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S.Hu.R.E.: Supporting Human Rights and Equality

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Content S.Hu.R.E.: Supporting Human Rights and Equality 1
Capstone Project Paper
S.Hu.R.E.:
Supporting Human Rights and Equality
Amy Tice
SOWK 722
Dr. Annalisa Enrile
October 29, 2021
Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work
University of Southern California
Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
Doctor of Social Work
December 2021
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Personal Acknowledgements

An undertaking of this magnitude could not come together without abundant
encouragement and contributions from a collaborative community. I am grateful for the guidance
and backing provided by my Capstone Committee, chaired by Dr. Annalisa Enrile, who advised
and challenged me throughout the entire process. Dr. John Blosnich and Cassandra Fotouros,
MBA, LCSW added their expertise and direction, while all three demonstrated their confidence
in me and enthusiasm for my project.
I am also very appreciative of the camaraderie within Cohort 11 of the USC DSW
program and the good humor with which we supported one another’s academic efforts and
sanity over the last 2 years.
Rosie Catún, our dear friend from Guatemala who joined our family as she waited for the
outcome of her asylum hearing, is the bravest woman I have ever met. Despite having no
reason to trust us and many reasons not to, Rosie found the courage to believe the good
intentions of Wendi and me. She also shared her story and impacted many members of the
community in which I live who were unaware of the truth about immigrants in deportation
proceedings- both about the people themselves and the process-and allowed so many people
to see her for who she was: a mother, a survivor of sexual and domestic abuse, a woman
seeking safety, and perhaps a more prosperous life, for herself and her son in the United
States, and above all, a fellow human being.
When it was easy to be discouraged by the division and hate that is so prevalently seen
in the news or from hearing the tragic experiences of the migrants I met while doing fieldwork,
the tireless efforts of the individuals and organizations responding with passion and practicality
to raise awareness of the systemic causes of death and suffering of travelers near the
US/Mexico border and to provide access to humanitarian resources inspired me to keep
working.
I must thank my family and friends for all the unconditional support in this very intense
academic endeavor. My aunt, Barbara Shaffer, was and continues to be a source of
encouragement and I appreciate her support of my all my pursuits and the winding path that I
have taken to this place and time. Many friends demonstrated patience and understanding for
me to be late to, distracted or exhausted during, or entirely miss get-togethers because I was in
class or working on this project. I also greatly appreciate the many conversations and input from
multiple perspectives, which were vital in inspiring me to think more broadly and formulate a
meaningful and comprehensive project.
Finally, I never would have been in the position to consider pursuing my doctorate if it
weren’t for my loving partner Wendi. From enduring almost a week in Shiner, TX while I wrote
my first annotated bibliography, to making most of my dinners for the past 2 years, your moral
and emotional support have been unyielding. Having you by my side for much of the fieldwork
and allowing this project to fuel our passion for border justice and future adventures as we
continue to fight the good fight makes all the late nights worth it.

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Contents

Area 1: Executive Summary……………………………………………….………………….…….…5
S.Hu.R.E. and the Grand Challenges of Social Work
Problem Statement and S.Hu.R.E.
Conceptual and Theoretical Frameworks, Theory of Change, and S.Hu.R.E.
