Welcoming States, Welcoming Refugees: A Policy Manual for the 2022 State Legislative Session

Introduction

In just a few years, the International Rescue Committee and the Refugee Advocacy Lab’s state-level advocacy work has yielded opportunities to advance positive legislation which make communities across the country more inclusive of refugees. These measures not only help to welcome refugees in our communities, but also help refugees achieve self-sufficiency and integrate more smoothly. As we reflect on where we have had successes, we also look to new, innovative opportunities that reflect the expansion of resettlement programming. This handbook has thus been designed to present opportunities for proactive policy action that considers diverse political environments. Recommendations provided in this manual are informed by a combination of: landscaping impacted communities, service provision needs, and strategic assessments.

How to Use This Manual

This manual is for resettlement agencies and their local affiliates. Advocates and supporters who may wish to engage in creating pro-refugee legislation should do so in coordination with their local resettlement agency and refugee leaders to address the most pressing needs. Issue area recommendations in this guidebook include strategic goals for different political environments, often reflected with a layering approach for states where we continue to build support for refugees and resettlement.

We encourage you to review our suggestions for proactive legislation and consider:

• Are you aware of how these issue areas are impacting clients in your state?

• What additional information would help you learn more about this issue in your state?

• Are you aware of prior or existing efforts to address these challenges?

We encourage you to consult with the Refugee Advocacy Lab as you create your advocacy plans in your state, and consider the following points as you review this manual:

• LANDSCAPING

  • Meet with clients and refugee leaders in the community and around the state to learn about the struggles and challenges they are experiencing. This can be done through 1:1 meetings with leaders, focus group discussions, or as broader listening sessions - or a combination thereof.

• APPLICABILITY FOR CLIENTS

  • As you review the policy issues, you may feel that some are more closely related to client services than others. The impact of a policy option on clients and the broader immigrant community should be clear.

• POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT

  • Elections can change a number of our expectations for an upcoming state session. The proactive options listed below may have varying levels of support in different environments.

• TIME TO DEDICATE TO THESE POLICIES

  • Prioritization is important, and this is particularly significant in more challenging political environments. If you are anticipating reacting to negative or anti-refugee legislation, or you are interested in a broader proactive goal, consider a two-year plan.

This guidebook was written and designed to not just share impactful policy ideas but to also help you initiate activity to advance a piece of legislation. Implementing new advocacy policies can take time and requires strong relationships with legislators. While this manual offers options to consider, work closely with your networks and your elected partners to find the right fit for your state. For full guide, click the button below:

If you have specific questions or would like support in designing a new policy and advocacy strategy, please contact:

• Genevieve Kessler (genevieve.kessler@rescue.org), Director of State Advocacy with IRC & Lab State Strategy Lead

• Balqees Mihirig (bmihirig@refugeerights.org) , Senior Policy Counsel with IRAP & Lab Policy Advisor