Key Takeaway

• Immigration policy affects community health and nonprofit capacity: fear and uncertainty can reduce service access while increasing demand for trusted nonprofit support.

Why SJCHF Should Care

• Fear and uncertainty may cause families to delay care or avoid benefits, increasing demand for nonprofit navigation, interpretation, legal referrals, and emergency support.

Key Allen County Facts

• 30,331 foreign-born residents lived in Allen County in 2023, representing 7.8% of the population and a 37% increase since 2013.
• 23.4% of foreign-born residents were uninsured, compared with 6.9% of U.S.-born residents.
• 47.3% spoke English less than “very well,” and 16.3% of local children have an immigrant parent.
• Mexico, Burma/Myanmar, and Thailand are the county’s largest countries of origin among foreign-born residents.

Key Policy Changes

• Federal: Expanded immigration enforcement, reduced refugee admissions, changes to resettlement, uncertainty surrounding humanitarian protections, and stricter immigration and benefit processes.
• Indiana SB 76: Expands state/local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement and creates employer penalties.
• Indiana SB 1: Human-services changes may create additional complexity in benefits navigation.

Expected Nonprofit & Community Impacts

• Delayed care and increased emergency service use.
• Greater need for legal, behavioral health, and emergency support.
• Increased staff and financial pressure on nonprofits.
• Workforce disruptions affecting families and the local economy.
• Fear and misinformation increase need while making families harder to reach.

What This Means for SJCHF

• Support trusted access: Invest in language access, outreach, navigation, and legal referrals.
• Strengthen coordination: Connect health, legal, education, and social-service partners.
• Build capacity: Support grantees facing increased staffing and emergency needs.
• Monitor impacts: Track service demand, delayed care, and benefit participation.

Three Things for the Board to Remember

1. Immigration policy is community health policy: Changes can affect health care access, food security, employment, and family stability.
2. Trusted nonprofits are critical access points: During periods of fear and uncertainty, families may increasingly rely on community organizations for accurate information and essential services.
3. Preparation is more effective than reaction: Strengthening partnerships, language access, and organizational capacity now can help meet emerging needs.