Our Mission

The Florence Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project, Inc., "Florence Project," provides holistic, free legal services to immigrants, refugees, and U.S. citizens detained by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Arizona for immigration processing.

The Project serves men, women, and children, including those with mental health and social service needs.

The Project advocates for a more just and efficient judicial system for individuals in immigration detention, and believes that everyone should understand their rights and options under immigration law and have access to legal counsel.

Although the government assists indigent criminal defendants and civil litigants through public defenders and legal aid attorneys, it does not provide attorneys for people facing deportation. The Project strives locally and nationally to address this inequity.

What We Do

• Offer free, high-quality legal services to men, women, and children detained by ICE in Arizona who have no legal representation.

• Inform all detained people of their rights as refugees, immigrants, asylum-seekers or U.S. citizens prior to court.

• Orient people to the court process to facilitate their informed decision making.

• Ensure every detained person who is eligible for relief from removal receives legal counsel or representation.

• Recruit and facilitate volunteer attorneys, health professionals, and interpreters.

• Observe and monitor treatment by ICE during apprehension, detention, and removal proceedings.

• Identify and address detention practices inconsistent with due process and basic human and civil rights

• Serve as a resource development and training center for detention program “best practices”.

• Educate the public about the plight of refugees, immigrants, and asylum-seekers in ICE detention.

• Advocate for free legal assistance for all people detained nationwide by ICE

Our Supporters

The Florence Project is supported by grants and donations from organizations and individuals like you. Please see our latest newsletter "La Linea" for a list of supporters in the immediate past.