Executive Summary
The Immigration Legal Resource Center (ILRC) has developed a comprehensive framework to enhance its engagement with directly impacted community members. This framework is designed to systematically involve these individuals in the ILRC’s activities, ensuring that their voices and experiences are central to our work.
This is not a one size fits all definition at the ILRC, since our work is focused on providing resources, trainings, and best practices to advocates working with all directly impacted communities. In the context of the ILRC’s enforcement and crim-imm work, directly impacted community members are individuals who:
- have faced the consequences of racist policies and laws that attempt to make every aspect of our lives carceral through both our criminal and immigration systems. This encompasses not only those directly affected by immigration enforcement but also those who are at risk of incarceration or deportation due to their interactions with the criminal legal system and whose path to immigration relief is often a longer journey. We recognize that these systems disproportionately impact people of color; and/or;
- have faced long-term barriers while attempting to seek immigration relief, and those who currently have no pathway to obtain legal status.
The ILRC also recognizes that family members of those impacted by these racist systems can also be considered directly impacted people, especially when family members are directly advocating for their loved ones to be freed from incarceration and/or receive a resolution of their case.
Engaging with the Impacted Communities
Throughout its history, the ILRC has been in relationship with directly impacted people, the following section clearly defines the three main ways in which the ILRC engages with impacted communities and outlines the types of activities that ILRC staff conducts in each type of engagement.
Levels of Engagement
- SEEKING INPUT: The ILRC gathers valuable insights from impacted individuals to better understand their communities and interests in immigration law. This input shapes the development of community resources, legal training, policy priorities, and messaging strategies. Engagement methods include leveraging existing relationships through online platforms, coalition meetings, and community events.
- CONSULTATION: A deeper level of interaction, consultation involves obtaining holistic feedback from impacted groups to guide policy decisions and advocacy. This process is often facilitated through partnerships with practitioners and nonprofit staff who serve these communities, ensuring that our strategies align with the real-world challenges faced by those we aim to support.
- CAPACITY-BUILDING AND INTEGRATED PARTICIPATION: While not a membership-based organization, the ILRC focuses on empowering communities through trainings and regranting activities. By offering professional development opportunities and integrating community members into policy development and advocacy efforts, the ILRC strengthens its ties with impacted groups and upholds its commitment to racial justice.
Honorarium and Support Communities
To recognize and value the contributions of impacted individuals, the ILRC provides honoraria for their participation in various activities, ranging from surveys to leading advocacy campaigns. The framework provides a specific honorarium chart that specifies ranges based on the level of engagement required. This practice not only demonstrates appreciation for impacted community members but also acknowledges both their valuable expertise and the financial constraints many communities’ members face when trying to become involved in the immigrant rights movement.
Considerations for Engagement
The framework emphasizes key considerations to ensure effective and respectful engagement:
- ACCESSIBILITY: Ensuring participation through clear communication, multilingual resources, and accessible technology.
- SAFETY: Protecting participants’ confidentiality and providing support for travel and legal issues.
- SUPPORT: Offering responsive assistance, testing engagement tools, and providing mental health resources.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the ILRC’s Engagement Framework provides a structured approach to involving impacted community members in its activities. By prioritizing their input, consultation, and capacity-building, the ILRC aims to ensure that its initiatives are informed by and responsive to the needs of those most affected by immigration policies and practices.
Download the Framework Below
If you have any questions about this please feel free to email ccanizales@ilrc.org. volved in the immigrant rights movement.