WHO WE ARE
OUR MISSION
The Pennsylvania Immigration Resource Center (PIRC) provides high quality legal services so that vulnerable immigrants and their families in PA have access to justice and a more secure future.
OUR VISION
Vulnerable immigrants and their families have a voice, dignity, and hope in communities across Pennsylvania.
OUR VALUES
INTEGRITY
We embody respect, transparency, professionalism, and accountability.
ADAPTABILITY
We are flexible in responding to the demands of the moment.
INNOVATION
We are intentional and resourceful in our efforts to create change.
EMPOWERMENT
We inspire immigrants to know their rights and overcome obstacles to navigate the future.
COLLABORATION
We work in partnership to share strengths, skills, and knowledge on behalf of immigrants across the Commonwealth.
DIVERSITY
We embrace an inclusive culture that respects differences.
OUR HISTORY
On June 6, 1993, the Golden Venture ship ran aground with approximately 286 Chinese nationals aboard. Within two days, these men and women were transported by the INS to the county jail in York, Pennsylvania, and other detention facilities across the country. Fleeing political persecution and coercive population control policies, these individuals seeking asylum had no voice in a complicated, American immigration legal system.
The York community responded to the indefinite detention of the Golden Venture passengers with impassioned legal advocacy and a vigilant spirit of community support. Their outrage fueled a shared commitment to the words inscribed on the Supreme Court entrance: Equal Access to Justice. Each person in our nation shall have equal access to justice. From this resolute belief in justice, the Pennsylvania Immigration Resource Center was formed with the mission of providing equal access to justice to those who have no voice. Today PIRC continues to serve as a light in the darkness, a voice for the most vulnerable among us, and an advocate for those least able to access justice.
