Introducing our new Board of Directors, program updates, and more!

Hi John,

After over 18 years of impactful work under fiscal sponsorship, Immigrants Rising is preparing for our next chapter as we spin off to our own independent 501(c)(3) organization on October 1, opening up new opportunities for us to serve the undocumented community even better. As we look toward the future of Immigrants Rising, we are ensuring that our leadership, especially our new Board members, comprises experienced undocumented and formerly undocumented leaders with a strong connection to our mission.

We are eternally grateful for our Provisional Board, whose support enabled us to successfully spin off and bring in new Board members — many of whom with lived experience being undocumented — and will lead us through our next chapter. Meet the members of our Inaugural Board!

Board Officers (and members of the Provisional Board)

Abdi Soltani, Board Chair

Carrie Evans, Vice Chair

Tanya Broder, Secretary

Sally Kinoshita, Treasurer

New Board Members

Valeria Avila, Entrepreneur and Robotics Engineer at EverestLabs.AI

Yongbin Chang, Associate in the Litigation Department at Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP

Hans Miguel Esguerra, Sustainability Manager at PwC

Areli Hernandez, Director of Executive Affairs at CHIRLA

William Perez, Professor in the School of Education at Loyola Marymount University

Felecia Russell, Director of the Higher Ed Immigration Portal at the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration

We are thrilled to welcome them to the Immigrants Rising team and continue our mission of empowering undocumented individuals to thrive, regardless of their status. In case you missed it, take a look at our impact report to see what we’ve accomplished, and what we strive to build on. Stay tuned for more information about our spin-off!

In community,

Iliana G. Perez, Ph.D.
Executive Director
Immigrants Rising

Updates on Biden’s Executive Action

On June 18, President Biden announced a new Executive Order, allowing noncitizen spouses and children to apply for lawful permanent resident status without leaving the country. Graduates from U.S. higher education institutions will also be eligible to receive work visas more quickly.

Since then, the Department of State released an FAQ and updated its Foreign Affairs Manual to clarify the implications of Biden’s Executive Order on the D-3 waiver for work-related visas. For an overview of Biden’s Executive Order and employment-based opportunities for immigrants, watch the recording from our Instagram Live on August 13.

On August 26, a District Court in Texas paused Keeping Families Together, a process for eligible noncitizen spouses and stepchildren of U.S. citizens to apply for lawful permanent residence without being required to leave the U.S. that went into effect on August 19. At this time, USCIS cannot approve applications although they will continue accepting them. Applications that were approved before the court order went into effect remain valid. The process for D-3 waiver for work-related visas is not affected.

As you consider your options, it is important to get accurate legal advice from a trustworthy immigration attorney or DOJ-accredited representative! Check out this resource on finding reliable legal help.

Updates on Affordable Care Act for DACA Recipients

Months after the announcement of the Affordable Care Act (ACA)’s eligibility expansion to include DACA recipients, 15 states, led by Kansas, filed a lawsuit against the Biden Administration in an attempt to undermine years of organizing for undocumented individuals to receive basic healthcare. Originally set to begin accepting applications on November 1, the final decision on ACA’s eligibility requirements will remain unknown. At this point, we still encourage people to apply when enrollment becomes available. Learn more about Affordable Care Act eligibility for DACA recipients here.

Mental Health Career Program Updates

The Mental Health Career Program is accepting applications for the 2024-25 program year! This program prepares undocumented professionals for careers in the mental health field through career-specific hands-on training, professional development, and mentoring. If you are an aspiring mental health professional interested in accumulating hours toward your licensure in California, we invite you to apply!

We also want to congratulate two of our past Mental Health Career Program participants who recently completed the 3,000 supervised clinical hours required for their licensure and Mayra Barragan-O’Brien, our Mental Health Senior Manager, who recently passed her licensure exam to become a licensed Marriage & Family Therapist in California! We are very proud of Mayra and everyone who has been a part of our mental health program.

Higher Education Team Transition

Our esteemed colleague Nancy Jodaitis is stepping down as Director of Higher Education. Immigrants Rising is grateful for Nancy's contributions during her eight-year tenure with us and her impact on the thousands of practitioners and policies that support undocumented students in California and beyond! Madeleine Villanueva, who has been a part of our Higher Education team since 2020, will step in as the Interim Director of Higher Education. We are also honored to have Audrey Dow, former SVP at the Campaign for College Opportunity, and now a Principal with Secoya Strategy Group, advising our Higher Education advocacy efforts going forward.

To celebrate Nancy, take a look back at some of the initiatives she spearheaded:

Extensive resource library to support undocumented students and the educators who serve them.
Statewide landscape analysis resulting in the publication of the CCC Dreamers Project.
Technical assistance for 32 campuses with the California Campus Catalyst Fund.
Partnership with the California Student Aid Commission to expand financial aid access for undocumented students.
Groundbreaking intersegmental accord between the CCC, CSU & UC: Championing Equity: Statewide AB 540 FAQ.

Social Media Highlights

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Immigrants Rising

P.O. Box 411512

San Francisco, CA 94141

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