Freedom of Movement in 2023
Giving Tuesday marked the start of our 2023 end-of-the-year fundraising campaign. Now through the end of 2023, we will be sharing with you a closer look at Free Migration Project’s work and why we fight for freedom of movement for all people.
This year we have a goal of raising $15,000 and you can help us achieve more by donating or becoming a sustainer of our work today. Free Migration Project is a small organization with a big impact, and your support makes a real difference for us. Consider donating any amount towards our $15,000 goal today!
In solidarity,
Adrianna, Dave, & the FMP Board
Victories in 2023
- FMP continued to lead the End Medical Deportation Campaign to stop the private removal of undocumented patients by hospitals. In March, FMP mobilized with grassroots partners to stop a hospital in Allentown from deporting an immigrant mother in a coma. We worked with community members, medical professionals, and advocates to support the introduction in Philadelphia city council of the first-of-its-kind bill to prevent medical deportations. We're happy to report that the bill passed by a vote of 14-1 on December 14!
- At the beginning of the year, Free Migration Project celebrated a historic victory, the closure of the Berks County Detention Center. FMP was a key member of the Shut Down Berks Coalition, which fought for years to close the prison.
- We are working with grassroots partner VietLead to reunite families separated by harsh immigration penalties for past convictions. We have collaborated to support several refugees in the Southeast Asian community apply for pardons to restore their immigration status and either return to the U.S. after deportation or remain in the U.S. with their families and community.
- We provided technical support to our partner United Stateless in their effort to engage the Department of Homeland Security to create protections for stateless people in the U.S. In response to United Stateless’s efforts, DHS this year implemented a new policy to consider statelessness for immigration purposes. We also represented two United Stateless founding members in their immigration cases, making significant progress towards a path to citizenship in both cases in 2023.
- Free Migration Project provides immigration legal representation to low-income clients, with a focus on cases involving asylum, unaccompanied minors, DACA, family petitions, and victims of trafficking or domestic violence. Free Migration Project represents more than 90 clients in their immigration proceedings. This year we have completed approximately 20 cases that resulted in citizenship, permanent residence, asylum, U visa, or other types of legal protection.
- We co-hosted the Border Abolition Study Group along with Tsuru for Solidarity and Detention Watch Network. This was a free, bilingual space where we covered topics like Border Abolition 101, Carceral Economies, and Decolonization. We believe in creating spaces to deepen our understanding of abolition and draw the connections between immigrants rights and prison abolition.