The Kidd v. Noem lawsuit was filed in April 2020 and challenges certain alleged policies and practices of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) when arresting or attempting to arrest community members for suspected violations of immigration law at their homes in Southern California. The lawsuit applies to ICE’s activities in seven counties in Southern California: Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo Counties. This area is also referred to by ICE as the Los Angeles Area of Responsibility.

The lead plaintiffs for the class action part of the case are the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA) and the Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice (ICIJ). The organizations and law firms representing plaintiffs in the case are the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Southern California (ACLU SoCal), UC Irvine Immigrant Rights Clinic, and Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP (MTO).

In the class action part of the lawsuit, the plaintiffs are asking the Court to declare ICE’s policies and practices unlawful, void those policies and practices, and order ICE to change its policies and practices in specific ways.

La demanda Kidd v. Noem fue entablada en abril de 2020 e impugna ciertas políticas y prácticas alegadas de la Oficina de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas de los EE. UU. (ICE) al arrestar o intentar arrestar a miembros de la comunidad por presuntas violaciones de la ley de inmigración en sus hogares en el sur de California. La demanda se aplica a las actividades de ICE en siete condados del sur de California: Los Ángeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo. Esta área también es conocida por ICE como el Área de Responsabilidad de Los Ángeles.

Los demandantes principales en la parte de acción colectiva del caso son la Coalición por los Derechos de los Inmigrantes (CHIRLA), y la Coalición Inland por la Justicia de los Inmigrantes (ICIJ). Las organizaciones y bufetes de abogados que representan a los demandantes en el caso son la Fundación de la Unión Americana por las Libertades Civiles del Sur de California (ACLU SoCal), la Clínica de Derechos de los Inmigrantes de la Universidad de California Irvine, y Munger, Tolles, & Olson LLP (MTO).

En la parte de la demanda colectiva, los demandantes le están pidiendo al tribunal que declare que las políticas y prácticas de ICE son ilegales, anule esas políticas y prácticas, y ordene a ICE que cambie sus políticas y prácticas de forma específica.

Our Resilient Voices Organizer, Miriam Scheetz, leads with compassion to support immigrants detained under ICE custody. On the day-to-day, Miriam answers calls and provides immigrants with guidance in navigating their cases. Miriam works with our Deportation Defense Director, Lizbeth Abeln, to successfully find individuals' legal representation and other resources. When immigrants are released they have basic needs that need to be met. This includes hot meals, hygienic items, clothes, phones to communicate with family or friends, short-term housing, transportation, legal help to obtain a work permit, and other costs that come with reunification with their families. We hope to welcome immigrants in a humane and dignified way and we do this thanks to our coalition and supporters.

Since 2020, ICIJ has continued to run a commissary fund which is funded by our small donor donations. We have served almost 200 individuals with an average of $30 commissary gift. This is important for immigrants in detention because they can have access to edible food, snacks, medicine, and printing services while inside. If you’d like to donate, please Venmo @IC4IJ with “Commissary” in the subject line.

The Resilient Voices Program is a re-entry type program hosted by the Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice and the ACLU of Southern California designed to assist formerly detained immigrants in overcoming institutional barriers they face as they transition back to their communities. This program is meant to provide individuals the necessary tools and resources to empower them in their journey to find healing, safety, and self determination. This is a 2 month program open to formally detained immigrants who reside in the Inland Empire.

REQUIREMENTS
1. Resident of San Bernardino or Riverside County
2. Person has been detained by ICE; Priority to those detained in Adelanto.
3. Will not miss more than 2 sessions.

PROGRAM INFORMATION
Session Dates: June 20th, 2022-August 30th, 2022 


Session Topics: Group Therapy and One on One healing sessions, Post Conviction Relief, Know Your Rights, Deportation Defense 101, Media and Communications 101 and more.

Immigrants who are incarcerated or formerly incarcerated in ICE jails continue to experience trauma, unemployment, and medical/mental health care issues. Our communities and nonprofit organizations have taken on the responsibility of ensuring that individuals have access to the most basic needs. With individuals still facing long periods of incarceration and deportation threats, ICIJ commits to providing support to individuals currently or formerly detained at the Adelanto Detention Center, the largest detention facility in the nation.

If you are formerly incarcerated, residing in the Inland Empire, and interested in receiving support please contact lizbeth@ic4ij.org