Defenders for All Coalition

We support the creation of a dedicated immigration unit within the Cook County Public Defender's Office to protect immigrants from deportation

[Defenders for All Coalition @d4a_il]

Victory! The @cookcountygov Board approved $350,000 for the newly created immigration unit at the @CookCoDefender. Cook County will become the largest jurisdiction in the country to have a fully funded immigration unit to protect/represent immigrant communities across the county!

[Defenders for All Coalition @d4a_il]

#ICYMI: Yesterday, we joined advocacy groups and elected officials to announce a historic step: @CookCoDefender has begun representing noncitizens in bond hearings and removal hearings at the Chicago Immigration Court!

[Defenders for All Coalition @d4a_il]

Join us on Monday, May 9 at 10am with @CookCoDefender, elected officials, advocates, and business orgs to announce a new program on immigrant representation in #CookCounty! You can watch the news conference on our Facebook page: https://t.co/nKtXgbsR4R

[Defenders for All Coalition @d4a_il]

"Hena Mansori, the unit’s supervisor, will now be able to hire two attorneys this year to begin to address a long-standing problem: The majority of people in Chicago immigration court last year did not have an attorney to represent them." #HB2790

[Injustice Watch @injusticewatch]

Cook County’s new public defender @sharonemitchjr took office in a year of reckoning over racism and policing and amidst a renewed push for criminal justice reform.

Can he overcome budget challenges and get the office on par with other system players?
https://t.co/s6zFAIXpuT

[Defenders for All Coalition @d4a_il]

@Westside_JC @buildchicago @JUFChicago @ILBizImmigrant @LSNAChicago @NIJC @NSuburbanLegal Partners for Our Communities @UniteAfricans @DREAMAction_NIU Binational Institute

[Defenders for All Coalition @d4a_il]

Victory! HB2790 passes out of Senate Executive Committee. On to the Senate Floor!

Victoria! El Comite Ejecutivo del Senado aprovo la propuesta HB2790. Seguimos al Senado completo!

@cookcountygov @SharoneMitchJr @SWOPorg @latinopolicy @TRPistas @HANACenter @BeyondLegalAid

[Defenders for All Coalition @d4a_il]

Press Release: Illinois House Passes Bill Allowing Public Defenders to Represent Immigrants Facing Deportation

Thank you to all of our D4A Partners! We move on to the IL Senate next!

[Defenders for All Coalition @d4a_il]

Join us for a virtual celebration of the creation of the Cook County Public Defender's Immigration Unit w/ Pres @ToniPreckwinkle, PD @cookctypdamy, Commissioners @AlmaAnaya7th, @BrandonCCD1 and the rest of our D4A partners. https://t.co/AbdC5eo9Va

[Defenders for All Coalition @d4a_il]

@nijfon @IndoAmericanCtr @Instituto1977 @buildchicago @WarehouseWorker Equity and Transformation Chicago @WorldReliefChi Immigration and Legal Center of the BHID @chitownadvocate @peopleslobbyusa @latinopolicy African Global Chamber of Commerce @JUFChicago @NIJC

[Defenders for All Coalition @d4a_il]

Victory! The @cookcountygov Board approved $350,000 for the newly created immigration unit at the @CookCoDefender. Cook County will become the largest jurisdiction in the country to have a fully funded immigration unit to protect/represent immigrant communities across the county!

[Defenders for All Coalition @d4a_il]

Thank you to @ToniPreckwinkle @AlmaAnaya7th @BrandonCCD1 @BridgetGainer @BridgetDegnen @godonnagoIL @BillLowryFor3 @Commdeerdis2 @CmsrBritton @CommStanMoore @CommissionerFr2 Commissioner Daley @FLAPIllinois Northwest Side Housing Center @AscendJustice @CVLS_legalaid @AILAchicago

[Defenders for All Coalition @d4a_il]

WATCH: @CookCoDefender will be appearing before the @cookcountygov finance committee to discuss the FY2021 budget. We expect there to be some discussion related to the funding for the immigration unit. Watch Here: https://t.co/KbKwhGT0u6

[Defenders for All Coalition @d4a_il]

To submit/provide your testimony (written or virtua): https://t.co/yZ21cl9g8l

To watch proceedings: https://t.co/lqLNlfk1mm...

[Defenders for All Coalition @d4a_il]

REMINDER: Today is the last day to submit/provide public testimony in support of the funding for the Public Defender's Immigration Unit. Hearings will be held at 10 and 5:30pm today.

[Defenders for All Coalition @d4a_il]

Thank you to Public Defender @cookctypdamy for her leadership in the creation of the immigration unit.

[Defenders for All Coalition @d4a_il]

@ecker_center @FLAPIllinois @AscendJustice @CVLS_legalaid @AILAchicago @nijfon @IndoAmericanCtr @Instituto1977 @buildchicago @WarehouseWorker @WorldReliefChi @chitownadvocate @peopleslobbyusa @latinopolicy African Global Chamber of Commerce @JUFChicago Vena Gupta & Associates

[Defenders for All Coalition @d4a_il]

Thank you President @ToniPreckwinkle for your support and leadership!

[Defenders for All Coalition @d4a_il]

@ecker_center @FLAPIllinois Northwest Side Housing Center @AscendJustice @CVLS_legalaid @AILAchicago @nijfon @IndoAmericanCtr @Instituto1977 @buildchicago @WarehouseWorker Equity and Transformation Chicago @WorldReliefChi Immigration and Legal Center of the BHID @chitownadvocate

[Toni Preckwinkle @ToniPreckwinkle]

We are also investing more resources into our Public Defender’s Immigration Unit in 2021, which will be one of the largest in the country. These times demand more from us than just being a Welcoming County.

[Toni Preckwinkle @ToniPreckwinkle]

The PD Immigration Unit builds upon Cook County’s commitment to being a fair and equal community for all residents regardless of their immigration status. With an additional $350,000 for staff, the PD can continue to fight the good fight protecting our immigrant communities.

[Toni Preckwinkle @ToniPreckwinkle]

I thank @cookctypdamy and her team for working diligently to make this Unit a reality. I also thank @d4a_il and all its members for their tireless advocacy, and @AlmaAnaya7th and @brandonccd1 for their leadership and collaboration during the initial planning process.