CIRAC offers educational opportunities on immigration issues and also engages in actions for which we are recruiting volunteers: providing transportation to ICE (Immigrations & Customs Enforcement) appointments and hearings in Northern Virginia as well as to vital local appointments; assisting with the Legal Orientation Program at the Farmville Detention Center; participating in the regional rapid response network; raising funds to assist families in paying ICE bonds and legal fees; and advocating for protective policies, including an end to ICE notifications by the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail.
Join us in our daily work, at an information session, and in collaborative efforts to transform the structures and policies harming immigrant families.
Please complete our interest form.
Join us in our daily work, at an information session, and in collaborative efforts to transform the structures and policies harming immigrant families.
Please complete our interest form.
CIRAC members show up at Albemarle County Jail Board meeting to demonstrate resistance to Jail policy of ICE notifications. (Photo Credit: CBS19)
What we do
advocacyWe advocate at the local level with city officials in Charlottesville and Board of Supervisors in Albemarle county, including resistance to the Regional Jail ICE Notifications and adoption of a DACA resolution by City Council in Fall 2017. On state level, we partner with organizations like the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy (VICPP) and the Virginia Coalition of Latino Organizations (VACOLAO).
|
transportation CIRAC volunteers provide transportation to official appointments in Northern Virginia or to visit family members in detention centers in Farmville and Williamsburg; currently expanding to offer local trips for those without drivers’ licenses.
Immediate need for volunteer drivers. Please fill out our interest form. |
educationAt quarterly coalition meetings, we educate ourselves and our community about legal, social, and political issues associated with immigration in our country.
|
Detention visitationWe work with the Capital Area Immigrant Rights Coalition (CAIR) to provide legal information and support to detainees at the Farmville Detention Center, as well as accompany, witness to, and support individuals during immigration court appearances.
To get involved: email Gene at lockegene@gmail.com |
rapid response hotlineWe are collaborating with Legal Aid Justice Center and Sin Barreras to develop a 24-hour hotline for reporting ICE (Immigrations and Customs Enforcement) activity in our community. This hotline will serve as a vital community resource to ease fear, track ICE activity, and connect affected members to legal resources. Immediate need for bilingual (Spanish/English) volunteers to answer incoming calls.
|
fundraisingWe organize events and solicit donations for the new Cville
Immigrant Bond Fund established to offer no-interest family loans for detention bond payment. Need for experienced fundraisers and event planners. SanctuaryWe support congregations seeking to provide witness and sanctuary in various forms, and help to connect them to resources like the Central Virginia Sanctuary Network.
|