Habeas
Initiative

ICE detention reached a record high of over 73,000 people in January 2026. Even as that number has fluctuated, roughly three quarters of those detained have no criminal conviction. Detainees are people of all ages from child to elderly. Detentions range from months to over a year and there are numerous accounts of abuse, sometimes resulting in death. Most have no lawyer. Federal courts, including in Georgia, have been ordering their release. The government has not always complied.

The legal arguments and precedent exist, yet many detainees endure prolonged detention because of a lack of legal representation equipped to handle their case. Because non-citizens detained by ICE are considered to be in civil detention, they do not have a guaranteed right to an attorney. Many people who would be able to be released from detention simply wait, because of a lack of information, a lack of funds, or gaps in understanding by their attorneys in a quickly changing legal environment.

What We Do

We work with immigration attorneys and legal advocacy organizations who offer pro-bono and low-bono services to detained non-citizens.

Legal Work

• Case research and drafting support on new and existing active habeas petitions
• Update habeas templates and argument strategy as law and policy evolve
• Build a shared case law and statutory library organized by circuit, district, and legal grounds
• Prepare bond motions and bond strategy
• Client background research, family support coordination, and release logistics

Outreach Work

• Know-your-rights materials and support for the Georgia immigrant community in various languages
• Attorney outreach: build a network of Georgia immigration and federal practitioners capable not only of habeas petitions, but also underlying immigration cases and the civil rights claims that may arise from arrests, detention, and the harms therefrom