New NLC Program Focuses on Immigrant Integration
by Jamie Durana
From Las Vegas to Salt Lake City to Raleigh-Durham, N.C., many cities that have not traditionally been immigrant gateways are experiencing dramatic increases in immigrant populations. Recognizing the lack of resources available to local officials to
advance civic participation and citizenship among immigrants, NLC will soon launch a program to help them address integration and social inclusion challenges in their communities.The new program, Municipal Action for Immigrant Integration (MAII), will be launched at NLC’s 2008 Congress of Cities and Exposition in Orlando and aims to become a resource for local officials. An overarching goal of MAII will be to foster a knowledge-sharing network in order to advance the integration of immigrants in NLC member cities across the country. The first project of this new program is the New Citizens Initiative. The initiative will help local officials manage immigrant integration challenges in their communities by providing technical assistance and tools to promote civic integration and naturalization.
The initiative will be a two-part project including a Citizenship Academy and a New Americans Naturalization Campaign. The Citizenship Academy will provide a forum that cities can use to convene a diverse group of city officials and staff with representatives from community-based organizations and immigrant organizations that will create a community plan for immigrant integration.
The New Americans Naturalization Campaign will focus on the benefits of naturalization beyond voting rights alone. MAII will create a tool kit of campaign materials for cities including public service announcements for radio and television. These materials will be available free of charge on the upcoming MAII website to allow city officials and community-based organizations to begin working on integration plans for their cities. In addition, MAII staff will be available to provide support to those interested in advancing opportunities for immigrant civic incorporation and naturalization in their communities.
Details: For more information about the Municipal Action for Immigrant Integration program or to sign up for the forthcoming MAII newsletter, contact Ricardo Gambetta at gambetta@nlc.org or Jamie Durana at durana@nlc.org.
Training Opportunity for State and Local Officials
The Migration Policy Institute’s (MPI) National Center on Immigrant Integration Policy will host a week-long series of one-day seminars in Washington, D.C., September 22-26. The "MPI Training Institute on Immigration and Integration: Challenges and Opportunities Facing State and Local Officials" seminar series is designed to provide state and local government officials with opportunities to build their knowledge and skills.
For further information about the agenda and to register, visit http://contact.migrationpolicy.org/TrainingInstituteSept2008. To ask questions, contact events@migrationpolicy.org or (202) 266-1929.
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