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Legal Services Must Continue: Help Us Raise $500,000

Critical funding has stopped. Their cases have not.

Justice for all Immigrants urgently needs to raise $500,000 to sustain legal services following funding losses affecting our unaccompanied children and deportation defense programs. Children and people facing deportation still have hearings to attend and deadlines to meet. We need your support to keep their legal representation going.

On July 31, 2026, the federal contract with the Acacia Center for Justice ended, disrupting a nationwide network of nearly 100 legal service providers, including JFAI. Acacia warned that more than 20,000 unaccompanied children were at risk of losing the attorneys helping them navigate complex immigration proceedings.

Separately, funding for JFAI’s deportation defense work through the Harris County Immigrant Legal Services Fund was halted following a June 26 Texas Supreme Court order blocking disbursements.

Federal law requires the government to ensure, to the greatest extent practicable, that eligible unaccompanied children have counsel in legal proceedings. Yet funding interruptions are undermining the organizations that provide that representation.

JFAI continues representing 43 unaccompanied children after Acacia funding ended. Their attorneys have earned the children's trust, know their histories, and are best suited to continue their cases. Without replacement support, these children could lose the trust and guidance they've built over the years as their proceedings continue.

Please make an emergency gift today to help these children keep their attorneys.

Daniel knows how funding loss can interrupt legal help. After losing his parents at an early age, he came to the United States as an unaccompanied child, hoping to build a future and support his grandmother. When his previous attorney’s nonprofit lost funding, that attorney referred him to JFAI.

During more than a year in detention, JFAI continued to represent Daniel and keep him informed.

“I honestly didn’t know what to do during the year I was confined,” he shared. “They have never left me alone and have always supported me.”

After his release, Daniel began working in roofing and rebuilding his daily life. His immigration case remains pending, but he can begin supporting his family.

“I have a job, I can help my family, and I have peace of mind,” he said.

Your gift helps sustain the legal work behind that continued support, from gathering evidence to preparing clients for court. It helps keep attorneys beside children and people facing deportation through cases that can take months or years.

Please help JFAI raise $500,000 so our clients don't face their next hearing alone. Their cases cannot wait.

*Illustration used to protect the client’s privacy.

Slamhain II: A Community Rallies to Keep Immigration Legal Services Going

On October 23 and 24, Slamhain II brought musicians and community members together to support JFAI. The benefit concerts gave attendees a way to turn their concern for immigrant families into support for the legal services they need.

A notably young crowd filled the venue with energy that JFAI Legal Director José L. Martinez described as “absolutely electric.” José attended alongside colleague Karina Espinoza.

One singer’s account made the cause deeply personal: their own father had been targeted by ICE and placed in detention. The experience shared from the stage reflected the fear and separation that families in our communities face. For someone in detention, an attorney can provide essential guidance, explain their options, and advocate for them while their future remains uncertain.

Through their music, time, and contributions, the people behind Slamhain II helped bring attention and support to a pressing need. JFAI has lost nearly half the funding supporting critical programs, yet children and people facing deportation still need representation. Their hearings and filing deadlines continue, even when funding ends.

Community support helps sustain the legal work behind each case: reviewing evidence, preparing applications, and standing beside clients through proceedings that can shape their lives.

We thank the organizers, musicians, volunteers, attendees, and donors who made Slamhain II possible. Coming together around this cause helps keep legal assistance within reach for families who might otherwise struggle to obtain it.

Please donate today to help keep JFAI’s legal services going for children and people facing deportation.

Connecting Families with Legal Guidance and Community Support

Knowing where to turn for reliable immigration information can be an important first step toward seeking help. Throughout October, attorney Gabriela López-Compeán connected with listeners, community members, and researchers to share legal information and better understand families’ needs.

On October 2, she joined KPFT 90.1’s Alerta de Inmigrantes to discuss concerns about detention and the immigration legal services available through JFAI. She shared that many families are seeking answers about their options and that survivors of domestic violence often fear seeking help because of possible immigration consequences.

“We also see a lot of people coming into our consultations just for an answer,” she said.

The interview gave listeners a starting point for finding trustworthy guidance rather than relying on rumors.

Want to hear the full conversation? Click here to listen to the KPFT interview.

On October 14, a virtual presentation hosted by the Laredo Immigrant Alliance brought information about immigration relief to 15 women. The discussion covered the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), U visas, and T visas, helping participants learn about potential legal options for survivors of domestic violence and other crimes.

On October 19, Gabriela attended a virtual Community Advisory Board meeting with Rice University’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research. Participants discussed maternal health among immigrant women and preliminary research findings. JFAI contributed a legal services perspective while learning about needs that extend beyond an immigration case.

These connections help JFAI bring legal information into the community and better understand the families we serve.

Need immigration legal help? Call 713-454-6470 to ask about scheduling a consultation, or visit justiceforallimmigrants.org.

*Illustration used to protect the clients' and participants' privacy.

THANK YOU!

As always, we would like to express our appreciation to our supporters, whose donations have a profound impact on the lives of our clients.