FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: media@vera.org

WASHINGTON, DC – This weekend, the Trump administration issued an executive order threatening sanctions against lawyers and law firms that bring lawsuits against the federal government, specifically attacking immigration lawyers who defend people targeted by the government. This is a gross overreach by the Trump administration and a further escalation in its attacks on immigrant families, due process, and democracy.

Nicole Melaku and Shayna Kessler, co-leaders of the Fairness to Freedom campaign for universal representation, issued the following statements:

Nicole Melaku, executive director, National Partnership for New Americans, said: “Lawyers who represent immigrants, voters, or underserved communities promote a properly functioning legal system where everyone has a fair chance to understand and defend their rights. President Trump is going after lawyers because they uphold the rule of law and stand in the way of his cruel plans to tear apart immigrant families. By abusing his power to threaten the lawyers or law firms whose litigation he doesn’t like, the president is ensuring that we are no longer living in a democracy, but under an authoritarian regime.”

Shayna Kessler, director, Advancing Universal Representation initiative, Vera Institute of Justice, said: “The right to a fair day in court isn’t optional—it’s a constitutional guarantee. No one should have to face the government alone in high-stakes immigration court proceedings. The Trump administration must reverse course to maintain the integrity of our legal system and our democracy. Instead of being intimidated by this outrageous exercise, members of the legal community will continue to do their job of protecting people’s rights and holding the government accountable to the Constitution.”

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Fairness to Freedom: The Campaign for Universal Representation was launched by the National Partnership for New Americans and the Vera Institute of Justice in April 2022 with a coalition of over 200 organizations and legal service providers. The campaign’s goal is to support the passage of the Fairness to Freedom Act to establish a federal right to representation for all immigrants facing deportation.