This Week in Immigration Reform — Week Ending July 29

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Week Ending July 29, 2016

This week in immigration: NCLR holds its annual conference consisting of many panels and workshops focused on immigration and immigrant integration.

NCLR Annual Conference: NCLR’s Annual Conference was held this past weekend in Orlando, Florida. The conference started off with a naturalization ceremony at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) Field Office in Orlando. NCLR President and CEO, Janet Murguía, and USCIS Southeast Regional Director Kathy Redman Field Officer welcomed nearly 90 new U.S. citizens from 36 different countries. In congratulating the country’s newest citizens, Murguía encouraged them to use their new responsibilities as citizens and cast their votes.  “I want you to vote in this upcoming election,” she told the group. “Your vote now can make a difference in the direction we move our country.”

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Janet Murguía with some of our newest citizens after a naturalization ceremony in Orlando

NCLR also held workshops during the conference focused on immigration legal services and immigrant integration. NCLR Affiliate, Latinos Progresando, shared their expertise in building and sustaining an immigration legal services program. In another session, NCLR Affiliates worked on completing applications to the Board of Immigration Appeals for recognition in order to provide immigration legal services.

On the third day of the conference, workshop participants discussed how technology is being used to support immigration legal services and outreach. Another workshop provided an overview of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act and the challenges it poses to assisting the immigrant population.

On the final day of the conference, participants explored options for NCLR Affiliates to engage immigrant families despite DAPA and expanded DACA being on hold. The panelists spoke about effective practices in providing immigration legal services and connecting immigrants with programs in workforce development and financial services as some of the ways of strengthening immigrant integration.

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