Immigrant Rights
Working to create an immigration system consistent with our highest values — because immigrant rights are civil and human rights
Since 1996 — and especially after 9/11 — our immigration policies have drastically weakened the rights of immigrants. Many immigrants, including long-term legal residents, are torn away from their families under extremely harsh mandatory detention and deportation policies, or rushed through expedited proceedings that result in widespread mistakes and raise significant human rights concerns. In addition, the use of private, for-profit detention corporations has boomed in recent years.
At The Leadership Conference, we believe America is made better by immigrants. America is made stronger by the refugees who seek our shores for safety. And America is made brighter by those who choose to call this country home.
In the past two years, President Trump has forced our nation’s moral standard lower with every outrage and assault against immigrant families. But we have the power to say: No more. We support immigration reform that includes a roadmap to citizenship, fair and humane enforcement consistent with our values, family reunification, and civil rights protections for new working immigrants and those who are already here.
When the right-wing scapegoats immigrants and refugees to advance a white nationalist agenda, our coalition rises above the politics of fear and division. We will continue to protect our most vulnerable communities and demand a home for everyone here in our nation — a nation founded by refugees, immigrants, and those seeking religious freedom.
Families Belong Together
On June 30, the Families Belong Together rally saw more than 35,000 people take to the streets of Washington, D.C. to protest the Trump administration’s horrific family separation policy. The rally coincided with 788 other events across 50 states.
The coalition continues our work to permanently end family separation and detention, seek accountability for the harm that’s been done, and immediately reunite all families who remain torn apart.
Know your rights: The educational rights of immigrant children
The Constitution and the Supreme Court guarantee all children in the United States the right to attend school regardless of their immigration status.
Conozca sus derechos: Los derechos educativos de los niños inmigrantes
La Constitución y la Corte Suprema les garantizan a todos los niños en los Estados Unidos el derecho a la educación pública sin importar su estatus migratorio.
The courts are all that stand between Dreamers and Trump’s deportation force. If you care about immigrants, then you must care about our courts.
Latest News
Trump Temporarily Ends the Shutdown (That He Started)
WASHINGTON – Vanita Gupta, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement after Trump announced his support for a short-term funding measure to temporarily end the shutdown:
Civil Rights, Census Advocates Applaud Ruling to Remove Citizenship Question
WASHINGTON – Vanita Gupta, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference Education Fund, released the following statement after U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman ruled in the New York cases to remove the citizenship question from the 2020 Census form:
Civil Rights Groups Demand Trump Administration Vigorously Protect Students from Discrimination
WASHINGTON – In the last days of 2018, the U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of Justice rescinded the joint Dear Colleague Letter on the Nondiscriminatory Administration of School Discipline.