Building Immigrant Leadership for Wisconsin

At a Glance

In response to challenges faced by immigrant populations in Racine, Appleton and Eau Claire, this project, called Building Immigrant Leadership for Wisconsin, aimed to empower immigrant community leaders to foster relationships and address immigrant-related issues. Despite the difficulties posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, this project made significant progress toward its goals. The project raised awareness of family separation, supported immigrants held in Wisconsin jails and made efforts to increase voter turnout and provide accurate census information to dispel fears of immigration consequences. Notably, the Immigrant Support Project was established and raised funds to assist over 130 undocumented families in Racine during the pandemic.

The Challenge

Racine is one of many communities in Wisconsin with a fast-growing immigrant population. Immigrants face multiple barriers to civic participation, including language and cultural differences. Many individuals depend on their children for translation which limits their communication and trust with others. Fear due to increased anti-immigrant sentiment and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detentions have exacerbated the stress and isolation that immigrants experience. Additionally, immigrants are often reluctant to report crimes or seek necessary services like immunizations or emergency room care due to fear of law enforcement and ICE involvement.

Project Goals

This project aimed to strengthen and expand self-help and advocacy groups led by immigrants in Racine, Appleton and Eau Claire. The primary objectives included empowering immigrant community leaders, fostering stronger relationships among them and establishing respectful connections with non-immigrant organizations. By engaging with the immigrant community, the project aimed to address a range of immigrant-related issues such as driver’s licenses and broader topics including education, healthcare and recreation.

Results

Despite facing challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, the project made significant progress toward its goals. First, the team organized an event around Mother’s Day to raise awareness among legislators and highlight the separation between mothers and children and the psychological impact of family separation. Second, the Detained Migrant Project was launched to assist immigrants held in Wisconsin jails by raising funds for their release and helping them settle in the state. Third, the project team focused on increasing voter turnout and providing accurate information about the census to counter misinformation and ensure immigrant individuals understood there would be no immigration consequences for participating. Finally, the project’s most notable achievement was the Immigrant Support Project, which raised over $30,000 in Racine alone. This initiative helped undocumented families who were excluded from government assistance during the pandemic and provided financial aid support to over 130 families.