S.Hu.R.E. Project Design
Project Implementation and Sustainability
Innovation and Implications

Area 2: Conceptual Framework……………………………………………….………….…………10
Problem Statement and Grand Challenge Connection
Literature Review and Current Environmental Context
Social Significance
Theoretical/Conceptual Framework, Theory of Change and Logic Model

Area 3: Problems of Practice and Innovative Solutions………………………………………..20
Project Explanation, Grand Challenge Connection, and Stakeholder Perspectives
Environmental Scan and Opportunities for Innovation
Theory of Change and Logic Model

Area 4: Project Structure, Methodology, and Action Components…………………………..25
Prototype
Market Analysis and Alternative Options
S.Hu.R.E. Implementation Methodology
S.Hu.R.E. Financial Planning
Impact Assessment
S.Hu.R.E. Stakeholder Involvement
S.Hu.R.E. Communications Products and Strategies
Ethical Concerns and Potential Negative Consequences

Area 5: Conclusions, Actions, and Implications…………………………………………………37
Prototype Ready to be Shared: Potential Future Decisions and Actions
Conclusions, Context, and Implications for Practice and Further Action
Limitations and Risks
Recommendations for Future Work
Plan for Advancement of Next Steps

References…………………………………………………………………………………...…………41

Appendices……………………………………………………………………………………………..53
Appendix A: Theory of Change: DIY Template
Appendix B: Theory of Change Fourfold Framework
Appendix C: Logic Model
Appendix D: Stakeholder Analysis Matrix
Appendix E: RE-AIM Implementation Timeline
Appendix F: Capstone Budgets- Start-up and FFTO
Appendix G: Social Media Outreach Strategy
Appendix H: Survey Links and Sample Responses

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Executive Summary
S.Hu.R.E. and The Grand Challenges of Social Work
From the days of its founding to the present day, the United States has been widely
considered to be “a nation of immigrants.” Despite the long-held notion that America is the “land
of opportunity” and a country that is rooted in values of freedom and justice for all, since the first
explorers and colonists set foot on what is now the United States, inequities and injustices have
been present in abundance (Parker, 2015; Dunbar-Ortiz, 2021). One area in which these unfair
imbalances have been prevalent is the immigration system. The United States has a long
history of racism in immigration policies, with the federal criminal justice and immigration
systems being intertwined for almost 150 years (Das, 2017). The concept of criminalizing
offenses based on migration or immigration status has been rooted in longstanding racialized
animus, placing the issue of immigration squarely at an intersection of the Grand Challenges to
Promote Smart Decarceration and Eliminate Racism.
Conceptual and Theoretical Frameworks, Theory of Change, and S.Hu.R.E.
Institutionalized racism is the systemic ways in which dominant white society restricts
access to opportunities and power and benefits from marginalizing and oppressing BIPOC
communities (Anti-Defamation League, 2020). The issue of utilizing detention as a policy of
deterrence for the enforcement of immigration also should not be looked at as a silo, denying
that colonialism and imperialism did not cause the criminalization of migration or not that
systemic racism has not permeated immigration detention (Detention Watch Network 2015,
Preston 2014, Ryo 2019).
This project is guided by the theoretical framework of Critical Race Theory (CRT) and
counterstory and would improve current practices through raising awareness of the problem and
assembling public and government support for universal representation programs. In a classic
work of American legal thought, Crenshaw et al. describe the “unique and powerful theoretical
contribution” (2006, p. 891) of CRT to be race-conscious frame of analysis and “demonstrating
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the salience of race in places where its significance has been overlooked” (2006, p. 892). Yosso
(2006) and Martinez (2020) offer counterstory as an effective means of using the CRT structure
as a foundation for using empirical data with engaging narratives that go against the
majoritarian stories and humanize the need to change the systems that limit access and
opportunity for BIPOC individuals. CRT provides the scaffolding and the lens through which this
project will examine the issue of immigration, how racism limits access and opportunities for
BIPOC migrants, and the current dehumanizing narrative regarding immigrants as dangerous.
Over time, this process will improve current practices through raising awareness of the problem,
humanizing the need to change the system, and assembling public and government support for
universal representation programs.
The theory of change for this project includes a clear goal and tactics based on what
influences people to act. Providing accurate information to a specifically targeted audience,
while educating about the need for and potential impact of universal representation, and
creating a parallel between immigrant rights and human rights will lead to changed behavior.
Through critical race media literacy, the racialized myths will be exposed, blame shifted away
from the immigrant victims, and attention directed forthrightly toward the historical and on-going
patterns of institutional racism (Yosso, 2020). The design criteria for this project are also
undergirded by best practices of anti-racism, such as centering the voices of those directly
impacted by outcomes and non-exploitive solutions for an inclusive and intersectional audience.
Problem Statement and S.Hu.R.E.
