Pennsylvania Immigration and Citizenship Coalition

#SavePAIFUP

May 27 2020    Action Archive

ACTION DEADLINE: June 30, 2020

Because of Philadelphia’s strong leadership, the Pennsylvania Immigrant Family Unity Project (PAIFUP) provides publicly funded legal representation to immigrants in court.

While people accused of crimes are entitled to government-funded counsel to assist in their defense, immigrants facing deportation are not. As a result, many immigrants go unrepresented, facing detention and deportation alone. And yet, the government prosecuting these cases always have publicly-funded representation.

Publicly funded attorneys are supported by an overwhelming majority — 87% — of people surveyed in the US and are many immigrants’ last line of defense against deportation and being separated from their families. Especially during a global pandemic, legal representation in court can mean the difference between life or death for immigrants, with significant public health considerations for the broader community. 

The proposed revised Philadelphia executive budget eliminated all funding for PAIFUP — $200,000 — in FY21. Help restore funding for PAIFUP and ask Philadelphia City Councilmembers and Mayor Kenney to commit to continuing to protect Philly’s immigrants, families, and communities.

Download the toolkit and contact City Council today!

If you want to learn more about universal representation, see the Advancing Universal Representation toolkit from the Vera Institute, NILC, and CPD.