Dalila Reynoso

Born of undocumented immigrants from Mexico, Dalila Reynoso is a mother and activist in Tyler who imagines a world without borders. She has been working on immigration rights since the past four years. She served as a program administrator for the Justice For Our Neighbors (JFON) Houston East Texas office. As an immigration advocate, she brought her knowledge, passion and compassion for immigrants trying to navigate the complicated and ever changing U.S. immigration laws

Dalila brings the same passion that she used to help immigrants find a legal pathway to stay and thrive in East Texas, to her advocacy work on behalf of individuals being held in Smith county jail. When she learned that two of her childhood friends who had been struggling with mental illness were decompensating in jail, with few if any avenues for recourse, she was inspired to fight for their rights. The onset of Covid-19 in her community and the jail propelled her into the midst of an urgent conversation about mass incarceration, the immoral use of cash bail and the harm caused to communities when persons with mental illness and substance use disorder are held in jail. She’s passionate about being a voice for the voiceless. Her volunteer advocacy in Smith county since the start of the pandemic, has inspired a recent feature in The Marshall Project which was co-published in the  Texas Monthly, NBC News, The Texas Observer and many other state and local media. Texas Jail Project is fortunate to have her join as of July 1st, 2020 where she will continue her fearless advocacy work of helping families navigate the justice and mental health systems.