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Context Matters: Latino Immigrant Civic Engagement in Nine U.S. Cities,
Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Mexico Institute, 2010, 65 pp.
Funded by a grant from
the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, this applied research project examines the local factors that influence
the nature and extent of immigrant civic participation in selected communities in the United States. A jumping-off point
for this study is the spring 2006 immigrant mobilizations, described as "the largest (American) mass public protest on
any issue, ever." The report pays particular attention to the strength of local coalitions, the role of Spanish-language
media, the support of local religious institutions, and the role of unions. Separate reports are available for some of
the cities studied in this project: Charlotte, Chicago, Fresno, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Omaha, San Jose, Tucson, and Washington, D.C. Official Language Proficiency and the Civic Participation of Immigrants,
Monica Boyd, Metropolis Language Matters Symposium, October 22, 2009, 17 pp.
This paper attempts
to find evidence for the common assumption that lack of proficiency in host country language leads to low levels of civic
participation. Using data from the 2002 Canadian Ethnic Diversity Survey, which included questions about membership and frequency
of participation in a wide variety of organizations, including ethnic associations, as well as questions about "sense
of belonging" to local, provincial, and national polities, the author finds that, with the exception of ethnic or immigrant
associations, immigrants with low levels of host language proficiency have low levels of organizational participation, although
this fact "cannot be equated with negative feelings about belonging to Canada." Interestingly, participation in
ethnic or immigrant associations, for those with low levels of proficiency, increases with length of residence in Canada. The Effects of Citizenship on Family Income and Poverty,
Briefing Paper, Economic Policy Institute, February 24, 2010, 12 pp.
Contending that "the
economic benefits of citizenship have been underexplored in our national discussion around immigration," this paper attempts
to quantify the income gains associated with citizenship acquisition. Noting that adult citizen immigrants in 2007 had a median
family income of $57,823, 33.2% higher than the $38,600 median income of non-citizen adult immigrants, and that the 20% poverty
rate of the latter was more than double the 9% rate of the former, the author proceeds to control for other demographic factors,
such as levels of education and age, that may account for these differences. In the end, she finds a significant correlation,
lending support for "policy initiatives that create a path to citizenship, as such a path can be a key factor in reducing
poverty and opening the door to economic stability for a broad swath of immigrant families." Community-Based Organizations and Immigrant Integration in the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan
Area,
The Urban Institute, November, 2009, 51 pp.
This study examines the work of 533 immigrant-serving
organizations in the Washington, D.C., area, classifying them by size, finances, location, ethnic communities served, religious
affiliation, and types of programs. The researchers analyze data from federal financial disclosure forms and draw on interviews
with 40 organizational leaders. Of particular interest is the role played by these organizations in promoting immigrant integration. The
appeal of these groups appears to rest on their ability to provide a "safe environment" and to employ a "holistic
approach" to service delivery. As Asian and African community organizations are less well-developed than Hispanic ones,
the authors discuss a number of factors impeding the development of non-Hispanic organizations. The authors also emphasize
the role of local government in stimulating the growth of immigrant-serving organizations, noting a concentration of organizations
in the District and inner suburbs, where "immigrant-friendly" officials have steered resources to these organizations,
but a scarcity of groups in the outer suburbs where the immigrant population has been soaring in recent years, but where no
such commitment from local government has been evident. California Counts! A Funders' Guide to the 2010 Census,
California Immigrant Integration Initiative, Grantmakers Concerned with
Immigrants and Refugees (GCIR), 2009, 23 pp.
GCIR argues for strategic philanthropic investment to maximize
the participation of immigrants and other "hard-to-count" (HTC) populations in the 2010 decennial census. The authors
estimate that for each uncounted resident, the State of California will lose ca.$11,400 over the next ten years. A 10% undercount
will result in a 10-year loss for California of $42.4 billion. Although this guide was produced specifically for California
funders, the authors believe that the principles and strategies outlined in the guide may prove useful and relevant to grantmakers
in other states and regions.
Women Immigrants: Stewards of the 21st Century Family,
New America Media, February 2009, 32 pp.
Noting
that the story of migration is often depicted as "a masculine epic...(and) through the Horatio Alger lens of self-discovery
and reinvention," the authors of this report call attention to the special role of women in the migration process. Women
seem less interested in individual economic success, and more in holding the family together and making a better life for
their children. Based on 1,002 telephone interviews, conducted in August and September of 2008, with a representative sample
of the adult female population in the United States, the report also finds that women "are changing the meaning of migration
from economic to civic." Women appear to be the "catalysts for their families becoming citizens of the United States."
Other survey questions probe changes in family roles and responsibilities, the prevalence of two-parent families, and experiences
with discrimination. The report also finds a "substantial" number of women working below their level of education
and training.
