FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 27, 2022

CONTACT
Email: [email protected]
Emily Morris, 213-457-7458
Madison Allman, 202-384-1279

NILC Publishes Know Your Rights Resource on Abortion Access for Immigrants

WASHINGTON — A new “Know Your Rights” guide for immigrants addresses common concerns and provides information on how to access abortion, particularly for people who are undocumented and other non-U.S. citizens.

The resource, published today by the National Immigration Law Center, follows the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey. The guide is available in Arabic, Chinese (traditional and simplified), English, Haitian Creole, Korean, Spanish, Tagalog, and Vietnamese. Amid a rapidly changing legal landscape for abortion access, the guide also uplifts additional resources so immigrant communities and advocates can stay up-to-date on access to reproductive care in each state.

Marielena Hincapié, executive director of the National Immigration Law Center, said:
“Everyone deserves autonomy over their own bodies and futures. Many immigrants already face significant obstacles to accessing abortion and reproductive health care, including travel barriers, inability to take time off from work, and lack of access to health insurance more broadly. Abortion is health care, and it is vital that everyone who seeks abortion care can access it safely and equitably.”

View the full resource here: KNOW YOUR RIGHTS: Abortion Access for Immigrants

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 19, 2022

CONTACT
National Immigration Law Center, Juan Gastelum, [email protected], 213-375-3149
Southern Poverty Law Center, Anna Núñez, [email protected], 334-201-9236

FEDERAL COURT PRELIMINARILY APPROVES CLASSWIDE SETTLEMENT OF CIVIL RIGHTS LAWSUIT CHALLENGING WORKPLACE ICE RAID

A federal court preliminarily approved the settlement, which provides for over $1‌‌‌‌ million to workers targeted by federal agents because of their ethnicity

KNOXVILLE, TN — On Oct. 19, a federal judge preliminarily approved a class settlement of a lawsuit challenging an April 2018 immigration raid. The settlement provides over $1 million to workers detained as part of the raid, which took place at a meat processing plant in East Tennessee and was, at the time, the largest workplace raid in nearly a decade. The plaintiffs allege that armed U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) officers illegally targeted the Latinx workers for detention, excessive force and false arrest.

The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee granted the plaintiffs’ and individual defendants’ motion to preliminarily approve the settlement of the class action claims against federal agents from the IRS and DHS (including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection). Class members are approximately 100 Latinx workers who were detained during the workplace raid. The Court ordered class counsel to notify class members of their rights under the settlement. Class members must submit claim forms within 90 days of receiving notice of the settlement to claim their benefits. The settlement also resolves the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) claims of six individual plaintiffs against the United States.

In August, the Court certified the case as a class action in a precedent-setting decision, paving the way for class wide relief for the unlawful policing and racial profiling alleged in the lawsuit.

Under the $1.175 million settlement, class members will receive a total of $550,000 and, upon request, a letter from ICE confirming their membership in the class that can be included in any applications for immigration relief. The settlement also requires the United States to pay $475,000 to the six individual plaintiffs to resolve their FTCA claims, including excessive force and unlawful arrest, and $150,000 in attorneys’ fees and expenses to SPLC and NILC. The Court has scheduled a final approval hearing on Feb. 27, 2023.

The following statements are provided by:

Michelle Lapointe, senior staff attorney, National Immigration Law Center
“This historic settlement, once finalized, will provide a measure of justice to dozens of Latinx workers who bravely fought back when federal agents violated their rights. It is a testament to the power of a community who — rather than cower — came together and organized, in the face of the previous administration’s hateful campaign to demonize and instill fear in immigrant communities. We are pleased with this important step toward achieving justice for our courageous plaintiffs and look forward to continuing toward resolution in their case.”

Meredith Stewart, senior supervising attorney, Southern Poverty Law Center’s Immigrant Justice Project
“This settlement marks a historic moment for immigrant workers in America. The Latinx workers took a stand against federal agents targeting them because of their ethnicity. This unprecedented settlement, once finalized, will show law enforcement officers that there are consequences for unlawful policing and racial profiling, even when aimed at low-wage, immigrant workers. The resolution of this case restores a measure of justice to the workers and reaffirms the rights of all workers in this country.”

