FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 6, 2024
Contact: Michael Czaczkes, media@vera.org

In response to Donald Trump’s election as President of the United States, Nicholas Turner, President and Director of the Vera Institute of Justice and President of Vera Action, released the following statement:

“For decades, the Vera Institute of Justice has been at the vanguard of reforming the U.S. legal and immigration systems to ensure that they treat all people with dignity. As a result of the programs we have piloted and scaled, thousands of people—regardless of their wealth—have retained their liberty pretrial, thousands of incarcerated people are accessing higher education, and immigrants in deportation proceedings are accessing legal representation.”

“Yesterday's election changes none of that. Vera will still be on the front lines every single day of the Trump presidency to protect the rights of all people while fighting back against the draconian policies laid out during his campaign. Millions of Americans and their families will be irreparably harmed by the Trump administration’s plans for mass deportations and detention camps, the expanded use of aggressive policing, and the validation of unconstitutional practices by law enforcement.”

“It is now even more imperative for Vera and our partners to fight back against injustice at the federal level and to advocate at the state and local level for policies that protect our civil rights and support the critical programs and services needed to build real safety in our communities.”

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About Vera Institute of Justice:

The Vera Institute of Justice is powered by hundreds of advocates, researchers, and policy experts working to transform the criminal legal and immigration systems until they’re fair for all. Founded in 1961 to advocate for alternatives to money bail in New York City, Vera is now a national organization that partners with impacted communities and government leaders for change. We develop just, antiracist solutions so that money doesn’t determine freedom; fewer people are in jails, prisons, and immigration detention; and everyone is treated with dignity. Vera’s headquarters is in Brooklyn, New York, with offices in Washington, DC, New Orleans, and Los Angeles. For more information, visit vera.org.

About Vera Action:

Vera Action is an independent 501(c)(4) organization and the advocacy partner of the Vera Institute of Justice. At Vera Action, we harness the power of advocacy, lobbying, and political strategy to end mass incarceration, protect immigrants’ rights, restore dignity to people behind bars, and build safe and thriving communities.