Immigrant Rights
Working to create an immigration system consistent with our highest values — because immigrant rights are civil and human rights
At The Leadership Conference, we believe America is made better by immigrants. America is made stronger by families who lay down new roots here, by refugees who find new lives and freedoms here, by employees who bring new energy and ideas. And America is made brighter by all who choose to call this country home.
But for decades, our immigration policies have failed us. Our system for allocating visas is woefully inadequate, forcing many would-be immigrants to wait in line for years or even decades and driving many others to come through dangerous, unregulated channels.
Instead of reforming the system to keep up with demand and grow our economy, Congress and the executive branch persistently respond through new harsh and inhumane enforcement measures — separating immigrant children from their parents, creating fast-track deportation systems that lead to more mistakes, putting more people in for-profit immigration jails, or simply creating humanitarian crises across the border.
We support immigration reform that includes more paths to citizenship for longtime immigrants, fair and humane enforcement that is consistent with our values, family reunification, and strong civil rights protections for new working immigrants as well as for people who have been here all their lives.
When opponents of immigration reform try to stir up economic fears to pit communities of color against each other, or when they openly advance racist ideologies and conspiracy theories, our coalition will continue speaking out and pushing back. 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, 2018, 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
The Ending of Title 42 Is Long Overdue; We Must Ensure an Immediate Fair and Just Immigration Process
WASHINGTON — Maya Wiley, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement on the lifting of Title 42 and the migrant expulsion policy originally adopted by the Trump administration to turn away people seeking asylum at the U.S. border.