Law Foundation Responds to Family Detention

Law Foundation Co-Counsel in Flores Class Action Litigation

On Friday evening, the Law Foundation of Silicon Valley and co-counsel asked the federal court to uphold the terms of the 20 year-old Flores class action settlement and deny the Administration’s request to detain families in unlicensed facilities for the duration of their immigration proceedings, which in most cases will be years. The ACLU and the cities of New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco all filed amicus briefs in support of our efforts.

As co-counsel in the Flores litigation, the Law Foundation is a leading legal voice for the rights of immigrant families and children. Our work with immigrant children, gives us an important perspective into the current family separation crisis at our border. We share the outrage of many in our community about current immigration policies that separate children from their families or place them in detention facilities and we are currently fighting this injustice through litigation.

As outlined in the Flores settlement agreement, children should be treated with “dignity, respect and special concern for their particular vulnerability as minors.” As legal advocates for children for over 30 years, we recognize the detrimental impact on children of being separated from their families, especially in the context of an already traumatic situation such as transnational migration. Imprisoning children in unlicensed family detention for an indefinite period of time is not the answer and it is in violation of the law. The Law Foundation is fighting for the release of immigrant children and families into the community where they can seek protection of their rights.

A team of our attorneys, paralegals, and social workers will be traveling to speak with children who are being held in detention facilities in upcoming weeks to ensure that their voices are heard and their rights are protected. We will also continue to provide free and confidential legal and social work services to immigrant youth in Santa Clara County, including children who have been forcibly separated and are in dire need of services and mental health support until they can safely reunify with family. We will keep you updated on this important work.

The Law Foundation of Silicon Valley advances the rights of underrepresented families and children, specifically in the areas of children’s rights, housing advocacy, and access to mental health services. To support the work of the Law Foundation, click here.

Thank you for standing with us in justice for all.

Thank You!

Everyone should be part of the Silicon Valley success story --- and you're making that happen. Thank you for another amazing Celebration of Justice! You're changing lives and ensuring a stronger, more inclusive future for our entire community.

What you do matters. Last night, we began the evening with a short 2-minute video to show just how each individual action can truly make a difference. Missed it? It's worth a quick watch.
Thank you for answering the call and giving generously at our Celebration of Justice. If you didn't get the chance to make a gift last night, it's not too late! You can still make a tax-deductible contribution in support of access to justice. 

Thanks again for making our night and, most of all, for your inspiring generosity! 

Helping More Families Through Pro Bono

When a young child faced the possibility of losing the only real home he'd ever known, our pro bono volunteer Yilan Bryant, from Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP stepped in with help and expertise from Law Foundation attorneys.

Daniel* lived a happy and secure life with his grandmother, Charlotte*, who began taking care of him when his biological parents became absent while he was an infant. However, Daniel's safe and peaceful life was jeopardized when his biological parents, whose lives were still not very stable, threatened to take Daniel away from his home. Fearing losing her grandson to an unstable living situation and overwhelmed with the complicated legal process of guardianship, Charlotte turned to the Law Foundation.

Thanks to our team and pro bono attorney, Yilan, Daniel's grandmother was able to navigate a complicated legal system to ensure that Daniel's best interests were protected.
"It was immensely gratifying to help my client navigate the legal process and paperwork and ultimately get to a result that was in the best interest of the child. My client was able to secure guardianship of her grandson, receiving both temporary and general guardianship for the child. To help my client receive legal assurance that her grandchild will grow up in the security and comfort of her care gave me a great deal of satisfaction, both personally and professionally.  I look forward to handling additional family law matters." says Yilan, who succeeded in safeguarding Daniel's stable home life with his grandmother. 

We're grateful for our pro bono volunteers who allow us to serve even more families and individuals each year.

*Name changed to protect identity.