Mission

For thirty-five years, the Florence Project has been dedicated to empowering and pursuing justice for detained immigrants. On any given day, 5,000 adults and children are detained by immigration authorities in Arizona. Those escaping violence and persecution in their home countries encounter inhumane conditions at the U.S.-Mexico border and in detention facilities. Due to the lack of a public defender system for people threatened with deportation, most adults and children face these court proceedings alone, unrepresented against a trained government attorney advocating for their removal. These hearings can carry life or death consequences. The Florence Project provides crucial support, accompaniment, and defense through its free legal and social services. We actively work to address injustices at the local and national levels through advocacy initiatives and appellate work. Continually striving to advance the rights of adults and children in immigration detention, we aim for systemic change and are nationally recognized for our fierce and innovative advocacy, while staying grounded in and centering the dignity and resilience of our clients.