Defending New Yorkers
Immigration Defense
Fighting detention and deportation
Immigration Defense Practice
Fighting detention and deportation
Nearly a third of the residents of the Bronx were born outside the United States, and many face the unprecedented threat of detention and deportation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Our attorneys help people facing criminal, family, and civil proceedings make informed and strategic decisions to protect their rights. We are also one of the three public defender organizations leading the nation’s first-ever universal representation program for detained immigrants facing deportation.
Our Approach
For over two decades, The Bronx Defenders has tailored our holistic defense model to meet the unique needs of New Yorkers—regardless of immigration status. We support people at every stage—before, during, and after legal system involvement—by intervening early, helping them apply for immigration benefits, and defending those at risk of deportation.
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Early Intervention and Mitigation.
Every holistic defense team at The Bronx Defenders includes a full-time immigration attorney. From the moment someone is arrested or investigated, we assess the risks to their immigration status and work closely with the defense team to avoid outcomes that could lead to detention or deportation. Even minor arrests can trigger serious immigration consequences, so early coordination is critical to protecting families and keeping communities intact.
Helping People Apply for Benefits.
We proactively screen individuals to see if they qualify for immigration benefits—like green cards, citizenship, or protections for survivors of violence. If eligible, we represent them free of charge in applications to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). We also provide legal advice to Bronx residents through our regular community intake process.
Policy Advocacy.
As public defenders, we’ve seen firsthand how leaving xenophobic narratives and stories unchallenged leads to ever-expanding anti-immigrant policies. We fought in 2013 to make New York City the first place in the nation to guarantee universal representation for all detained New Yorkers. And we have been fighting ever since to expand those rights to the entire state.
Defending Against Deportation.
As part of the New York Immigrant Family Unity Project (NYIFUP), we represent detained New Yorkers in deportation proceedings at Varick Street Immigration Court. NYIFUP is the first universal representation program in the country, ensuring that every person detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)—regardless of income, criminal record, or immigration status—has a lawyer in court.