The Legal Aid Society and partner organizations, through The New York Immigrant Family Unity Project (NYIFUP), serve as the focus of a new piece in Vox recognizing the advances universal representation in the immigration context has made in recent years, including its goal of ensuring that every detained immigrant has legal representation.

The Biden Administration’s recent presidential memorandum – aimed at expanding access to legal representation and the courts, including for low-income people, immigrants, and asylum seekers – has prompted advocates to proffer New York’s approach to the challenge as a potential model for the nation.

Beginning in 2013, NYIFUP began with lawyers from The Legal Aid Society, The Bronx Defenders, Brooklyn Defender Services agreeing to take on every case where the individual had an income at least 200 percent below the poverty line. By reducing the number of self-represented litigants, the program helps the immigration court work more fairly and efficiently.