As a longtime grantee of the Community Foundation, CIRC is a statewide, membership-based coalition of immigrant, faith, labor, youth, community, business and ally organizations that improve the lives of immigrants and refugees by making Colorado a more welcoming, immigrant-friendly state.
“Since the November election, we’re significantly ramping up our infrastructure,” says Julien Ross, the first Executive Director of the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition (CIRC), who – after more than 10 years of service – will be succeeded by Nicole Melaku on March 23. “It’s more important than ever to provide access to information, legal services and other supports to immigrants and refugees in our community, and to the community at large.
“We’re a trusted place to call or visit for advice, to report incidents of abuse, and to have questions, concerns and anxieties addressed.”
As a longtime grantee of the Community Foundation, CIRC is a statewide, membership-based coalition of immigrant, faith, labor, youth, community, business and ally organizations that improve the lives of immigrants and refugees by making Colorado a more welcoming, immigrant-friendly state. Among CIRC’s 60 members, nearly 20 are in Boulder County (listed below).
“After the election, we had some signals that enforcement policies were going to become harsher and more aggressive, which immediately spread fear and confusion in our community,” continues Julien. “So we put together an eight-point plan to better protect people in response to current circumstances – from helping Colorado families know their rights to providing legal services, protecting children in schools, and expanding sanctuary churches for students and families in deportation.
“For immigrants and refuges, as well as native-born citizens – it’s important to understand constitutional rights that apply to everyone, regardless of immigration status. Being educated and informed is a first-line preventive strategy.”
Adds Julien, “In Boulder County, we’re not concerned about local enforcement, but U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement [ICE] is its own entity. We don’t know what they’ll do. ICE doesn’t always communicate with state and local offices, so we’re not always aligned. As a result, the other important piece we’re currently focused on is being ready when people do get pulled into immigration.
“We’ve launched a toll-free hotline in response to the current climate that people can call. We anticipate all kinds of questions and concerns, and we have a team of 55 documenters standing by across the state, at least a dozen of which serve Boulder County.”
Specifically, CIRC’s ICE incident hotline – 844-864-8341 – is coordinated by a statewide network of volunteers trained to document testimonies of ICE/police interactions, and to support individuals to navigate and fight their own deportation cases.
“The data we collect helps us to understand patterns and where there may be breakdowns,” Julien concludes. “That data is very important in providing immediate support where it’s needed most, and to inform future public policy.”
Learn more about how to get involved with CIRC, and consider making a donation to support the new CIRC hotline, which will require a greater capacity for back-end support staff and documenters. If you’re interested in becoming a documenter, contact Sophia Clark at sophia@coloradoimmigrant.org.
Together, we’re courageously building inclusive and just communities. Join our efforts to make a difference in Boulder County.
Boulder County CIRC members:
Boulder Housing Partners
Boulder Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
Centro Amistad
City of Boulder Community Relations and Office of Human Rights
El Comité de Longmont
GENESISTER
I Have a Dream Foundation
Immigrant Legal Center of Boulder County
Intercambio Uniting Communities
Latino Task Force of Boulder County
New Era Colorado
Northern Colorado Dreamers United
OUT Boulder
Philanthropiece Foundation
Poder Latino de Greeley
Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center
Safe Shelter of St. Vrain Valley
SPAN: Safehouse Progressive Alliance for Nonviolence
