Immigrant Nonprofit Organizations and the Fight for Comprehensive Immigration Reform

Abstract

, including over seventy interviews of nonprofit, public, and private sector leaders, this paper explores how immigrant nonprofit organizations participated in the one-year lifecycle of the Reform Immigration for America (RI4A) campaign in Philadelphia. Furthermore, the paper analyzes the institutional legacy the campaign left on these organizations, as they continue to promote immigrant integration and engage in political advocacy at the local level. Finally, the paper shares lessons learned from the Philadelphia-based campaign as immigrant coalitions throughout the United States grapple with the prospect of immigration reform amid political polarization and an uncertain economic climate.

The Institutional Digital Divide

“…Despite its apparent importance, there is scant research focused on the incorporation of social media for nonprofits that serve the political and civic needs of immigrants. Wilson (2011) addressed immigrant-serving nonprofit organizations and immigration policy debates but included little on communication tactics. And Andersen (2010) showed that few immigrant-serving nonprofit organizations pursued voter engagement, but she did not focus on social media.…”