Banner Photo Credit: Ted Eytan
Juntos, we stand united…now more than ever. Immigrant communities across the U.S. are being hit hard—ICE raids, fast-track deportations, and policies that feel more fear-driven and political than fair. In times like these, it’s not enough to just care quietly. We have to speak up, show up, and support the organizations doing the real work on the ground right now. As a proud Latino-owned brand rooted in cultura and comunidad, Tragos is standing in solidarity with those resisting injustice. We know we joke and have fun 99% of the time, but when it comes to our community, we don’t play. Apart from our own personal contributions, we’re highlighting organizations we know and love that are on the frontlines of immigration justice.
Photo credit: CHIRLA website
CHIRLA (Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights)
Think of CHIRLA as the OG defenders of immigrant rights in California, and beyond. Since 1986, they’ve been organizing, educating, and lawyering up for immigrant families, from fighting for DACA protections to ensuring students have access to college regardless of status. They have offices in DC, California, and even Mexico (borders who?). Check out CHIRLA’s fundraising efforts on Instagram. It’s never too late to share and support.
What They Do:
- Free and low-cost legal services for immigrants and mixed-status families
- Know Your Rights workshops and community education
- Policy advocacy at the state and federal level
- Film and media storytelling to educate and shift narratives
- Emergency migrant assistance and deportation defense
Instagram: @chirla_org
Photo credit: IDP website
Immigrant Defense Project (IDP)
Based in New York, the Immigrant Defense Project has been doing some legal heavy lifting since 2010. When ICE shows up unannounced or immigrant communities get swept up in criminal-legal systems, IDP is often the quiet force behind the scenes helping people fight back—and win, como They’re kinda like Batman…or even ninjas 🥷
They also train public defenders, educate immigrant families on their rights, and publish some of the most trusted resources on how to protect yourself and your community from enforcement.
What They Do:
- Free legal advice for people facing deportation
- Referrals to trusted legal service providers
- Professional and community training
- Clear, multilingual guides and resources to outsmart ICE tactics
Instagram: @immdefense
Photo credit: UWD website
United We Dream (UWD)
Founded in 2008 and based in D.C., United We Dream is the largest youth-led immigrant rights group in the U.S., empowering undocumented, LGBTQ+, and BIPOC youth to take the lead in policy fights, grassroots action, and defending their communities against deportation threats. Mmhm, I know that’s right!
What They Do:
- Deportation defense resources and rapid response support for impacted families
- Advocacy for in-state tuition, school equity, and undocumented student access
- Mental health and wellness programming tailored for undocumented youth
- Creative zines and storytelling that amplify immigrant-made art and narratives
- DACA renewal guidance and policy advocacy for permanent protections
- Real-time mobile alerts on ICE activity, legal changes, and ways to take action
Instagram: @unitedwedream
Photo credit: Amica website
Amica Center for Immigrant Rights
Amica provides free legal defense for detained immigrants and children, uses strategic litigation to protect rights, and ensures no one faces deportation alone in a system lacking guaranteed representation. They were founded in 1999 in Washington, DC.
One special thing about Amica is their Immigration Impact Lab, a Children’s program offering direct legal aid and social services for minors. It supports those failed by the system through strategic litigation. Through their unwavering commitment to justice, Amica reminds us that even in a broken system, expert advocacy and collective courage can protect immigrant children, keep families together, and defend the futures they deserve.
What They Do:
- Pro bono legal resources for immigrants facing detention and deportation
- Practice advisories to support attorneys and advocates handling complex cases
- FOIA-based data and transparency tools to expose government misconduct
- Specialized guidance at the intersection of criminal and immigration law
Instagram: @amica.center
Photo credit: Alianza América website
Alianza Américas
Started in 2004, Alianza Américas is a migrant-led network that fights for fair immigration policies, an end to detention, and stronger protections for immigrant communities. They work across 18 U.S. states and throughout Latin America—including Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean—and even have a regional office in El Salvador. Their goal? Build cross-border solidarity by tackling the root causes of migration and empowering immigrant leaders to push for justice both at home and abroad. ¡Increíble!
What They Do:
- Legal services for immigrant individuals and families
- Various resources covering rights, benefits, and immigration processes
- Community events, trainings, and webinars to educate and mobilize
- Advocacy campaigns and grassroots projects advancing immigrant justice
Instagram: @alianza_americas
Additional Resources
Here are some honorable mentions. They play an essential and high-impact role in the fight for immigrant justice across legal, policy, and community fronts:
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National Immigration Law Center (NILC): A leading force in protecting low-income immigrants through strategic litigation and policy advocacy, especially around healthcare, public benefits, and DACA.
https://www.nilc.org/
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American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU): A powerful legal and civil rights organization challenging unjust immigration laws, detention practices, and executive overreach at the national level.
https://www.aclu.org/
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American Immigration Council (AIC): Known for combining legal defense, public education, and data-driven policy work to advance fair, humane immigration systems grounded in facts.
https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/
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Faith in Action: A multifaith, grassroots network that mobilizes communities of faith to advocate for immigrant protections, including sanctuary efforts, deportation defense, and legislative change.
https://faithinaction.org/
Want to show support?
Here are some things you can do to help immigrants right now and over time:
You don’t have to be a lawyer or organizer to support immigrant justice. Here are a few real ways to show up today:
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Donate, if you can. These organizations do a lot with very little. Your money goes directly toward legal aid, emergency assistance, and community defense. Even a small gift can keep a family together.
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Share this post. Awareness is power. Send it to your group chat, post it on IG, tag your favorite prima. The more eyes on these orgs, the more support they can get.
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Learn your rights. Even if you’re not directly impacted, knowing what to do during an ICE encounter could help someone in your community. Don’t wait until it’s too late to be prepared. Check out CHIRLA’s Know Your Rights page for more info. ACLU also has a great Rights Checklist based on specific situations.
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Volunteer your time. Check out local orgs (like the ones we mentioned!) to see if they’re accepting volunteers or interns. You might help with things like document translation, staffing events, or even answering a detention hotline. A few hours of your time can go a long way.
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Advocate in your own way. Whether it’s at a protest or in your daily life, don’t let discrimination slide. Your voice matters. And if you see something? Say something. Just imagine it’s your own family and you’ll feel that empathy hit different.
- VOTE (if you can). Local elections matter—big time. From mayors to judges to school boards—the people in charge decide how immigration laws are enforced. So yeah, vote. Do your homework, show up, and vote for candidates who care about immigrant communities.
Everyone’s processing this moment differently, and that’s okay. Not all of us will show up the same way—but we can still show up for each other.
Got a resource we should know about? Want to add your voice to the convo? Drop it in the comments—we’re listening.
And if you want to stay tapped in with everything we’re doing at Tragos—from community posts like this to new games that celebrate la cultura—follow us on socials and sign up for our newsletter. We’ll keep you in the loop, and hopefully make you laugh along the way too.
