Nearly two years into expanding AAU’s immigration justice work

Immigration Justice
Written By

Over the past 40 years, Asian American United (AAU) has been dedicated to developing youth leadership in Philly’s Asian American communities to unite and challenge oppression. Our work is two-fold: to provide cultural and educational programming for youth and families to feel safe and connected to their cultural roots; and advocate for our community to ensure they have a voice in our democracy.

What does AAU’s immigration justice work look like?

With the increase of attacks against immigrant communities since the beginning of 2025, we have expanded our immigrant justice programming by creating a rapid response hotline and raising funds for families affected by detention. While we primarily engage Asian communities, we know our liberation is intertwined– our work doors are open to all and we have helped people from 28 different countries. 

Over two years, ICE has taken tens of thousands of people away from their homes and families. Many of them have been taken secretly, at their legally required immigration check-ins, on their way to work, and even at the airport. AAU has supported over 100+ people kidnapped by ICE as well as helping their families navigate the immigration process. When one person is detained or deported, it has a domino effect– affecting not only themselves, but their loved ones and neighborhood as well. We have community members detained in Moshannon for an average of 9 months with some folks currently detained for over 1.5 years. Another community member is currently detained across the country in California for over two years.


There is a major misconception that the Trump Administration is only deporting people who commit violent crimes and therefore mass deportation is keeping us safe. However, most people who are detained or deported have never committed a crime. ICE’s mission is about control and power– and this is done by labeling many communities regardless of citizenship as “dangerous.” 90% of immigration cases that AAU has supported have involved people seeking asylum, a legal pathway to permanent residency. The system itself is the true criminal. Whether people are “following the rules,” there is no guarantee of safety under ICE. All people deserve dignity and humanity. 

The Cost of a Broken Immigration System

The lives and stories of people taken by ICE are kept in the shadows. They are often detained in terrible living conditions for months and even years. All of this cruelty is done just to make a profit for the wealthy and the prisons they run, to the tune of billions of dollars. Even one person taken is one too many. In less than two years, we have spent $77,000 to support immigrant families impacted by ICE with expenses that include:

  • habeas petitions

  • immigration bonds

  • hiring a lawyer

  • commissary in ICE detention

  • funeral costs

  • supporting families with rent and food.

We are grateful to our AAU community for supporting our work– whether it’s tending to heritage crops in the Inch-by-Inch Garden, bannermaking for a protest, or donating to our Communities in Solidarity Fund. We are also proud to be in community with partners like CAIR Philly, Juntos, New Sanctuary Movement, VietLead, and organizers across the country who are standing up for immigrant communities. Working together is a reminder that a just immigration system affects all of us and that we are stronger together.

Our immigration justice work is possible due to the generous support from our Communities in Solidarity Fund. Please consider making a donation to support individuals and families affected by ICE detention.