Over a press conference to be held on Wednesday morning, activist and actress Alyssa Milano is set to join local leaders from the legal and immigrant advocacy communities to highlight the importance of the growing movement to provide legal services to immigrants facing deportation.

Accompanying her at the meet will be Monika Langarica, Senior Staff Attorney at the American Bar Association Immigration Justice Project, Erika Pinheiro, Policy and Litigation Director at Al Otro Lado, Andrew Nietor, Founder of Nietor Law, Lindsay Toczylowski, Executive Director of Immigrant Defenders Law Center and Wendy, Immigrant Defenders Law Center client and asylum seeker.

The conference will be held on September 12, from 10:30 to 11:30 am, at the Civic Center Plaza, San Diego, California. Ever since the implement of Trump's outrageous immigration policies, millions of Americans have been outraged as the family separation crisis unfolded along the Southern border this year. Yet, the unresolved crisis mirrors what has long been happening throughout the country, with families split apart by indiscriminate deportations.

For too long, most immigrants facing the terrifying prospect of deportation from their homes, loved ones, communities, and families, have had no access to legal counsel. That means unaccompanied children, green-card holders who have lived and worked in the United States for decades, or asylum seekers fleeing persecution or torture, can find themselves navigating the complexities of immigration law alone.

The growing movement to provide immigrants with representation, legal information and a fair day in court aims to change that imbalance. In fact, when immigrants facing deportation have access to an attorney they are 10 times more likely to win their cases. Ultimately, it’s for a judge to decide what happens to each case in immigration court. But a fair decision cannot be reached when only one side is properly represented.
 
Wednesday’s press conference will highlight local efforts to provide area immigrants with a fair day in court, including powerful stories and examples of successful case outcomes.