Coalition urges immediate family reunification and legal representation for all immigrant families a

The Trump administration's brutal zero-tolerance policy has resulted in painful separations at the border. But we all know too well, the administration’s racist and xenophobic agenda has ramped up enforcement actions throughout the country, tearing families apart through painful deportations.

Now more than ever, we need to call for legal representation for everyone. With access to legal counsel, families who are mercilessly caught up in Trump’s deportation machinery are five times as likely to win their deportation case and be reunited with their families. Without it, the risk of denying an individual’s asylum application and sending families to a country where they fear persecution or death is simply too high.

This Saturday, as hundreds of thousands of people march denouncing family separation, we must recognize the humanity of all people and protect due process for everyone, including immigrant families and children. We will continue to stand by our values of fairness and justice and fight for a more compassionate California.”

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Established in 2016, the California Coalition for Universal Representation includes legal and community-based organizations seeking to advance and protect due process rights for all Californians, including immigrants. Organizations issuing this statement include: ACLU Foundations of California, California Immigrant Policy Center, California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation, Centro Legal de la Raza, Pangea Legal Services, and Public Counsel.