In 2012, Gautam Jagannath and Emily Abraham noticed that there were many non-profit organizations helping immigrants with transactional work, such as visas, but litigation was generally left to the private sector. This left a large void in services for low-income non-citizens who needed representation in immigration court and criminal court. Jagannath and Abraham founded Social Justice Collaborative to fill that gap.

Six years later, SJC is making good on its guiding principle that all non-citizens deserve the right to a high-quality attorney. SJC has provided free and low-cost deportation and related criminal defense services to thousands of clients. In 2017 alone, they helped 370 families, represented 360 children, and filed 700 applications for legal status. Based in Oakland, SJC has satellite offices in Modesto, Stockton, and San Rafael. In Marin, SJC has partnered with Canal Alliance and shares their offices in San Rafael. SJC has 28 staff, including 6 attorneys.

More than 80% of SJC’s clients are refugees seeking asylum, primarily from Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Mexico. Jagannath, SJC’s Executive Director, explained that there is no way to apply for asylum from outside the United States; refugees have to physically arrive here first. Once they get here, SJC can step in to help from start to finish.

SJC has several programs, almost exclusively serving the most vulnerable groups: families and children. SJC’s deportation defense focuses on single women with children and domestic violence survivors. According to SJC, 90% of women being deported have no criminal record and 90% have suffered gender-based violence.

Representing children in particular is a major component of SJC’s work. Jagannath said that “children are particularly at risk in immigration proceedings because they do not have a right to an attorney. Children as young as three, four, five are left on their own.” Every child whom SJC represents is fleeing violence and/or poverty in their country of origin. In 2017, SJC served one hundred unaccompanied minors, including ten victims of human trafficking.

SJC offers all unaccompanied minors free, full-scope legal representation. They use a holistic legal services model and become true advocates for the children’s well-being. They work with guardians and family members to make sure that the children are placed in schools and stable, healthy living environments.

SJC carries a heavy caseload: they have 1500 cases pending and expect that only about 200 will be resolved within a year. But they have an impressive record: SJC has won 99% of their cases. Jagannath attributes their success to “going the extra mile.” He notes, however, that they face many challenges with the current administration. For example, the Department of Justice recently altered several administrative rules, resulting in fewer due process protections for SJC clients.

Jagannath, however, is not deterred. He loves his job because he is “helping to build a generation of people who will be compassionate towards others. If we are compassionate and provide for others, they in turn will do it for the next generation. It is very empowering to work with a child who comes to the United States and is now on their way and thinking about college.”

To learn more about SJC, volunteer, or donate please visit www.socialjusticecollaborative.org. Donations to the general fund primarily support services for undocumented minors.

SJC also relies on a network of pro bono attorneys to support the high volume of clients it serves. Pro bono attorneys must be able to commit to at least one year of work. All attorneys are welcome, but family law experience is a plus.