Immigrant Defense Project (IDP) is a left-of-center advocacy organization that focuses on issues related to immigration, such as the detention and deportation of immigrants. ¹

Immigrant Defense Project conducts activities related to litigation; legal advice and training; community defense from ICE raids; policy and advocacy; surveillance, tech, and immigration policing; and the Padilla Support Center and post-conviction relief. ² The Padilla Support Center is an organization that offers legal support to attorneys representing immigrants in New York City. ³

Overview

Immigrant Defense Project is one of the anchor organizations for Comm/Unity, a national network of left-of-center organizations that work to support immigrant advocacy organizations and left-wing social policy organizations and provide information to journalists. Comm/Unity’s partners include the National Immigration Law Center, ⁴ a public interest law firm that advocates for expansionist immigration. ⁵ Another partner of Comm/Unity is the National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild, ⁶ a left-of-center nonprofit organization that advocates for legal and illegal immigrants in the United States and lobbies on behalf of expansionist immigration policies and against immigration enforcement. ⁷

IDP founded an initiative called Pardon: The Immigrant Clemency Project, that deals with issues related to immigration, specifically immigrants with criminal histories. The project launched in New York as PardonNY, a pilot campaign partnership with organizations such the Fortune Society, Legal Aid Society of Nassau County, Brooklyn Defender Services, and Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem. ⁸

People

Jonathan Monsalve is the executive director of Immigrant Defense Project. Before joining IDP, Monsalve was director of Brooklyn Justice Initiatives for 4 years. During his tenure, he managed a staff of social workers, attorneys, and case managers and was responsible for a budget of $20 million. Monslave also worked as a policy analyst for the Council of State Governments Justice Center. He graduated from New Jersey City University with a master’s degree in criminal justice. ⁹

Mizue Aizeki is the project director of the Surveillance, Technology, and Immigration Policing Project & senior advisor to IDP. Her work has focused on issues related to the criminal, legal, and immigration systems for the past 15 years. She has been involved in campaigns related to the entanglement of local law enforcement and immigration authorities. Aizeki launched IDP’s programs related to ICE raids and community defense in 2013 and recently founded the Surveillance, Technology, and Immigration Policing Project. ¹⁰ She also worked as IDP’s interim executive director. ¹¹

1. “About Immigrant Defense Project.” Immigrant Defense Project. Last modified September 28, 2015. https://www.immigrantdefenseproject.org/about/.
2. “What We Do.” Immigrant Defense Project. Last modified February 22, 2011. https://www.immigrantdefenseproject.org/what-we-do/.
3. “Padilla Support Center.” Immigrant Defense Project – Fighting for Justice & Human Rights for ALL. Last modified October 19, 2015. https://www.immigrantdefenseproject.org/what-we-do/padilla-support-center/
4. “Comm/Unity.” Immigrant Defense Project. Last modified July 20, 2022. https://www.immigrantdefenseproject.org/what-we-do/comm-unity/.
5. “What We Do.” National Immigration Law Center. Accessed September 19, 2022. https://www.nilc.org/about-us/what_we_do/.
6. “Comm/Unity.” Immigrant Defense Project. Last modified July 20, 2022. https://www.immigrantdefenseproject.org/what-we-do/comm-unity/.
7. National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild. “NIPNLG Mission and History.” National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild. Accessed September 19, 2022. https://www.nationalimmigrationproject.org/mission.html.
8. “About Us.” Pardon: Immigrant Clemency Project. Accessed September 19, 2022. https://immigrantpardonproject.com/.
9. “IDP Welcomes New Executive Director Jonathan Monsalve.” Immigrant Defense Project. Last modified August 11, 2021. https://www.immigrantdefenseproject.org/idp-welcomes-our-next-executive-director-jonathan-monsalve/.
10. “Staff.” Immigrant Defense Project – Fighting for Justice & Human Rights for ALL. Last modified March 18, 2011. https://www.immigrantdefenseproject.org/about/staff/.
11. “IDP Welcomes New Executive Director Jonathan Monsalve.” Immigrant Defense Project. Last modified August 11, 2021. https://www.immigrantdefenseproject.org/idp-welcomes-our-next-executive-director-jonathan-monsalve/.