We all have a part to play in defending human rights. At our fall house parties, we heard about the vital work protecting the human rights of migrants and of women here. You can donate here to help us continue our work and learn about our many volunteering opportunities here.

Defending the human rights of migrants 

Children are 100 times more likely to be deported if they do not have a lawyer by their side.

Children facing deportation alone are among the most urgent cases facing The Advocates for Human Rights. Separated from their families and home countries, many having experienced significant trauma, legal representation is vital. And while longtime federal funding has been cut off, with your support The Advocates will be able to continue representing the 275 unaccompanied children and young adults whose cases are underway. 

Despite chaos in the immigration system, legal representation continues to make a difference. Here are two recent success stories:

• A child entered the U.S. seeking safety after escaping severe abuse. With the help of a pro bono attorney, they applied for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, and the petition has now been approved. Now, they can safely stay here and pursue their dreams.
• An 11-year-old child with a pending green card application faced deportation. Their pro bono attorney convinced the Immigration Court to terminate removal proceedings so the child can pursue their green card without fear of detention and deportation during the wait time.

This year the Advocates mobilized nearly 1,400 pro bono legal professionals to provide free legal help to people seeking asylum, trafficking survivors, and people in immigration detention. And more than 300 volunteers documented human rights violations in the Fort Snelling Immigration Court.

Learn more about our migrant rights work here.

Documenting the power of women's rights defenders

The targeting of women in Minnesota during Operation Metro Surge, from sexual assault of women detained by ICE to misogynistic slurs aimed at women activists, mirrored the harms leveled against women’s human rights defenders in authoritarian countries around the world.

But the incredible power of women in Minnesota and around the world who rise up to take action keep other women safe.

What Minnesota women did during Operations Metro Surge is what The Advocates does every day. The Advocates works to end violence against women around the world. Whether it’s our court observation project right here in Minneapolis or whether it’s advocating for women's rights with our partner organizations from around the world at the UN, the work never stops. 

As the implementing partner of the Minnesota Truth Council, The Advocates has been collecting stories of the harm that Operation Metro Surge caused and the resilience Minnesotans showed in resisting it. Together, we are creating a lasting public record and a vision for the future.

Learn more about our women's rights work here.