Engaging Refugees and Allies in Promoting Resettlement - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

Engaging Refugees and Allies in Promoting Resettlement

October 15, 2014The Linking Communities (TLC) ProjectFort Worth, TX

Jen

Smyers

,

Associate Director,

Immigration & Refugee Policy, Church World Service, jsmyers@cwsglobal.org, 202.420.0863

Folabi

Olagbaju

,

National Grassroots Director, Lutheran Immigration & Refugee Service, FOlagbaju@lirs.org, 202-626-7931 

Bill Holston, Executive Director, Human Rights Initiative of North Texas, BHolston@hrionline.org, 214-273-4333Slide2

Agenda

Bill: Example of Texas-based advocacy on issues impacting refugees and vulnerable populations (10 min)

Folabi

:

Refugees engaging in advocacy (15 min)

Jen:

Policy update, building champions & teams (20 min)

Q&A

(5 min)

Small Group brainstorming

(10 min)Slide3

Build Relationships

Don’t be afraid of BlogsBut don’t read the comments Correspond with Journalists Tools: Letters to the Editor, Editorials, Commentaries, Sign on Letters

Dealing with the Media

Be Prepared

Be sure to make your points

Be Responsive

Remember sound bites, everything can be quoted out of context

Don’t get caught off guard

Dealing with Politicians

Take the long viewSlide4

Why do we need former refugees to exercise leadership? Build trust with newcomersAuthentic voice on the issue through power of story tellingCreate greater community understanding

Create support for resettlement and integrationExample of successful approaches to fostering leadership development refugee engagement and grassroots advocacy

Empowering Refugees in AdvocacySlide5

Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS)

LIRS is the nation’s second-largest resettlement agency, assisting nearly 11,000 refugees each year. Since its founding in 1939, LIRS in partnership with our local affiliates has resettled nearly 400,000 refugees from around the world into communities across the United States.Slide6

Leadership Training and Advocacy

In recent years, LIRS has celebrated World Refugee Day by bringing together former refugee leaders for a 3-day training designed to:hone their leadership skillscreate opportunity for networkingadvocate for issues of concern to the broader refugee community

Our

goal: Lift

up the voices of all refugees in order to create welcoming communities around the

countrySlide7

World Refugee Day Academy

In 2014, 51 former refugee leaders from 23 states representing 16 countries of origin Participants engaged in legislative advocacy trainingmet with their Members of Congress developed

a 1-2

point action

plans to take back to their communities Slide8

LIRS Refugee Academy

Key portions of the training sessions were led by former refugees.Highlights include 114 Hill visits, meetings with the White House and State Department.Local action plans with 2-3 specific efforts or activities that the participants will undertake to address refugee issues in their local communities. Slide9

Taking it Back Home!

Some of the participant’s Strategic Action Plans include:Developing a network of immigrant faith leadersProviding a training for refugees and allies on cultural diversity and communicationCreating a program to provide support for refugee parents, including dispelling myths around Child Protective Services (CPS)

teaching

parents how to be advocates for their own children in the local school

system

Organizing

a food fair in the local

community

Connecting

with local elected officials and

businessesSlide10

Structured Support for Sustained Engagement

We have also developed a structure to follow up with Academy participants. Organized within 4 regional grouping with a team leader. Regular regional and national check-in calls.Communication tools including E-Newsletter, listserv and Facebook page.Slide11

Lessons LearnedNo substitute for face-to-face meeting to build a network of leaders and develop lasting relationships.Training is not a

one-off experience. Important to build a structure for sustained engagement.Create leadership opportunities for team members and support network for their efforts.Be cognizant of, and respectful of, former refugees’ time and prevailing situation.Slide12

Looking Ahead

LIRS plans to grow and expand the Academy.Explore more robust use of current academy participants to plan and implement future ones.“My greatest success has been my ability to encourage and empower fellow refugees to have a voice” Omar Bah, 2013 Refugee Academy Participant and Trainer for 2014 Refugee Academy.Slide13

PRM housing crisis support in 2009

Doubled R&P grant in 2010, continued increasesIraqi refugees & SIV programFloor FundingRefugee provisions in immigration reform

