Organization Description:

Esperanza is a non-profit organization that serves vulnerable low-income immigrants in detention. Esperanza advocates locally and nationally for the just and fair treatment of all immigrants in detention.

Since access to legal resources in detention is limited and most immigrants in detention cannot afford an attorney, Esperanza provides free legal orientations to large numbers of detained immigrants. In these legal orientations, Esperanza teaches about immigration law, legal rights, and what happens in the immigration court system so that people can prepare to represent themselves.

Esperanza represents a small number of detained immigrants in Immigration Court and works to place cases with pro bono attorneys. In addition, Esperanza periodically provides continuing legal education to attorneys interested in immigration law, especially criminal defense and pro bono attorneys.