ICIRR Projects:
ICIRR coordinates four special projects:
I. The New Americans Initiative
II. The New Americans Democracy Project
III. The Outreach and Interpretation Project
IV. The New Americans Executive Order
Click on any of the project names to find out more.
The New Americans Initiative (NAI) is an unprecedented state program, administered by the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights in cooperation with the Illinois Department of Human Services. The NAI provides comprehensive services to help Illinois’ more than 340,000 Legal Permanent Residents become U.S. citizens. NAI provides services ranging from citizenship preparation to assistance in filling out applications, as well as legal screening. It emphasizes regional outreach and offers convenient locations for citizenship applicants to receive these services.
The New Americans Democracy Project
In 2004 through the New Americans Vote Campaign, immigrant leaders leveraged the relationships and energy of community organizing with the targeted strategy of electoral organizing.
The New Americans Democracy Project (NADP) is continuing this work to create a trained and experienced organization of immigrant leaders who are highly effective in electoral organizing. NADP will:
*Build political support for immigrant issues through non-partisan electoral action
*Identify and train future immigrant politicians and political professionals
*Create political support network trough active participation and mentorship
The Outreach and Interpretation Project
The O&I Project forms a contractual partnership between immigrant-serving agencies in the State of Illinois, the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) and the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) to support immigrant access to safety net resources.
The New Americans Executive Order
This first-in-the-nation Executive Order calls for the State of Illinois to create a coherent, strategic, and proactive approach to weaving Illinois' immigrant population into the fabric of our State.