Every person is entitled to due process. However, immigrants in deportation proceedings
have no right to free legal representation in their civil proceedings, leaving many representing
themselves; meanwhile, not having legal counsel puts the immigrant at a significant
disadvantage in a complex system, where there is often a language barrier, and they are going
up against a trained government attorney. While there are a variety of efforts nationwide to
provide legal access to low-income immigrants, only 3 out of 10 immigrants have legal
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representation for their court proceedings, and less than half of that for immigrants in detention
(Eagly & Shafer, 2016). In a study of more than 1.2 million deportation cases it was found that
across every stage of the proceedings, immigrants with legal counsel are 10 times more likely to
be granted immigration benefits when represented (Eagly & Shafer, 2016). Many people are
simply unaware of the truth about immigrants in deportation proceedings- both about the people
themselves and the process- not understanding that immigration is a part of the mass
incarceration pipeline. Or knowing the U.S. policy and practices that have preceded the most
recent influx of Latin American immigrants, the lack of and significant need for legal
representation in these civil proceedings, and the prevalence of the misconception of
immigrants as dangerous due to stereotyping and the government promotion of this population
as criminal aliens (Sarabia, 2018; Caldwell, 2019; G. Pleasants, personal communication,
October 21, 2020).
This project will address the problem through a public awareness campaign conducted
primarily through social media, in order to support initiatives for universal access to legal
representation, with the goal of changing the public narrative about immigrants, detention and
access to legal counsel. Utilizing a cross-section of social media platforms including Instagram
and Facebook, Supporting Human Rights and Equality (S.Hu.R.E.) will share facts, correct
misinformation, and provide first-person accounts to raise awareness and understanding of
universal representation, while also guiding and motivating people to get involved in efforts
supporting universal representation and to share within their personal circle of influence.
S.Hu.R.E. Project Design
S.Hu.R.E. will be set up as a private 501(c)(4)- a social welfare non-profit organization
and have two simultaneous phases of the initial pilot launch, each addressing a different aspect
of the issue. One will be in Maine, where the “soft launch” is currently establishing a foundation
from which S.Hu.R.E. can expand as a supportive community is developed in Midcoast Maine
and other regions outside of the Portland-area, which can then be mobilized to meet the needs
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for housing and other transitional services. The other phase will be in Arizona, where there are
no universal representation programs, forging a partnership with Pima County Justice for All
(PCJFA) in support of their 2022 ballot initiative to establish an Office of Immigration
Representation to provide representation on behalf of any indigent Pima County resident in
immigration proceedings. Following completion of the pilot partnership with Pima County Justice
for All, S.Hu.R.E. will capitalize on the experience and expand to partner with additional
organizations within the state of Arizona, starting the first full year of operation in 2023.
The issue of immigration is incredibly complex and the context dynamic, with a larger
narrative beyond providing legal representation for individuals in deportation proceedings. By
providing human resources and technology, along with quantitative and qualitative information,
to disseminate accurate information, recognition of the problem will increase. In the short-term,
public awareness will be raised and there will be a better understanding of universal
representation, as well as citizens knowing what and how to advocate with elected officials to
support publicly funded legal representation for individuals in deportation proceedings.
Project Implementation and Sustainability
Multiple steps are needed in order to prepare for a successful launch of S.Hu.R.E., with
many of these tasks being handled by professionals with the specific skill sets required, such as
designing a logo and beginning the process of creating a unique and recognizable brand
identity, creating content and establishing a social media presence; research and monitoring
sources and/or trends of misinformation; and connecting with researchers, consultants, fact-
checkers and individuals directly impacted by detention and removal proceedings. While there
will be the typical metrics related to audience size, growth rate and engagement on the various
social media platforms to monitor the intended outputs of S.Hu.R.E., a specific measure of
success for the pilot will be the Pima County Justice for All initiative meeting their goal of the
90,000 signatures needed to get an initiative on the November 2022 ballot to establish an Office
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of Immigration Representation and extend the right to a public defender for all immigration
cases in Pima County.
The pilot of S.Hu.R.E. will be evaluated to assess the change in awareness,
understanding and attitude. Does providing accurate information to a specifically targeted
audience, while educating about the need for and potential impact of universal representation
and creating a parallel between immigrant rights and human rights lead to changed behavior?
Assessment tools are in the process of being developed and will measure three key
performance indicators: individuals’ levels of awareness and understanding; attitudes towards
immigrants; and behaviors and engagement in advocacy actions.
Innovation and Implications
S.Hu.R.E. takes an innovative approach by reframing the problem, looking at the
methods and means for detention, and then focusing efforts and resources on eliminating and
replacing practices that contribute to maintaining the outrageous number of detainees due to
limited access to legal representation in detention centers (Vera Institute of Justice, 2020).