Stopped cuts to ORR & MRA for 3 years in a row

Unaccompanied children

Reprogrammed funds

Trafficking Victims Protection Act

Anti-refugee sentiment

Three pro-refugee bills

We’ve been through a lot together!Slide14

Building a Movement

Celebrate winsDeepen understanding of long term goals, short term goals, strategies & tacticsBuild sustainable teams

Grow political power

Community education, increasing numbers

Continual team actions, events, meetings

Building relationships w/ policy makers

Civic EngagementSlide15

Congressional Update

Congress is not active now due to the upcoming electionsThis Summer

they were working to address the situation of unaccompanied children

The Senate failed to pass a bill that would have increased funding for ORR and other purposes

The House passed negative legislation that would:

Increase enforcement but inadequately fund ORR

Rollback anti-trafficking protections for children to deport them more quickly

Ban any renewal or expansion of DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals)

The House also introduced legislation that would negatively impact the asylum systemSlide16

ORR Funding

“Refugee and Entrant Assistance” account in the Labor / HHS billHistorically underfunded, education needed

Increases in unaccompanied children, asylum seekers & identified trafficking survivors necessitate urgent need for increases in account to keep services at current level

In June, ORR reprogrammed $94 million from refugee services to care for the increase in unaccompanied immigrant children. $22.5 million was later replenished

The short-term Continuing Resolution (CR) would allow ORR and other agencies to spend more than their 2014 pro-rated around between October 1 and December 11 2015

ORR Announced on September 18

th

that all funds will be replenished

Congress will have to pass a longer-term funding bill before December 11.

This bill should provide ORR at least $2.18 Billion in FY 2015 to adequately fund services to meet the needs of unaccompanied children, refugees,

asylees

, and all populations in ORR

’

s care, and prevent any future cuts. Slide17

Unaccompanied Children

2004-2011: 7,000 and 8,000 annually

2013: 24,000 children, 2014: 60,000 children

More girls, younger children arriving, more victims of trauma

Fewer Mexicans, more from Guatemala, El Salvador & Honduras

Asylum requests by Guatemalans, Hondurans & Salvadorans in Mexico, Panama, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Belize increased by 712 percent since 2009, even more fleeing internally

Recent data from Syracuse University shows that 79.5% of children released to a relative are showing up for court  - and even more - 95.1% are showing up when they have a lawyer.Slide18

Trafficking Victims Protection Act

The TVPRA passed both chambers of Congress by unanimous consent and was signed into law by President Bush to keep children from being returned back into the hands of traffickers and gangs.

Changes to the TVPRA would mean that children would not have a meaningful opportunity to have their story heard, apply for asylum, or be cared for by child welfare personnel, and would be deported to life-threatening situations.

More than

300 faith-based organizations

and

4,000 people of faith

have urged Congress and the Administration to uphold these protections, supported by

70% of the public

. Slide19

Current Asks

Increase funding for ORR: $2.18 billionReject rollbacks to the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPRA)

Protect the U.S. asylum system

Support international programs to reduce reasons why children have to flee

Protect Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)

Administratively expand Deferred Action and stop deportationsSlide20

Refugee Legislation

Strengthening Refugee Resettlement Act, H.R. 651Rep. Ellison (D-MN-5)Admit refugees as LPRsExpand MG, R&P, case managementDomestic resettlement emergency fundRefugee Protection Act, S. 645 and H.R. 1375

Sen. Leahy (D-VT) and Rep. Lofgren (D-CA-14)

Eliminate one-year filing deadline

Protect refugee families

Authority to designate groups for resettlement (“Lautenberg”)

Domestic Refugee Resettlement Reform & Modernization Act

Rep. Peters (D-MI-14), Rep.

Stivers

(R-OH-15)

H.R. 1784,

Sen. Stabenow (D-MI), Sen. Collins (R-ME) S. 883

Elevates ORR within the HHS bureaucracy

Allows formula state funding to include projected arrivals

Helps with data collection & assistance to secondary migrantsSlide21

Refugee Provisions in CIR

All refugee provisions in the original bill S.744 remained:Elimination of the 1-year filing deadline

Family reunification provisions for refugee families

Authority to designate certain groups of humanitarian concern for resettlement

Extension of the Afghan and Iraqi SIV programs

Provisions to help stateless individuals gain LPR status

Representation at overseas refugee interviews and improves “Request for Review” processSlide22

Assess where each of your policy makers areDo they know who refugees are?

