The Anchorage Press, OCTOBER 21 – OCTOBER 27, 2021
The Alaska Institute for Justice’s inaugural program, the Alaska Immigration Justice Project, began in 2005 as a response to a pressing need for legal representation for immigrants in the state.
And although AIJ’s mission has expanded over the years to include climate change work, and the Language Interpreter Center, the Immigration Justice Project remains its flagship program; then, and still, AIJ is the sole statewide organization dedicated to providing low-cost and free immigration legal assistance and language access services to Alaskans.
Over the past 16 years, founding members Mara Kimmel, Robin Bronen, and Jason Baumetz have been joined by a talented and diverse staff, backed by a hands-on board of directors, volunteer attorneys and wide community support. The Immigration Justice Project fills a vital and urgent need for legal representation statewide; the majority of clients, some 65 percent, are victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse.