Mobilizing Coherent Community Responses to Changing Immigration Policies | Playing to Win Over the Short- and Long-Term

July 24, 2017

From June 7-9, 2017, scholars, researchers, community organizers, service providers, elected officials, leaders of faith communities, immigrant advocates, and others, joined together for a 3-day conference on how diverse communities are working together to protect, empower and meet the needs of immigrants and refugees in an era of heightened uncertainty. The conference examined “whole of community” responses to protecting and empowering immigrants and offered models and best practices for moving forward amidst numerous challenges.

The event was hosted by the Center for Migration Studies of New York (CMS), Cabrini Center for Immigrant Legal Assistance of Catholic Charities of Galveston-Houston, the Houston Immigration Legal Services Collaborative, and the South Texas College of Law Houston.

This panel highlighted successful models of collaboration to defeat anti-immigrant legislation and to create momentum and winning partnerships for long-term reform. It discussed the ingredients of successful past legislative campaigns; current state advocacy challenges (including passage of SB 4 in Texas); and likely legislative challenges in Congress in the upcoming months.

Moderator: Kevin Appleby, Senior Director of International Migration Policy, Center for Migration Studies

Ashley Feasley, Director of Policy, Migration and Refugee Services, US Conference of Catholic Bishops

Oscar Hernandez, Lead Field Organizer, United We Dream

Chris Newman, Legal Director and General Counsel, National Day Laborer Organizing Network

Frances E. Valdez, Attorney, United We Dream

Gislaine Williams, Grassroots Community Organizer, Refugee Council USA