NIJC, a partner of Heartland Human Care Services, is a non-profit organization that provides direct legal services to low-income immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers. It also advocates for these populations through policy reform, impact litigation, and public education.

The National Immigrant Justice Center’s Litigation Update is an online, daily digest of immigration-related federal court decisions from around the United States. The cases are organized by circuit, and readers are able to post comments. The digest is available at http://www.immigrantjustice.org/litigationupdate. NIJC’s website has additional resources for litigating immigration cases, including pro bono training manuals on Special Immigrant Juvenile status and asylum claims based on sexual orientation, transgender identity and/or HIV-positive status. See http://www.immigrantjustice.org/attorneys.html.

The National Children’s Center is a partnership between the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants and AILA. The Center finds pro bono attorneys for unaccompanied immigrant children. The Center welcomes referrals through its confidential online referral system. The Center also is recruiting immigration attorneys to mentor pro bono attorneys inexperienced in immigration law. The National Children’s Center maintains a Resource Library for attorneys representing immigrant children. The Resource Library has information about Central American gangs, including articles, reports, and a list of experts. It also has a variety of resources about applying for SIJ Status, including manuals, sample petitions, and government memoranda. The Center’s webpage is http://www.refugees.org/article.aspx?id=1260&subm=75&area=Participate&

The National Immigration Project (NIP) of the National Lawyer’s Guild provides advocacy-oriented legal support on immigration issues. NIP specializes in defending the rights of immigrants facing incarceration and deportation. NIP is a membership-based organization. NIP’s staff provides technical assistance to NIP members on the immigration consequences of criminal convictions, deportation defense, relief for immigrant survivors of domestic violence, cancellation of removal, and HIV waivers. Members also have access to project listservs, NIP’s online brief bank, online legal resources archive, and the quarterly newsletter. Non-members may access many of NIPs resources on its website http://www.nationalimmigrationproject.org.

The Immigrant Defense Project (IDP) of the New York State Defenders Association says that it works to defend the legal, constitutional and human rights of immigrants facing criminal or deportation charges. IDP seeks to (1) minimize deportation and detention under current immigration laws for immigrants facing criminal charges or subsequent deportation, and (2) change the current system so that it does not result in the exile of immigrants from their homes and families in the United States. The Project serves as a legal resource for attorneys, advocates, and immigrants. It also promotes impact litigation by recruiting and mentoring pro bono attorneys and, it promotes community-based advocacy against unjust immigration laws. IDP has a number of legal resources available on its website http://nysda.org/idp/index.htm, including practice materials for criminal defense attorneys and immigration attorneys, pro se materials, and information about its litigation efforts.

The Center for Gender & Refugee Studies (CGRS), which is housed at the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, strives to impact the development of law and policy to protect women fleeing gender-based violence. CGRS says it works toward this goal by providing training and technical support to attorneys, tracking and monitoring gender asylum decisions, engaging in appellate litigation at the BIA and the courts of appeals, participating in national policy strategizing, involving students in their work, educating the public through the media, and participating in international conferences. CGRS has a variety of resources available to attorneys who are litigating gender-based asylum cases. See CGRS’ webpage, http://cgrs.uchastings.edu, for a selection of court of appeals decisions and unpublished administrative decisions in gender asylum cases; government gender guidelines from throughout the world; relevant documents from UNHCR; and a list of recommended resources for country conditions. CGRS also maintains a brief bank for gender asylum cases.

ASISTA is a collaboration of nationally-recognized legal experts who work to provide comprehensive and cutting-edge technical assistance on the intersection between immigration and domestic violence law. ASISTA maintains an online clearinghouse of resources, including the VAWA Manual, information about U and T visas, and helpful links for gender-related asylum issues. ASISTA’s resources are available at www.asistaonline.org.

Immigration Equality is a national organization that fights for equality under U.S. immigration law for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and HIV-positive individuals. By providing direct services and technical assistance, Immigration Equality is leading efforts to gain asylum for LGBT and HIV-positive individuals who have fled persecution or who fear returning to a country where they will not be free to express their sexuality or gender identity, or to receive life-saving medication. Immigration Equality’s website, www.immigrationequality.org, is host to a variety of legal resources, including decisions, briefs, and articles. Immigration Equality also runs a listserv for immigration practitioners who work on LGBT and/or HIV based asylum claims.