California Immigrant Policy Center

CIPC ADVOCATES FOR POLICIES THAT UPHOLD THE HUMANITY OF IMMIGRANTS AND REFUGEES.

AS A COMMUNITY-DRIVEN LEADER, CIPC ACTS AS A BRIDGE AMONG ADVOCATES, SERVICE PROVIDERS, PHILANTHROPY, JOURNALISTS, STATE AGENCIES, AND POLICY MAKERS TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT LONG TERM POLICIES THAT SUCCESSFULLY IMPROVE THE LIVES OF CALIFORNIANS. OUR CORE AREAS OF WORK INCLUDE IMMIGRANT INCLUSION AND WELL-BEING, HEALTH AND PUBLIC BENEFITS, ECONOMIC JUSTICE, ENDING DETENTIONS, DEPORTATIONS, AND ENFORCEMENT, MOVEMENT BUILDING, AND STRATEGIC MESSAGING. OVER THE PAST 25 YEARS, CIPC HAS LED GROUNDBREAKING CAMPAIGNS THAT HAVE VASTLY EXPANDED PROTECTIONS FOR CALIFORNIA'S LOW-INCOME IMMIGRANT POPULATIONS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO: THE SAFE AND RESPONSIBLE DRIVER ACT, THE TRUST AND TRUTH ACTS, THE CA VALUES ACT, THE ONE CALIFORNIA IMMIGRATION SERVICES PROGRAM, THE E-VERIFY BILL, THE HEALTH FOR ALL CAMPAIGN, AND THE CALIFORNIA EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT (CALEITC). THE CALEITC REDUCES POVERTY BY BUILDING ON THE FEDERAL EITC, WHICH IS THE NATION'S LARGEST AND MOST SUCCESSFUL ANTI-POVERTY PROGRAM. IN ADDITION, THE CALEITC IMPROVES CHILD AND MATERNAL HEALTH OUTCOMES, INCREASES EDUCATION SUCCESS, SPURS LOCAL ECONOMIC GROWTH AND BUILDS LONG-TERM ECONOMIC SECURITY. THE 2020 CALEITC EXPANSION MAKES 600,000 MORE CALIFORNIANS, INCLUDING 200,000 CHILDREN, ELIGIBLE FOR CRITICAL CASH ASSISTANCE. IN 2021, APPROXIMATELY 255,000 ITIN FILING HOUSEHOLDS HAVE RECEIVED $96,474,813. BUILDING ON THE SUCCESS OF ITS INITIAL YEARS, CIPC WILL WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS TO STRENGTHEN AND EXPAND THE MEANINGFUL IMPACT OF CALEITC EXPANSION. THE NOTABLE OUTCOMES OF CIPC'S CAMPAIGNS AND ADVOCACY WORK IN 2021 INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: GOLDEN STATE STIMULUS: CIPC WORKED WITH OUR PARTNERS TO SECURE ADDITIONAL RELIEF FOR IMMIGRANTS WHO HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY EXCLUDED FROM ALL OTHER KINDS OF RELIEF, INCLUDING UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE AND FEDERAL STIMULUS FUNDS. EACH YEAR, CIPC HOSTS THE LARGEST CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND ADVOCACY DAY IN SACRAMENTO. NEARLY 1,000 IMMIGRANT RIGHTS' LEADERS AND ADVOCATES, REPRESENTING MORE THAN 75 ORGANIZATIONS THROUGHOUT THE STATE, ADVOCATING TO PRESERVE AND EXPAND HEALTH AND OTHER SOCIAL SAFETY NET PROGRAMS, IMMIGRANT INCLUSION INVESTMENTS AND DETENTION AND DEPORTATION RELATED JUSTICE. KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR THE ORGANIZING AND POLICY TEAM INCLUDE TRACKING 40+ BILLS IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE AND PROVIDING MEANINGFUL ANALYSIS INCLUDING BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND BUDGET CONSIDERATIONS TO MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE AND THEIR STAFF. EQUALLY SIGNIFICANT IS THE TRAINING OUR TEAMS PROVIDE TO OUR NETWORK OF COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS SO THAT THEY MAY REMAIN WELL INFORMED ABOUT THE ACTIVITIES IN THE STATEHOUSE AND THE PROCESS A BILL UNDERGOES TO BECOME AN EFFECTIVE LAW.AS A RESULT OF OUR COLLECTIVE EFFORTS, IMMIGRANT WORKERS IN CALIFORNIA WERE ABLE TO GET UP TO $2,200 FROM THE GOLDEN STATE STIMULUS; OVER 625,000 IMMIGRANT HOUSEHOLDS IN CALIFORNIA HAVE RECEIVED A TOTAL OF OVER $900 MILLION IN STATE COVID-19 RELIEF PAYMENTS. CIPC CONTINUED TO ADVOCATE FOR THE ONE CALIFORNIA PROGRAM, WHICH PROVIDES AN ADDITIONAL $30 MILLION DISBURSEMENT OVER TWO YEARS TO DIRECTLY SUPPORT LEGAL SERVICES, OUTREACH AND EDUCATION, AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. THIS BUILDS ON AN ANNUAL ALLOCATION OF $45 MILLION TO SUPPORT THE ONE CALIFORNIA PROGRAM IN THE GENERAL FUND. IN ADDITION, A ONE-TIME INVESTMENT OF $25 MILLION TO PROVIDE DACA AND NATURALIZATION FILING FEE COVERAGE WAS ADDED TO THE FINAL BUDGET. THE STATE BUDGET ALSO PROVIDED AN ADDITIONAL $25 MILLION TO SUPPORT LEGAL SERVICES AND PROGRAMS THAT ASSIST UNACCOMPANIED YOUTH AND CHILDREN (BUILDING UPON $20 MILLION PROVIDED BY PHILANTHROPY). CIPC ALSO SUCCESSFULLY ADVOCATED FOR PROTECTIONS FOR DOMESTIC WORKERS: THE PASSAGE OF THE DOMESTIC WORKERS HEALTH AND SAFETY LEGISLATION WILL INSTITUTE THE FIRST EVER HEALTH AND SAFETY GUIDELINES SPECIFIC TO THE DOMESTIC WORK INDUSTRY. CIPC WORKED WITH OUR PARTNERS TO ADVANCE BREAKING BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT, WHICH ENSURES EQUITY AND ACCESS TO THE BREAKING BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT INITIATIVE, WHICH FUNDS COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS (CBOS) AND LOCAL WORKFORCE BOARDS (LWDBS) TO ADDRESS SYSTEMIC BARRIERS IN THE LABOR MARKET. IN 2021, CIPC CONVENED THE CALIFORNIA PROTECTING IMMIGRANT FAMILIES (CA PIF), A COALITION OF OVER 70 ORGANIZATIONS, THAT TOOK THE LEAD IN DRIVING THE STRATEGY AND DIRECTION OF THE STATEWIDE PUBLIC CHARGE CAMPAIGN. CIPC PRIORITIZED RAPID RESPONSE COMMUNITY EDUCATION AND OUTREACH AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO UNDERSERVED REGIONS, SERVICE PROVIDERS AND LOCAL AGENCIES, AND STAKEHOLDERS. OUR DIRECT OUTREACH AND ADVOCACY EFFORTS WERE EFFECTIVE IN DISSEMINATING VALUABLE AND ACCURATE INFORMATION SO THAT IMMIGRANT POPULATIONS CONTINUE TO ENROLL FOR SERVICES AVAILABLE TO THEM. COVID-19 VACCINE HESITANCY AND LOGISTICAL CHALLENGES TO ROLLOUT AMONG HARD-TO-REACH COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING IMMIGRANTS, REMAINED A CHALLENGE. CIPC ALLOCATED SIGNIFICANT TIME AND RESOURCES TRACKING THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH'S VACCINE ROLLOUT, ADVOCATING FOR MORE EFFECTIVE, EQUITABLE STRATEGIES AND PRACTICES IN THE IMPLEMENTATION, AND KEEPING AN OPEN FEEDBACK LOOP WITH GRASSROOTS PARTNERS ABOUT WHAT THEY ARE SEEING ON THE GROUND AND ANSWERING THEIR QUESTIONS. CIPC TRACKED POLICY DEVELOPMENTS IMPACTING IMMIGRANT ACCESS TO COVID-19 TESTING, TREATMENT, AND VACCINATIONS AND SHARED TIMELY UPDATES, ANALYSIS, AND ADVOCACY OPPORTUNITIES REGIONAL PARTNERS. CIPC WORKED WITH THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH'S COMMUNITY VACCINE ADVISORY COMMITTEE (CVAC) AND DEVELOP BEST PRACTICES FOR VACCINE MESSAGING AND OUTREACH TO IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES. CIPC ANALYZED AND JOINED ADVOCATE REQUESTS FOR AN EQUITABLE VACCINE ROLLOUT, INCLUDING PRIORITIZATION OF FARMWORKERS, INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS, AND OTHER ESSENTIAL WORKERS.

