Latinojustice Prldef

About LatinoJustice PRLDEF:

Founded in 1972, LatinoJustice PRLDEF is a national civil rights leader dedicated to protecting the rights of Latinos.  LatinoJustice PRLDEF champions an equitable society. Using the power of the law together with education and advocacy, LatinoJustice protects opportunities for all Latinos to succeed in work and school, fulfill their dreams and sustain their families and communities. Visit www.latinojustice.org for more information.

Our 40-year anniversary video tells more

Our Work

While we have been working on Long Island for more than a decade, LatinoJustice opened its first satellite office there earlier this year. Our staff regularly provide our nonprofit and community partners on Long Island with legal advocacy and services to help clients with everything from voting and housing rights to challenging anti-immigrant legislation and defending Latinos against workplace exploitation. Our Know-Your-Rights trainings, community forums, and legal cases have helped tens of thousands of Long Island-based Latinos become more active and engaged members of their communities.

LatinoJustice has been very active in responding to the proliferation of anti-immigrant ordinances and laws that flourished in the absence of federal immigration reform. LatinoJustice filed a complaint (Lozano v. Hazleton) challenging Hazleton's Illegal Immigration Relief Act and successfully stopped that law from ever being implemented. In Aguilar v. ICE, LJP entered into a landmark settlement with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency curbing the unconstitutional discretion of ICE agents to conduct home raids without the informed consent of Latino undocumented families. 

More Highlights of our work

• We have litigated for Police Reform on Long Island in a number of ways, most notably with the "Stop and Rob" case where Sergeant Greene stopped and robbed multiple Latinos across Long Island. You can watch the video explaining this lawsuit here.
• Our Cada Voto Cuenta voter protection project mobilized dozens of volunteers on Long Island to monitor and respond to instances of voter rights violations. 
• We represented Latina workers to ensure that they received their proper wages and were protected against harassment by employers. 
• In our effort to defend the rights of Latino students, we engaged in advocacy and gang violence prevention work.
• We regularly collaborate with numerous  organizations doing work on Long Island, including Jobs with Justice, Workplace Project, NYCLU, NYCOSH, Sepa Mujer, Touro Law School, Make the Road NY, Long Island Immigrant Student Alliance, and CARECEN.