CWE Immigration Protection Group Takes Stock of Immigration Reforms
Recent executive actions have expanded protections for immigrants (Image source: White House)
During the Trump administration, CWE launched the Immigration Protection Group to bring together the organizations in New York that were responding to aggressive immigration enforcement and heightened scrutiny of citizenship applicants. When the group met this month for its first time since the inauguration of President Joe Biden, a lot had changed, but it was clear that there is still much work to do.
Alba Lucero Villa, Executive Director of Northern Manhattan Coalition for Immigrant Rights (an IPG member) and Mustaffa Chishti, Senior Fellow at the Migration Policy Institute, presented on what President Biden has already done to improve the nation’s immigration policy, and where policies still fall short of protecting immigrants.
President Biden signed a series of executive orders on his first day in office that took steps to protect Dreamers, put an end to the Muslim Ban, and stop construction of the border wall. He has also sent legislation to Congress seeking to finally reform the nation’s immigration laws to create a pathway to citizenship for 11 million people in the country without legal status, though it will take much organizing and advocacy to see it passed. The developments provide some opportunities for immigrants to seek relief or maintain legal status that was denied by the Trump administration.
“The policy gives immigrants hope and right now, after all the fear and condemnation that immigrants suffered during the previous administration, hope is a good place to start,” said Alba Lucero Villa. “We also must be vigilant and provide a lot of education to help people understand what's in place, what may be coming, and how they can prepare for it.”
In addition to hope, the positive developments come with unexpected pitfalls that immigrants and their local advocates must be aware of. Unscrupulous lawyers and notaries may take advantage of immigrants looking for relief by offering quick paths to legal status that will not bear fruit. Many of the community organizations and unions in the Immigration Protection Group either provide free legal services to immigrants or refer them to trusted legal representation.
In addition to the two speakers, 16 different organizations attended the meeting, including 1199SEIU, ANSOB Center for Refugees, Bend the Arc, Mayor's Office Community Affairs Unit, Exodus, Henry Street Settlement, Independent Drivers Guild, Make the Road New York, NYC Central Labor Council, New York Communities for Change, Queens Economic Development Corporation, Teamsters Joint Council 16, United Auto Workers, and Workers United.