Community Treasures: Recognizing the Contributions of Older Immigrants and Refugees,
Center for Intergenerational Learning, Temple University, 2008, 62 pp.
Based on field work and focus groups conducted in Atlanta, Philadelphia, and Orange County (CA), this report
finds that the American concept of "volunteering" is generally unfamiliar to older immigrants and refugees, but
that the nature of their community involvement is rich and extensive, although strongly influenced by cultural background.
The report emphasizes the critical role of "community connectors" in tapping into this reservoir of talent and leadership
and contains case studies of five organizations that have been particularly effective in working with elders.
Immigrant Civic Participation: A Challenge for New Jersey and the Nation,
Program on Immigration and Democracy, Eagleton
Institute of Politics, Rutgers University, October 20, 2008, 20 pp.
This report
provides a summary and detailed minutes of a half-day conference that brought together researchers, community activists, and
public officials to discuss research findings and promising practices in the area of immigrant civic participation.The Forum
featured presentations about the following model programs: the Coro Immigrant Civic Leadership Program in New York City, the
New Americans Initiative in Illinois, the New York Civic Participation Project, and Project Voice of the American Friends
Service Committee. The purpose of the forum was to develop recommendations for presentation to the New Jersey Blue Ribbon
Panel on Immigrant Policy.
Immigration Policy Center, October,
2008, 25 pp.
Defining "new Americans" as the total of naturalized immigrants and post-1965
children of immigrants, this study emphasizes the growing importance of this segment of the registered voter population,
and in particular, their pivotal status in "battleground" states, such as Colorado, Florida, and Indiana.
At 15.1%, the percentage of new American registered voters in New Jersey in 2006 ranked fourth in the nation. Hometown Associations: An Untapped Resource for Immigrant Integration, MPI Insight, Migration Policy Institute, July, 2008, 23
pp. This report discusses the remarkable growth of hometown associations (HTA's) within immigrant communities
in the United States. Although often perceived by policy makers as performing overseas development functions only, HTA's also
play a useful role in promoting immigrant integration. The report suggests a number of "small, well-crafted interventions"
that policy-makers can make to harness the energy of HTA's and built strong partnerships between HTA's, local service providers,
and local governments.
The Atlantic Philanthropies, May, 2008, 16 pp. This report argues that "funding advocacy
and advocates is the most direct route to supporting enduring social change for the poor, the disenfranchised and the most
vulnerable among us..." Prepared by a major foundation, the report reviews the components of effective advocacy
and some of the legal issues in the field. It includes examples of effective advocacy campaigns, including the effort
to achieve comprehensive immigration reform in the United States. Noting that "the Bush
Administration has systematically made citizenship less accessible to hard working immigrants," this report examines
the consequences of the 610% increase in citizenship fees over the 10-year period ending in 2008. Since the last fee increase
in July, 2007, the number of citizenship applications dropped by 59%. The report concludes with a series of recommendations,
including pegging the application fee to the equivalent of one week's pay for a worker making the minimum wage. Pew Hispanic Center, March 28, 2007, 21 pp.
This
report documents a rise in the percentage of legal foreign-born persons in the United States who have become citizens, growing
from 37% in 1990 to 52% in 2005. The report also shows that immigrants are not waiting as long as in the past to become naturalized.
However, immigrants with lower income levels are less likely to naturalize than those with higher incomes.
Institute
for Asian American Studies, University of Massachusetts (Boston), January, 2008, 27 pp.
The purpose of this
paper is to shed light on the process of organizational formation within Asian communities in the United States. Using data
from federal Form 990, author Chi-Kan Richard Hung examines over 2000 organizations within the ten largest Consolidated
Metropolitan Statistical Areas (CSMA's) in the United States, including New York/New Jersey. The paper analyzes both pan-Asian
and ethnic specific organizations but only those with annual revenue in excess of $25,000. Organizations were grouped into
four functional types. More than 50% of all organizations were established during the period from 1991 to 2000.
Catholic Legal Immigration Network, January, 2007, 192 pp.
Responding to the challenge
of integrating a record number of immigrants, The Catholic Legal Immigration Network (CLINIC), with support from the Carnegie
Corporation of New York, interviewed hundreds of experts and community representatives from around the country to determine
the resources, activities, and partnerships that would be required to naturalize millions of eligible immigrants. This report
summarizes their findings and recommendations. New Voices at the Civic Table: How Six Human Service Organizations are Supporting the Civic Engagement
of Community Members, Alliance for Children and Families, January, 2007, 33 pp.
