LATINOJUSTICE PRLDEF

LITIGATION: WITH INCREASED LEGAL STAFFING CAPACITY AND CONTINUING PRO BONO LAW FIRM AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, WE CONTINUED TO ENGAGE IN HUMAN AND CIVIL RIGHTS LITIGATION ACROSS OUR CORE ISSUE PILLARS, INCLUDING LEGAL CHALLENGES VERSUS MULTIPLE NEW YORK AND TEXAS LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES ON POLICING AND PRISON DETENTION CONDITIONS AND OBTAINING A COURT DECISION CERTIFYING A CLASS ACTION OF 650 INDIVIDUALS ILLEGALLY DETAINED IN JAIL CUSTODY BY THE SUFFOLK COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE. WE CONTINUE TO LITIGATE CHALLENGES TO UNCONSTITUTIONAL POLICE POLICIES CRIMINALIZING IMMIGRANTS. WE CONTINUE TO DEFEND ACCESS TO EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT IN WORKPLACES AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS ACROSS THE COUNTRY; AND ALSO FILED NUMEROUS WAGE THEFT COMPLAINTS ON BEHALF OF LOW-WAGE LATINA DOMESTIC WORKERS. WE WON A POST-TRIAL DECISION ENJOINING FLORIDA VOTER SUPPRESSION LAW THAT BANNED NONCITIZENS FROM HELPING REGISTER CITIZENS TO VOTE. WE CONTINUE TO CHALLENGE DISCRIMINATION AND OTHER CONSTITUTIONAL VIOLATIONS BY FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, AND FIGHT PRIVATE ACTORS WHO DEPRIVE OUR COMMUNITIES OF WAGES AND ACCESS TO EDUCATION.

ADVOCACY, COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND COMMUNICATIONS: WE PLAYED A CRITICAL ROLE IN SUPPORTING LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY EFFORTS TO ENACT STATE VOTING RIGHTS ACTS IN NJ, MD AND MI. WE ALSO CHAMPIONED LANGUAGE ACCESS EFFORTS IN FL. OUR CRIMINAL LEGAL TEAM FOCUSED ON ENDING GANGS DATABASES IN NYC AND LI AND ON ELIMINATING THE USE OF SOLITARY CONFINEMENT IN FL AND VA. WE ARE WORKING TO CLOSE THE SLAVERY LOOPHOLE FOR THE 13TH AMENDMENT AND TO ENSURE VOTING ACCESS FOR RETURNING CITIZENS FROM INCARCERATION. WE ARE ACTIVELY OPPOSING OPERATION LONE STAR IN TEXAS, ENGAGING WITH COMMUNITY-BASED IMMIGRANT RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS TO IDENTIFY PRIORITIES ALIGNED WITH OUR CRIMINAL LEGAL WORK, AND MONITORING IMMIGRATION COURTS FOR DUE PROCESS VIOLATIONS. WE CONTINUED OUR FORMERLY INCARCERATED PERSONS (FIP) ACADEMY, PROVIDING LEADERSHIP AND PILOT COHORT OF THE ADVOCACY TRAINING TO THOSE SEEKING EMPLOYMENT IN SOCIAL JUSTICE ORGANIZATIONS AND HAVE GRADUATED NEARLY 40 INDIVIDUALS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.