Programs and Advocacy
In addition to providing direct representation to immigrants detained across the Gulf Coast, ISLA also offers the following programs and initiatives to better defend our immigrant communities.
01
National Qualified Representative Program
ISLA is a provider for the National Qualified Representative Program (NQRP) through which our staff provides representation to detained immigrants with, oftentimes, serious mental disorders who are found to be incompetent to represent themselves.
02
Legal Access Services for Reunified Families Program
ISLA is a regional service provider for the Legal Access Services for Reunified Families (LASRF) Program. Under the LASRF program, our staff provides legal information and advice to families who were victims of family separation under the first Trump administration and are a part of the Ms. L v. ICE Settlement Agreement.
03
Habeas Project
In the Fall of 2025, ISLA launched a Habeas Project, in collaboration with the National Immigration Project (NIP), to meet the high demand for habeas corpus petitions on behalf of unrepresented immigrants detained in Louisiana and the Gulf Coast. With the Trump administration's expansion of immigration detention and the practical elimination of bonds for detained immigrants, habeas corpus petitions in federal court have become one of the most important tools for seeking release from detention. ISLA staff is working in partnership with other local and national organizations and experts to mentor volunteers and file habeas petitions in federal court. If you are an attorney who would like to get involved in our Habeas Project, email jgutierrez@islaimmigration.org
04
Court Watch Project
In the Fall of 2025, ISLA launched a Court Watch program in partnership with Acacia Center for Justice and the American Bar Association (ABA). Through this volunteer-powered program, court watchers help promote accountability in detained immigration courts and raise awareness about the issues affecting immigrants detained in our communities. Our program is entirely virtual to access the remote-detained courts we serve. Volunteers complete online training offered through Acacia and ABA, and then partner with ISLA to observe detained immigration court cases across Louisiana. To get involved, email: courtwatch@islaimmigration.org
05
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.