Have they met a refugee?What are their misperceptions?Determine how to best engage each policy makerWho are the best messengers?What are the best messages?

Start with an “easy ask” – meeting a refugee, attending an event, speaking at a ceremony

Be ready for a “hard ask” – cosponsoring a bill, defending against anti-refugee sentiment, funding

Serve as a resource for staff

Attend community events

Build a mutual relationship with staff and member

Gradually Build ChampionsSlide23

Photo Op!

What’s more patriotic than a citizenship ceremony, or a celebration of refugees in your community?

Invite policy makers to:

Conduct citizenship oath

Teach a civics or ESL class

Take a photo w/ refugees

Introduce refugees

Attend or speak at World Refugee DaySlide24

“SPEECH!”Empower policymakers to commit to refugeesSlide25

Every Voice Heard

Events show community supportShare photos with policy makers & encourage them to attend next time!Ask staffers and community partners to attend events

Make an event announcement for all to:

Call a policymaker – right now! all together! – sharing support for refugees

Sign up for refugee advocacy alerts

Write or sign letters in support of refugees or thanking a policy maker

Start or grow an advocacy team!Slide26

Meet with your Reps & Senators

Meeting with your Representatives and Senators and their staff is critical to educating them about the vital role that refugees play in your communities

The ideal group for such a meeting will include a refugee who can share a powerful story, the director of an agency or a case manager who knows the ins and outs of program work, a faith leader, a business leader, a volunteer or respected community member

Who you are. Why you care. What you want.

Compelling. Concrete. Concise.

  Slide27

Civic Engagement

Civic engagement is a key component of integrationCivic engagement is part of our mission to build welcoming communitiesNon-profit civic engagement work is non-partisan, and does not endorse any candidate or political party Voter registration, Ride coordination, Get Out the Vote calling & door knocking with partnersLifting up political power of refugees for change

www.rcusa.org/WRD2014Slide28

Core Principles of Organizing

What are we changing? How does our work for welcoming communities and refugee and immigrant rights win or create concrete improvements in people’s lives?

What are we building?

How are we creating and sustaining teams of people who can take action together for change?Slide29

Team: What it is...

A

group of people

that is connected by…..

S

hared Passion

L

ove

of P

eople

V

ision

for C

hange

C

ommitment

to work together

to

bring that change

aboutSlide30

Step 1: Internal Assessment

What am I passionate about? Why? What in my life journey has brought about this passion?

What policy changes (national and local) would you and your community like to see?

How

could I see my

community

working to be part of bringing that change about?

What does being an “advocate” mean to you? Slide31

Step 2: One on One Relationship Building

Face to faceIntentional conversation, not an interview

Listening for passion, vision, stories

Work together to identify others

Find a Partner!

Who is one person who

might most share your

vision and help you

build / energize a Team? Slide32

Step 3: Grow your Team!

Domino Effect of 1 on 1 meetings!

Who else might care / be interested?

Ask: can you now reach out to 3-5 more people?

Set a timeline for a Team meetingSlide33

Step 4: Bring the team together

Goal: solid group of 8-10 peopleCreate a common vision:

One year from now,

what are our hopes and expectations?

Create an action plan: How do we build toward that?

Who are natural allies who can be energized into being advocates?

Decide on next steps Slide34

Sample Advocacy Calendar

Oct – Dec: ORR funding letters, meetings; civic engagement stories, eventsJan – May: Team building, community education, expanding base

June: World Refugee Day events, meetings

July – Sept: Meetings with members of congress, letters, emails, callsSlide35

Resources

Toolkits for congressional visits: Refugee Council USA: rcusa.org/wrd2014

Interfaith Immigration Coalition:

www.interfaithimmigration.org/wp-content/uploads/ 2013/01/IIC_NEIGHBOR_to_NEIGHBOR_Toolkit_01.pdf

Information on Senators, Representatives, Committees:

www.senate.gov

and

www.house.gov

We send updates on legislation as part of the Monday bulletin. Sign up for advocacy alerts:

cwsglobal.org/

speakout

bit.ly/

refugeeadvocacy

www.interfaithimmigration.org

Join quarterly National Refugee Advocacy Calls. Next Call: 12:00 PM EST Friday, November 7

th

.