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Every great story needs a defense against those who would try to write its ending. For a decade, PANA has been that defense, ensuring our community has the power to fight for our rights and our future.

We saw a grave injustice: our Black, African, Arab, Muslim, Middle Eastern, and South Asian neighbors were being over-policed and then forced to navigate the complex, intimidating immigration court system without a guide. So in 2017, we launched PANA’s legal defense program.

This commitment quickly grew into a powerful force for justice. We built a full legal team and established an infrastructure for rapid-response support. This foundation led to monumental victories:

- We took on 200 successful cases, helping our neighbors win asylum, obtain green cards, and secure work permits. - We support community members to assert their power through "Know Your Rights" trainings and legal clinics.

- We changed systems, successfully advocating for the creation of San Diego County’s Immigrant Legal Defense Program, which has since provided representation to over 2,500 people.