WHO WE ARE
Esperanza Immigrant Rights Project is a project of Catholic Charities of Los Angeles. Over the past 15 years, Esperanza Immigrant Rights Project has become one of the leading immigration-focused public interest organizations in the country. Esperanza is made up of a team of passionate staff, interns, and volunteers who work together to advance the rights of vulnerable immigrants through education, representation, and advocacy.
Our Vision:
Our vision is to inspire hope and advance social justice for immigrants.
Our Mission:
Our mission is to serve some of the most vulnerable people in the Los Angeles Area – immigrants facing deportation from the U.S. At Esperanza we believe that immigrant rights are human rights.
Esperanza began as the Los Angeles Detention Project of Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC). Originally CLINIC's Los Angeles Detention Project focused solely on "Know Your Rights" presentations, securing legal representation from pro bono or CLINIC assigned attorneys, reporting on systemic and detainee-specific problems in the immigration detention system, and advocating for reform.
After over a decade of success representing clients in immigration court, winning relief from removal, and securing much-needed reforms, CLINIC devolved its control over the Los Angeles Detention Project to Catholic Charities of Los Angeles. In 2008 the project was renamed Esperanza Immigrant Rights Project.
Since 2008, Esperanza has grown from a staff of 5 to almost 40, and has expanded its programs to meet the increasing and changing needs of the immigrant community. With our dedicated staff and commitment to immigrant rights, Esperanza continues to bring hope to children, adults, and families who have come to the U.S. in search of a better life.
Our Story