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BACKGROUND:
Isabel Zelaya, et al. v. Robert Hammer, et al. was filed on Feb. 21, 2019. Plaintiffs are represented by the National Immigration Law Center (NILC), the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), pro bono attorneys Eben P. Colby, Jeremy A. Berman, Arthur R. Bookout and the law firms of Sherrard Roe Voigt & Harbison and Sperling & Slater. On April 5, 2018, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), with assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the Tennessee Highway Patrol and the Morristown Police Department, executed the largest workplace immigration raid in nearly a decade, detaining approximately 100 Latinx workers at an east Tennessee meat processing plant, violating their civil rights.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 19, 2022

CONTACT
Email: [email protected]
Emily Morris, 213-457-7458
Madison Allman, 202-384-1279

NILC Welcomes Interim Executive Director and Announces Promotions to New Vice President Roles

WASHINGTON — The National Immigration Law Center (NILC) and the NILC Immigrant Justice Fund (IJF) today welcomed Sara K. Gould as the new interim executive director of both organizations, with Marielena Hincapié set to depart in November. The organizations also announced the recent promotions of Will Dempster to vice president of strategic communications; Lisa Graybill to vice president of law and policy; and Raha Wala to vice president of strategic partnerships and advocacy.

Gould recently served as chair of the Board of Directors for NILC and IJF and a member of the NILC Board Executive Committee. She will oversee NILC and IJF until a permanent President is hired.

Marielena Hincapié, outgoing executive director of the National Immigration Law Center and the NILC Immigrant Justice Fund, said: I am proud to have led NILC and IJF for over 14 years and advanced immigrant justice for over two decades with a stellar team, and I feel grateful that I can pass the baton to Sara and our leaderful organization. Sara’s unwavering commitment to the mission and the organizations will enable the continuity of NILC and IJF’s work.”

Angela Banks, NILC’s board chair, added: “Sara is a trusted leader who is uniquely qualified to serve as interim executive director, given her knowledge of our strategic framework, our boards, and our current operations. I am also confident that the recent promotions to NILC’s new vice president roles will allow the organization to continue to grow in size and impact at a critical moment in our country. NILC is full of inspiring leaders, and it is well-prepared to continue to lead the movement for justice for low-income immigrants.”

Sara K. Gould, new interim executive director of the National Immigration Law Center and the NILC Immigrant Justice Fund, said: “I am honored to serve as Interim Executive Director of the National Immigration Law Center and the NILC Immigrant Justice Fund. For decades NILC has been a national leader in litigation, policy and advocacy for immigrants’ rights. More recently, the IJF has begun the work of building power for immigrants as a key political constituency. I look forward to advancing our missions alongside the talented and committed staff who work tirelessly on behalf of low-income immigrants and their families.”

Gould has dedicated her career to advancing racial, gender, and economic justice. In addition to serving on the NILC board for the last 10 years and the IJF board for five years, Gould is an experienced executive, leader and strategist. She previously was president and CEO of the Ms. Foundation for Women, where she served in various programmatic and executive roles over 25 years. She also previously worked for Caring Across Generations as associate director, where she advocated for caregivers, older adults, and people with disabilities, focusing on those from vulnerable communities. Gould was also a senior fellow in social justice philanthropy at The Atlantic Philanthropies, co-founded and co-directed the Steinem Initiative at Smith College, and is a past board member of Community Change, the Proteus Fund and the Proteus Action League.  

Gould holds a B.A. from Grand Valley State University and a Master’s Degree in City and Regional Planning from Harvard University. She is the recipient of both the Changing the Face of Philanthropy Award from the Women’s Funding Network and the 21 Leaders for the 21st Century Award from Women’s eNews. 

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 5, 2022

CONTACT
Email: [email protected]
Emily Morris, 213-457-7458
Madison Allman, 202-384-1279

NILC Statement on Fifth Circuit Decision in Texas v. United States

WASHINGTON — Marielena Hincapié, executive director of the National Immigration Law Center, issued the following statement after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit issued a decision on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy.

The Fifth Circuit largely upheld a lower court ruling finding the 2012 memo that established DACA unlawful, but it will allow DACA renewals to continue temporarily and has sent the case back to the lower court to consider the Biden administration’s new DACA regulation, which is set to go into effect on October 31.

“While the Fifth Circuit’s troubling decision does not change who can currently apply for or renew DACA, immigrant youth cannot be expected to continue to live with the constant uncertainty wrought by politicized attacks on the policy.

“DACA is a successful and commonsense policy that has transformed lives, improved our economy, and strengthened our nation. It is legally and morally right, but it was always meant to be temporary.

“Today’s decision makes clear that the writing is on the legal wall, and we cannot sit by awaiting another adverse ruling by the lower court, the Fifth Circuit, or ultimately the Supreme Court. This underscores the urgency for Congress to deliver a permanent legislative solution for immigrant youth, who need the permanency and stability of a pathway to citizenship. This is a solution that is widely supported by the public, and Congress must follow through. We urge President Biden to wield his political and legislative prowess to achieve this much-needed legislative victory swiftly.”

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