Illinois Coalition For Immigrant And Refugee Rights

TO PROMOTE EQUAL PARTICIPATION OF IMMIGRANTS & REFUGEES IN POLITICAL & SOCIAL LIFE.

THE IMMIGRANT FAMILY RESOURCE PROGRAM (IFRP) IS A CONTRACT BETWEEN 57 IMMIGRANT SERVING ORGANIZATIONS IN ILLINOIS, THE ILLINOIS COALITION FOR IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE RIGHTS, AND THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES TO SUPPORT IMMIGRANT ACCESS TO PUBLIC BENEFITS AND CRITICAL CASH ASSISTANCE DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. THE GOAL OF THE IFRP IS TO ENSURE THAT LOW INCOME IMMIGRANT FAMILIES AND OTHER LIMITED-ENGLISH SPEAKING PERSONS ARE ABLE TO THRIVE BY REDUCING BARRIERS WHEN SEEKING PUBLIC BENEFITS AS WELL AS THE CASH SUPPORT THEY NEED FOR PROPER HEALTH, WELL-BEING, AND ECONOMIC SELF-SUFFICIENCY. IN 2021, IFSP PROCESSED 14,855 APPLICATIONS AND 11,194 WERE APPROVED. IFSP PROCESSED CASH ASSISTANCE OF 2,685 WAITLIST APPLICATIONS IN JUNE 2020, 6,457 ONLINE LOTTERY APPLICATIONS, AND 1,501 ROLLING WITH THE EXPEDITED APPLICATIONS. ICIRR PLACED ORDERS FROM OMNICARD IN 145 BATCHES THAT INCLUDED FROM ONE TO 1,065 CARDS PER BATCH.

THE NEW AMERICANS INITIATIVE PROGRAM IS FUNDED THROUGH THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES.THE NAI PROVIDES COMPREHENSIVE SERVIES TO ASSIST ILLINOIS LEGAL PERMANENT RESIDENTS AND REFUGEES IN APPLYING FOR US CITIZENSHIP. THIS YEAR, AS A COLLABORATIVE OF FORTY NIGN COMMUNITY PARTNERS, THE PROGRAM WAS ABLE TO SERVE A TOTAL OF 29,124 PEOPLE IN AT LEAST 42 LANGUAGES. IN FY21, DESPITE THE PANDEMIC, ICIRR PARTNERS CONDUCTED OUTREACH TO 12,906 NAI ELIGIBLE PARTICIPANTS IN THE STATE OF LLINOIS. 56% OF THOSE WHO WERE CONTACTED, PARTICIPATED IN EDUCATION OR/AND APPLICATION PROCESSING ACTIVITIES. AND ALSO, NAI PARTNERS STEPPED UP AND ASSISTED PEOPLE IN APPLYING FOR IMMIGRANT FAMILY SUPPORT PROGRAM EMERGENCY FUNDS DUE TO THEH PANDEMIC AND THEY REACHED A TOTAL OF 20,355 PEOPLE . IN FY21, APPLICATION PROCESSING PARTNERS WERE ABLE TO ASSIST 6,159 PEOPLE THROUGH THE NEW AMERICAN INITIATIVE. 3,023 OF THE APPLICATIONS PREPARED WERE FOR PARTICIPANTS ON THEIR PATHWAY TO CITIZENSHIP THROUGH THE NATURALIZATION PROCESS. THROUGH NAI, WE ALSO ASSISTED THE FOREIGN BORN CHILDREN OF US CITIZENS APPLY FOR ACQUISITION OR DERIVATION OF CITIZENSHIP. THIS ACCOUNTED 268 APPLICATIONS PREPARED AND 2,868 WERE FOR PARTICIPANTS APPLYING FOR RENEWAL OF RELIEF UNDER THE DEFERRED ACTION FOR CHILDHOOD ARRIVAL PROGRAM. IN FY21, 2,610 STUDENTS ENROLLED IN NAI CITIZENSHIP CLASSED AND 71% COMPLETED THE COURSE.

THE ICIRR 2020 CENSUS CAMPAIGN BROUGHT TOGETHER 65 NONPROFIT AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS IN CHICAGO, COOK COUNTY, AND THE 8 COLLAR COUNTIES, TO REACH OUT TO IMMIGRANTS, REFUGEES, AND NEW AMERICANS ABOUT THE 2020 CENSUS AND ASSIST IN COMPLETING THE CENSUS QUESTIONNAIRE. OVER 10 MONTHS, THE PROJECT REACHED OUT TO OVER 500,000 HOUSEHOLDS THROUGH COMMUNITY EDUCATION EVENTS, DOOR KNOCKING, PHONE BANKING, AND DIGITAL AND TRADITIONAL MEDIA, AND ASSISTED OVER 29,900 HOUSEHOLDS WITH COMPLETING THE CENSUS QUESTIONNAIRE. THE CAMPAIGN WAS FUNDED BY THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES.