With the upcoming elections this fall, we are hearing increased dehumanizing rhetoric about people legally seeking safety. In this climate, Tahirih is clear about our principles and policy priorities. We will continue to defend the human rights and dignity of all immigrant survivors of gender-based violence, and advance policies and laws that enable immigrant survivors to pursue legal immigration status, live in safety, and forge their own paths.
No matter what policy changes may come, immigrant women, girls, and all survivors fleeing gender-based violence will continue to need trauma-informed legal and social services and Tahirih will be here to provide it. So far in 2024, Tahirih has provided free, client-centered legal and social services to 2,450 immigrant survivors and their family members, thanks to the support of 1,192 pro bono attorneys working with Tahirih clients on their cases, as well as our network of dedicated social services and medical professionals. Tahirih has significantly expanded our training and technical assistance, with new funding to provide expert training to service providers on trauma-informed lawyering, forced marriage, and human trafficking. We’ve led 135 events so far this year, training over 11,000 lawyers, law enforcement, social workers, doctors, and other professionals to recognize and meet the unique needs of immigrant survivors of gender-based violence.
Tahirih staff continue to find new and innovative ways to help survivors rebuild their lives:
- Tahirih Atlanta staff came together with fellow advocates across Georgia for Stand for Survivors Day, a one-day lobbying event at the state capitol to speak to elected officials about legislation that affects survivors of intimate partner violence and sexual violence, their families, and communities.
- Tahirih Greater DC hosted a lunch and learn training for attorneys at Skadden Arps, including an introduction to asylum law and an overview of the types of legal remedies Tahirih provides to clients.
- Tahirih Baltimore organized a training and U Visa clinic with 12 Miles & Stockbridge attorneys on trauma-informed interviewing and on the U visa. Attorneys then helped Tahirih clients prepare their U visa certification requests.
- Tahirih San Francisco Managing Attorney Payal Sinha shared her expertise at the Anti Trafficking Awareness Month Presentation at California Partnership to End Domestic Violence Coalition and presented about T visas and trafficking.
- Tahirih Houston continued their community building and advocacy work. In March, the Houston Policy Team hosted the first Kitchen Table Conversations cross-cohort symposium, bringing together participants from Cohorts 1 and 2 for a day of dialogue and workshops. Our staff also joined local advocates in Houston to educate immigrant community members about Texas Senate Bill 4, providing information about rights and immigration safety planning resources.
On the advocacy side, we have amplified the needs of immigrant survivors of gender-based violence to push for just laws and policies that protect survivors’ rights and safety. Here are some highlights from the first half of the year:
- When Congress considered passing a spending bill that would have greatly reduced access to asylum, Tahirih lobbied against it alongside our partners, participating in a rally and press conference, and organizing a public petition campaign.
- Tahirih’s Forced Marriage Initiative successfully led the campaign to make Virginia the 12th state to end child marriage in collaboration with survivor advocates and local partners. New Hampshire has also since passed legislation ending child marriage.
- As we prepare for the upcoming election, Tahirih is co-leading the Immigrant Survivors Chapter of the “Big Book” to provide collaborative, survivor-centered policy recommendations for the next administration.
We are inspired to keep working for progress by our resilient clients like Ana, who fled from her abuser to seek asylum in the U.S. But instead of finding refuge, Ana was detained, and her asylum claim was initially denied. While her case was pending, Ana could not apply for a work permit and could not get an ID. She struggled to support herself and relied on her Tahirih legal representatives and social service case workers for guidance. Finally, six years after fleeing her home country, Ana was granted asylum.
As we look ahead to the remainder of 2024, we are proud of what we have accomplished together. While this is a challenging climate for immigrant survivors, we know we can continue to create change when we work together towards our shared goal of a better world for all.
