Adult Program

Immigrants are denied the right to a public defender. Approximately nine out of every ten immigrants in Eloy and Florence cannot afford an attorney and are therefore forced to represent themselves alone in court. For the thousands of men and women locked up in isolated detention centers in Arizona, access to justice has never been more important. The Florence Project is the only lifeline they have to legal information and assistance.

On any given day, thousands of adults are detained in remote facilities in Arizona solely because of their immigration status. The vast majority don’t have an attorney and are forced to represent themselves in immigration court, severely impacting their chances to win their case. For decades, we have provided free legal services and education for immigrants facing removal proceedings in Arizona. Our Adult Team leads in developing and providing high-quality, innovative, and trauma-informed legal education and representation to detained adults. We prioritize direct legal representation for the most vulnerable populations, including individuals with severe medical or mental health needs, those at-risk of imminent harm, members of the LGBTQ+ community, indigenous language speakers, and families at risk of separation.

Legal Orientation Program (LOP)

Empowerment and autonomy are the foundations of the Florence Project self-representation model of serving detained immigrants. The Florence Project created the blueprint for the Legal Orientation Program (LOP), which was later replicated by sister organizations across the country and supported by the Executive Office of Immigration Review (EOIR).

Our services include:

Legal orientation to all detained men and women to empower them as they navigate the immigration system
Weekly group presentations to educate individuals regarding their rights, court procedures, and immigration law
Individual legal consultations for unrepresented men and women
Interactive group workshops to guide people who qualify for certain forms of legal relief in fighting their cases

Our Adult Team

Provides weekly group presentations to all individuals scheduled for immigration court, covering basic rights, the legal process, and common forms of relief.
Provides regular group workshops on topics like preparing for bond, asylum, cancellation of removal, and other hearings.
Conducts individual legal intakes and follow-up visits teaching people how to represent themselves.
Represents detained adults through placing cases with attorneys on staff and with external pro bono attorneys throughout Arizona and the U.S.
Informs the creation of pro se legal guides that empower immigrants to represent themselves and prepare their cases.

Pro Bono Representation

The Florence Project also supports certain clients by placing their cases with pro bono volunteer attorneys who receive extensive mentorship from Florence Project staff.

Direct Representation

Florence Project staff attorneys provide direct representation on a limited basis to detained men and women on all levels of immigration proceedings. We know that in a system which denies immigrants access to public defenders, having an attorney makes all the difference in the outcomes of our clients’ cases. We are proud to have increased our representation over the years for detained immigrants.

Staff attorneys represent anyone who a judge finds incompetent to represent themselves as a result of serious mental health conditions or disability
The Florence Project asylum attorney represents individuals fleeing violence and persecution in their home countries
Our innovative partnership with the Kino Border Initiative allows for our KBI Legal Fellow to provide legal orientations in Nogales, Sonora and represent asylum seekers who are later detained in Eloy or Florence

Testimonials

"The Florence Project Staff explained the legal process and let people know the consequences of any decisions they made as they went before the court. I remember thinking how our justice system was not made for such a magnitude of bulk processing. I remember thinking how the detainees’ faces changed from fear to hope as they listened to the Florence staff."

"I love my work at the Florence Project because we want to right as many wrongs as we can. We want to win all of our cases, but even when we do not, our clients have gratitude and can receive closure when they feel seen and heard. People always benefit from having a fair fight, which is why we are dedicated to making sure everyone gets the care and attention they deserve."

"One of the most amazing things to me about the Florence Project is the high caliber and excellent quality of the individuals who are attracted to the project. Starting with Charlene D’Cruz, I am so thankful that we had and continue to have a steady stream of people who are not only stellar legal thinkers but also people of character with huge hearts."