Programs and Advocacy

ISLA participates in long standing programming as well as developing new programs and outreach to stay ahead of the needs of the community.

National Qualified Representative Program

As part of the National Qualified Representative Program (NQRP), our staff provides representation to detained respondents with serious mental disorders who are found to be incompetent to represent themselves.

Legal Access Services for Reunified Families Program

As a Legal Service Provider for the Legal Access Services for Reunified Families Program, ISLA provides legal services to families that were victims of Trump’s Family Separation policies.

Habeas Project

ISLA is currently developing a project to meet the high demand for habeas corpus petitions on behalf of immigrants detained in Louisiana. With the Trump administration's expansion of immigration detention and extreme tactics, habeas has become an increasingly important tool for defending detained immigrants. ISLA staff will work in partnership with other local and national organizations and experts to mentor volunteers and file habeas petitions in federal court.

Court Watch Project

The ISLA Court Watch Project will allow community members to observe immigration court proceedings for people detained by ICE in Louisiana. Observers will take notes on their experiences, allowing ISLA to identify systemic issues and opportunities for advocacy or litigation. We hope that in bearing witness, court watchers will help to hold judges accountable in upholding due process in their courts and raise awareness about the issues impacting immigrants detained in our communities.

Community Advocacy

Part of our work is enabling communities to fight back against ICE. ISLA regularly hosts and participates in community events, such as Know Your Rights, self-help workshops, and informational events. Additionally, we are a founding member of the Southeast Dignity not Detention Coalition, a broad group of allies organizing to end ICE detention in the Southeast. We regularly participate in impact litigation as plaintiffs.