New work by School of Social Work Associate Professor Nalini Negi titled "Social Workers Must Stand Up for Immigrant Rights: Strategies for Action,' has been published by the journal Social Work.
FROM THE PAPER: New enforcement priorities under the Trump administration have had a chilling effect on the use of services in immigrant communities, even by eligible immigrants (Page & Polk, 2017), and the recent elimination of several policies that provide protections (albeit temporary) for certain undocumented immigrants has left many in limbo. Whereas some cities and metropolitan areas such as Austin; Los Angeles; Chicago; and Washington, DC, have responded with the creation of legal defense funds to provide free-of-charge representation for immigrants at risk of deportation (Olivares, 2017), others, namely Miami-Dade County, have reversed existing “sanctuary city” policies under the threat of losing federal funds (Gunaratna, 2017). Changes in these policy contexts, along with rising nativist sentiments and hate crimes following the election of President Trump (Potok, 2017), compel the social work profession to reexamine its roles and responsibilities in the face of increasing immigrant criminalization.