Working for rights and justice for more than 35 years…
NNIRR has worked tirelessly for fair and just immigration policies since its founding in 1986, and continued to support and strengthen the movement for immigrant rights in the U.S. and across the globe. Among our accomplishments over the years, NNIRR has …
- Consistently pressed for fair and just immigration reform policies and practices: This includes NNIRR’s principles for Fair, Just & Humane Immigration Reform; an “Open Letter to Barack Obama” in 2009 endorsed by over 3,500 diverse individuals and organizations from 49 states and the District of Columbia, urging President Obama to act swiftly to end immigration raids, detentions and deportations and to commit to forge a new immigration policy based on human rights values, and; vigilance and coordinated action to address unfair practices, policies and violations of due process in the Trump era.
- Published reports and resources for communities to educate and organize: on topics such as immigration enforcement and its impact on communities, immigration policy and global migration. See current list of available publications here.
- Founded HURRICANE, the Human Rights Immigrant Community Action Network. HURRICANE brings together community members and their organizations to track, document, and seek redress and accountability for human rights violations and abuses committed against immigrant and refugee members of our communities. Through HURRICANE, community members are learning about and applying human rights standards to their own experiences, and contributing to a powerful narrative about the tragic outcome of discriminatory and repressive enforcement policies and practices.
Created BRIDGE (Building a Race and Immigrant Dialogue in the Global Economy), an award-winning popular education resource. BRIDGE has been widely distributed, and thousands of organizers, grassroots community members and allies have been introduced to its transformational workshops. The core curricula is available in Spanish and Korean, and new modules have been added on grassroots legislative action, human rights documentation, and the history and policies of the U.S.-Mexico border. Islamophobia and national security; trade policy, development and migration; and the history of the fight for racial justice in the U.S. are just a few of the topics being developed.
- Convened IRRTI – the Immigrant and Refugee Rights Training Institute. The Institute provides al “training for trainers” using the BRIDGE curriculum and popular education methods, as well as organizing and communications skills-building. Participants also have unique opportunities to learn and engage on strategic topics through evening roundtables and discussions with partners and social justice allies.
- Played a leading role in building the international movement for migrant rights. NNIRR was a founding member of Migrant Rights International in 1994, a pioneering global network of migrant rights organizations, and has continue to work tirelessly to strengthen the voice and role of migrants in the international arena. From organizing delegations of U.S. immigrant and refugee representatives to participate in significant global events such as the UN Conference Against Racism and Xenophobia, in South Africa, to helping lead protests at the World Trade Organization ministerial meetings, to helping to organize migrant civil society intervention in the Global Forum on Migration and Development, NNIRR has served as one of the key organizers and proponents of the relevance of global justice perspectives, human rights, and the empowerment of global migrants. NNIRR is a founding member the Global Coalition on Migration and Women in Migration Network,
and through our membership in these critical organizations, and our work with global partners, we have influenced the U.N. in the development of UN Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner’s Recommended Principles & Guidelines on Human Rights at International Borders and the UN Global Compact for Migration.