The House We All Live In: A Report On Immigrant Civic Integration

This report, which draws on the insights and research of both national and local groups working directly on immigrants' rights, summarizes the current situation, offers projections for the future, and pinpoints areas of need. The report provides funders with an informative guide about potential areas of support for immigrant policy issues and highlights the urgency of developing new sources of support for immigrant-related effots, which are critical to the nation's continued democratic development.

• Funders need to recognize the changing national and local demographics the strengths of diversity and how this diversity influences and redefines community and funding priorities. Tweet
• Funders should support programs and services that help immigrants meet basic needs such as healthcare and English language classes and establish a solid foothold in their new community. Tweet
• Funders should fund programs that work to increase local communities understanding of the immigrant experience; build positive relationships between immigrant and native born communities and engage these communities in collaboration around mutual issues of concern. Tweet
• Funders need to support programs that develop nurture and sustain immigrant leadership in civic and political life. Tweet
• Funders need to support efforts to educate immigrant and other low wage workers about workplace rights fair wages and benefits and opportunities to improve their employment potential. Tweet
• Funders need to help stabilize existing systems such as public schools parks and recreation as vehicles to engage immigrant families in collaborations with long-time residents to improve the quality of life and educational outcomes for both immigrant and native born children. Tweet
• Funders should invest in multi-sector partnerships among businesses unions community groups faith based organizations and government agencies to increase social economic and civic opportunities for newcomers and their families. Tweet
• Funders should support public education and outreach efforts to encourage the streamlining of the federal naturalization process and offer support to immigrants at the local level for navigating the application process including English language and civics classes. Tweet
• Funders should fund proven voter registration and get out the vote efforts among new citizens and invest in the development of new models that seek to reach underserved or hard to reach immigrant communities. Tweet
• Funders should invest in immigrants rights networks and coalitions to develop strategies set a united immigrant policy agenda and advocate for state and/or local policies that provide both basic human services and opportunities for immigrants to become integral contributing members of society. Tweet
• Funders should support legal services advocacy and litigation to protect immigrants civil rights and civil liberties and to expand opportunities for immigrants engagement in our democracy. Tweet