SAN FRANCISCO (Diya TV) — A new national civil rights group is working to ensure South Asian Americans have a stronger voice in the fight for equal rights and due process. The South Asian American Justice Collaborative (SAAJCO), founded by longtime immigration attorney Kalpana Peddibhotla and a group of attorneys and civil rights advocates, launched to address what she calls “critical gaps” in representation and support for one of America’s fastest-growing immigrant communities.
“There was no other national organization standing up specifically for South Asians,” Peddibhotla told Diya TV. “We’re grateful for the South Asian Bar Association and other civil rights organizations, but there was still a need for something different—a nonprofit focused on civil rights and tailored to the unique needs of our community.”
SAAJCO is supported by the South Asian Bar Association Foundation but operates independently as a civil rights nonprofit. The organization was created in response to what Peddibhotla sees as an unmet need: connecting directly with South Asians across religious, linguistic, and national lines, many of whom feel underserved by existing institutions.
“We’re incredibly diverse—our people come from different countries, speak different languages, follow different religions,” she explained. “And those differences weren’t always being met by the current infrastructure. We’re hoping to reach people where they are.”
With more than 20 years of experience as an immigration attorney, Peddibhotla says the organization’s mission has taken on new urgency amid a shifting legal and political landscape. “Immigration policy is changing at an alarming rate,” she said. “It’s being remade without the due process protections that should be fundamental to our system. And the impact on South Asian communities is real.”
SAAJCO is especially focused on supporting international students, some of whom, Peddibhotla says, are losing legal status without cause or due process. “We’re hearing from students who had no part in recent protests and still lost their immigration status,” she said. “At the same time, others are afraid to speak out at all. That’s a violation of their First Amendment rights, which are supposed to apply to everyone in this country.”
Peddibhotla pushes back on the idea that constitutional rights only apply to citizens. “Anyone in the United States has the protection of the Constitution,” she said. “That’s what makes this country exceptional. I was born here, but my husband and much of my family are immigrants. It breaks my heart to think they might be treated as having fewer rights than I do.”
She also criticized recent national security narratives targeting protesters and immigrants. “We need to unpack that,” Peddibhotla said. “Standing up for Palestinian human rights is not the same thing as supporting terrorism. People should be able to express their political beliefs without being branded a national security threat.”
“When you frame all dissent as a threat, you leave no room for open debate, and that ultimately harms our democracy,” she added. “South Asians are part of the fabric of this country, and SAAJCO is here to protect their rights.”
SAAJCO is currently expanding and seeking volunteers and supporters. “We’ve already got over 20 volunteer attorneys and a growing network,” Peddibhotla said. “We want people to find us, support us, and turn to us when they need help.”
