Welcome to LALDEF

The Latin American Legal Defense and Education Fund, Inc. (LALDEF) is a grassroots nonprofit organization formed to defend the civil rights of all immigrants in Mercer County and facilitate their access to health care and education, as well as to advance cross-cultural understanding in the Mercer County area.

Our Mission

Established in 2004, LALDEF promotes the rights of all immigrants, with a focus on the Latin American community in the Mercer County area, facilitates access to health care, education and legal representation; advocates for the integration of immigrants; and fosters inter-cultural communication to strengthen our communities. We seek to prevent human rights violations, educate immigrants about their rights and responsibilities, and foster their integration into the civic fabric of our communities. LALDEF has established itself as the “go-to” organization for reaching out to the Latino community, a community that is indispensable to life in Mercer County.

We operate through our values of support, education, and justice.

LALDEF offers an array of services in-house and also acts as a conduit referring clients to other agencies. In this work and in our advocacy, the overarching goal is to dismantle barriers that stand in the way of a more fair and just society, and to support the incorporation of immigrants in a way that strengthens the social fabric overall.

Our Sponsors