This report discusses
six pilot projects undertaken in 2006 to demonstrate how human service organizations can make civic engagement "intrinsic
to their mission." The author finds fault with the old "self-help" model, because "self-sufficiency
requires people to develp the skills to represent their individual and shared interests." Although only one
of the six projects focuses on immigrants, the report is useful in providing a framework for the analysis and evaluation
of civic engagement projects. Bridging Divides: The Role of Ethnic Community-Based Organizations in Refugee Integration, Migration Policy Institute and International Rescue Committee, 2007, 72 pp. Funded
by the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement, this study assesses the role of ethnic community-based organizations (ECBO's),
sometimes called refugee mutual assistance associations, in facilitating refugee resettlement and integration. The authors
conducted an in-depth examination of seven prototypical organizations around the country, interviewing staff members and clients,
analyzing organizational strengths and weaknesses, and providing recommendations to ECBO's, state and local governments, and
the Office of Refugee Resettlement. Immigrant Citizenship in the United States and Canada: Explaining the Difference, Canadian American Research Studies, Fall,
2006, 10 pp.
Immigrant-Led Organizers in Their Own Voices: Local Realities and Shared Visions, Catholic
Legal Immigration Network, Inc (CLINIC), May, 2006, 33 pp.
Over the course of three year (2001-2004), with funding
from the Carnegie Corporation of New York and the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, CLINIC provided grants and technical
assistance to 17 community-based organizations to examine the "birth, development and maintenance of the organizing process
among immigrants." With one exception, all participating organizations were outside the Catholic agency network, including
the one organization in New Jersey to participate in the project (Wind of the Spirit). This report discusses successful immigrant
leadership development strategies, as well as the partnerships that nurtured effective organizing. The report also contains
useful information on evaluating immigrant community organizing.
Civic Inequalities: Immigrant Volunteerism and Community Organizations
in California, Public Policy Institute of California, 2006, 165 pp.
As immigrants and their children constitute a
growing proportion of the population, their level of civic participation will have important consequences for the future of
American democracy. Through use of census data, ten focus groups and case studies in two cities, the authors of this
report survey the landscape of participation in the State of California from the "bottom up" and analyze resource
disparities between ethnic and mainstream organizations. The report recommends various strategies to engage immigrants in
American civic and political life. http://www.ppic.org/content/pubs/report/R_706KRR.pdf
Crossing Borders, Sharing Journeys: Effective Capacity building with Immigrant and Refugee Groups, Fieldstone
Alliance, 2006, 88 pp.
Funded by a grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, this report distills the best thinking
and practices of 11 capacity building organizations in the United States and Canada that came together as a learning and research
community from 2004 to 2006. The report also summarizes the work of each organization in stimulating the development
or building the capacity of immigrant and refugee led organizations (IRLOs). http://www.fieldstonealliance.org/client/nexus_report.pdfIntegrating Civic Participation and Adult ESOL, New England Literacy Resource Center/World Education,
January, 2005, 14 pp.
This article outlines an instructional approach that introduces adult English
language learners to "democracy in action." Since the federally-funded English Literacy/Civics program
was first established in 2000, a number of educational providers have built in a practical, "justice-oriented"
focus into their curricula. These programs include a "substantive" view of democracy along with the traditional
"procedural" view. http://www.nelrc.org/publications/cpandesol.html
Pursuing Democracy's Promise: Newcomer Civic Participation in America, Grantmakers Concerned with
Immigrants and Refugees in collaboration with Funders' Committee on Civic Participation, 2004, 77ppWritten
by Craig McGarvey, this report argues that immigrant civic participation is both "an end in itself and a means to other
ends." Adopting a community organizing perspective, this report stresses the importance of participatory approaches to
immigrant service and advocacy. features successful case studies from around the country and provides an evaluation framework
for funders interested in supporting projects adhering to civic participation principles. http://www.discountfoundation.org/pdf/pursuing_democracys_promise.pdf
Lessons Learned about Civic Participation among Immigrants, Association for the Study and Development
of Community, September, 2002, 25 pp.
This report summarizes lessons learned from a project in the Washington,
D.C., area to understand and promote civic participation among immigrant communities. Seventeen immigrant leaders from
diverse backgrounds participated in an 8-month learning circle. The report discusses various dimensions of civic participation
and gives concrete examples of how immigrant cultures and social organization can either block or support civic participation. http://www.communityscience.com/pubs/Civic%20Participation.pdf
Aliza Becker & Heide Spruck Wrigley, Citizenship Education in Illinois: What Works?, Funded
under a grant from the Illinois Dept. of Human Services to the Adult Learning Resource Center, August, 2000. 110 pp.
This
report evaluates citizenship education services funded by the State of Illinois and the Fund for Immigrants and Refugees from
1995 to 2000. Surveys and interviews were done with representatives of 39 funded programs. The report describes Illinois'
investment in citizenship education as a "model for the nation," not only because of the size of the investment
but also because of the strategic decision to use ethnic CBO's to deliver those services. http://www.clese.org/Products/Citizenship%20Education%20in%20Illinois.doc
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