Immigrant Justice Through Litigation
and Storytelling

Our Mission

JAC uses co-equal litigation and storytelling strategies to address unmet needs and build new frameworks to tangibly improve immigrants’ lives.

Our Cases

PCUN v. Noem (Sensitive Locations)

Federal lawsuit led by Innovation Law Lab and Justice Action Center challenging the Trump administration's rollback of decades-old protections against ICE entering sacred spaces such as schools, hospitals, and places of worship.

Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto v. HHS (Unaccompanied Children)

Federal lawsuit led by Amica Center for Immigrant Rights, Immigrant Defenders Law Center, and Justice Action Center challenging the Trump administration's termination of critical legal representation programs for unaccompanied immigrant children.

CHIRLA v. Noem (Expedited Removal)

Federal lawsuit challenging the Trump administration's harmful expedited removal directives for immigrants who've been paroled into the U.S. through CBP one, Operation Allies Welcome and Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela humanitarian parole. The UndocuBlack Network, CHIRLA and CASA, with legal representation from Justice Action Center, filed this suit on behalf of their members and to protect due process.

Svitlana Doe v. Noem (Humanitarian Parole Termination)

Federal lawsuit challenging the Trump administration's termination of successful and popular "categorical" humanitarian parole processes. Eleven beneficiaries, seven sponsors, and organizational plaintiff Haitian Bridge Alliance are suing the Trump Administration to protect the 70-year-old parole authority and the #FreedomToWelcome.

Texas v. DHS (Keeping Families Together Parole)

Federal lawsuit by Texas and 15 other states challenging Keeping Families Together parole process. Eleven directly impacted individuals in mixed status families, and organizational defendant CHIRLA, filed a motion to intervene, arguing that they should be parties to the case so that their perspectives are considered by the court.

ImmDef v. DHS (Unaccompanied Children)

Federal lawsuit challenging the Trump and now Biden administration's practice of denying unaccompanied children previously subjected to Remain in Mexico their congressionally mandated protections.

Texas v. DHS (CHNV Parole)

Federal lawsuit by Texas and others states challenging the humanitarian parole programs for Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela.

Gomez v. Biden (2020 Diversity Visas)

Federal lawsuit on behalf of family-based immigrant visa petitioners, diversity visa 2020 lottery winners, and non-immigrant employment-based visa sponsors challenging President Trump’s 2020 immigration bans, and subsequent appeal by the Biden Administration's judge's order to process 9,095 2020 diversity visas.

Haitian Bridge Alliance v. Biden (Abuse of Haitian Migrants in Del Rio, TX)

Federal class action lawsuit brought on behalf of 11 Haitians and HBA against the Biden administration for their abuse of thousands of asylum seekers who sought safety in Del Rio, TX in September 2021.

Litigation Tracker

This interactive microsite follows federal immigration litigation through the court system and houses important filings, news coverage, and advocacy tools to advance a more humane and dignified immigration system.

Our Vision

JAC envisions a future where the freedom to move is respected, immigrant narratives are rooted in dignity and belonging, and people seeking safety can access protection through systems that value humanity over exclusion.

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justiceactioncenter

Weaving immigrant justice through litigation & storytelling

Today, #SCOTUS heard oral arguments in cases chall

Today, #SCOTUS heard oral arguments in cases challenging the Trump administration’s attempt to terminate the constitutional right to #BirthrightCitizenship. But let's be clear: this case is about belonging as much as constitutionality.
ㅤ
🔗 Read our full statement via the link in our bio.

“We should not have to live in fear of our famil

“We should not have to live in fear of our families being torn apart” —Reyna Lopez @pcunoregon, one of our plaintiffs in a case fighting to protect sacred spaces.

“It’s a public church except if you’re ICE. They have to go through me, really they should go through God."- Reverend W.J. Mark Knutson, Augustana Lutheran Church

Our founder and director, Karen Tumlin, wrote a pi

Our founder and director, Karen Tumlin, wrote a piece in @time on the unprecedented attacks on lawful immigration pathways and its impact on communities nationwide.

"The Trump Administration has rarely attempted to do things the “right way,” despite their harsh law and order messaging. But the concept of immigrants doing things “the right way” has been manipulated into a gnarled, hateful narrative—a sort of mythical boogeyman—which Trump and his allies will often warn of: the “illegal criminal migrant” is infiltrating our pristine white communities."

Swipe through for snippets from the piece and find the full article 🔗 in our bio!

🥳📣Good news for your feed! Yesterday, an app

🥳📣Good news for your feed! Yesterday, an appeals court denied the Trump admin's request to pause a ruling that protects the lawful status of hundreds of thousands of humanitarian parole beneficiaries.

Our communities were flooded with executive orders right after inauguration that put many at risk and sought to incite fear. But our organization and many others were prepped and ready to fight back and we'll keep fighting to protect each other, the #freedomtowelcome and the #freedomtomove.

Swipe to learn what a "class" is and where to get more information!

