offenses: Part One, Controlled Substance Offenses
Publication Date
06/03/2025
This advisory discusses the immigration consequences of a conviction for a controlled substance offense under California Prop 36, specifically Cal. H&S Code § 11395. This advisory explains the immigration consequences of a criminal plea to a Prop 36 controlled substance offense. It outlines criminal defense strategies for defenders to avoid these pleas and outlines removal defense strategies for immigration practitioners where the plea cannot be avoided.

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