Community Toolkits
Immigrant integration legislation at the municipal, state, and federal levels is in varying stages of growth. Recognizing the need to involve a significant portion of the population and harness the economic potential of this segment of society, political actors have created initiatives, often in collaboration with civil society, that seek to better integrate immigrants.
State and municipal policy initiatives in the U.S. can be narrowed into four principal areas:
- Citizenship
- Language
- Healthcare
- Education
Greater integration can lead to increased participation and a greater chance for immigrant leadership to shape future policies that will affect their communities. Moreover, leaders from migrant civil society groups have played a crucial role in encouraging integration by providing immigrants with resources, including connecting them with social services, English language classes, and jobs.
Nevertheless, there is a great need for action among the many municipalities and states that have not initiated policies to spur integration. This is particularly evident in towns that are not classified as major metropolitan urban centers. Many of these destinations have industries that attract migrant labor, including meat packing, textiles, and agriculture. However, they most often lack the resources and an active civil society that will put pressure on policymakers to act.
The following resources and best practices can be useful for these smaller municipalities in their quest to better integrate this important and hardworking population.
Policy Ideas:
- Urge Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform, including a broad-based legalization program.
- Urge Congress to pass the DREAM Act, providing conditional status and a pathway to permanent residency to long-term undocumented students who graduate from U.S. high schools.
- Support a moratorium on raids and/or oppose enforcement-only approaches to addressing immigration.
- Establish a government office promoting immigrant integration and coordination among agencies, e.g., an office or commission on immigrant affairs.
- Create an advisory council aimed at informing government of new approaches needed to promote immigrant integration and offering feedback on policy options under consideration.
- Conduct a survey of immigrant community needs that could be better addressed by state and local governments, e.g., language assistance, legal services, law enforcement special needs, antidiscrimination enforcement, and educational needs.
MUNICIPAL
-
The Austin Commission of Immigration Affairs include advises the City Council about issues concerning immigrants, monitors the requirements of federal, state, and local laws that affect immigrants, recommends actions to benefit local immigrants, promotes the contribution of immigrants to Austin, and promotes the availability of and accessibility to local education, legal, and social resources for immigrants.
-
“Chicago established its City Commission on Human Relations, which includes an advisory council on immigrant and refugee affairs, in 1947.”
-
“The City Council criticized ‘a small faction of citizens’ this week for what it called ‘irresponsible and offensive’ statements about local immigration policies, approving an official position that sets the small suburb apart from neighbors seeking to step up enforcement against illegal immigration.”
-
Houston’s Mayor’s Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs (MOIRA) was established in May 2001. MOIRA is dedicated to facilitating a smoother transition for immigrant and refugee communities living in the city of Houston. MOIRA encourages access by all persons residing in the city of Houston, regardless of nation of birth or current citizenship status, to the full benefits, opportunities, and services which are provided and administered by the city.
-
“In 1998, Boston Mayor Thomas Menino established the Mayor’s Office of New Bostonians.”
-
Mayor Michael Bloomberg established the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs in 2004. This office promotes the well being of immigrant communities by recommending policies and programs that facilitate successful integration of immigrant New Yorkers into the civic, economic, and cultural life of the City.
-
“On June 4, 2007, the City Council approved a resolution urging a moratorium on detentions and deportations.”
-
The mission of the San Francisco Immigrant Rights Commission is to improve, enhance and preserve the quality of life and civic participation of all immigrants in the City and County of San Francisco.
STATE
-
Governor Jon S. Corzine signed an Executive Order establishing a Blue Ribbon Panel on Immigrant Policy in August 2007 that will develop recommendations for a comprehensive and strategic statewide approach to successfully integrating immigrants in the State. The Governor’s Advisory Panel will examine a number of areas important to New Jersey’s immigrant population, including education, citizenship status, civil rights, fair housing, healthcare, language proficiency, and employment and workforce training.
-
Governor Rod Blagojevich signed the New Americans Executive Order in November 2005, creating an innovative planning process around immigrant integration in Illinois. The Executive Order with create a “New Americans Immigrant Policy Council” that will consult with immigrant leaders, Illinois governmental leaders, and an advisory committee of national policy experts over the next two years to recommend strategic directions for Illinois immigrant policy in the areas of: U.S. citizenship; acquisition of English; education; healthcare; human services; police and community relations; entrepreneurialism and workforce development; and home ownership and housing.
-
On July 9, 2008 Governor Deval Patrick signed an Executive Order to launch the New Americans Initiative to identify and build a series of policies designed to integrate immigrants and refugees, and create the educational opportunities that could lead to economic success, greater levels of citizenship and civic engagement.