As immigrants with convictions are increasingly vilified and targeted for deportation, IDP works with a broad range of allies to develop campaigns around strategic reforms within the criminal justice system that will reduce both incarceration and its collateral consequences on immigrants.
IDP works in coalition with organizations focused on policing, such as Communities United for Police Reform, to provide general support for advocacy efforts as well as immigration-specific analyses and trainings. IDP also works closely with re-entry organizations and others that work with people with criminal convictions to fortify the rights of all people with convictions. IDP is currently collaborating with the Fortune Society on sentencing reforms, such as our campaign to change the maximum sentence for a misdemeanor in New York to 364 days in order to minimize the immigration consequences of such convictions. IDP worked with criminal justice and reentry organizations on a successful campaign to win a pardon from Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York in 2014 for an immigrant with an aggravated felony conviction, and we continue to provide support for other immigrants filing pardon applications.