Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights

The Immigrant family resource program (ifrp) is a contract between 43 Immigrant serving organizations in Illinois, the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, and the Illinois department of human services to support Immigrant access to public benefits and critical cash assistance during the covid-19 pandemic. The goal of the ifrp is to ensure that low income Immigrant families and other limited-english speaking persons are able to thrive by reducing barriers when seeking public benefits as well as the cash support they need for proper health, well-being, and economic self-sufficiency. In 2022, 15,058 applications received a cash transfer between $1500 and $4000, benefitting a total of 41,099 adults and children in Illinois. In 2022, ifrp completed 6,711 interpretations and provided 30,994 translations. In over 60 different languages, a total of 32,303 families received in-depth services ranging from assistance in applying for means-tested benefits to advocacy at a family community resource center.

Organizing and leadership development of our member based organizations.

Fy22 marked the 17th year of the new americans initiative. With each subsequent year, the new americans initiative improves and extends its services to all Immigrant and Refugee communitites in Illinois. This year, as a collaborative of forty nine community partners, we servced 28,150 people in at least 46 languages. Nai partners assisted 3,179 deferred action for childhood arrivals renewals. In fiscal year 2022, uscis offered fee waivers for people applying for naturalization or other immigration benefits who were under 150% of the federal poverty guidelines. Leagal service providers assisted clients in applying for fee waivers. Of the 1,803 applicants seeking financial assistance, 1,702 of the participants qualified for a full waiver of the $725 uscis citizenship application fee. Also, in this fiscal year icirr provided the first daca scholarship to cover the full $495 renewal fee. Icirr and its partners were able to provice $1 million dollars in daca renewal scholarships to 1,929 daca renewal clients. In fy22, icirr partners conducted outreach to 17,989 nai eligible participants in Illinois. In fy2022, 3,587 applications processed for citizenship through the naturalization process and 3,137 applications were for participants applying for renewal of relief under the daca program.

The women, infants, & children program/wic is a joint collaboration between the Illinois for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, the Illinois department of human service, and 8 ethnic, community based organizations across Illinois. This program provided funding to the organizations to conduct outreach activity that informs Immigrant women, infants, & children (wic) about the availability of public nutrition benefits and nutrition education services that support personal and family well-being and economic self-sufficiency, and the eligibility criteria

Policy and training

New american campaign

Icirr continues to provide exceptional outreach service under the snap outreach program this fiscal year. Icirr partners with 20 community-based organizations across the state of Illinois and provides support through quarterly meetings, a variety of trainings, and consistent monitoring and evaluating of the program within each agency. In fy2022, the following outcomes were measured in regards to applicaiton preparation: 8,229 eligibility screenings, application assistance for 4,778 limited-english proficients and 371 non limited--english proficients, 1,337 interpretation services, & 6,919 materials translated.