For decades, the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) New Jersey Immigrant Rights Program has stood at the forefront of advocating for immigrant communities across our state. A central part of the work is the Detention and Deportation Defense Initiative (DDDI). Through this state-funded program, AFSC and other organizations provide free, high-quality legal services to low-income New Jersey residents facing deportation.
Since its creation in 2018, DDDI has made New Jersey a national leader in protecting the rights of non-citizens and their families. But as immigration enforcement intensifies and detention increases, the need for expanded funding has reached a critical point.
That’s why AFSC is urging the state of New Jersey to increase DDDI funding from $8.2 million to $20 million.
Immigration court is an adversarial system. The federal government, through Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), is always represented by trained prosecutors. Yet more than half of non-citizens across the U.S. are forced to defend themselves without an attorney. In criminal court, such a situation would be unconstitutional. In immigration court, it is routine.
This imbalance becomes even more severe for people who are detained. Individuals in immigration detention lack internet access. They have limited, costly, and non-private phone access. Court filings must be submitted in English, yet many people in detention do not speak or read English and have little to no access to translation support. Preparing a legal case under these conditions is nearly impossible.
A lifeline in an impossible system
The data shows just how much legal representation matters. Nationally, detained immigrants with a lawyer are 10.5 times more likely to achieve a successful outcome than those without representation. Only about 3% of detained individuals without counsel win their cases. Due process is not theoretical—it is life-changing.
The state of New Jersey recognized this reality when it created DDDI. With an annual budget of $8.2 million, the program has screened and provided legal support to hundreds of detained residents. In the past year alone, providers screened every unrepresented person detained by ICE in New Jersey whom they could locate, as well as New Jersey residents detained out of state. They provided legal counsel and advice to 954 detained individuals.
However, due to limited resources, they were able to offer full representation to only 297 people — just 31%. Since the start of the current administration, that number has been reduced to 18%.
Even with these constraints, the results have been extraordinary. Last year, DDDI helped 160 people secure release from detention. Of the 142 bond hearings conducted, 108 — or 76% — were successful. Fifty-six individuals won their immigration cases outright.
These victories kept families together, allowed parents to reunite with U.S. citizen children, and prevented long-term residents from being permanently separated from their communities.
As enforcement grows, so does the need
Under the second Trump administration, New Jersey has seen a sharp 400% increase in arrests and detentions. Hardworking residents have been detained while attending ICE-mandated check-ins and even while appearing in immigration court for scheduled hearings. Many had pending applications before U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services or were seeking relief before an immigration judge.
One of the most alarming developments has been the rise in large-scale immigration raids. Federal officers from ICE, Customs and Border Protection, Drug Enforcement Agency, and the FBI have descended on workplaces, questioning workers en masse, and demanding proof of immigration status. There has also been an increase in traffic stops where individuals are arrested after speaking Spanish or appearing Latino.
In response, AFSC’s DDDI team launched a rapid response initiative to provide immediate legal support to raid victims. Since January 20, 2025, the team has screened over 95 New Jersey residents detained during raids. Many were “collateral arrests” — not the intended targets of enforcement but detained simply because they were present.
These are no strangers to our communities. They are long-term residents, parents, workers, and faith leaders.
One family’s story
One such individual is Miguel*, who fled Colombia in 2022 after armed groups began threatening him and fellow union members. He sought safety in the United States and began the asylum process upon arrival. While navigating that process in New Jersey, he built a new life—falling in love with Brenda* and marrying her in the spring of 2025.
But their happiness was short-lived. In September, Miguel was detained by ICE immediately after his credible fear interview—a required asylum screening that he had attended and passed. As he recalled, "We were happy. … We were even thinking about celebrating."
But just as he and his family were getting ready to leave, Miguel was called back upstairs to sign additional paperwork. Moments later, an ICE officer informed him he would have to await his next court date in detention, pushed him against a wall, and handcuffed him.
Miguel spent the next three and a half months in cold cells at Delaney Hall detention facility. The meager food and treatment he received left Miguel 10 pounds lighter. And when he needed legal help most, the private attorney he had retained simply vanished.
Brenda, a seamstress managing a chronic heart condition, spent what little she had on commissary food for Miguel and Ubers for visits. She couldn’t afford another attorney, so she searched across northern New Jersey looking for help.
That search led Brenda to AFSC and our DDDI attorneys. Legal fellow Parima Kadikar took Miguel’s case. Ultimately, our team secured his release by filing a habeas corpus petition.
Today, Miguel is now home with Brenda and his stepson. But he carries with him the weight of those he left behind. "There are a lot of good people still inside," he said. That includes "a lot of people with families, a lot of people with sick children."
"To this day, Dr. Parima and the legal team have done everything humanly possible, and even the impossible, to help me and my wife,” Miguel said. “I ask God to continue opening pathways to knowledge and wisdom for the American Friends Foundation so that they can help many more people."
Miguel’s case demonstrates what due process looks like in action. Without representation, Miguel likely would have been deported within weeks.
New Jersey must act now
Today, the state of New Jersey must increase DDDI funding to $20 million to meet the growing need. That would allow providers to dramatically expand representation, ensure meaningful due process, and reduce the human and financial costs of prolonged detention. Representation shortens detention time, saves taxpayer dollars, and strengthens the fabric of communities across New Jersey.
New Jersey has already shown leadership in protecting its immigrant residents. Now is the moment to secure and expand that commitment. As immigrant communities face unprecedented enforcement, guaranteeing access to counsel is not optional — it is essential.
DDDI is not just a legal program. It is a statement about who we are as a state. It affirms that fairness, dignity, and justice are not reserved for some, but belong to all who call New Jersey home.
Are you a resident of New Jersey? Join AFSC in urging Gov. Mikie Sherrill to increase funding for DDDI to protect our community members from deportation. Send a message today.
*Miguel and Brenda are pseudonyms.