URGENT UPDATE:

New York City jails have become the epicenter of COVID-19 with an estimated 1 in 10 people who have tested positive while in detained in NYC jails. We strongly object to our government's decision to continue holding people in dangerous congregate facilities in these unprecedented times simply because they cannot afford to pay cash bail.

In response to COVID-19, the Emergency Release Fund has expanded their mission to raise and post bail for pretrial medically vulnerable individuals and anyone who identifies as LGBTQ. As of May 26th, 2020, we have freed 160 people and paid over $900k in bail funds.

In addition to our work using bail funds to assist individuals in attaining their freedom, we have coordinated advocacy efforts with our network of public defenders, legal experts, and community organizations to get an additional 64 people out.

The Emergency Release Fund is a member of the National Bail Fund Network, a national consortium of over 60 community bail funds that use the regular payment of bail as well as strategic bail out actions in campaigns to end money bail and pretrial detention in both the criminal legal and immigration detention systems.

For more information, contact info@emergencyreleasefund.com

*501c3 deductible

Trans people face dramatically elevated risk of harm or death in pre-trial detention. Because of systemic discrimination and criminalization that pushes them to the margins of society, trans people are less eligible for pre-trial release under existing programs. They are more likely to be assaulted in jail and less likely to get out, a lethal combination.

Photo: Ben Fractenberg/THE CITY

The mission of the Emergency Release Fund is to ensure that no trans person at risk in New York City jails remains in detention before trial. If ​cash bail is set for a trans person in New York City and no bars to release are in place, ​bail will be paid by the Emergency Release Fund.

Trans people experience constant injustice. Behind bars it can be fatal. It’s on us to make sure no one – not one person – falls through the cracks. We can and we will.

We need your help to save lives. Please join us.

100% of your contribution is used to post bail for trans persons at risk of injury and death. You’ll receive an acknowledgement and the gratitude of people you may never meet, the highest form of charity. Because your contribution will continue to be used to post bail for many detainees it will be saving lives in perpetuity.