Defending against the Increasing Criminalization of
Our Immigrant Communities

Who We Are

The Problem

"Bustin' Out"

Immigrant Youth Justice Initiative (IYJI)

"Sentenced Home"

Additional Resources

Who We Are 
IJN collaborative partners include:

• Angie Junck of The Immigrant Legal Resource Center
• Paromita Shah of The National Immigrant Project of the National Lawyers Guild
• Benita Jain & Michelle Fei of The Immigrant Defense Project
• Ann Benson of The Washington Defender Association’s Immigration Project

Aditionally, IJN works alongside other key organizations such as the Detention Watch Network and The Rights Working Group, who also address similar and related issues.

The Goals of IJN’s Work

• Restore a sense of balance to the immigration legal system so that laws are more just and procedures more fair.   Under current immigration law, the overly broad definition of an “aggravated felon” includes many who have been charged with minor violations of criminal law and subjects them to lifetime exile from their families and communities.  We are working to narrow the classification of who can be deemed an “aggravated felon” to reflect common sense, proportionality, and the American system of justice; to give people have a fair day in court; and to bring back judges’ power to hear cases and make individual determinations.


• Stop the dramatic expansion of laws and polices that disproportionately increase the impact of immigration consequences of crimes and delinquency, even for minor offenses.


• Stem the tide of immigration enforcement within the criminal and juvenile justice systems which subvert the core principles and purposes of these systems, make communities less safe, and erode due process.


• Heighten public awareness of how government policies and actions are continuing to criminalize immigrant communities. Build alliances with other social justice movements and governmental agencies within immigrant advocacy, child welfare, racial justice, and criminal juvenile justice systems by encouraging and supporting them to incorporate these issues into their own work.

How IJN Works to Accomplish These Goals
Alliance Building
IJN builds relationships with other social justice organizations and networks, such as the juvenile justice and criminal justice coalitions, to inform them of the intersections of their work with the immigration system and to assist them in incorporating IJN’s priority issues into their work.

Public Education and Technical Assistance
IJN uses its expertise in the intersection between the immigration and criminal and juvenile justice systems to share information and provide support to networks, groups, and local and state officials and advocates that are affected by these highly complex issues. For example, it conducts trainings and creates resources to highlight the intersections between these two systems while tying them to other social justice movements.

Messaging
IJN provides support to organizations and networks on how talk about these highly complex issues in the media, the general public, and other forums.  IJN also proactively works to encourage more media to cover these issues so that the public and legislators are increasingly aware of what is happening to noncitizens and the American system of justice.