Immigration Status and Agency Policies

Immigrant workers face many barriers when accessing government services and benefits.  Increasingly, a range of federal, state and local agencies are performing immigration enforcement functions.   This is inappropriate for a number of reasons.  It has a chilling effect on immigrants or workers who are perceived to be immigrants seeking to enforce rights and access benefits through agencies.  It has a likelihood of resulting in discrimination against certain groups of people.  Moreover, immigration law is extremely complex and most agency employees are simply not equipped to make determinations of immigration status.  This section provides information about agency policies as they impact immigrant workers, trends encouraging certain agencies (such as departments of motor vehicles) to engage in immigration enforcement, and model policies for ensuring that state and local agencies do not engage in immigration enforcement.

Immigrant Workers, Tax and Individual Tax Payer Identification Numbers Immigrant workers who are not eligible for Social Security Numbers can and do pay income taxes.  However, many may be concerned about whether IRS shares confidential information with Department of Homeland Security and whether there are risks involved in applying for or paying taxes with an ITIN.  This section provides information addressing these concerns.

Access to Drivers' Licenses All over the country, millions of hard-working immigrants need to be able to drive to get to work, to take their children to school, to buy groceries and to access medical care.  For some, driving is their job.  Debates about immigration policy and national security concerns have drawn attention to the immigrant driver’s license requirements of the various state Departments of Motor Vehicles.   This section focuses on campaigns to ensure immigrants' right to driver's licenses.

Ensuring Access to Social Services by Protecting Confidentiality
Immigrant workers are often fearful of contacting crucial services such as police departments and public medical services because to do so may mean they or their loved ones are exposed to the Immigration and Naturalization Service.  This section provides resources and suggestions for ensuring that immigrant workers can access government services and other important institutions without fear of revealing confidential information.