“What you are doing at the Florence Project changes lives. I appreciate you guys and everybody that supports you.”

This Veteran’s Day, we thank Mauricio and all of the immigrants who have served the U.S. Thank you for your service!

That set a key legal precedent for Mauricio to reenter the U.S. as a legal permanent resident in 2022. “I want my family to have all those comforts and privileges that are in America -- safety, education, freedom.That's what we're really striving for,” Mauricio says.

Kari brought a case to the Ninth Circuit Court (Cheneau v. Garland) in collaboration with partners that overturned a rule unnecessarily restricting certain people, such as Mauricio, from becoming U.S. citizens. The new rule protects people who are in fact U.S. citizens from being wrongfully deported

When Mauricio’s case was referred to Florence Project Appellate Attorney Kari Hong, the ACLU had already been working for several years to correct the injustice of his detention, deportation, and subsequent incarceration, after he was being convicted for returning to the U.S.

We refuse to back down. But we need you. Thank you for standing with people who need us now, more than ever.

Make a gift today at donate.firrp.org/FNL25

*Pseudonyms

Visit act.supportkind.org/page/84069/a... for more. #ProtectSIJSYouth

*Pseudonyms to protect privacy.

The deportation of SIJS youth must be stopped. Join us in calling for the return of Elias and Brayan and for the safety of all SIJS youth! We are calling on the public to help us #BringTheBrothersHome. Swipe through to find out how you can take action now to support.

Instead, ICE detained and deported the brothers to Guatemala, despite the fact that a Louisiana state court and USCIS had determined it was not in the best interests of the brothers to go back to Guatemala.

The two brothers, Elias* and Brayan*, were living in Louisiana with their father when they accompanied him to what should have been a routine immigration appointment.

Take action by signing a petition to stop dangerous immigration detention expansion: actionnetwork.org/letters/464b...

Thank you for standing with immigrants and honoring all of the lives lost in immigration detention or while in migration.

*Artwork by Rommy Sobrado-Torrico

The Trump admin's mass detention expansion is exacerbating inhumane conditions that are inherent to ICE’s detention system and have been well documented for decades. Over the last nine months, there have been increasing reports of death, medical neglect, isolation, overcrowding, and more.

This beautiful tradition offers a chance to connect and reflect. We celebrate the lives lived, while also remembering and grieving those who’ve passed tragically in immigration custody or while in migration to seek refuge in the U.S.

Read Dominic’s full story in our 2024 Annual Report: firrp.org/annual-repor...

*Pseudonym

In 2024, five years after he first met the Florence Project, Dominic stood before an immigration judge and was granted lawful permanent residency.

“This place has helped me grow,” he told us. “It gave me the chance to make my dreams come true. Next step is my citizenship!”

He returned to school, found community through his church, and held onto hope. When he finally received his work permit, he began building a life—working two jobs, living independently, and discovering a passion for cooking.

Our team helped his brother get legal guardianship and supported Dominic through years of complex immigration proceedings. He faced long delays and moments of deep uncertainty, but he never gave up.

He spent six months in U.S. detention, first in a freezing hielera (icebox), then in a perrera (cage), and finally in a shelter. That’s when Dominic found the Florence Project.

By 16, Dominic made the painful decision to leave everything behind and journey north in
search of safety and his brother in the U.S. The journey was long and dangerous. Alone, he
tried to cross the desert—his hands bloodied by cactus thorns—before turning himself in.

Thank you, National Compadres Network for bringing us all together and creating a safe space for discussion and reflection. Visit nationalcompadresnetwork.org to learn more about the powerful work they do!