Yesterday, we joined thousands across the country,

Yesterday, we joined thousands across the country, from LA to Salem, in powerful unity proclaiming: “One Struggle, One Fight, All Workers Unite!” for #MayDay2025

Just as we called for intersectional justice and demanded fair wages, safe workplaces and a pathway to citizenship for our communities, we also celebrated our resilience, power and joy. A necessary reminder that there can be joy in resistance📣🌟💚

We spoke to Zach Montague @nytimes about our lawsu

We spoke to Zach Montague @nytimes about our lawsuit seeking to protect sacred spaces, check out the full article 🔗in bio!

🔊 NEW: On behalf of community organizations, pl

🔊 NEW: On behalf of community organizations, places of worship and other safe spaces, we're suing the Trump administration to protect the places where communities congregate from ICE!

💌 Why? Sacred spaces should remain sacred. All of us, regardless of what we look like or where we were born, should feel safe at school, at the doctor’s office, or at a house of worship. The Trump administration announced that ICE now has free reign to arrest people in these sacred spaces, threatening their sanctity for everyone. We’re filing this lawsuit to bring back the decades-long guidance that keeps these safe spaces safe for all.

Stay tuned for updates!

The children behind the headlines: right now, the

The children behind the headlines: right now, the Trump administration is trying to cut off 26,000 children from their attorneys, placing these vulnerable kids at risk of deportation.

No child should be expected to go to court alone. To support and defend kids navigating this system, visit tinyurl.com/protect-kids!

Today, @immdef_lawcenter, @amica.center, and JAC are back in court today in CLSEPA v HHS, to protect unaccompanied children, and on behalf of plaintiffs who represent unaccompanied kids! @estrella_del_paso
@CLSEPA @The_Florenceproject @ghirp_texas @immigrantjustice @Rmian_org @Socialjusticecollaborative @vtasylum @n.w.i.r.p @vtasylum

#ProtectKids #UnaccompaniedChildren #SaveUCP

Repost: @acaciajustice

🗣️JOB OPPORTUNITY!📢 JAC is now accepting a

🗣️JOB OPPORTUNITY!📢 JAC is now accepting applications for a Staff Attorney and Counsel position!

These are both full-time, 100% remote positions with ample benefits, time off, summer Fridays, professional and wellness funding and much more!

Check out the full position description at our website or the link 🔗 in bio.

📣⚡️NEW RESOURCE‼️ Introducing JAC’s U

📣⚡️NEW RESOURCE‼️ Introducing JAC’s Updated Immigration Litigation Tracker— an interactive microsite that previously tracked legal challenges to immigrant inclusive policies under the Biden administration and now tracks lawsuits filed to protect immigrant rights under this administration!

From efforts to defend TPS, humanitarian parole, birthright citizenship, funding for unaccompanied children and more, we've compiled information on all these lawsuits in one place, searchable by location or topic. It includes:

✅ Decoded, simple summaries of court cases
✅ Technical summaries for litigators
✅ Updates + court filings
✅ Advocacy tools + news links
✅ Glossary + FAQ explaining legal terms

Visit✨litigationtracker.justiceactioncenter.org✨ to try it out and subscribe to our biweekly newsletter to receive updates straight to your inbox!

📣🥳 Good News: We won! A federal judge in Mas

📣🥳 Good News: We won! A federal judge in Massachusetts ruled against the Trump administration today, halting its attempt to revoke the legal status and work permits of half a million people who came to the U.S. through the CHNV humanitarian parole process.

In the ruling, up to six pages included the stories of our clients, illustrating the urgency of this protection and the power of centering directly impacted communities in these fights for justice.

Thank you to all those who showed up to the hearings and have supported our work defending the #freedomtowelcome!

🔊🚨Noticia sobre parole humanitario desde una

🔊🚨Noticia sobre parole humanitario desde una audencia hoy en nuestro caso Svitlana v. Noem! Gracias a todo que estaban en el corte con nosotros, la sala del juzgado se llenó con varios miembros afectados incluyendo nuestra organización demandante @haitianbridge y mas.

🔊🚨UPDATE on #humanitarianparole: JAC + @huma

🔊🚨UPDATE on #humanitarianparole: JAC + @humanrightsfirst just had our 2nd hearing this week in Boston in Svitlana Doe v. Noem + the judge indicated that she will rule soon to stay (block) the revocation of parole. It was a packed courthouse w/ many impacted members in attendance.

The judge noted that regardless of what admin created the program, people should be allowed to complete their parole. She tentatively plans to rule to block the revocation of parole by April 24th before the admin’s FRN goes into effect. We’ll share the decision once it’s out!

