The stranger who sojourns with you shall be to you as the one born among you, and you, personally, shall love him as yourself; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord Your God. -Leviticus 19:33-34

Responding to growing anti-immigrant sentiment in California, members of immigrant and religious communities founded the Interfaith Coalition for Immigrant Rights (ICIR) in the Spring of 1994. Since the passage of Proposition 187, ICIR has grown into a network of 1000-plus congregations, denominations, organizations, lay and religious leaders throughout the state. We continue challenging policies, legislation, and attitudes that attack newcomers by giving life to our shared faith traditions and promoting hospitality to the "stranger in our midst." ICIR Affiliates Current Projects: Education, Advocacy and Public Witness Activities: ICIR has been effective in carrying out a community-based education and organizing campaign, including the development and distribution of resource and organizing materials to hundreds of congregations and faith-based organizations statewide. ICIR coordinates advocacy efforts through regular meetings, legislative updates and an urgent action network. We also hold public witness events including interfaith candlelight vigils, demonstrations, and observances of religious and cultural holidays which highlight key theological, moral, historical, economic and human issues that are central to understanding global migration and promoting hospitality. ICIR Bridges Project: In response to the federal welfare bill signed into law on August 22, 1996, ICIR has launched efforts to meet the needs of immigrants and refugees who will be left without access to government benefits. Through our Bridges project, ICIR is linking congregations and congregational members with community social service organizations working to soften the impact of federal welfare reform on immigrant communities. Workshops on the Economics of Immigration and the Economics of Welfare Reform:In light of the new welfare and immigration laws, ICIR is expanding its grassroots leadership training to bolster education and organizing efforts. ICIR has joined the Center for Ethics and Economic Policy (CEEP) to present workshops addressing the root causes of immigration and policies that are resulting in the scapegoating of immigrants and other marginalized communities. The workshops combine education, leadership development and advocacy training to create a faith-based organizing campaign around these issues. The project links immigrants and the religious community in advocating for economic policies that benefit both immigrant and non-immigrant workers. These efforts target Spanish-speaking congregations, partners in community-based organizations, and allies in English-speaking congregations. Immigrant-Rights Links The National Network for Immigrant Rights The Political Ecology Group The National Immigration Forum The Interfaith Alliance Sojourners Magazine Chinese Progressive Association The Lesbian and Gay Immigration Task Force The United Farmworkers