Immigrant Rights Action

Thank you to all our recent followers. This is no longer an active page. Immigrant Rights Action has merged with The Welcome Project PA/El Proyecto de Bienvenida PA Please like and follow us there. Thanks again for helping us Widen the Welcome!

It’s official! We are happy to announce that Immigrant Rights Action and The Welcome Project PA have merged to better serve our communities and amplify our impact. By uniting our strengths, resources, and voices, we’re building greater capacity to meet the growing demand for our services - and doing so with a shared commitment to ensuring human rights, uplifting our marginalized communities, and dedication to social justice. Together we will Widen the Welcome so everyone can live with dignity, safety and opportunity.

Our Board of Directors and staff have been diligently working behind the scenes for over a year to ensure we are building capacity and expanding our services for our immigrant communities in the most strategic and sustainable way possible. During a Night of Hope, our annual event, we are excited to share just how we plan to Widen the Welcome!

Effective immediately: we are suspending office walk-in hours at this time. We will be meeting clients by appointment only and at an undisclosed location. Immigrant Rights Action is committed to providing a safe and welcoming environment and will not waiver on our mission to ensure that the human rights of our neighbors are upheld.

We are one week away from our Annual Event, A Night of Hope, which is a festive celebration to raise funds so we can continue our work in Bucks County. I, Heidi Roux, after answering many calls and questions this week have been reminded of how much work there is yet to be done around immigrant rights and justice. Immigrant Rights Action is grateful for your support, encouragement and motivation to continue forward.

Bucks County sheriff signs agreement with ICE. Here’s what you need to know Sheriff Fred Harran said the agreement will “enhance public safety.” Immigrant rights advocates are pushing back.

Tomorrow, April 10th

Don't miss our event tomorrow, Thursday, April 10th at 7:00 PM on Zoom, for an important update from our Director of Legal Services, Philippe Weisz, about ICE enforcement tactics happening in our area and nationwide.

Since January, ICE raids and detentions have become more frequent and a number of raids have occurred in the Greater Philadelphia area. ICE officers are now expected to meet new arrest quotas, sensitive location protections have been eliminated, and ICE has expanded operations targeting businesses suspected of employing immigrants without work authorization. HIAS PA’s update on April 10th will provide more details about what’s the damage that is happening in our community, and ways that community members can help.

Register here: https://tinyurl.com/ICERaidsWhatYouNeedtoKnow

This update is part of a series of monthly programs with members of HIAS PA’s staff. The programs will address the current challenges that immigrants are facing due to ongoing policy changes and what you can do to help.

Last call for tickets:

https://secure.actblue.com/donate/mcmorrow-book-signing

Amazing turn out at Doylestown Borough Hall last night! Thank you to the organizers of this important town hall. We heard moving and impactful speeches regarding: education, agriculture, healthcare, LGBTQ+ rights, the local impact of DOGE and much more. Bucks County NAACP’s President Adrienne King said it best when calling for consistent and united action to defend the rights of our marginalized communities.

It was always a pleasure to connect with Ricardo and Fisherman's Mark. Collaboration is key! Thank you The Sarah Ralston Foundation for including us in this important and informative panel discussion.

A huge shoutout to our own Ricardo Zapata for representing Fisherman’s Mark at the The Sarah Ralston Foundation's recent Immigrant Rights event, where he spoke to an audience of 50 nonprofit professionals serving immigrant communities across Philadelphia.

Ricardo shared valuable insights on instituting a Community Protection Plan, emphasizing the importance of clear communication, transparency, and making participants feel safe and supported. He also highlighted effective communication strategies that help build trust, foster stronger connections, and ensure that critical information reaches those who need it most.

His message resonated deeply with the audience, sparking great conversations and engagement. A big thank you to SRF for recognizing the importance of these discussions and providing an honorarium to speakers. When organizations come together to share knowledge, we all grow stronger!

You don’t want to miss this special event!
Get your tickets:

https://secure.actblue.com/donate/mcmorrow-book-signing

Register and join this informative zoom by HIAS Pennsylvania

Since the new administration took office in January, immigrants have faced an onslaught of harmful executive orders. New threats are emerging almost daily.

HIAS Pennsylvania’s Executive Director, Cathryn Miller-Wilson, will provide a detailed update on these executive orders and what they mean for immigrants.

Join us on Zoom this Wednesday, March 12th, at 7:00 PM for a discussion about what these changes mean for immigrants, how the recent orders have impacted HIAS PA’s work, and what you can do to support your immigrant neighbors during this troubling time.

Register here: https://tinyurl.com/AnImportantUpdateHIASPA

In our 143-year history, we have weathered world wars and terrible periods of xenophobia. This will be the first in a series of talks with members of HIAS PA’s staff about the effects of these anti-immigrant policies and how we continue to fulfill our mission of defending the rights of immigrants.