Vermont Starts Immigration Legal Defense Fund
This week, a new legal defense fund for immigrants was launched. The Vermont Immigration Legal Defense Fund is looking to raise $1 million to assist immigrants in the state with their legal needs.
Immigration cases fall under civil law and there are no legal requirements to provide lawyers for people in this situation. Though some Vermont lawyers have been providing services pro bono to immigrants, the need for these services has only increased since the Trump administration came into office.
“People across the state and in the CVRAN network are struggling to access legal counsel as the limited number of immigration lawyers here are forced to focus all their energy on the most dire cases. Our pro bono lawyers are slammed and it is nearly impossible to find anyone taking on new cases in Vermont right now, even for pay. This additional funding could be a game-changer for folks in the asylum process and for providers like CVRAN to connect our families with the help they need.” Ali Zenie, Executive Director, CVRAN
You can read the news coverage about the new fund on VT Digger and WCAX.
Visit the Vermont Immigration Legal Defense fund website to learn more and donate.