Thank you to all the community members who showed up in court today, including Boston city council president @ruthzee4boston, CHNV sponsors, beneficiaries and organizational plaintiff @haitianbridge

Hi, from Boston! 👋 JAC and @humanrightsfirst we

Hi, from Boston! 👋 JAC and @humanrightsfirst were here today arguing in Svitlana Doe v. Noem to protect and preserve humanitarian parole processes from the Trump Admin’s efforts to terminate them. Updates from the courtroom👇

JAC and @humanrightsfirst priorities today included:

1️⃣ Seeking immediate, temporary relief through a preliminary injunction, ensuring people already here via these lawful pathways don’t have the rug pulled out from under them.
2️⃣ Bringing our clients’ voices & perspectives into the courtroom. We shared several stories to make it clear just who is being harmed by the parole terminations.
3️⃣ Seeking class certification, ensuring everyone harmed by the parole terminations has access to the relief that could come from rulings in this case.

The judge’s questions focused on:

📃 Clarifying the many emails/memos the Trump Admin has sent about humanitarian parole
💚 Considering the possibility of the class certification that we are seeking
⚖️ Ensuring the U.S. govt complies with a ruling, should she provide one (👀)

Today’s hearing was long & thoughtful, and we aren’t done! Stay tuned for updates in our next hearing, THIS THURS, 4/10, in Boston, which will focus on the CHNV humanitarian parole process.

👐 Updates will also be available at https://justiceactioncenter.org/case/svitlana-doe-v-noem/

#FreedomToWelcome

Una noticia sobre la audencia hoy en nuestra deman

Una noticia sobre la audencia hoy en nuestra demanda para proteger parole humanitario!

Today, we defended humanitarian parole against the

Today, we defended humanitarian parole against the Trump administration’s unlawful moves before a federal district court in Boston, MA. While we await the judge’s decision on whether to issue a temporary restraining order on the unlawful pausing of these processes, the next hearing has already been set for April 7th.

We’re fighting to ensure that the hundreds of thousands of beneficiaries in the U.S. who’ve benefitted from these parole processes are not being unfairly held back due to the Trump administration’s latest orders. We’re also fighting for their sponsors and communities across the country, who deserve to continue to have the #FreedomToWelcome.

w/ @humanrightsfirst

BREAKING: The Trump admin has issued an “unpubli

BREAKING: The Trump admin has issued an “unpublished” Federal Register Notice (FRN) revoking the lawful status of hundreds of thousands of beneficiaries of the “CHNV” humanitarian parole process for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans. The final “published” version of the FRN will be posted on March 25. Swipe to learn what this will mean for impacted communities!

Though we anticipated this, we know it is still extremely disappointing. What we also know is that this fight does not end here. In fact, on Monday at 11am in Boston, we'll have our first hearing in Svitlana Doe v. Noem, on our preliminary injunction motion asking the court to block the termination of these parole processes. The hearing is open to the public and we'll share updates here next week! w/ @humanrightsfirst

🔗➡️ Spanish and Haitian Kreyol translations of a legal decoder on this notice coming soon to our website at justiceactioncenter.org/news

🚨UPDATE: Veterans, active-duty members of the m

🚨UPDATE: Veterans, active-duty members of the military, families of unaccompanied children, and others have joined our Svitlana Doe v. Noem lawsuit challenging the Trump Administration’s termination of humanitarian parole processes that has thrown their lives in chaos.

“Our clients have done everything the government has asked of them and more, only to have the rules changed on them. Their stories aren’t unique: Upwards of 1 million people have been harmed by the Trump administration’s callous and cruel terminations, and they all deserve fair treatment by the government they trusted.” - Laura Flores-Perilla, Staff Attorney @justiceactioncenter

On behalf of 18 beneficiaries and sponsors of humanitarian parole and @haitianbridge, JAC + @humanrightsfirst’s lawsuit now defends the #FreedomToWelcome and families through Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela Humanitarian Parole, Uniting for Ukraine, Operation Allies Welcome, Military Parole-in-Place, Family Reunification Parole, and Central American Minors Parole processes.

🔗 Read our full statement: https://bit.ly/SvitlanaDoevNoemExpanded

The latest DACA update this week! The case is back

The latest DACA update this week! The case is back in Judge Hanen’s court, but nothing has changed yet. DACA renewals continue nationwide. This is an evolving situation, and other legal challenges are possible. We will continue to provide you with updates as new information becomes available.

Repost: @informed_immigrant🌟 For support, check out InformedImmigrant.com/DACA-help! They have great resources.

“Donald Trump and his government are saying that

“Donald Trump and his government are saying that humanitarian parole is illegal. That has nothing to do with reality. The reality is that humanitarian parole has been a part of our immigration system, and has been an executive power, for more than 70 years.” JAC’s Deputy Director, Adela de la Torre, spoke to Telemundo about our lawsuit challenging Trump’s termination of humanitarian parole.

“Donald Trump y su gobierno están diciendo que el parole humanitario es ilegal. Eso tiene nada que ver con la realidad. La realidad es que el parole humanitario ha sido parte de nuestro sistema de inmigración, and ha sido un poder ejecutivo, por mas que 70 años.” JAC subdirectora Adela de la Torre habló con Telemundo 51 en Miami sobre nuestra demanda impugnando la terminación del parole humanitario.

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