Hi friend, did you see Kica’s email a couple days ago?
In case you didn’t get a chance to read her message reflecting on her first year as president at the National Immigration Law Center, we’re bumping it to the top of your inbox.
Once you read the email below, will you answer Kica’s rallying call to help us continue our fight for immigrants’ rights by donating today?
— National Immigration Law Center
---------- Original Message Sent Monday, April 29, 2024 ---------
Friend,
When I first wrote to introduce myself to you, I shared my aspiration that together we will be “a powerful, unwavering movement dedicated to advancing immigrant justice.”
And now, as I reflect on my first year as president of the National Immigration Law Center, I am filled with pride and gratitude – because we truly have come together as a force to be reckoned with. Let me share some highlights of what we have accomplished over the last year:
Together, we spoke truth to power and defended against attacks on immigrants and asylum seekers. When the Senate was on the brink of passing the most anti-immigrant legislation in nearly a century as tradeoff for unrelated foreign aid, we pushed back forcefully, making it clear that immigrants, and our rights, are not bargaining chips. We fought hard, and we won. Whether you joined us on the steps of Capitol Hill for our #SaveAsylum rally, sent messages to your representatives, or helped amplify our calls on social media — you were a part of this work.
We took our fight to the courts, fighting unjust state laws. The most recent example of this is in Texas, where we are suing to stop S.B.4, an unconstitutional and extremist law that gives local officials wide powers to enforce immigration laws. If it were to go into effect, it could wrongfully tear families apart and encourage mass racial profiling across the state. We are also monitoring other states attempting to pass similar laws and will not hesitate to intervene if necessary. It is your support that helps make our legal work possible.
On the federal level, we secured a huge victory when the Biden administration announced a new rule that would make it possible for DACA recipients to be able to access the Affordable Care Act marketplace. We will continue to press the administration and will not rest until they come through on their promise and finalize this rule.
Similarly, after years of advocacy, we won a policy change that protects workers from employer retaliation if they report unsafe conditions. Since then, we have worked hard to make sure that those who are eligible benefit from this type of relief. Our team has worked tirelessly for months, training thousands of workers, advocates, and attorneys in all 50 states to spread awareness and ensure people have what they need to fight for fair and safe workplaces. Each time we called on you — our grassroots supporter base — to help us advocate or spread awareness, you showed up. Thank you.
Our achievements over the past year would not have been possible without your support, friend. It has been a tremendous year, and we have a lot of work ahead of us. Nearly six months away from a presidential election, we are once again at a pivotal moment in the immigrants’ rights movement and for our nation.
Your contribution, no matter the size, drives our work forward, providing the resources we need to tackle the challenges we’ll undoubtedly face in the coming year.
I look forward to continuing this journey together as we fight for the rights of immigrant communities and build a nation where all of us, regardless of how much money we have, what we look like, or where we were born, have the freedom to thrive.
Sincerely,
Kica Matos
President
National Immigration Law Center
