Pangea Legal Services

The U.S. operates the world’s largest immigration detention system. One-in-four of the country’s 11 million undocumented people live in California. Combining community organizing, legislative, and legal strategies for highest impact, Pangea is building a force of 500,000 undocumented immigrants in Northern California to win citizenship for all nationally, and close all immigration detention facilities in the state. Pangea’s cutting-edge, free, immigration legal services set legal precedent at a nearly 100% success rate. Our undocumented and asylee clients and their communities become member leaders in Pangea’s advocacy work. Since 2013, our team has activated over 50,000 community members to: create the first 24-7 hotline for immigrants at risk of deportation, and support the creation of over 40 hotlines across the country; close three detention centers; pass legislation prohibiting the state of California from operating private prisons, and three counties from collaborating with ICE; and trained asylum seekers to represent themselves in court, and win. Like the majority of undocumented people nationally, most of our staff are immigrants from Mexico and Central America and about half were undocumented; some were incarcerated in detention, and some are still undocumented. Instead of a single Executive Director, we are all Co-Directors who share the responsibility of democratically managing Pangea. With our community and expertise, we will build the people power needed to win just immigration policy and build welcoming communities.