Services, Immigrant Rights & Education Network

Overview of SIREN (Services, Immigrant Rights & Education Network)

We empower low-income immigrants and refugees in Northern and California by combining community organizing, policy advocacy, civic engagement and legal services – i.e. we invite legal services clients to join (and eventually lead) our organizing and advocacy efforts. Our community organizing program is driven by a belief that immigrants – both adults and youth – are agents of change and develop their leadership skills to address policy issues such as health, public benefits, and immigrant rights. Our policy advocacy program counts on the input of emerging leaders from our community organizing program and legal services clients to move forward policy solutions that best address their concerns – a people’s agenda. We challenge the constant state budget cuts that directly impact immigrant and refugee communities such as attacks on Medi-Cal, CalWORKs, and Food Stamps. Our DOJ accredited legal services and outreach department assists over 20,000 community members annually with services such as citizenship applications, DACA, humanitaian relief, removal defense, know you rights workshops and family immigration petitions. We are proud to be one of the leading citizenship application assistance providers in California.

What’s Next for SIREN

There is grave uncertainty for immigrant and refugee communities, particularly those who do not have immigration status and/or have been criminalized and face potential separation from family and home. SIREN is stepping up to this by expanding our Removal Defense clinics to serve rural and hard to reach communities. 

We must also not lose sight of our strength and resilience. We will continue amplifying our organizing and advocacy efforts in Sacramento and Washington DC. It is time to act on a clear understanding that immigrants and refugees have a shared destiny with (and are often themselves) African Americans, LGBTQ communities, and so many others who seek social justice.

The demand for legal services and local organizing support is higher than ever and is especially urgent in communities lacking nonprofit infrastructure. We have a strong track record in promoting local policies that protect immigrants and refugees. We are ready to offer our experiences and skills to other California communities and counties, and our funders and allies are ready to support this expansion. 

We are recruiting entrepreneurial, bold, and social justice-grounded people for several positions at SIREN to take the organization to the next level.