American Friends Service Committee (AFSC)’s Immigrant Rights Program in Newark, NJ is a recipient of the 2025 American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) New Jersey Chapter Pro Bono Champion award. This award is an annual AILA occurrence to honor individuals and organizations for their dedication to provide pro bono expert immigration legal assistance to underserved members of the immigrant population in the U.S.
“In times like these — when immigration justice work is beyond demanding, and the challenges are many — receiving this award is not only deeply affirming, but also a powerful reminder that what we do matters,” said Itzel Hernandez, AFSC’s Northeast Region’s Immigrant rights organizer.
Under the Trump administration, immigrants are being detained and disappeared, tearing apart families and neighborhoods. Government raids are disrupting communities and creating a culture of fear throughout the country. Many people are forced to go through deportation proceedings without legal representation. The Immigrant Rights Program (IRP) in Newark, N.J, works to advocate for policies that respect the rights and dignity of all immigrants at the state and federal level. The award is an acknowledgment of the work that AFSC NJ does as a leading provider of direct legal immigration services in the state. AFSC attorneys, paralegals and social workers represent over 1000 people per year, helping them avoid deportation and stay with their families.
“The current administration with its anti-immigrant policies and rhetorics are actively trying to take away the dignity of various immigrant members using loopholes in the U.S.’s flawed legal system,” said Alexandra Gonçalves Peña, Legal Service Director for AFSC’s Immigrant Rights Program. “Now more than ever, it falls upon us to support our immigrant community members to navigate this complex legal system. This award is a recognition of the tireless effort by every member of the AFSC’s New Jersey team who stands beside vulnerable members of our community.”
AFSC recently launched a new campaign, Stronger With Immigrants. As a Quaker organization, AFSC believes in the inherent worth and dignity of every person and that communities are stronger with immigrants. The campaign is mobilizing people to push back against anti-immigrant policies and narratives in an effort to end detention and deportation, reunite families, and protect immigrants’ rights.
You can read more about AFSC’s New Jersey Immigrant Rights work here.
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The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) promotes a world free of violence, inequality, and oppression. Guided by the Quaker belief in the divine light within each person, we nurture the seeds of change and the respect for human life to fundamentally transform our societies and institutions. We work with people and partners worldwide, of all faiths and backgrounds, to meet urgent community needs, challenge injustice, and build peace.