After losing her son in a tragic accident, Jane* faced John*, the motorcycle driver who killed her son, through a restorative justice program. The result? A path to closure and healing, something that incarceration could not offer. www.vera.org/news/what-do...

Mass firings of immigration judges, the appointment of military lawyers to serve in their place, and ICE arrests at court hearings have overstrained the #UnitedStates immigration court system. www.newyorker.com/inside-donal...

Can you imagine being forced to work for weeks just to afford deodorant? This is the reality for many incarcerated people who work for pennies an hour—making it incredibly difficult to afford their basic needs as commissary prices soar. https://www.vera.org/news/too-little-for-too-much

Vera's Restoring Promise initiative partners with corrections agencies to design housing units that foster dignity, accountability, and healing for people in prison. Take a look at how this approach is building safety and community in South Carolina prisons:

At least 20 people have died in ICE custody in 2025, making this year the deadliest in decades. With increases to ICE’s funding, workforce, and detention space, the system riddled with abuse and neglect will undoubtedly be more life-threatening in 2026. www.npr.org/2025/10/23/n...

Last week, the FCC voted to increase rate caps for phone and video calls in jails and prisons by as much as 83%. This decision will harm incarcerated people and their loved ones, while telecommunications companies and correctional facilities profit.

For people in prisons, family visits help sustain hope. But for almost 7 months, NY State DOCCS deeply limited them. In a new blog for Vera, incarcerated writer David Sell reflects on how the loss of visitation deepens the mental strain of incarceration.

FAMM President Dr. Shaneva D. McReynolds & Senior Outreach & Storytelling Coordinator, Alexia Pitter are featured in the @vera.org latest article. With other crime survivors, they stress the power of sentencing that promotes healing & change over punishment. www.vera.org/news/listen-...

A couple of weeks ago, ICE officers arrested a 16-year-old Bronx high school student in the U.S. legally. For simply following the rules and complying with ICE’s proceedings, Joel Camas faces the risk of returning to the danger he and his mother fled. www.thecity.nyc/2025/10/24/j...

Mass incarceration’s impact on elections is clear. As we approach #ElectionDay, remember this: the communities most harmed by mass incarceration have the right to make their voices heard at the ballot box.

“It’s where we go to be ourselves. To be seen as students, not inmates, which is something we didn’t feel until this came along.” More schools are launching college-in-prison programs—bringing the transformative power of education behind bars.

Vera and partners in the Big Easy Budget Coalition are turning residents’ wishes into action—advocating for a city budget that reflects what New Orleanians know will make their communities thrive.

After the first Trump election, Vera launched the Safety & Fairness for Everyone (SAFE) Network to help cities, counties, and states implement programs that advance universal representation for immigrants facing deportation. www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5aw...

Tell your lawmaker to support investments in fairness and justice in the FY 2026 appropriations bill: https://secure.vera.org/a/protect-due-process It’s crucial that Congress redirects funds from detention and immigration enforcement to solutions that support family unity.

Despite overwhelming evidence of incarceration being counterproductive, the U.S. still overuses it to deliver punishment. There is a better path forward.

“I know no one here is going to put me in harm’s way; I don’t feel like I need to guard myself.” A new Vera report shows how an evidence-based shift in prison culture has built safety and community in South Carolina prisons.

Catherine “Catie” Cox Marshall, an accomplished public servant and admired member of the Vera community, passed away on Sunday, October 26. A fierce advocate for equality and justice, Catie leaves behind a legacy of service, compassion, and dedication.

❤️ Say thank you to the legal service providers fighting for justice: secure.vera.org/a/immigrants... Even through the escalation of mass deportations and cuts to funding for legal services programs, attorneys and advocates have worked tirelessly to defend fairness and due process.

🚨Unprecedented and alarming: ICE is currently holding more than 59,000 people across the United States. Vera’s ICE Detention Trends dashboard tells the truth about the agency’s operations and the best glimpse into the current state of immigration detention. www.vera.org/news/more-pe...

From dismantling due process to encouraging extreme sentencing, the Trump administration is having a devastating impact on the criminal legal system. Explore @prisonpolicy.org tracker to stay informed about the latest updates: https://www.prisonpolicy.org/federaltracker.html

In August, 61,226 people were in ICE detention, the largest number in recorded history. Larsya Kostak, a resident of Brooklyn for 20 years, was one of thousands detained in deplorable conditions. pix11.com/news/local-n...

National Immigrants Day commemorates the unveiling of the Statue of Liberty, an enduring symbol of hope and the opportunity to build a better life. One hundred and thirty-nine years later, the promise of protection from persecution and the very foundation of our democracy, are in jeopardy.

Courthouse arrests and sweeping raids continue to tear families apart and strip immigrants of due process. 🚨 This undermines the very foundation of our democracy. It cannot continue. Tell Congress everyone deserves their fair day in court: secure.vera.org/a/protect-du...

ICE’s recent raid in NYC’s Chinatown, its continued appearances at people’s mandatory court hearings, and its arrests of people defending basic fairness make it very clear: #NY leaders must match their words with urgent action and humane solutions. www.cityandstateny.com/opinion/2025...

