National Immigration Law Center

ESTABLISHED IN 1979, THE NATIONAL IMMIGRATION LAW CENTER (NILC) IS THE LEADING NATIONAL LEGAL ADVOCACY ORGANIZATION IN THE U.S. EXCLUSIVELY DEDICATED TO DEFENDING AND ADVANCING THE RIGHTS AND OPPORTUNITIES OF THE MOST VULNERABLE IMMIGRANTS AND THEIR LOVED ONES.

SECURING IMMIGRANT ACCESS TO HEALTH AND ECONOMIC SUPPORTS: ONE OF NILC'S LONGSTANDING PROGRAM PRIORITIES FOCUSES ON DEFENDING AND INCREASING IMMIGRANTS' ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE, SAFETY NET, AND ECONOMIC SUPPORT PROGRAMS REGARDLESS OF IMMIGRATION STATUS. OVER THE LAST YEAR, THIS INCLUDED LEADING EFFORTS TO ADVOCATE FOR IMMIGRANT INCLUSION IN FEDERAL COVID RELIEF. AFTER THE MARCH 2020 CARES ACT LARGELY EXCLUDED IMMIGRANTS, TWO ADDITIONAL COVID RELIEF MEASURES PASSED - ONE IN DECEMBER 2020 AND ANOTHER IN MARCH 2021 - THAT INCLUDED RECOMMENDATIONS NILC PROMOTED TO PROVIDE STIMULUS CHECKS FOR MIXED-STATUS FAMILIES INITIALLY SHUT OUT FROM THIS CRITICAL ECONOMIC RELIEF. THIS SUCCESSFUL ADVOCACY HELPED MILLIONS OF IMMIGRANTS AND CHILDREN GAIN ACCESS TO THE SAME ECONOMIC SUPPORT THAT OTHER AMERICANS HAVE RECEIVED TO HELP THEM WEATHER THE WORST OF THE DAMAGE THE PANDEMIC HAS INFLICTED. NILC ALSO CONTINUED CO-LEADING THE NATIONAL, MULTI-SECTOR PROTECTING IMMIGRANT FAMILIES COALITION, WHICH IS FOCUSED ON ENSURING THAT NO ONE IS DENIED LIFE'S ESSENTIALS BECAUSE OF WHERE THEY WERE BORN. IN EARLY 2021, THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE DECIDED TO STOP DEFENDING RESTRICTIVE PUBLIC CHARGE REGULATIONS ENACTED IN 2019 AGAINST LEGAL CHALLENGES BROUGHT BY NILC AND OTHER ALLIES. THIS SET OFF A SERIES OF COURT ACTIONS THAT RESULTED IN AN END TO THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION'S RACIALIZED "WEALTH TEST" DESIGNED TO RESTRICT IMMIGRANTS' ABILITY TO GET ON A PATH TO CITIZENSHIP IF THEY USE SAFETY-NET PROGRAMS.

DRIVING PRO-IMMIGRANT INITIATIVES WITH STATE ALLIES: AS PART OF ITS WINNING IN THE STATES INITIATIVE, NILC CONTINUED TO PROVIDE EXTENSIVE LEGAL, POLICY, AND COMMUNICATIONS SUPPORT TO HELP DRIVE PRO-IMMIGRANT POLICY INITIATIVES AT THE STATE LEVEL WITH ORGANIZATIONAL PARTNERS IN COLORADO, NEW JERSEY, NEW MEXICO, OREGON, TENNESSEE, AND WISCONSIN, AS WELL AS IN CALIFORNIA. NILC ALSO DEVELOPED AND SHARED MODEL PRO-IMMIGRANT SOLUTIONS AND ANALYSES WITH A BROADER RANGE OF ACTIVISTS IN STATES ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO FUEL MOMENTUM FOR OTHER PRO-MIGRANT CAMPAIGNS AND STRENGTHEN THE NETWORK OF ORGANIZATIONS ENGAGING IN STATE-BASED CHANGE. STATE LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS OVER THE PAST YEAR CULMINATED IN THE SIGNING OF SEVERAL SIGNIFICANT IMMIGRANT-INCLUSIVE BILLS IN KEY STATES THAT NILC HELPED ADVANCE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ALLIES. THESE INCLUDED UNIVERSAL REPRESENTATION POLICIES PROVIDING LEGAL COUNSEL TO IMMIGRANTS REGARDLESS OF STATUS, AND LAWS PROTECTING IMMIGRANTS' PRIVACY AND THEIR ABILITY TO GO ABOUT THEIR DAILY LIVES WITHOUT FEAR OF IMMIGRATION DETENTION AND DEPORTATION, TO POLICIES PROVIDING STATE EARNED INCOME TAX CREDITS FOR ALL TAXPAYERS AND AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE AND ACCESS TO FOOD FOR ALL REGARDLESS OF IMMIGRATION STATUS. NILC ALSO SUPPORTED STATE AND LOCAL ADVOCATES AND OFFICIALS IN ESTABLISHING PROGRAMS OFFERING CASH, HOUSING ASSISTANCE, AND TAX CREDITS TO RESIDENTS EXCLUDED FROM FEDERAL COVID RELIEF.

