Tahirih Justice Center

We just finished up two days of lobbying the D.C. City Council to take action to #endchildmarriage in the nation's capital. Thank you to Councilmember Brooke Pinto for championing this legislation and to our partners DC Rape Crisis Center, The Person Center, and Unchained At Last for advocating alongside us! A special thanks to the survivor advocates who joined us to share their personal testimony with lawmakers. Join us to support an end to child marriage in DC and across the US: https://lnkd.in/gQ2qGD6F

Did you know that violence and persecution because of your gender is not currently a reason for protection under U.S. asylum law? We believe that people experiencing persecution because of their gender are just as worthy of protection as survivors of other forms of persecution, and it’s time our asylum laws reflect that. Our 2024 policy platform is focused on survivor-centered, trauma-informed solutions to build a fair and humane immigration system. Read our full list of policy priorities and join us in creating a world where we all share equal rights. https://lnkd.in/d_AYazSk

To understand important immigration policy debates, we all need to have a basic understanding of the vocabulary of immigration. Language is important, both in advocating for effective policy change and amplifying the experiences of survivors. Here are 15 key immigration terms you should know: https://lnkd.in/eBZ5E8ZX

"Seeking asylum is a human right protected under law, just as a woman’s right to vote is fundamental and inalienable under the 19th Amendment." Read this powerful reflection from our CEO Archi Pyati ⬇

Fourteen years ago today, we opened the doors to our 3rd Tahirih Justice Center office in Baltimore, Maryland. This milestone wouldn’t have been possible without the incredibly talented and dedicated Baltimore staff and the resilient survivors we serve. I’m grateful to our generous supporters and pro bono partners, like DLA Piper and Miles & Stockbridge P.C. who donated our first Tahirih Baltimore office space, that have helped us expand our reach providing immigrant survivors with the legal and social services they need as they rebuild their lives on their own terms. Here’s to many more years of impact and change in #Baltimore!

If you are a service provider, community leader, advocate, lawyer, or other professional who may work with survivors of gender-based violence, we want to hear from you! Tahirih's Forced Marriage Initiative (FMI) is a training and technical assistance provider for the US Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women on the issue of forced marriage. We're conducting a field assessment to help us develop our training and technical assistance project, including topics for webinars and roundtables. Please fill out the 10 minute assessment below, available in English and Spanish, to tell us what you would like to learn about forced marriage: Español: https://lnkd.in/eUS2gMXB English: https://lnkd.in/e_FGqJEJ

Access to trauma-informed, culturally accessible, and affordable mental health support is one of the most common barriers that survivors face as they heal from violence, including many of Tahirih’s clients. July is Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. Not only do BIPOC communities often face greater barriers accessing mental health care, they may experience more struggles with their mental health due to racism and discrimination. Mental health matters for everyone. If you are struggling with your mental health, help is available. Call or text 988 to speak to a trained counselor any time.

With the new law SB4 coming into effect soon in Texas, we are concerned about immigrants' safety. Law enforcement is mandated to keep all of us safe, regardless of our immigration status. And survivors and witnesses need to feel safe coming forward. Anna Katharina Dechert, Tahirih Houston Policy & Advocacy Manager, spoke to the Houston Landing to share "know your rights" information for immigrants in Texas. "You are not required to answer questions about your immigration status, but that doesn't mean officers won't ask these questions," said Katharina. Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/evSfhWHK

Recently, the federal government proposed threatening changes to the asylum process that would allow asylum officers to reject asylum seekers during credible fear and reasonable fear interviews based on certain factors that are currently considered only once an asylum seeker has an interview or hearing before an immigration judge. This change would have a devastating impact, especially for survivors of gender-based violence like our client Ava. Survivors like Ava would face an increased risk of having their asylum claims wrongly rejected, sending them back into danger. Tahirih and 46 organizations dedicated to supporting survivors submitted a formal comment opposing this proposed rule. Read more about the rule change and how it would particularly harm survivors: https://lnkd.in/eJCUwNhm

Tahirih is thrilled to partner with Immigrant Justice Corps to bring two 2024 IJC Fellows to our Atlanta and Baltimore offices this fall! These Fellows will be working with unaccompanied migrant children, including girls fleeing gender-based violence. The fellows will help Tahirih continue to bridge the representation gap for those seeking safety and protection in the United States.