JFAI Statement: Defending Justice During a Critical Moment
- Lyda Ngin
- Jul 10
- 3 min read
Dear Partners, Supporters, and Friends,
Across Texas, our immigrant communities are facing a series of developments that threaten access to justice, due process, and the legal protections that vulnerable individuals and families rely upon. At Justice for all Immigrants (JFAI), we see the impact of these challenges firsthand through the children, survivors, and families we serve every day.
Recent events underscore the urgent need to protect the rights of vulnerable immigrants and ensure access to justice.
Protecting Unaccompanied Children
Recent reporting has raised serious concerns about plans to relocate unaccompanied immigrant children to Texas, where advocates fear they could face accelerated deportation proceedings. These developments come amid broader efforts to weaken long-standing protections for children. These efforts include threats to end the Unaccompanied Children Program, which is federally funded through the Acacia Center for Justice and supports more than 100 organizations providing legal services, including JFAI. The uncertainty has resulted in shorter-term contracts and months-long delays in reimbursing organizations for these essential services, making it increasingly difficult to sustain support for vulnerable children. Read the recent reporting on these developments.
Children should never have to navigate the immigration system alone. Every child deserves meaningful access to legal counsel and the opportunity to have their case heard fairly. These protections exist because children are uniquely vulnerable, and safeguarding their rights remains fundamental to a just immigration system.
Defending Access to Legal Representation
JFAI continues to experience the impact of the Texas Supreme Court's recent decision, which halted payment of the Harris County Immigrant Legal Services Fund (ILSF). The decision has paused the funding JFAI was selected to receive, creating uncertainty about our ability to continue providing immigration legal services for detained individuals in Harris County.
Access to legal representation can determine whether a family remains together, a survivor finds safety, or an individual secures lawful immigration status. When these services are threatened, the consequences extend beyond individual cases and affect entire communities.
Standing with Our Houston Community
This week, our Houston community was shaken by the fatal ICE shooting that occurred in Houston's East End, just a few miles from JFAI's Houston office.
Our thoughts are with the family of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo and with the community members affected by this tragedy. Incidents like this deepen fear for immigrant families and reinforce the importance of transparency, accountability, and respect for human dignity.
JFAI supports calls for a full, transparent, and independent investigation. Transparency and accountability are essential to maintaining public trust whenever the use of deadly force results in the loss of life.
"We are deeply concerned by the use of aggressive immigration enforcement tactics and the harm they inflict on immigrant communities," shared Joy Green, Executive Director of JFAI. "No individual should have to live in fear of the government. Justice requires accountability as well as respect for the dignity of every person."
Our Commitment
As these challenges continue to evolve, JFAI remains committed to providing trusted immigration legal services, defending due process, and supporting immigrant families. We are grateful for the supporters, partners, volunteers, and advocates who make this work possible. Together, we can continue ensuring that our communities have access to the legal representation they deserve.
Stand With JFAI
Your support helps ensure immigrant children, families, and survivors continue to receive trusted legal representation during this critical time.