OCTOBER 16, 2025
ASSOCIATED PRESS
By: Valerie Gonzalez
A new initiative launched Thursday seeks to provide immigrants with free access to lawyers by donating funds to legal service providers that work in legal deserts, areas near U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement detention centers, or communities with large immigrant populations.
Defending Our Neighbors Fund, created by the American Civil Liberties Union, United We Dream and Abundant Futures Fund, aims to raise $30 million. It already raised $10 million before its public launch.
Money will go to nonprofit legal service providers that have seen their budgets shrink, such as those providing representation for unaccompanied child immigrants.
“So one lawyer can mean one more family kept whole. One fund can mean one more future protected,” Greisa Martinez-Rosas, executive director of United We Dream, said.