Los Angeles jails have claimed 40 lives this year—surpassing the rate of the deadliest year on record. LA leaders must act now to close Men's Central Jail, reduce the jail population, and invest in community-based services before more lives are lost.

Everyone deserves access to safe, affordable housing—yet people with conviction histories often face immense barriers to accessing it. Here's how advocates in Michigan are working to change that and ensure everyone has a fair chance at housing:

Law enforcement is increasingly using minor traffic stops as pathways to detain immigrants. Across the U.S., minor traffic violations have led to prolonged detention for immigrants who may not even have a criminal record. www.tri-cityherald.com/news/nation-...

Justice can’t wait, but time’s almost up on Vera’s storewide 15% off! Proceeds from your purchase go straight to work supporting critical justice and immigration reform. Shop now and support the fight to end mass incarceration and advocate for immigrants: shop.vera.org

Everyone deserves to live safely. Everyone deserves their fair day in court. But that’s sadly not the reality for many immigrants in the U.S. right now. Every day immigrants are being denied due process. Congress must fund immigration legal counsel NOW: secure.vera.org/a/protect-du...

Overcrowded facilities, woefully inadequate medical care, violence, and denied communication with family and legal counsel: ICE’s detention practices are inhumane. nysfocus.com/2025/10/06/i...

#LosAngeles has declared a state of emergency over immigration raids that have been terrorizing the city for nearly three months. By turning this emergency declaration into action, LA can be a model for how to protect communities across the country. Learn more:

Every day immigrants remain at risk and their due process is denied. 🫵 You can help change this: Contact your lawmaker and urge them to support critical investments in fairness and justice like legal representation in the FY 2026 appropriations bill. secure.vera.org/a/protect-du...

Wear your values, make a statement. Looking to show your commitment to fighting for human dignity and ending mass incarceration? Explore the newest collection from the Vera Shop! Today through October 23 get 15% off your purchase. ⬇️ shop.vera.org

Recent data and reports reveal an alarming trend: immigrant detention centers are placing more people in solitary confinement, sometimes for weeks at a time. www.axios.com/2025/10/06/i...

An immigration attorney’s recent experience at a Chicago detention center reveals an alarming trend: ICE is transferring people between detention facilities without warning, making it impossible for them to reach loved ones and lawyers and further depriving them of due process.

Behind every degree earned behind bars are hidden costs: limited access to technology, long waits for materials, and a system that forces people to fight for the right to learn. Read more about the true cost of education in prison from incarcerated writer Derek Jason LeCompte:

From encampment sweeps to outdoor camping bans, cities across the U.S. are criminalizing homelessness. These actions and laws put unhoused people at risk of losing vital documents and experiencing worsened health. progressive.org/op-eds/the-w...

The Trump administration’s push for mass detention and deportations has thrown the immigration system into chaos: immense caseloads for immigration lawyers, reinterpretations of existing laws, new ICE tactics, and rising scams and fraud. www.startribune.com/immigration-...

Ending the incarceration of girls and gender expansive youth isn't just possible, it's essential. Vera's new report includes tools to help leaders, policymakers, and advocates build a future where every young person can thrive. https://www.vera.org/ending-girls-incarceration-how-to

The Trump administration’s expansion of deportation efforts affects us all. Relying on federal and local law enforcement agencies to address immigration enforcement compromises public safety and pulls personnel away from responding to violent crimes. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...

🚨ICE is not sharing critical information with the public on the true scale and human cost of Trump’s immigration agenda. But Vera is. Our ICE Detention Trends dashboard provides you with the best glimpse into ICE’s vast detention system. 🧵A thread... www.vera.org/news/more-pe...

Historically, minor transportation offenses have disproportionately affected Black, brown, and immigrant communities. These discriminatory stops can turn into major, life-changing experiences like an arrest or even deportation. medium.com/vision-zero-...

Everyone within U.S. borders—regardless of age and immigration status—is entitled to due process when facing deportation.

Earlier this week, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson signed an executive order banning ICE from using city property in their operations—a critical measure to ensure immigrants’ safety. thehill.com/homenews/sta...

What if we invested in girls' freedom, instead of their incarceration? Explore Vera's new toolkit to learn how we can transform the juvenile justice system into one that values dignity, equity, and true justice: https://www.vera.org/ending-girls-incarceration-how-to

Good news: Indianapolis community members and city-county councilors successfully advocated to restore the city’s immigrant legal services fund. This critical win safeguards the city’s immigrant communities from unjust deportations and attacks on their due process rights.

"A fair chance at housing is a fair chance at a life." Maryland's Fair Chance Access to Housing Act would increase housing access for formerly incarcerated people—creating safer communities and reducing recidivism.

For decades, judges granted bonds to detained immigrants deemed neither flight risks nor public safety threats and allowed them to live in their communities while awaiting lengthy court proceedings. That all vanished in July when ICE reinterpreted immigration law. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/24/u...

On Thursday, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) alerted legal service providers serving immigrant children of their plans to incentivize the children to leave the country and abandon their legal rights to seek safety in the United States.

Trump is using crime as a pretext to threaten cities like Washington, DC and justify a power grab. Our elected leaders need to call out this ruse and go on the offense about what actually works to make our cities safe—and it’s not sending in the military.