We invite you to join us in remembering our founder, colleague, and friend, Peter Schey.
For those who cannot attend in person, the memorial has been recorded and is available above, the full powerpoint presentation is available below.
On the afternoon of April 2, 2024, the President of the Center for Human Rights & Constitutional Law, Peter Schey, passed away from complications of cancer.
Peter founded the Center for Human Rights and Constitutional law in 1980, and at its helm, he led the Center through hundreds of cases and campaigns that improved the lives of hundreds of thousands of immigrants, detained people, and children. Peter was lead counsel on Plyler v. Doe, which established that undocumented children had rights under the Constitution. He brought the case that stopped Proposition 187, which sought to deny medical care, social services, and education to undocumented people. Peter joined Carlos Holguin in litigating Flores v. Reno, which established the minimum standards for Department of Homeland Security and other immigration facilities that detain children. Peter helped hundreds of individuals, especially young people, but he always sought cases that would have a bigger impact.
Peter was tenacious, dedicated, and brilliant - and he was not familiar with the word "no." He approached injustice as an opportunity to work. If he lamented new legislation, he would end the conversation with plans to email the bill's sponsor. If he worried over a child harmed in detention, he would conclude that he would simply have to fly a dozen volunteers to detention facilities across the border, take a couple hundred declarations, and draft a motion to enforce by the end of the next week.
Peter spent a very significant amount of his time suing the government. It is a testament to his character and fight as an attorney that government attorneys feared his arrival, knowing that they would have to fight hard for any concession, and that they'd likely lose. It is also a testament to his character that he has invited many of those same attorneys to go sailing with him, that he always asked about their families, and that they would often chat with him after a hearing.
The Center and the community mourn the loss of a giant in the fight for justice.
Donations in Peter's Honor
To honor Peter's legacy, we invite you to make a donation to one of the following causes that were close to his heart:
Defense for Children International Palestine (DCIP): Promotes and protects the human rights of Palestinian children through legal aid, documentation of violations, and advocacy.
The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA): Founded to advance the rights of immigrants and refugees, CHIRLA works for policies that promote justice and immigrants' rights. Peter served as General Counsel for CHIRLA and supported its Casa Libre/Freedom House project.
United States Adaptive Recreation Center (USARC): Guides people with disabilities toward rewarding lifestyles through challenging and adventurous recreational programs and community awareness.
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