NLG on the ceasefire in Gaza, censorship at Columbia, and the immigrant support movement

 A new NLG know your rights, or risks, guide has been posted at:  www.nlg.org/massdefenseprogram/responsive-guides/

The NLG's annual Week of Abolition will be March 3-7, with the theme: "Practicing Everyday Abolition" --  www.nlg.org/woa/

Sent out by email the evening of January 16th:

The National Lawyers Guild Says Ceasefire Today, Liberation Tomorrow! The National Lawyers Guild (NLG) welcomes the announcement of a ceasefire in the occupied territory of Gaza. This is the least that could happen, given Israel’s recent escalation of their 76-year, ongoing, genocidal campaign against Palestinians. It comes at a time when the death toll has exceeded 46,000 people, with reports that this number is undercounted. Israel has displaced more than 90% of the Palestinians living in Gaza. It will take decades to rebuild all the damage that was done, and therefore it's imperative that we also demand an immediate lifting of the lifting of the siege and ongoing economic embargo on Gaza.  This level of violence and destruction witnessed could not have been achieved without our elected officials at every level of government aiding Israel. The U.S. federal government has sent over $26 billion in weapons since October of 2023. Congress passed legislation designed to target non-profits who dare to speak out about the genocide of Palestinians. States like Texas have censored pro-Palestine speech on college campuses.  All of this did not stop the massive wave of popular support that the Palestinian people have across the world. Mass protests broke out against the ongoing genocide. Universities became encampments, as students took over public spaces demanding an end to the genocide. The International Criminal Court and International Court of Justice both have cases against Israel for violating human rights, thanks to the initiative and pressure of Palestinians and their allies from South Africa to Chile to Ireland, and many more. The world has witnessed the atrocities that Israel is committing, and they are fighting back.  We call on the US and international legal community to escalate our pursuit for legal accountability for the last 467 days of genocide and all Israeli colonial violence, ethnic cleansing, ongoing war crimes and crimes against humanity, including the crime of apartheid, in our global and local legal institutions. We support the efforts of activists and progressive legal communities who are pursuing legal justice against individual members of the genocide army through national laws of Universal Jurisdiction. Every state which has signed and ratified the Geneva Convention is duty bound to prosecute those responsible for violating the Conventions.  We must also call for  our legal community to unite in the pursuit of real justice against U.S. individuals and institutions who have directly participated, aided and abetted in the genocide and famine, from the Biden administration officials, to member of Congress, to the media. They are all responsible.The ceasefire agreement has yet to be ratified, and is set to be rolled out in stages. We must keep our eyes on Gaza and the Palestinian people. The NLG continues to reiterate its support for a free Palestine. We believe that the Palestinians have the right to self-determination, by any means necessary. We also continue to reiterate the “legitimacy of the right of the Palestinian people to resist illegal military occupation, apartheid and ethnic cleansing" as is clear in international law and any correct moral standard. We join others in the statement Ceasefire today, Liberation tomorrow!

The National Lawyers Guild Is In Solidarity with Katherine Franke, and Condemns Columbia University The National Lawyers Guild (NLG) condemns Columbia University’s forced retirement of former NLG Executive Director, Katherine Franke. This response is only one of the many attacks Columbia University has lobbied against anyone daring to speak out against Israel’s genocide of Palestinians. Professor Franke is a true embodiment of the NLG’s spirit and fight of putting people and the planet over profits.  After 25 years of service, Professor Franke was forced out of Columbia University for her unwavering support for Palestinian liberation. This is retaliation from Columbia University against her statements in support of the student encampments protesting Isarel’s genocide against Palestinians. She also brought to light the fact that Israeli students who had recently served in the Israeli military were using violence against anti-genocide protesters.  Columbia University’s response to these student encampments is unequivocally one of violence: the University sent in the NYPD to clear the encampment, allowed Zionist students and professors to attack anti-genocide protestors, and has retaliated against anyone on staff who dares to support these brave student protestors. Israel’s genocide against Palestinians continues to intensify, claiming the lives of over 46,000 since October 7th, 2023. Standing in solidarity with Palestinans who are asserting their right for liberation and self-determination is not radical. We cannot remain silent in the face of continued Israeli occupation of Palestine. Katherine Franke reminds us that we must speak out, no matter the cost.

[Re-posted:

 The National Lawyers Guild Says Ceasefire Today, Liberation Tomorrow! 

The National Lawyers Guild (NLG) welcomes the announcement of a ceasefire in the occupied territory of Gaza. This is the least that could happen, given Israel’s recent escalation of their 76-year, ongoing, genocidal campaign against Palestinians. It comes at a time when the death toll has exceeded 46,000 people, with reports that this number is undercounted. Israel has displaced more than 90% of the Palestinians living in Gaza. It will take decades to rebuild all the damage that was done, and therefore it's imperative that we also demand an immediate lifting of the lifting of the siege and ongoing economic embargo on Gaza. 

This level of violence and destruction witnessed could not have been achieved without our elected officials at every level of government aiding Israel. The U.S. federal government has sent over $26 billion in weapons since October of 2023. Congress passed legislation designed to target non-profits who dare to speak out about the genocide of Palestinians. States like Texas have censored pro-Palestine speech on college campuses. 

All of this did not stop the massive wave of popular support that the Palestinian people have across the world. Mass protests broke out against the ongoing genocide. Universities became encampments, as students took over public spaces demanding an end to the genocide. The International Criminal Court and International Court of Justice both have cases against Israel for violating human rights, thanks to the initiative and pressure of Palestinians and their allies from South Africa to Chile to Ireland, and many more. The world has witnessed the atrocities that Israel is committing, and they are fighting back. 

