What does President Obama's new administration mean for comprehensive immigration reform? What are the likely steps that will be taken this year? What can be done to build new alliances and a broader base of grassroots support for reform? What are the administration's immigrant integration priorities? What can be done to lessen anti-immigrant tensions and improve immigrant policies and services at the local level?

This briefing brings together top leaders in the immigration movement and will provide an insiders' view of D.C., the politics of reform, and implications for local and state work to successfully integrate immigrants in our communities.

Please join us to:

• Receive an update on immigration policy in D.C. and President Obama's plan;

• Get briefed on the immigration movement's campaign to advance comprehensive immigration reform;

• Learn about and contribute ideas on building new alliances and strong grassroots support for reform in immigrant communities; and

• Become aware of the Obama Administration's immigrant integration priorities and ideas for improving policies and services for immigrants at the local level.

Presenters:

• Ali Noorani, Executive Director, National Immigration Forum was appointed to his position in March 2008. The Forum, based in Washington D.C., is one of the nation's premier immigration policy organizations and has been at the center of every major legislative and policy debate related to immigration over the past 25 years. Prior to joining the Forum, Ali was Executive Director of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA). Under his leadership, MIRA more than tripled its staff and programs, and greatly increased its capacity to advocate for the rights and opportunities of immigrants and refugees. Ali is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley and received his Master's in Public Health from Boston University.

• Maria Blanco joined UC Berkeley Law School in July 2007 as the first Executive Director of the Chief Justice Earl Warren Institute on Race, Ethnicity and Diversity (Warren Institute). Maria is a Boalt alumna ('84) who brings more than 20 years of experience as a litigator and advocate for immigrant rights, women's rights, and racial justice. Formerly she served as the Executive Director of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area.

• Reshma Shamasunder is the Director of the California Immigrant Policy Center, a partnership of four immigrant rights organizations advocating for immigrants in California. Prior to coming to the Policy Center, Reshma was Director of Benefits Policy and Government Affairs at the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition. In addition to working on immigrant issues, she has worked on issues of homelessness, child labor in India, and domestic violence. Reshma holds a Master's in City Planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Sponsors:
Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund
Rosenberg Foundation
Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees

Contact: Dion Ward
Email: dward@ncg.org
Phone: 415.777.4111 ext 23

More Info: http://www.ncg.org/events/reg_free.php

Location:

Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund offices
One Market, Landmark Building, Suite 400
San Francisco, CA 94105