Enforcement Responses

In the last three years, the United States has seen a dramatic increase in the numbers of restrictionist, anti-immigrant enforcement laws at a state and local level. Immigration advocates fear that recent policies and practices implemented under these laws criminalize immigrants, instigate racial profiling, and violate their most basic rights.

Immigration enforcement’s impact on communities is similar to that of natural disasters—families are displaced and separated; one or more breadwinners may be gone; children become more vulnerable and destabilized; securing enough resources to provide for the basic needs becomes challenging.

In 2010, CLINIC’s advocacy staff worked with all 43 state Catholic Conference directors by providing analysis of pending bills, talking points, access to tool kits and other strategies to combat specific pieces of anti-immigrant legislation. Since 2008, CLINIC has been at the forefront of the fight against abusive immigration enforcement practices. CLINIC and partner organizations have developed strategies and resources to help advocates at the state and community levels counter enforcement actions.

The tools

• Advocacy: CLINIC educates the federal government and the public about flaws in our immigration system as well as how and why enforcement takes place.


• Rapid response: When a raid or other large scale enforcement action occurs, CLINIC sets in motion a process to help immigrant communities respond quickly.


• Know Your Rights Materials: CLINIC developed a ‘Tool Kit’ to educate communities on how to respond to anti-immigrant initiatives and arbitrary law enforcement practices.


• Training & Education: Vast experience has turned into trainings and webinars. Advocates, activists, lawyers, and others touched by enforcement activities get the latest information and practice advisories from top-notch immigration law professionals.