#BREAKING: Today, the New York State Democratic Committee passed a resolution strongly supporting the New York For All Act, legislation that prevents #NY law enforcement agencies from colluding with federal immigration enforcement.

As Vera and other advocates predicted, Prop 36 is straining budgets in California, without improving community safety or public health. New reporting from @voiceofsandiego.org breaks down how the policy is straining both San Diego County’s budget and justice system:

Across the U.S., surging detention populations are creating dangerous conditions: people are being denied adequate beds and clean clothes and even basic health care. Read about the conditions at Pine Prairie, an ICE Processing Center in #Louisiana: lailluminator.com/2025/11/13/i...

Everyone deserves to be treated with dignity. Yet for more than a century, dehumanizing images of people in the criminal justice and immigration systems have been used in U.S. politics to stoke fear. Vera's Ed Chung reflects on this unjust history:

"Second chances and healing can coexist. They must coexist—for survivors, for those who have caused harm, and for every life touched in between." @famm.org's Alexia Pitter and other survivors share a vision for justice rooted in healing and change: www.vera.org/news/listen-...

On October 30, the Vera Institute of Justice announced that Nick Turner, the organization's current President and Director, will conclude his tenure in May 2026 after almost thirteen years of service during which he led efforts to make the criminal justice and immigration systems fairer for all.

Despite claims that electronic monitoring serves as an alternative to incarceration, Vera’s research shows how its increased usage has expanded the reach of the criminal legal and immigration systems, subjecting more people to surveillance and control.

In a letter to the editor of @newyorker.com, Nicole Melaku, executive director of @npnewamericans.bsky.social and co-lead for the Fairness to Freedom campaign, urges for investments in immigrant legal defense programs. www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...

Thousands of people die in U.S. jails and prisons each year. Too often, families must face financial and logistical barriers to bringing their loved ones home. Incarcerated people deserve to be treated with dignity in life and death—no matter what.

The DOJ claims it does not target immigration judges in any personnel decision. Yet so far this year the Executive Office for Immigration Review has fired about 70 immigration judges, nearly half of whom came from an immigrant-defense background. www.npr.org/2025/11/06/g...

ICE obscures the breadth of its detention network by reporting limited, incomplete statistics, and for only a fraction of facilities. In the first 10 days of June 2025, ICE detained people in 436 facilities, but only publicly acknowledged using 163 of them. #ImmigrantRights

A New York State corrections officers’ strike disrupted family visitation for almost seven months. Incarcerated writer David Sell underscores why programs that offer crucial rehabilitation and hope must be prioritized even during times like this. Read his full blog:

Physical mail is a lifeline to the outside world for people who are incarcerated, yet states are increasingly banning it in favor of digital scans. The result: censorship, less privacy, and higher costs for incarcerated people and their loved ones.

In a letter to the editor of @thenation.com, retired immigration judge, A. Ashley Tabaddor warns that the balance and fairness in the immigration court system are fading. www.thenation.com/article/soci...

"Just because the cost of living is increasing doesn’t mean our livelihoods are of less value.” LaShawn Lewis reflects on the injustice of low prison wages and the rising costs of basic goods behind bars:

A federal judge has ordered urgent reforms at a #Chicago immigration detention center, after finding the deplorable conditions at ICE’s Broadview facility unconstitutional and citing evidence of overcrowding and filthy conditions. www.reuters.com/legal/govern...

It can take an incarcerated person weeks of strenuous work to afford even just a stick of deodorant. Story via @vera.org.

Legislators often use crime survivors to justify harsh punishment, like long prison sentences. Yet many people who have been harmed advocate for restorative justice and second chances. Four crime survivors highlight the need for sentencing reform: https://www.vera.org/news/listen-to-their-stories

Families shouldn't have to go into debt to stay connected. The FCC affirmed this last year when it voted to end exploitative phone and video calling rates in jails and prisons—but now it has reversed course and raised price caps. www.nytimes.com/2025/10/28/u...

Vera is proud to be part of the Louisiana-based Liberty & Dignity coalition, a collective fighting for a healthy, sustainable, joyful, equitable, safe, and secure future for all in the state. Learn more about the coalition and how you can get involved:

From arrests and expedited removals to the firing of hundreds of immigration judges, the Trump administration is gutting the immigration court system outside and in. www.law360.com/access-to-ju...

One year after Proposition 36 passed, California is seeing the opposite of what proponents promised: the measure has fueled mass incarceration while depriving people of the treatment and support they need to break cycles of harm and provide stability.

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