While the initial target audience will be in Maine and Arizona, the public awareness campaign
can be adapted to support campaigns in any number of locations, with potential for a nationwide
impact. If the planned activities of S.Hu.R.E. are successful, citizens will recognize and disavow
the current narrative of immigrants as dangerous and invading the United States with nefarious
motives and acknowledge that immigrant rights are human rights. Every person is entitled to
due process. It is imperative that steps are taken to respect, help and protect our fellow humans
who are in crisis by changing the public narrative about immigrants, practicing respect for
human dignity, hearing each other's stories and taking action to increase access to legal
representation to immigrants in deportation proceedings so that they might receive fair
treatment and their full due process rights. S.Hu.R.E. is positioned to contribute to changes
being made throughout the fabric of society through education and advocacy for equality and
justice in laws and communities.
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Area 2: Conceptual Framework
Problem Statement and Grand Challenge Connection
From the days of its founding to the present day, the United States has been widely
considered to be “a nation of immigrants.” Despite the long-held notion that America is the “land
of opportunity” and a country that is rooted in values of freedom and justice for all, since the first
explorers and colonists set foot on what is now the United States, inequities and injustices have
been present in abundance (Parker, 2015; Dunbar-Ortiz, 2021). One area in which these unfair
imbalances have been prevalent is the immigration system. The United States has a long
history of racism in immigration policies, with the federal criminal justice and immigration
systems being intertwined for almost 150 years (Das, 2017). The concept of criminalizing
offenses based on migration or immigration status has been rooted in longstanding racialized
animus, placing the issue of immigration squarely at an intersection of the Grand Challenges to
Promote Smart Decarceration and Eliminate Racism.
To be incarcerated is to be confined to a jail or prison, which in the United States
includes local jails and state and federal prisons, as well as jails and prisons in tribal territories,
private correctional institutions, and juvenile, military, and ICE facilities (Brooks, 2019; Bureau of
Justice Statistics, n.d.). An individual could be sentenced to be incarcerated after being found
guilty of committing a crime or be held in pretrial detention while awaiting their court
appearance. The overarching goal of the Grand Challenge to Promote Smart Decarceration is
to reduce the number of individuals who are incarcerated and to establish more just and
functional measures of ensuring public safety (Pettus-Davis & Epperson 2015).
Racism can be both simple and very complex to define, as it is ubiquitous and insidious.
At its essence, racism is a historic and systemic imbalance of power created by white people for
their own benefit to marginalize and oppress BIPOC communities (Anti-Defamation League,
2020). The objective of the Grand Challenge to Eliminate Racism is to identify evidence and
practice-based interventions that will both end racist attitudes and actions and also remedy and
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provide reparation for the harm caused by the United States’ history of inequitable policy,
practices, and bias at the institutional and interpersonal levels (American Academy of Social
Work & Social Welfare 2020).
Literature Review and Current Environmental Context
While some government attitudes and immigration policies have changed over time,
there is a pattern of historical and institutionalized discrimination and dehumanization against
individuals seeking safety in the United States, a more prosperous life, or both, based on their
skin color or race (Boswell, 2003; Lee, 2019; Network Advocates for Catholic Social Justice,
2020; Arce, 2021; Dunbar-Ortiz, 2021). Alina Das (2017), Professor of Clinical Law at NYU
School of Law describes modern immigration laws as “rest[ing] on…racially oppressive
foundations” (p. 19) and there being a “legacy of racism and oppression that led us to this
massive [detention and] deportation system” (p. 20). These sentiments are echoed in an
October 7 interview with 2021 Guggenheim fellow and Geopolitics Editor-in-Chief Reece Jones:
“from the earliest foundations of the country through the present day, the border and
immigration policy of the United States has been based on the exclusion of non-white people”
(Ubay, 2021).
The immigration detention system has grown exponentially over the last several years,
(Gilman & Romero, 2018, National Immigrant Justice Center 2020, Network Advocates for
Catholic Social Justice, 2020), resulting in an average daily population in detention in FY2019
that was over 50,000 individuals (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, 2019). The
criminalization of immigration and indiscriminate use of detention resulted in Latinx individuals
making up nearly 80% of the immigrants being held in detention in July 2019 (TRAC, 2019).
When we look beyond Latinx individuals, a staggering 98% of individuals in detention at that
time were BIPOC people, illustrating the indisputable overlap between the Grand Challenges
related to incarceration and racism (TRAC, 2019).
