Thread by @ReichlinMelnick

Like many Americans, today I received $1,200. But I'm fortunate enough to still have a job, so I don't "need" the money. That's why I'm donating it all to causes that desperately need the funds.

Here's a thread on causes I'm donating to. I hope you'll join me if you can. 1/21

First, I'd be remiss if I didn't donate to my own organization, @immcouncil. Like many organizations, we are feeling the strain of the coronavirus pandemic. But I believe our work is more necessary now than ever. Please consider supporting us. 2/21 americanimmigrationcouncil.org

Next, I donated to @rapid_defense which was founded recently by two tireless lawyers, @Gregoire1125 and
@SarahGillman12.

They have been doing outstanding work pushing the boundaries on habeas corpus litigation, getting immigrants out of detention. 3/21 defensenetwork.org

I donated to @AlOtroLado_Org, an organization that's been helping immigrants in Tijuana/San Diego for years. They've been instrumental in keeping the Trump administration's worst border policies in check through on-the-ground work and litigation. 4/21 alotrolado.org

I donated to @KinoBorder, which has been serving people deported from Nogales, AZ for decades. They're on the ground providing humanitarian aid for the recently deported and advocating for better, more humane border policies that benefit all of us. 5/21 kinoborderinitiative.org

I donated to @LasAmericasIAC, an organization in El Paso, TX which has been providing representation to immigrants held in ICE detention centers in the region, keeping families together, helping asylum seekers, and supporting those subject to MPP. 6/21 las-americas.org

I donated to @BorderKindness, which serves immigrants sent to Mexico from Calexico. They've been providing humanitarian aid like food, clothing, and medical care, as well as legal services, to refugees stuck in Mexicali—even with the border shut down. 7/21 borderkindness.org

I donated to Team Brownsville, a local organization in Brownsville, TX formed in 2018 which provides extraordinary support to the thousands of refugees trapped in Matamoros. They've supported thousands of families and children, helping them survive. 8/21
teambrownsville.org

Now, a bit of a break from immigrants' rights orgs.

I live in DC, where, like everywhere, so many people are struggling to feed themselves right now, as they lose jobs and go hungry. So I donated to the Capital Area Food Bank. 9/21 capitalareafoodbank.org

I also donated to @dcck, an organization I've previously volunteered for. They've been serving meals to those without homes for years, helping keep the most vulnerable people in the DC area fed.

I hope you can support similar orgs where you live. 10/21 dccentralkitchen.org

Many immigrants, especially the undocumented, are struggling to keep above water as they've been locked out from government support so far. That's why I donated to @CosechaMovement's Undocumented Worker Fund. It goes directly to those that need it. 11/21 lahuelga.com/#about-cosecha

Domestic workers in particular have been hit hard by the national shutdowns. That's why I donated to @domesticworkers's Coronavirus Care Fund, which helps in-home caregivers, nannies, and house cleaners who have lost their entire income sources. 12/21 domesticworkers.org/coronavirus-ca…

As you've seen if you follow me, I also believe that it's necessary to get people out of jails and prisons, whether they're there for immigration reasons or not. That's why I donated to COVID BAIL OUT NYC, which is getting people out of Rikers. 13/21 covidbailout.org

Back to immigrants' rights organizations. I donated to @aldea_pjc, which does heroic work serving immigrant mothers and children in the family detention center in Berks, PA.

They're working every day to free the most vulnerable from ICE. 14/21 aldeapjc.org

I donated to @CALAenlalucha. For a generation, CALA has been leading the fight for Central American asylum seekers. They are tirelessly working to win asylum for those fleeing persecution, and have been punching above their weight for years. 15/21 centralamericanlegal.info

I donated to @ImmDefense, which for years has been creating cutting-edge legal strategies to fight back against ICE, and supporting immigration attorneys with practice resources. Today, they're working to get immigrants out of ICE detention centers. 16/21 immigrantdefenseproject.org

I donated to @FlorenceProject, which has been serving immigrants locked up in Arizona for decades. They're often the only lawyers that people held in detention in Arizona ever see. Over the years, they've changed so many lives for the better. 17/21 firrp.org

I donated to @RMIAN_org, which serves immigrants locked up in Aurora, CO. They're one of the only such legal services orgs in the state, and one of our partners on the Immigration Justice Campaign. They help ensure justice for the most vulnerable. 18/21 rmian.org

Finally, I donated to @ImmDef, which has been instrumental to ensuring that people sent to Tijuana under MPP have at least some access to lawyers. They've represented dozens of people in MPP and helped many win extraordinarily difficult cases. 19/21 immdef.org

Of course, I just scratched the surface of organizations which you can support with your $1,200 if you can spare some, or all, of it. In so many areas, there are small, local organizations serving immigrants or other vulnerable populations which need your help now more than ever.

There are also large, national organizations which still need your support during these times, like RAICES, or local ACLU affiliates.

If you've still got your job and your finances have been unaffected by the shutdown so far, I hope you use that $1,200 to support others. 21/21