STRATEGIC MESSAGING AND COMMUNICATIONS IS ANOTHER ESSENTIAL PROGRAM AT CIPC. IN 2021, CIPC MADE SIGNIFICANT STRIDES IN OUR EFFORTS TO SOCIALIZE MESSAGING RESEARCH LESSONS AMONG PRO-IMMIGRANT ADVOCATES AND ALLIES. TO BRING MORE COMMUNICATIONS LEADERS INTO COLLECTIVE CONVERSATION ABOUT LESSONS EMERGING FROM MESSAGING RESEARCH, WE LAUNCHED A RESEARCH SYNTHESIS PROJECT. THE ULTIMATE MESSAGING GUIDE TO WINNING THE IMMIGRATION NARRATIVE, IS AN UNPRECEDENTED COMPENDIUM OF WHAT IS KNOWN ABOUT (1) THE MINDSET OF PEOPLE WITH "CONFLICTED" BELIEFS ABOUT AND ATTITUDES TOWARD IMMIGRANTS AND IMMIGRATION; (2) PREVAILING MEDIA META-NARRATIVES ABOUT IMMIGRANTS AND IMMIGRATION ISSUES; AND (3) PROVEN MESSAGING RECOMMENDATIONS TO MEET AND MOVE THIS MINDSET TOWARD PRO-IMMIGRANT SUPPORT. UNIQUE AMONG MESSAGING REPORTS, THE MESSAGING GUIDE INCLUDES GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS AND MESSAGING PRINCIPLES FOR ALL IMMIGRATION ISSUES, TWELVE ISSUE-SPECIFIC SECTIONS THAT ELEVATE IMPORTANT NUANCES AND CURRENT KNOWLEDGE ABOUT MESSAGING DYNAMICS SPECIFIC TO THOSE ISSUE AREAS (E.G. ASYLUM, BORDER ISSUES, IMMIGRATION DETENTION, DRIVER'S LICENSES, ETC.), TESTED MESSAGING EXAMPLES, AND CASE STUDIES.