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While U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) (2020) reported that the
number of detained immigrants decreased significantly in FY2020 due to “pandemic safety
measures” (p.3), this decline was primarily due to then-president Donald Trump using a public
health measure known as Title 42, which served to promptly expel all migrants and shut down
the asylum system (Associated Press, 2020). President Biden has continued to use Title 42,
altering it only to exclude unaccompanied children and some family units (Aguilera, 2021).
Although the number represents expulsions, not individual people, because there are many who
have crossed multiple times, just shy of 1.25 million migrants have been expelled under Title 42
since March of 2020 (US Customs and Border Protection, 2021). These expelled migrants have
been denied due process by not being granted an asylum interview and instead being
immediately sent back to the country of last transit, which has overwhelmingly been Mexico, or
in some cases, their country of origin, with no opportunity to apply for asylum.
Prior to the Biden administration suspending another Trump policy, 70,000 asylum-
seekers were in Mexico awaiting their cases to be heard due to the 2019 implementation of the
Migration Protection Protocols (MPP or ‘Remain in Mexico’), with only 7% of the cases having a
lawyer (Southern Border Communities Coalition, 2021). President Biden ended MPP shortly
after taking office in January, however a federal judge recently ordered the Administration to
reinstate the policy and it was announced October 15 that the U.S. will re-start the program by
mid-November. Mexican officials have expressed concerns about the MPP program, specifying
that in addition to the dangers for the people camping out in border towns, ‘Remain in Mexico’
denies due process and there is limited access to legal aid to the migrants waiting for their
cases to be heard (Rosenberg & Cooke, 2021).
Immigrants who are apprehended while in the United States illegally and referred for
criminal prosecution by Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) are provided court-appointed counsel
for their court proceedings for the charge of unlawful entry (misdemeanor) or unlawful reentry
(felony). However, the detainees have no right to free legal representation in immigration
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proceedings. While every person is entitled to due process, immigrants in deportation
proceedings have no right to free legal representation in their civil proceedings, leaving many
representing themselves (Vera Institute of Justice, 2020).
Meanwhile, access to legal counsel is critical in immigration cases due to the complexity
of the process, language barriers and the high stakes of the outcome. Data analysis by
Berberich & Siulc (2018) led them to the assertion that “it is nearly impossible to win relief from
deportation without the assistance of counsel” (p. 1) and their findings have been replicated
many times over. Montgomery (2014) determined that if they have access to legal counsel,
immigrants who are legally entitled to be in the United States are more likely allowed to stay.
Similarly, Eagly and Shafer (2015) conducted a study of more than 1.2 million deportation cases
that were decided between 2007 and 2012 and found that across every stage of the immigration
proceedings, immigrants with legal counsel experienced more favorable outcomes. A 2017
study conducted by the nonprofit Transactional Research Access Clearinghouse determined
that asylum-seekers who were able to procure an attorney were five times more likely to be
granted asylum and a 2020 report found that only 33% of migrants with attorneys received
asylum, or other deportation relief, while that was true for only just under half of that, 16% of
asylum applicants who represented themselves (TRAC, 2017; TRAC, 2020). Looking at
completed cases for FY2021, of the more than 144,000 cases through September, almost 80%
were self-represented when their removal order was issued (TRAC, 2021). In the new cases
filed this year, only 2% are based on alleged criminal activity, yet in the just over 22,000 bond
hearings held through September, 70% were denied bond (TRAC, 2021).
Access to legal counsel is even more difficult for immigrants in detention. On average,
only 14% of detained immigrants have legal representation for their court proceedings (Eagly &
Shafer, 2015); this puts them at a significant disadvantage in a system with which they are not
familiar, there is often a language barrier, and they are presenting their case against a trained
government attorney. There are multiple barriers for obtaining representation for immigrants in
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detention, from the location of these detention centers to ICE transferring detainees at whim
(Chatti & Firestone, 2019; Berberich & Siulc, 2018), and the demand for immigration legal
services is much higher than the supply and/or the cost is beyond the means to pay for most of
the migrants. The barriers are even higher and access to legal counsel more difficult for
individuals forced to wait in Mexico until their case is heard due to MPP, with 97% of completed
cases by April 2021 not having an attorney (Human Rights First, 2021).