PROMOTING ACCESS TO LEGAL STATUS: NILC PLAYED A CENTRAL ROLE IN PROMOTING INCLUSIVE FEDERAL IMMIGRATION POLICY REFORMS THAT WOULD CREATE A PATH TO CITIZENSHIP THAT IS AS EXPANSIVE AS POSSIBLE. THIS INCLUDED ADVOCATING FOR THE NEED TO GRANT LEGAL STATUS TO THE 11 MILLION UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS LIVING IN THE U.S., WHILE ALSO EDUCATING FEDERAL POLICYMAKERS ABOUT POSSIBILITIES FOR PIECEMEAL POLICIES TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF DEFERRED ACTION FOR CHILDHOOD ARRIVALS (DACA) RECIPIENTS, FARMWORKERS, AND ESSENTIAL WORKERS. NILC ALSO DEVELOPED RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY ACTIONS THE INCOMING BIDEN ADMINISTRATION COULD MOVE ON IMMEDIATELY TO REBUILD A COUNTRY IN WHICH EVERYONE IN THE U.S. CAN LIVE HEALTHY LIVES AND THRIVE. AT THE START OF 2020, NILC CELEBRATED LANDMARK VICTORIES ON SEVERAL OF THOSE POLICY PRIORITIES. THE MUSLIM, REFUGEE, AND AFRICAN BANS, WHICH NILC WAS AMONG THE FIRST ORGANIZATIONS TO CHALLENGE BACK IN 2017, WERE RESCINDED. PRESIDENT BIDEN ALSO COMMITTED TO PROTECTING IMMIGRANT YOUTH WITH DEFERRED ACTION FOR CHILDHOOD ARRIVALS (DACA), A PROGRAM NILC WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN HELPING YOUNG IMMIGRANT LEADERS ACHIEVE, AND WHICH THE ORGANIZATION HAS VIGOROUSLY DEFENDED OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS THROUGH LEGAL CHALLENGES, LAWMAKER EDUCATION AND OUTREACH, AND COMMUNICATIONS AND MOBILIZATION STRATEGIES.

IN ADDITION TO ITS CORE PROGRAM PRIORITIES, NILC ENGAGED IN OTHER INITIATIVES GEARED TOWARD ADVANCING THE GOALS OUTLINED IN ITS STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK FOCUSED ON TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGE. USING A MIX OF STRATEGIES, NILC CONTINUED PLAYING A LEADERSHIP ROLE IN SHAPING AND ADVANCING INCLUSIVE POLICIES TO ELIMINATE RACIALIZED AND STATUS-BASED BARRIERS TO EQUITY, ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND PROSPERITY, INITIATING CREATIVE LITIGATION STRATEGIES THAT EXPAND OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMMIGRANTS WITH LOW-INCOMES, AND SHAPING GROUNDBREAKING MESSAGING RESEARCH AND NARRATIVE CHANGE STRATEGIES TO UNDERSCORE THE ESSENTIAL ROLE THAT LOW-INCOME IMMIGRANTS PLAY IN U.S. SOCIETY. FOR EXAMPLE, THE #IMMIGRANTSAREESSENTIAL NARRATIVE AND CULTURE CHANGE INITIATIVE NILC IS CO-LEADING, WHICH IS DESIGNED TO RAISE AWARENESS OF THE VITAL ROLE THAT IMMIGRANTS PLAY IN STRENGTHENING THE NATION, PARTICULARLY IN LIGHT OF COVID, CAPTURED THE ATTENTION OF LAWMAKERS AND INFLUENCERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THE PROJECT WON A 2021 SHORTY AWARD FOR BEST INTEGRATED CAMPAIGN IN RECOGNITION OF ITS WORK TO AMPLIFY THE VOICES OF IMMIGRANTS AND SHINE A LIGHT ON IMMIGRANT ESSENTIAL WORKERS THROUGH ART AND CULTURAL INTERCHANGES.