FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 17, 2025

CONTACT: media@vera.org

Brooklyn, NY – The Vera Institute of Justice is seeking applications from publicly funded immigration legal defense programs to join the Safety and Fairness for Everyone (SAFE) Network to build and implement legal representation programs at the state and local levels. This unique opportunity will grant jurisdictions up to $100,000 in catalyst funding for one year to establish or strengthen their deportation defense programs.

Through this initiative, the SAFE Network—a collaboration among state and local governments, immigration legal service providers, and advocates—is offering catalyst funding to incentivize public investments in legal representation for immigrants.

Since its inception in 2017, the SAFE Network has been dedicated to addressing the urgent injustices faced by immigrants within the nation’s immigration enforcement system. Rooted in the bold leadership of local communities crafting impactful solutions alongside their government leaders, SAFE demonstrates that states and localities can invest in immigration legal defense to effectively counter harmful federal policies that destabilize families and communities. The network is grounded in the belief that every individual facing deportation deserves high-quality legal representation. Currently, more than 55 jurisdictions have publicly funded immigration legal defense programs. With this expansion, the SAFE Network aims to increase this number.

Said Shayna Kessler, director, Advancing Universal Representation initiative, Vera Institute of Justice: “Due process—the right to fair treatment in legal proceedings—is a foundational principle of the U.S. government and enshrined in the Constitution. Recent federal executive actions have undermined due process by putting more people at risk of deportation, expanding detention, and reducing access to legal representation. Immigration lawyers are a critical last line of defense for communities affected by ICE raids and family separation. The SAFE Network seeks to empower local jurisdictions with the resources they need to enact effective solutions and establish or strengthen their legal representation programs that support immigrant communities.”

Applications are due April 14, 2025, by 11:59 p.m. PT.

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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.