The Los Angeles Justice Fund
In 2017 the Los Angeles Fund was created as a two-year grant through collaborative funds sourced by LA City, LA County, and Philanthropic partners such as the California Community Foundation and the Weingart Foundation. Since the fund's creation, ImmDef has worked tirelessly to defend it in order to ensure that LA's immigrant communities have access to life saving legal support.
Four years later, the Los Angeles Justice Fund (LAJF) has proven to be deeply impactful. According to a September 2020 evaluation by the Vera Institute of Justice, "62% of LAJF clients with completed cases achieved outcomes that enabled them to remain in the United States- compared to fewer than five percent among unrepresented immigrants nationwide." LAJF attorneys have helped secure release from custody for 49% of initially detained clients, either on bond or following successful case outcomes.
On January 20, 2021 ImmDef ImmDef joined 112 Signatories in urging that the Mayor of Los Angeles and City Council create permanent and dedicated funding for the Los Angeles Justice Fund. Despite changing administrations, the reality is that critical challenges continue to lie ahead for our immigrant communities. Hundreds of Angelenos continue to be in immigration detention without access to counsel during a pandemic, putting their lives and safety in danger. At the same time we must recognize that while some relief for our immigrant communities could be on the horizon, many of our community members are already facing deportation and need representation now.
ImmDef is working tirelessly alongside community partners to ensure that the public knows about the importance of the Los Angeles Justice Fund. If you would like to support our efforts to save this program, take a look at the resources below.
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