ICIRR Announces the Community Empowerment and Defense Initiative

Lawndale News Chicago's Bilingual Newspaper - Business

Last week, a multi-racial alliance of more than 80 community leaders from throughout Illinois launched the Community Empowerment and Defense Initiative in response to upcoming raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Led by Lawrence Benito, CEO of the Illinois Coalition of Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR), the press conference brought out community members, media, and supporters united in solidarity for all immigrants facing the threat of deportation. Speakers from the Southwest Organizing Project (SWOP), Communities United, Korean American Research and Cultural Center (KRCC), and United Congress of Community and Religious Organizations (UCCRO) gave testimonials and Fred Tsao, senior policy counsel at ICIRR, gave an overview of the situation that many are currently facing. Introduced as the “Shield” and “Sword” approach, the Community Empowerment and Defense Initiative stands on four pillars:

Lawndale News Chicago's Bilingual Newspaper - Business

  • A Family Support Hotline (1-855-HELP-MY-FAMILY) to field calls from households facing deportation-related crises;
  • Know Your Rights trainings throughout the state to educate community leaders and members how to respond during ICE raids and encounters with other law enforcement;
  • Deployment of more than 500 “Community Navigators” based in 56 organizations across Illinois, including Chicago, Waukegan, Bloomington, and throughout various immigrant communities, to advise on qualifications for immigration protections and relief such as the DACA program; and
  • Engaging Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the Chicago City Council to strengthen the “Welcoming City Ordinance” to ensure that Chicago Police are not interacting with ICE in any way. For more information, visit www.icirr.org.

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