Category: In the News
New York Times: ‘It’s Like an Automatic Deportation if You Don’t Have a Lawyer’
“Spurred on by these findings, Judge Katzmann’s study group decided to create the New York Immigrant Family Unity Project in 2013, with the goal of creating a pilot program for universal representation that could eventually be expanded to represent every detained immigrant with a hearing at the Varick Street Immigration Court. The City Council funded the pilot […]
BronxNet News: Today’s Verdict – ADP
Our Elizabeth Williams and Robyn Goldberg are interviewed about our Adolescent Defense Project and their work in it defending minors. Watch the full interview starting at 11:45 here
New York Women’s Foundation: The Justice Fund Grantee Partners
“As public defenders representing more than 20,000 people a year in the criminal legal system, we understand the importance of closing Rikers,” said Justine Olderman, Executive Director of The Bronx Defenders. “But closing Rikers will not, by itself, result in a fairer pre-trial system. With support from the New York Women’s Foundation, we are harnessing […]
Santa Barbara Independent: Defending Santa Barbara’s Most Vulnerable
“Holistic Defense is making a tangible difference in the lives of clients and changing the way they perceive the criminal justice system. These were some of the goals in mind when FSA and OPD applied for a funding grant in 2017 to launch the pilot program. The program is one of only a handful in […]
BronxNet: The Bronx Defenders’ Annual Block Party
Reporter Ashley Tiffaney visits The Bronx Defenders’ Annual Community Block Party in the Melrose section of the Bronx. A day of performances, music, pony rides and more in celebration of how low-income homes are represented in the justice system. See the full video here
Open Minds: Interdisciplinary Legal Representation For Parents Involved In Abuse or Neglect Cases Resulted In 118 Fewer Days In Foster Care
“Interdisciplinary legal representation of parents facing child abuse or neglect child welfare cases, whose children entered foster care in New York City, resulted in 118 fewer days in foster care for the children affected. On average, a child who enters out-of-home care will spend 658 days in foster care through 48 months of petition filing […]
Gay City News: LGBTQ Point Person Named at NYC Corrections
“Deborah Lolai, a criminal defense attorney and LGBTQ crime specialist with the Bronx Defenders, said during a City Council hearing on May 1 that “the majority of trans women who I represent who have been incarcerated have been in a male facility. Contrary to what has been testified to, they are not there by choice.” […]
New York Amsterdam News: Inmates Deal with no AC in Bergen County Jail
“The Bronx Defenders, The Legal Aid Society, and Brooklyn Defender Services are also speaking about the conditions at the Bergen County Jail. The organizations provide free legal representation through the New York Immigrant Family Unity Project to detained immigrants with pending cases at the Varick Street Immigration Court. In a joint statement the organizations said […]
Gothamist: Immigration Court Interpreters Say Video Teleconferencing Makes It Difficult To Do Their Jobs
“Sophia Gurulé said that because they are experiencing their hearings through video, her clients often end up confused. She said she finds herself explaining important aspects of a hearing, such as whether her client was given the right to get out on bond, after the fact. “They’ll say, ‘I don’t even know what happened,’” Gurulé […]
North Jersey: Air conditioning repairs at Bergen County Jail continue as region braces for more hot days
“The continued air conditioning issues at the facility, which houses federal immigration detainees for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, have sparked outcry from some attorneys and immigration activists. The Legal Aid Society, Brooklyn Defender Services, and the Bronx Defenders, organizations that provide free legal representation through the New York Immigrant Family Unity Project, said they have heard multiple […]