Nationwide, there is a variety of efforts to provide legal access to low-income
immigrants, which includes the majority of those in detention. The American Bar Association
(ABA) supports and works to protect due process for immigrants and prioritizes the importance
of legal representation for individuals in removal proceedings. The ABA Commission on
Immigration directs the Associations endeavors to “ensure fair treatment and full due process
rights for immigrants, asylum-seekers and refugees in the United States” (ABA, n.d., para. 1).
Private law firms offering pro bono services, law school clinics and nonprofit organizations are
the most common mechanism through which detained immigrants access counsel (Naseef,
2019).
One example of the use of pro bono attorneys is the National Immigrant Justice Center
(NIJC), which represents over 10,000 immigrants a year through their partnership with 2000 pro
bono attorneys. However, the NIJC still finds their legal team to be overwhelmed by the unmet
need for representation for immigrants in detention (Altman, 2020). Keep Tucson Together
(KTT) is a smaller, grassroots organization that assists local families with immigration issues
(Keep Tucson Together, n.d.), including for family members who are in detention. A KTT staff
member who was interviewed for this project indicated that while their lawyers and supporting
staff are stretched thin, their technology resources are also limited and outdated (K. Jenkins,
personal communication, October 16, 2020).
One approach to expand the number of people available to provide necessary services
is through increasing the number of Department of Justice (DOJ) accredited representatives. In
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Fall 2020, Villanova University launched the first university-based and fully on-line program to
train immigrant advocates. Graduates of the 10-month professional certificate program can
coordinate with a non-profit organization, apply to become a DOJ accredited representative, and
then provide legal services and representation in court for migrants and refugees (Mangan,
2020). While the allowance of and increased numbers of non-attorney representatives may
appear to help meet the need to scale up the people to provide necessary services, this method
is not without flaw and a significant increase could undermine current efforts to move towards
universal representation (Naseef, 2019; G. Pleasants, personal communication, October 21,
2020).
Universal legal representation for deportation proceedings is a new movement in
response to the criminalization of immigration and increased enforcement over the past two
decades (Stave et al., 2017; Vera, 2020). Immigrants in deportation proceedings are not entitled
to government funded legal counsel. Universal representation would provide publicly-funded
legal representation to any individual in deportation proceedings who is not able to afford their
own lawyer, in a system comparable to public defenders for criminal courts. Over the past 8
years, the New York Immigrant Family Unity Project, which now provides full universal
representation for all detained or incarcerated immigrants facing deportation in New York state,
has demonstrated the effectiveness of this model, both in terms of efficiency and outcomes for
people in immigration proceedings (Stave et al., 2017, Narea, 2021). Within the first four years,
this project had a success rate for immigrants that improved by over 1000 percent, with
immigrants being released from detention at almost twice the rate of those in comparable
immigration courts located in other states and not represented, and immigrants who did not
qualify for relief had their cases resolved much more efficiently (Narea, 2021).
A “narrative” has been defined as a collection of stories that, when brought together,
construct or validate a worldview- an interpretation of what is good or bad, right or wrong (Frank,
2012) and Opportunity Agenda (2021) refers to a narrative as “The Big Story”. Frank (2012)
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analyzed how stories can promote unity or disconnection and may at times be used to defend
dehumanization and/or violence. While the phrase “narrative change” is used frequently in a
variety of fields and for issues ranging from product marketing/re-branding to social justice
causes, recent efforts have been made to more strictly define the branch of learning and
methodology of narrative change for the purpose of clarity and to increase effectiveness in
social change efforts. Kalra et al. (2021) describe narrative change as being “geared toward
changing people’s hearts and minds, shifting the “underlying values and beliefs” that get
activated around a certain issue (p. 6). The Change the Narrative initiative of Define American
researched immigrant characters in television shows and analyzed how character storylines
changed viewers’ willingness to take action in their own lives to support immigrants,
demonstrating the power of storytelling- even fictional stories- to change minds and spur action.
Davidson (2016) went beyond individuals and described two additional levels at which narrative
change has been found effective: policy process, and cultural or societal change.
