February 7, 2025 (Newark, NJ) – New Jersey’s largest Latinx-led agency, La Casa de Don Pedro, is leading the charge in forming the Newark Immigrant Resource Collaborative with several partner agencies to provide education, outreach, and other essential services to New Americans and the community-at-large.

Local leaders such as Peter T. Rosario (President & CEO, La Casa de Don Pedro), Maritza Arauz (Executive Director, FOCUS), Amina Bey (Executive Director, Newark Emergency Services for Families), and Hazel Applewhite (CEO, Ironbound Community Corporation), have mobilized to create a network of resources and crisis response available to immigrants, their families, and allies throughout Newark and Essex County. Hazel Applewhite adds, “At Ironbound Community Corporation, we believe that no one should live in fear due to their immigration status, and through this collaborative, we are strengthening our collective ability to provide critical resources and advocacy for our neighbors.”

The collaborative’s first order of business is the dissemination of a resource toolkit which aims to prepare and empower immigrant communities against increased detainment and deportation efforts. The toolkit was developed with help from the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice, ACLU NJ, Rutgers Law School, and the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice.

To access the toolkit, please visit www.lacasadedonpedro.org/KnowYourRights. It includes items such as:

  • ‘Know Your Rights’ informational flyers and cards (available in Spanish, English, Haitian Creole, Portuguese, & more) to prepare for and reference during an encounter with ICE
  • A sample of a court-issued judicial warrant to help identify authenticity
  • Sample policies and written procedures that other agencies and businesses can adopt to protect immigrant rights at their sites
  • A “Power of Attorney” template parents can use to delegate authority of their child(ren) to a trusted friend or family member

“It is vital that we educate ourselves and our communities. With the amount of misinformation surrounding the ever-changing immigration laws and policies in our country, it’s easy to be confused and uninformed. This toolkit will provide clarity that’s easy to understand and share,” says Peter T. Rosario.

To prepare for the possibility of families being separated, the collaborative will also be available to assist in developing contingencies in the event a family member is detained and deported, which may include matters of child custody and short-term financial plans. “It’s not just immigrants who are affected, as families and communities will be torn apart when parents are deported but their children and loved ones are left behind,” said Maritza Arauz.

Additionally, plans are currently underway to create the Newark Immigrant Resource Center at 23 Broadway in Newark’s Lower Broadway district which will serve as a hub for educational workshops, basic supplies such as food and clothing, and referrals for medical care, mental health services, and more.

The collaborative is also pleased to announce that Newark’s long-standing leader in private philanthropy, the Victoria Foundation, has donated $250,000 to support our goals. Executive Director Craig Drinkard remarks, “At Victoria Foundation, we believe all people of color should have the opportunity to realize the American dream. This value includes migrants in Newark who came to this country for a better life. Through the Newark Immigrant Resource Collaborative, our partners will ensure that migrants are treated with respect, dignity, and have access to critical services as they navigate through the policies and actions of the current federal administration. We proudly support this endeavor and look forward to continuing to work with other funders to support those doing this important work on the front lines.”

Thanks to this substantial contribution, the collaborative is now in the process of hiring administrative and outreach staff to outfit the crisis response center and carry out their objectives. To learn more about how you can support this work, please visit www.tinyurl.com/NwkImmigrantResourceFund or contact Ivonne Salazar, Chief of Staff at La Casa de Don Pedro, at [email protected].