The City of Boston has received $180,000 in funding to provide community outreach and education on Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) through the DACA/DAPA Outreach Initiative, according to a press release.
The funds are a result of an $80,000 match grant from the Emma Lazarus II Fund of the Open Society Foundations, with matching funds from four local foundations: The Boston Foundation, The Hyams Foundation, The Fish Family Foundation, and the Herman and Frieda L. Miller Foundation.
“I am excited that these grants will make the Boston DACA/DAPA Outreach Initiative possible,” said Mayor Martin Walsh, according to the press release. “I have supported President Obama’s sensible executive actions on immigration, and I am very pleased to have the opportunity to expand upon our efforts to ensure that Boston families have the information and assistance that they need to continue to contribute to our great city.”
The DACA/DAPA Outreach Initiative will consist of a program coordinator in the Mayor’s Office of New Bostonians (MONB) and provide $100,000 in grants to 21 community organizations to inform Boston’s immigrant communities, provide eligibility screenings, assist with applications when they become available, and prevent scams. These community organizations will convene on March 31 to develop and coordinate a plan of action.
The following organizations will be partnering with the City of Boston on the initiative:
- Action for Boston Community Development (ABCD)
- Agencia ALPHA
- Asian American Civic Association
- Brazilian Women’s Group
- Brazilian Worker Center
- Catholic Charities of Boston
- Centro Presente
- Chelsea Collaborative
- Dominican Development Center
- East Boston Ecumenical Community Council (EBECC)
- Gilbert Albert Community Center
- Immigrant Family Services Institute
- Irish International Immigrant Center
- Latinos Unidos en Massachusetts (LUMA)
- Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA)
- Massachusetts Law Reform Institute (MLRI)
- Political Asylum/Immigration Representation Project (PAIR)
- St. Mark’s Community Education Program
- Students Immigration Movement
- Tabernacle Baptist Congregation
- True Alliance Center