This Week in Immigration Reform — Week Ending May 26

Week Ending May 26

NCLR denounces Trump’s slash and burn budget: This week, the administration released its budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2018.  The proposed budget eliminates $1.7 trillion in funding that provides basic living standards to millions of Americans, gutting key programs and assistance that help families afford food, housing and health care. At the same time, the administration is asking for an increase of  $4.5 billion (in addition to the existing $19 billion in immigration enforcement each year) to implement the President’s Executive Orders that expand a deportation force that has ripped families and communities apart. In a press release, NCLR President and CEO Janet Murguía stated, “With this budget, the administration is proposing taking food off the tables of American families, taking health coverage from those who need it most, and relegating education to the bottom of the priorities list, all while helping the wealthy get wealthier and unnecessarily directing billions more to mass deportations designed to split families apart and leave millions of citizen children destitute.”

NCLR releases new report on financial inclusion: This week NCLR released a new report, Small Dollars for Big Change: Immigrant Financial Inclusion and Access to Credit, which explores the linkages between immigration legal services and financial products to finance fees for applications such as DACA, family petitions, and naturalization. The report highlights potential solutions to help immigrants who are ready to adjust their status but need help financing the process with small-dollar credit options. The report discusses innovative solutions for increasing immigrant financial inclusion and promising approaches to expand the availability of small-dollar credit products that are mainstream and affordable instead of predatory.

Immigration Advocates Network launches “Stand with Immigrants”: This week, the Immigration Advocates Network (IAN) and other leading immigrants’ rights organizations launched a campaign to engage lawyers and other professionals around the country in skill-based volunteering to protect the rights of immigrants.

#STANDWITHIMMIGRANTS is a national effort to mobilize lawyers, mental health professionals, translators, interpreters and others ready to use their skills to protect the rights of immigrants, and connect to expert training, advocacy, volunteer opportunities and support. Those who take the pledge will:

• Receive training on immigration law and immigrant rights;
• Have access to volunteer guides and opportunities;
• Be connected to local, state and national advocacy opportunities; and
• Receive guidance on how to engage government and business leaders to promote pro-immigrant and inclusive laws and policies.