About Us

Our Story

South Brooklyn Sanctuary grew out of grassroots organizing at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, led by Pastor Juan Carlos Ruiz.

In Spring 2022, when Texas Governor Greg Abbott first bused immigrants from the southern border to New York City, volunteers at the church launched a weekly walk-in immigration program. Volunteers did not offer legal advice but supported people to better understand the legal process, navigate the city’s network of legal service providers and complete their own legal forms. Volunteers meet with approximately 50 each week at the church and followed up by phone and email. Since 2023, we have supported over 3000 people.

In 2023, we incorporated as a nonprofit to raise funds for a small staff, establish formal partnerships with legal providers, and move our efforts outside the church. Since then, our programming has evolved in response to rapidly changing federal immigration policies and community need. Our work has included application clinics, motion support, one-on-one case consultations, and support assessing risk and preparing for court without representation, while also contributing to a broader citywide network of pro se providers. Locally, we serve as a resource for schools, churches, community groups, and small businesses through Know Your Rights workshops and consultations, and meet with small groups of friends and families to plan next steps in the event of deportation.

We envision an inclusive immigration system that offers protection, not punishment. Ideally, each person in immigration proceedings would have access to quality representation. In reality, immigrants are facing an adversarial system without the right to a lawyer. Nationwide, 68% of immigrants are battling their cases alone. Data reflects that these case outcomes are overwhelmingly negative. Pro se programs like South Brooklyn Sanctuary—which empower people to represent themselves—are essential to filling the justice gap.