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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo - Mail Packet - 3/8/2022 - Memorandum From Jc Ward And Leo Escalante Re: Immigration Legal Fund Pilot Quarterly Report - Q4 2021281 North College Avenue P.O. Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522.0580 970.221.6376 970.224.6134 - fax 1 Immigration Legal Fund Quarterly Report - Q4 2021 Planning, Development & Transportation MEMORANDUM DATE: March 1, 2022 TO: Mayor Arndt and City Councilmembers THRU: Kelly DiMartino, Interim City Manager Kyle Stannert, Deputy City Manager Caryn Champine, Director, Planning, Development & Transportation Paul Sizemore, Director, Community Development & Neighborhood Services FROM: JC Ward, Sr. City Planner, Neighborhood Services Leo Escalante, Program Coordinator, Neighborhood Services RE: Immigration Legal Fund Pilot Quarterly Report – Q4 2021 The purpose of this memo is to provide City Councilmembers with an update on activities conducted and opportunities identified for the implementation of the City of Fort Collins Immigration Legal Fund. Information in this quarterly report is for service and activities October-December 2021. Immigration Legal Fund Quarterly Report Overview The City of Fort Collins Immigration Legal Fund appropriation was approved by City Council on July 6, 2021. After the Second Reading of Appropriation Ordinance was passed, City staff worked on developing the pilot and the competitive grant application process to contract with qualifying immigration legal service providers who could meet the most urgent need and reach the greatest number of impacted immigrant community members. Grant Recipients awarded $50,000 each are Alianza NORCO, Interfaith Solidarity and Accompaniment Coalition (“ISAAC”), and Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network (“RMIAN”). Grant Recipients Grant recipient’s progress for activities during October – December 2021 (Table 1) Organizations offering existing services through a scholarship model or with immigration attorneys on staff from outside the Fort Collins area were able to begin offering services under the Immigration Legal Fund Grant quickly. Table 1 - Grant Recipient’ Progress – Q4 (October – December 2021) Recipient Quarterly Progress Alianza NORCO In the process of recruiting a Fort Collins-based immigration attorney for this project ISAAC Began service delivery under the Immigration Legal Fund in December 2021 which helped continue their existing scholarship model services RMIAN Hired for a new immigration attorney position this quarter and a designated portion of that attorney’s time will be dedicated to Fort Collins residents’ cases 2 Immigration Legal Fund Quarterly Report – Q4 2021 Evaluation Criteria Metrics from all grant recipients and service providers from October through December 2021 (Table 2) Outputs - indicators of the amount of service provided - 20 people receiving direct representation; 4 secondary/non-direct representation of youth cases attached to the primary client o 11 adults (over age 21) o 1 children age 5-10 years; 6 children age 15-18; 2 children age 18-21 Table 2 – Grant Recipients’ Metrics for All Cases* Type of Case Cases (Q4) Cases (Total)Quarterly Change Adults Children/ Youth Adults Children/ Youth Adults Children/ Youth U Visa victims of crime 5 0 5 0 +5 0 Asylum victims of persecution or fear of harm or death upon return to home country 2 2 2 2 +2 +2 Special Immigrant Juvenile Status abused, neglected, or abandoned children 0 4 0 4 0 +4 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals youth who arrived in the U.S. during a specified time period 2 0 2 0 +2 0 Violence Against Women Act Visa victims of domestic violence or crimes outlined in the Violence Against Women Act 2 0 2 0 +2 0 T Visa/Office of Trafficking In Persons victims of human trafficking 0 1 0 1 0 +1 Lawful Permanent Resident Status Permanent authorization to live in the United States as a non-citizen (sometimes known as “green card” residents) 1 0 1 0 +1 0 Removal Cancellation status adjustment by an immigration judge from ‘subject to deportation’ to ‘lawful admittance for permanent residence’ under certain 1 0 1 0 +8 0 3 Immigration Legal Fund Quarterly Report – Q4 2021 circumstances Detention/Deportation 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total 20 20 20 Figure 1 - Grant Recipients' Metrics for All Cases Outcomes - measures of the quality and effectiveness of the service in achieving pilot goals as reported by Grant Recipients based on client intake and exit evaluations (Table 3) Table 3 - Program Outcomes Outcome* Percentage Participants more knowledgeable about their pathways to citizenship or lawful presence after the program 79% Participants reporting greater likelihood of accessing City or community resources due to the program N/A Participants who feel they are safer due to the legal services and resources provided by grant recipients 28% * All participants who reported income are in the 30-50% AMI range for the Fort Collins Metro Area Gaps - measures number of applicants ineligible for participation and reason for ineligibility (Table 4) Table 4 - Program Gaps Type of Cases Ineligible for Participation* No. of Cases Ineligible for Participation Asylum Cases Ineligible due to 12-Month Residency Requirement 4 Cases Ineligible due to Residence Outside of Fort Collins City Limits 2 U Visa Cases (Victims of Crime) * 6 cases ineligible for participation with 15 children total in the ineligible households 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 U Visa Asylum SIJS DACA Renewal VAWA Visa T Visa Lawful Permanent Resident Removal Cancellation Q4 2021 ILF Case Types 4 Immigration Legal Fund Quarterly Report – Q4 2021 Efficiency – resources required to achieve certain outcomes are unknown for this quarter. Staff will follow up with Grant Recipients to track this for future reporting. Impacts Beyond Metrics To support qualitative measures of success through the narratives of participants in the pilot, Grant Recipients shared additional information about program impacts. The pilot program is helping protect community members at higher risk of persecution, death, and identity- or gender-based violence in their home countries. A young, transgender immigrant was targeted because of their identity and was the victim of a violent crime before coming to Fort Collins several years ago. They are now receiving legal support through the program. A young LGBTQIA+ community member is receiving assistance with their asylum claim based on persecution due to orientation. 35% of all cases receiving direct representation in Q4 were related to the protection of women who are the victims of violent crime or domestic violence. Pilot program legal representation is also addressing needs of children and adults with cognitive disabilities, who may be particularly vulnerable to violence or human trafficking. 17 of the 20 clients represented in Q4 are children or have children associated with the primary case. Four of those clients are orphans who attend local high schools. A 17-year-old and an adult with cognitive disabilities were also among the clients represented this quarter. The pilot program is benefitting long-term residents of Fort Collins. Half of the participants receiving direct legal services have been in the United States for more than 10 years. Four of the adult participants have lived primarily in Fort Collins for more than 20 years. Information about the Immigration Legal Fund pilot is available to the public at https://www.fcgov.com/neighborhoodservices/immigration-legal-fund. Upcoming Activities April 21, 2022 – Next Quarterly Report for Council Members April 2022 – Second Quarterly Meeting with Grant Recipients 5 Immigration Legal Fund Quarterly Report – Q4 2021 Appendix Work to Date Status Description Completed Development of Information and Communications Materials Completed Grant Review Team Recruitment Completed Immigration Legal Fund Competitive Grant Application Open Aug. 20-Oct. 1, 2021 Completed Grant Applicants’ Workshop - Sept. 24, 2021 Completed Closing Date of Immigration Legal Fund Competitive Grant Application Completed Community Outreach for Grant Application Review Priorities Completed Grant Review Core Team Deliberation Meeting - Oct. 22, 2021 Completed Grant Recipients’ Collaboration Workshop – Nov. 2, 2021 Completed Contracting Activities Completed Preparation for Start Date of Services In Progress Collaborative Promotion of Services Between City Staff and Grant Recipients In Progress Begin Service Delivery