Here’s a sneak preview of the upcoming whitepaper researched and written by our summer intern, Sofia Vazquez. Look for the full paper soon!

Recent changes in federal and state immigration and refugee policy are reshaping the way nonprofit organizations serve immigrant and refugee communities. While immigration policy is often simply discussed as a federal enforcement or border issue, its effects extend far beyond.

Changes in enforcement priorities, refugee admissions, humanitarian protections, benefit eligibility, application processing, and state-level cooperation with federal immigration authorities have a profound impact on immigrant and refugee families. These policy shifts can influence the likelihood of these groups seeking health care, accessing food assistance, reporting safety concerns, attending school events, pursuing legal status, or engaging with public institutions.

Over time, these shifts may increase pressure on nonprofits by driving greater demand for emergency assistance, legal referrals, health navigation, interpretation services, and trusted community outreach, while also making it harder for organizations to connect with families who are fearful of engaging with these systems.