Immigrants’ Rights

MALDEF strives to ensure all immigrants receive fair treatment under the law, and works to combat discriminatory policies in the private and public sectors.

Protecting Immigrants’ Rights

Throughout our history, we’ve been on the frontlines of some of the most important legal battles to protect immigrants’ rights, taking on unconstitutional federal, state, and local measures including California’s Proposition 187, Arizona’s SB 1070, and more recent restrictions in Texas in SB 4. We’ve challenged unlawful detention and raids, fought to protect the right of day laborers to seek work, and defended the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) initiative that offers temporary relief to young immigrants brought to this country as children.

Today, MALDEF continues to work to eliminate barriers that prevent immigrants from achieving full integration into society, and to target private anti-immigrant discriminators as well.

Immigrants’ Rights

MALDEF FILES CLAIM ON BEHALF OF IMMIGRANT FOR DISCRIMINATORY TREATMENT AND PRIVACY VIOLATIONS BY HARBOR-UCLA MEDICAL CENTER

Mar 5, 2026 | , ,

LOS ANGELES –  A Latino civil rights organization is taking a first step toward a civil lawsuit and seeking $250,000 in damages from Harbor-UCLA Medical Center for an immigrant who was subjected to discriminatory and unlawful treatment while receiving medical treatment under continuous surveillance by federal immigration agents stationed in his room.

MALDEF APPEALS COURT RULING IN DISCRIMINATORY LENDING CASE

Nov 20, 2025 | , ,

PHOENIX – A Latino civil rights organization is appealing a district court decision to compel arbitration in a class-action lawsuit against a Texas credit union. The lawsuit challenged GECU Federal Credit Union’s (GECU) policy of unlawfully refusing to consider loans and financial services to certain immigrants because of their status rather than their credit-worthiness.

See All Immigrants’ Rights Cases