The story of KIND

KIND was founded by the Microsoft Corporation and UNHCR Special Envoy Angelina Jolie, and is the leading national organization that works to ensure that no refugee or immigrant child faces immigration court alone. We do this in partnership with over 600 law firms, corporate legal departments, law schools, and bar associations. KIND has served more than 18,300 children since 2009, and trained over 42,000 private sector attorneys, paralegals, and law students to provide them with high quality representation in their deportation proceedings. KIND promotes protection of children in countries of origin and transit countries and works to address the root causes of child migration from Central America. KIND also advocates to change law, policy, and practices to improve the protection of unaccompanied children in the United States, by educating policymakers, the media, and the broader public about the violence that is driving children out of Central America and their need for protection.

History of KIND Timeline

(link to PDF of updated 10 yr timeline)

Our Leadership

Feature Press Release

KIND Welcomes Family Separation Agreement Ruling

Today, a federal judge said that he would sign on Monday the settlement agreement in the Ms. L v ICE family separation lawsuit filed on October 23, 2023 which would provide restitution to children and families harmed by forcible separation brought about by the Zero Tolerance Policy. As the largest legal services provider in the […]

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Feature Resource

Opportunities for Youth (OFY)

Opportunities for Youth (OFY) California is consistently one of the top three states receiving unaccompanied children and in the country. Since 2014, California has received over 60,350 unaccompanied youth. In Fiscal Year 2022 alone, there was a historic high of 13,730 unaccompanied youth released to sponsors in California. Acknowledging the dire gaps in expert knowledge […]

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Feature Resource

KIND’s Fall 2023 Newsletter

Read KIND’s Fall 2023 Newsletter Looking Back and Looking Forward: Five Years After Zero Tolerance It has been five years since thousands of children were wrenched from their parents’ arms and forcibly separated under the barbaric Zero Tolerance Policy–resulting in more than 5,400 child separations that lasted weeks, months, years, and for some, to this […]

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Feature Resource

KIND's Comments on ORR's Unaccompanied Children Program Foundational Rule

KIND’s Comments on ORR’s Unaccompanied Children Program Foundational Rule Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) respectfully submits this comment in response to the Federal Register notice of proposed rulemaking (“NPRM”) published by the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) on October 4th, 2023, titled “Unaccompanied Children Program Foundational Rule,” 88 Fed. Reg. 68098. KIND appreciates ORR’s […]

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KIND President Wendy Young on PBS NewsHour

Voices from the kids

"They took me somewhere after I was separated; I remember adults and children were held together, but I only had me. I did not have anyone else" "I feel sad all the time. I don't have anyone to talk to when I feel like this. I just want to go home."
10-year-old detained child
"Los mareros las enamoran. Se van de casa. Las utilizan para ganancia. Las prostituyen o hace lo que quieren con ellas. The gang members seduce them. They leave home. They use them for profit. They prostitute them or do what they want with them. "
Young Girl Honduras
"The journey was not easy, but it has been amazing to get to know new people, myself, and the ability I did not know I have to overcome my fears and challenges."
Alejandra KIND Client

For press inquiries please contact KIND’s Communications Team:

Megan McKenna, Senior Director of Communications and Community Engagement        mmckenna@supportkind.org

Alexandra Pender, Senior Communications Manager, apender@supportkind.org

Alejandra Paz, Communications Project Coordinator, apaz@supportkind.org