We call on the US and international legal community to escalate our pursuit for legal accountability for the last 467 days of genocide and all Israeli colonial violence, ethnic cleansing, ongoing war crimes and crimes against humanity, including the crime of apartheid, in our global and local legal institutions. We support the efforts of activists and progressive legal communities who are pursuing legal justice against individual members of the genocide army through national laws of Universal Jurisdiction. Every state which has signed and ratified the Geneva Convention is duty bound to prosecute those responsible for violating the Conventions. 

We must also call for  our legal community to unite in the pursuit of real justice against U.S. individuals and institutions who have directly participated, aided and abetted in the genocide and famine, from the Biden administration officials, to member of Congress, to the media. They are all responsible.The ceasefire agreement has yet to be ratified, and is set to be rolled out in stages. We must keep our eyes on Gaza and the Palestinian people. The NLG continues to reiterate its support for a free Palestine. We believe that the Palestinians have the right to self-determination, by any means necessary. We also continue to reiterate the “legitimacy of the right of the Palestinian people to resist illegal military occupation, apartheid and ethnic cleansing" as is clear in international law and any correct moral standard. We join others in the statement Ceasefire today, Liberation tomorrow!

The National Lawyers Guild Is In Solidarity with Katherine Franke, and Condemns Columbia University

The National Lawyers Guild (NLG) condemns Columbia University’s forced retirement of former NLG Executive Director, Katherine Franke. This response is only one of the many attacks Columbia University has lobbied against anyone daring to speak out against Israel’s genocide of Palestinians. Professor Franke is a true embodiment of the NLG’s spirit and fight of putting people and the planet over profits. 

After 25 years of service, Professor Franke was forced out of Columbia University for her unwavering support for Palestinian liberation. This is retaliation from Columbia University against her statements in support of the student encampments protesting Isarel’s genocide against Palestinians. She also brought to light the fact that Israeli students who had recently served in the Israeli military were using violence against anti-genocide protesters. 

Columbia University’s response to these student encampments is unequivocally one of violence: the University sent in the NYPD to clear the encampment, allowed Zionist students and professors to attack anti-genocide protestors, and has retaliated against anyone on staff who dares to support these brave student protestors.

Israel’s genocide against Palestinians continues to intensify, claiming the lives of over 46,000 since October 7th, 2023. Standing in solidarity with Palestinans who are asserting their right for liberation and self-determination is not radical. We cannot remain silent in the face of continued Israeli occupation of Palestine. Katherine Franke reminds us that we must speak out, no matter the cost. ]

Sent out by email the evening of January 24th:

New KYR for immigration justice advocates: Assessing Risks in Supporting Immigrants at Points of Intervention, Understanding the “Harboring” Non-U.S. Citizens Federal Crime, 8 U.S.C. § 1324(a)(1)(A)

In collaboration with Southern Coalition for Social Justice and National Immigration Project, the NLG’s Mass Defense Program has created a new KYR for people advocating with and supporting non-U.S. citizens. The new Trump administration has already stated its intent to use laws to prosecute “immigration-related violations,” which can extend to individuals who help and advocate on behalf of non-U.S. citizens. In the past, the federal government has utilized a federal crime against immigrant advocates, 8 U.S.C. § 1324(a)(1)(A), “Bringing In and Harboring Certain” Non-U.S. Citizens. Understanding this very broad law can help assess risks at different points of intervention!

Read the full guide across our website and social media platforms:

Website

Instagram 

Bluesky

Facebook

Resources for non-U.S. citizens when protesting:

National Immigration Project Resources: bit.ly/nipresources

National Immigration Law Center's KYR: bit.ly/nilckyrimmigrants

Sent out by email January 15th in the afternoon:

Letter to Character and Fitness Committees Regarding Advocacy for Palestinian Rights

Dear [ ],

This morning, January 15, 2025, Unlock the Bar and Palestine Legal, joined by the National Lawyers Guild, Center for Constitutional Rights, American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, the Palestinian American Bar Association, and the Climate Defense Project, have submitted a letter to each attorney licensing jurisdiction in the country, reminding the Character and Fitness Committees of their constitutional and legal obligations when evaluating applicants to the bar.

Both historically and currently, the attempts to utilize the Character and Fitness process in order to withhold licensure from social justice advocates engaging in liberative movements has been an unfortunate reality. In this moment of anti-Palestinian bias, there have already been examples of prospective applicants being subject to unfair and disparate treatment as they attempt to become lawyers. Character and Fitness Committees must be mindful to not allow such bias to affect their applicant review process.

With this letter, legal groups and advocacy organizations are reminding bar committees that, as government entities,  they must be bound to the First and Fourteenth Amendments, anti-discrimination laws, and constitutional jurisprudence.

"As in all other realms in the U.S., the Palestine exception to free speech is affecting lawyers. They are facing heightened scrutiny and punishment for a rational political position,” said Xavier T. de Janon, NLG Director of Mass Defense. “Character and Fitness evaluations are dated, onerous, and shadowy processes that have little to do with the practice of law.”

Full letter: "Advising on Your Legal Obligations to Ensure an Equitable Character and
Fitness Review Process in the Face of Anti-Palestinian Repression."

The letter is currently taking sign ons of support. If you would like to join as a sign on to this letter, please fill out the form here.