Immigrant Legal Resource Center

When you’ve worked in immigrant justice as long as we have, you know our community is frequently and mercilessly placed in the crosshairs of lawmakers, nativist media voices, and pernicious political campaigns. What these bad actors don’t know is that hate and white supremacy have NEVER stopped immigrants from pursuing their dreams and providing for their families. Our diverse community of immigrants across the country is not only undeterred by racist attacks and smears but is more motivated than ever to stand in solidarity with each other. We know anti-immigrant hysteria is as old as migration itself, so this will not be the last time we face it. Nevertheless, no amount of fake stories or xenophobic policy proposals will slow our resolve. If you feel the same way, stand firmly with us against this old, tired strategy of dividing and conquering through fabricated panics. It won’t work – just as it hasn’t worked before.

Much like what has been happening across the country in many households, places of work, and higher learning, the ILRC has taken a step back to reflect and process the impact world events have had on us as individuals and in turn as an organization. The Board and Staff of the ILRC are heartbroken from the world events that leave so many people suffering from the effects of war, devastation, and political unrest. The devastation we continue to lay witness to in Gaza has encouraged us to take a pause and reflect on how this in turn has impacted the work we do to serve our immigrant community. After a moment of internal dialogue and courageous conversations, our board and staff come forward with this consensus statement that we feel meets the moment with clarity while honoring a guiding pillar of the ILRC: namely, to work with and educate immigrants, community organizations, and the legal sector to continue to build a democratic society that values diversity and the rights of all people. We feel strongly that what we outline in this statement not only reflects the mission of our organization, but the values of all the people who make up our ILRC community. Above all, we believe that a permanent ceasefire can be the first step towards peace and stability in the region. As a national leader in immigration advocacy, our hearts go out to all those who are caught in the conflict, longing for safety and home. To read our full statement, please visit: https://lnkd.in/guRHgRmd

NEW RESOURCE: This practice advisory describes the new “Keeping Families Together” parole in place process for certain spouses and stepchildren of U.S. citizens including what exactly is it and what you get if approved. It also details the eligibility requirements and application process as well as addressing some of the more “in the weeds” issues.

Are you a lawful permanent resident (green card holder)? This #CitizenshipDay, let's take a second to talk about filing for naturalization! 📜🇺🇸 If you could believe it, according to the USCIS Eligible to Naturalize dashboard, there are currently over 10,360,000 (‼️) permanent residents who are eligible to naturalize and gain new rights and benefits! That's roughly the entire population of New Hampshire, Maine, Montana, Rhode Island, Delaware, South Dakota, North Dakota, Alaska, Vermont, Wyoming, and the District of Columbia **combined**. If you're eligible, use this Citizenship Day as an opportunity to start your first step! It's easy with the tools and resources found at newamericanscampaign.org 💡

TODAY ONLY! 🇺🇸 If you are a legal practitioner or advocate, you won’t want to miss this sales event: Shop the ILRC’s #CitizenshipDay Sale today only at store.ilrc.org and save 10% on our entire library of publications when you use CITIZENSHIP2024 at checkout ⚖️📚✨

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: On September 11, 2024, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ordered that all proceedings in the lower court be halted while it decides a separate matter related to the "Keeping Families Together" Parole in Place (KFT PIP) lawsuit. This means that the KFT PIP halt currently in place by the district court, which was set to possibly expire on September 23rd, has now been extended indefinitely. For now, USCIS can continue to accept, *but not approve* any applications for Parole in Place under this process. Visit ilrc.me/pip for additional process information, including eligibility and risk assessment, and follow @the_ilrc for updates.

NEW RESOURCE: This practice advisory provides information and updates on various parole programs including Uniting for Ukraine, Operation Allies Welcome, CHNV Parole, Family Reunification Parole, CAM Parole, and Parole in Place.

BREAKING: Today, September 4, a federal court in Texas extended the temporary stay preventing USCIS from approving Parole in Place (PIP) applications for spouses and certain stepchildren of United States citizens. From now until September 23 (and possibly longer), USCIS will continue to accept applications for PIP but will not issue any approvals during this period (and possibly longer). Applicants should know that the filing fee of $580 is due at the time of filing and that there is a risk that applicants may lose their filing fee if USCIS continues to be restricted from adjudicating requests. Visit ilrc.me/pip for additional process information including eligibility and risk assessment and follow @the_ilrc for updates as this continues to develop.

FREE WEBINAR 🖥️✨ California Community College & California State University students, faculty, staff, and community advocates are welcome to join us for a webinar on Wednesday September 25 to learn about vital strategies undocumented immigrants can proactively create now, including screening for immigration relief and understanding rights before ICE. ILRC attorneys will cover the various ways in which people are arrested by ICE, including confrontations in California jails, at home, and other environments. Presenters will also provide a top-level overview of common forms of immigration relief, including what folks can do now to prepare for applying for immigration benefits. Sign up today at bit.ly/ccckyr and join us on 9/25! #FindYourAlly 🦋

We’re hiring! 📣 The ILRC is seeking a full-time Web Administrator, based out of our San Francisco office or Washington DC Office. This is an exempt position that reports to the Media Manager. It is a hands-on, fast-paced role that will support and contribute to the growth of all aspects of our main website and ecommerce online store. The ILRC currently has a hybrid work model requiring two in-office days per week. This role will play an integral part in improving and maintaining our web presence by managing our website and servers, which host organizational content and programs, as well as a full-fledged online retail for our publications and trainings. This position is designed for a self-starter who has extensive experience with Drupal CMS and thrives in a collaborative environment and can also work independently. The ideal candidate will help establish areas of priority with the Digital Strategy team to continue growing the organization’s digital footprint. The ideal candidate will also work to implement updates to the site as it pertains to user research and internal stakeholder input, as well as manage general day-to-day updates to resource, press, and general pages on our website. This position will play an essential part in implementing our communications strategy, which elevates and advances the ILRC’s mission. 🔗 To learn about the primary goals, key responsibilities, core qualifications, and more about this role, visit the link in our bio or head to https://lnkd.in/gRffWRae. *NOTE* ❗️ We cannot accept social media inquiries for this position. Anyone who believes they may be a good fit is encouraged to visit the link above and apply online. Thank you!