PAIFUP News from the fight for freedom, safety and dignity for all immigrants detained in Pennsylvania.

September 2020 | Issue 4 View as Webpage

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AUGUST RECAP In August York County Prison experienced a COVID-19 outbreak, with over 73 ICE detainees testing positive. This outbreak limited communication, affecting our ability to screen individuals and speak to our clients. However, we continue to advocate for their release! Also, this was our last month with Maggie, our legal fellow. We wish her much success in her clerkship. Lastly, our website is now published. Find it here!

Client Success: Meet Juan

Juan was screened for PAIFUP in late August. He had been incarcerated since January due to a DUI and had been transferred from county jail to ICE detention twice in that time. In August when he was put into contact with a PAIFUP attorney, the goal was to request a bond. In about 4 days, Juan's PAIFUP attorney worked together with Juan's partner to gather supporting documents for his bond application. Juan was given a bond of $12,000. Juan's PAIFUP attorney contacted The Freedom Fund Network, an organization that helps pay bonds for members of the LGBTQ+ community. Within 5 days of contacting this organization and with a combination of funds from Juan's partner and The Freedom Fund Network, Juan's bond was paid, and he was released from detention after almost 9 months. *Client's name has been changed to protect anonymity.

Michelle Angela Ortiz, Studio Art

Staff Highlight Lilah joined PAIFUP in March 2020 as a staff attorney.  What do you enjoy most about your position? I love that this work is truly a team effort that goes beyond making legal arguments in front of the court. This work necessarily involves representing clients at hearings and ensuring that their rights are being protected, but it also involves walking through the immigration process with clients and their families to lessen the uncertainty of what the future might hold. In a system that is complex, confusing, and often rushed, my goal is to be there for my clients every step of the way to ensure that they understand the process and feel supported so that they can fully participate in their representation. PAIFUP’s mission is to provide this opportunity to every detained individual in Pennsylvania and it is a mission that I am proud to be a part of.

We Are Stronger Together: Meet Our Affiliates Casa San Jose is a community resource center in Pittsburgh that advocates for and empowers Latinos by promoting integration and self-sufficiency. It serves as a base of support for English language learners, helping them to access services – especially, services for children, youth, and families. Learn about their programs here.

In Other News

Las Madres de Berks Las Madres de Berks: Stories of detained immigrant families — and the fight to shutter Pa.’s oldest family prison Read more whyy.org

Video Immigration Hearings Surge Under Trump Administration Video immigration hearings are rising as ICE puts more migrants in distant immigration jails, and they're subject to a lot of technical and transparency difficulties. Read more documentedny.com

York County Prison officials make changes after spike in ... York County Prison has introduced additional mitigation efforts after an increase in positive COVID-19 tests among inmates. "This increase, while disappointing, is not unexpected based on the number of positive cases in York County ..." Read more www.ydr.com

Catch up on the previous issue here

The Pennsylvania Family Unity Project (PAIFUP) is a collaborative of nonprofit organizations in Pennsylvania formed in order to achieve universal representation for detained immigrants in removal proceedings in PA.