Protecting Rights, Expanding Access: Tools for Advocates in Schools and Communities
*Did you know?
- New Jersey has more than 2 million immigrant residents.
- 1 million+ New Jerseyans are naturalized citizens
- 1 in 4 New Jerseyans has an immigrant family member
- 1 in 6 New Jersey children has at least one immigrant parent.
- There are about half a million undocumented immigrants in NJ. New Jersey is home to many mixed-status families –including over 40,000 U.S. citizens with an undocumented immigrant spouse & over 196,000 U.S. citizen children with at least one undocumented family member.
*From Make the Road New Jersey
This spring, the NJACTE Social Justice Committee welcomed Make the Road New Jersey, a community-based organization that builds the power of immigrant and working-class communities of color to achieve dignity and respect through community organizing, the provision of legal services, policy innovation, and transformative education.
Leading the event was Jessica Taube, LSW, Services Director at Make the Road New Jersey, who presented a “Know Your Rights / Conoce Tus Derechos” session designed to support educators, community members, and advocates in understanding the unalienable rights of all communities, including immigrant communities. The presentation provided a historical overview of the organization and its work in the current social and political climate, along with information that NJACTE and its K12 partners can use to support immigrant/migrant students and families.
“Know Your Rights / Conoce Tus Derechos” is a bilingual (English and Spanish) initiative designed to help individuals stay informed about interactions with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). A repository of accessible tools, including wallet cards and fact sheets, is available at https://maketheroadnj.org/know-your-rights-conoce-tus-derechos/.