Immigration Justice Project (IJP) of San Diego

The American Bar Association (ABA) is launching an innovative pro bono immigration pilot project in San Diego, California pursuant to a seed grant from the ABA Enterprise Fund. The mission of the IJP is to promote due process and access to justice at all levels of the immigration and appellate court system, through the provision of high-quality pro bono legal services for those in immigration proceedings in San Diego. Partnering in the project are several ABA entities,* the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), the federal courts, Georgetown University Law Center’s Institute for the Study of International Migration (ISIM), the American Immigration Lawyers Association, and the private bar. The IJP will serve both detained and non-detained individuals, and will recruit, train, and mentor volunteer attorneys and law students representing clients. Through funding from the EOIR, the IJP will also implement a Legal Orientation Program for adult immigration detainees. During the first two years of the project, a study will be conducted by ISIM to evaluate its impact on the immigration court and appellate process.

With no right to government-funded counsel and a high indigence rate, many appear in immigration proceedings pro se. The lack of representation has dramatic consequences, particularly for those fleeing persecution abroad or facing separation from family in the United States. The IJP aims not only to increase access to counsel for immigrants, but to benefit the judicial system as a whole; legal representation results in higher appearance rates, and more fair, efficient, accurate, and consistent decision-making. The number of immigration appeals has skyrocketed in recent years, and the lack of representation places a great strain on the federal courts - more than 50% of all immigration appeals are handled by the Ninth Circuit alone. In addition, “Notarios” claiming to be immigration lawyers or specialists, who prey upon unsuspecting individuals, are increasingly prevalent in the San Diego area and the IJP aims to expand the scope and quality of representation for those who might otherwise become their victims.

To learn more about the IJP, please contact Liz Sweet at sweete@staff.abanet.org.

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*ABA entity partners are: Commission on Immigration, Standing Committee on Federal Judicial Improvements, Section of Litigation, Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service, Judicial Division