Many Americans are unaware of the truth regarding immigrants in deportation
proceedings, including the history that has preceded the most recent influx of Latin American
immigrants, the lack of and significant need for legal representation in these civil proceedings,
and the prevalence of the misconception of immigrants as dangerous due to stereotyping and
the government promotion of this population as criminal or illegal aliens (Reyna, Dobria &
Wetherell, 2013; Pew Research Center, 2015). The United States has a long history of racism in
the education system, immigration policies, and the media, which has contributed to the current
culture of aversion, hatred, or outright bias and discrimination (Network Advocates for Catholic
Social Justice, 2020; Sarabia, 2018; Warner, 2005).
Immigration is a multi-layered and increasingly more-complicated issue. Public opinion
has vacillated over the years with a general trend towards more positive attitudes, though with
an ever-widening partisan divide (National Immigration Forum, 2020). In their presentation
“Shifting Perspectives at the Border”, Crow and Robie (2021) outlined the dominant narrative of
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immigrants as violent and dangerous. They also described the “shades of experience” for
immigrants and those living along the U.S.- Mexico border that extends beyond drugs and guns,
also including many beautiful elements of art, culture, and “chill life on the border” (Crow &
Robie, 2021). Journalist Vann Newkirk, II (2018) asserted that “dehumanizing rhetoric is a
powerful real-world tool, especially when it’s coming from the president of the United States”
(para. 9). Multiple lawyers as well as several migrant advocates repeatedly emphasized the
absence and importance of accurate messaging; we need a new narrative to replace anti-
immigrant rhetoric (G. Pleasants, personal communication, October 21, 2020, K. Hong,
personal communication, October 28, 2020; K. Jenkins, personal communication, November 4,
2020; M. Cowan, personal communication, January 16, 2021; D. Rodriquez, personal
communication, February 5, 2021; W. Feliz, personal communication, September 14, 2021).
In numerous conversations of inquiry while exploring the problem space and identifying
needs, it was discovered that many people (including those who consider themselves to be
allies of immigrants) are simply uninformed of the facts regarding immigrants and deportation;
they believe and are impacted by the current public narrative of immigrants as criminal,
dangerous and invading the United States with nefarious motives. Avenues for future innovation
include promoting a consistent message which creates a parallel between immigrant rights and
human rights and educating the public about the need for and the significantly positive impact of
universal representation (C. Byler, personal communication, October 11, 2020; G. Pleasants,
personal communication, October 21, 2020; K. Jenkins, personal communication, November 4,
2020; S. Roberts, personal communication, November 6, 2020; K. Porter, personal
communication, November 13, 2020).
Popular culture, including social media can play a specific role in bringing attention to
and challenging narratives through strategic communication to drive audience engagement
(Lanne, 2018). Sociologist Shelley Boullaine studies citizens' engagement in civic and political
life and has published several meta-analysis projects and systematic reviews about the role of
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digital media in political participation. One such review found that in 106 studies, there was a
clear pattern of strong correlation between on-line and off-line forms of participation in civic and
political life, leading to a conclusion about the significance of individuals connecting with
relevant groups for issues that interest them (Boullaine, 2015). More recently, Piatak and
Mikkelson (2019) found that levels of online engagement parallel greater engagement in
volunteering and other civic participation, while Towner and Muñoz (2018) learned that older
adults (born 1946-1964) who looked specifically to Facebook for information tended to also
engage.
Social Significance
The United States detains an extraordinary number of humans. Detention statistics from
the nonprofit Freedom for Immigrants (2020) indicate that over 350,000 people were detained in
2019. ICE (2019) reported an average daily population in detention of over 50,000 individuals
and at times the detainee population exceeded 56,000, with an average length of stay of 34.3
days. While the numbers have decreased over the past 18 months due to the pandemic, over
the last for months of FY2021, the average daily population in detention was 25,400, with
Customs and Border Protection detainees averaging 33.6 days in detention and ICE detainees
a much longer 69.6 days (U.S. ICE, 2021). Furthermore, over 2/3 of those individuals being held
were neither convicted criminals, nor pending criminal charges (U.S. ICE, 2021).
Human rights are a universally shared responsibility to respect each other, to help each
other and to protect those in need and immigrant rights are human rights. The mothers and
fathers who make the dangerous journey to America with their children are doing so because
they know that the danger of staying in their home country is even greater. Fegensen Elie, a
Hatian man who was recently deported with his wife and family captured this sentiment in a
recent interview with The Washington Post: “We have nothing now, but will try again to get back
to the U.S., I prefer to die on the way than stay here” (Mérancourt, Faiola, & