PAIFUP

News from the fight for freedom, safety and dignity for all immigrants

detained or facing deportation in Pennsylvania.

January 2025 | Issue 1

What's Happening?

Welcome to 2025! As always PAIFUP will continue to fight for a more just immigration system and strive to reflect the needs of those experiencing deportation and detention. And we will continue to work alongside our community partners to assist the immigrant community.

PAIFUP secured the release of 2 community members thanks to the efforts of our legal services and community partners. Please read the client stories below.

Also, check out some articles from around the PA immigrant community.

Client Story: Victor

Victor is a lawful permanent resident who arrived in the United States as a child and has lived here for over 14 years. After a routine trip home to visit family, Victor was summoned to the airport and detained on the basis of a minor criminal offense that had resulted in only probation (to which criminal defense counsel had advised him to plead guilty despite having not committed the offense, and, moreover, despite such a plea's potentially dire immigration consequences). Following a team visit to Moshannon in October 2024, PAIFUP began representing him in his removal case. While detained, Victor was sadly not able to be present with his fiancée for the birth of their first child together. In December 2024, counsel successfully moved for the termination of his immigration proceedings, then sought his release from custody on bond, which the court also granted. Victor has been able to reunite with and resume supporting his partner and their newborn, as well as his young son and stepchildren. Backed by his family and community, PAIFUP will continue to represent Victor in any further appellate proceedings and related advocacy.

Client Story: Dev

Dev is an asylum seeker from India, who affirmatively applied for asylum based on religious persecution but never received an interview for his claim. After being falsely charged with criminal offenses in a case of mistaken identity, he was detained by ICE at Moshannon Valley Processing Center in December 2023. PAIFUP attorneys began representing him in February of 2024. At the time of his detention, Dev was unable to fight the criminal charges against him due to being in ICE custody. His PAIFUP attorney facilitated getting Dev to criminal court to handle the charges, which were all ultimately dismissed. Following those dismissals, he was returned to ICE custody, where his PAIFUP attorney requested his release on bond. The Immigration Judge agreed that he merited bond and ordered him released on a low bond of $1,500 in December 2024. Upon release, his attorney was able to get him work authorization by fixing a prior application that he had filed, and he has returned to work in Philadelphia, PA and to his church community. Dev looks forward to pursuing his immigration case in a non-detained setting with his PAIFUP attorney by his side.

In Other News

Despite President Donald Trump's executive orders on immigration, Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey says the city will welcome immigrants

After a slew of executive orders targeting America's immigration system from President Trump, Mayor Gainey said the city will be welcoming.

DHS changes ICE policy to let agents make arrests in schools, churches

Local advocates of the immigrant community say they will not stop their work after the Trump Administration gives the go-ahead for ICE agents to make arrests in so-called "sensitive areas" like hospitals, churches or schools. NBC10's Shaira Arias reports.

Immigration advocates brace for Trump's Day 1 deportation orders that could target 47,000 in Philadelphia

President-elect Donald Trump has promised mass deportations. That could include thousands of people living in Philadelphia.

Members of Pittsburgh's immigrant community react to ICE raids across the country

Channel 11 met a woman from Guatemala who asked not to use her name or show her face. She's living and working in the Pittsburgh area legally.

What undocumented immigrants should know if they are detained

Immigration authorities arrested nearly 1,200 people in one day on Sunday. Director of Immigration Practice at Brooklyn Defender Services Ellen Pachnanda joins Ana Cabrera to talk about efforts to make sure undocumented know their rights if they are detained.

Surveillance video shows apparent ICE raid at North Philadelphia car wash

The apparent raid at the Juniata Park car wash comes amid ICE raids playing out in cities across the United States with the Trump administration taking aim at undocumented immigrants.

Catch up on the previous issue here!

Questions? Comments? News worth sharing? Send Yomayra Burgos, our PAIFUP coordinator, an email at yburgos@pirclaw.org.

The Pennsylvania Immigrant Family Unity Project (PAIFUP) is a collaborative of nonprofit organizations in Pennsylvania formed in order to achieve universal representation for detained immigrants facing removal proceedings in PA.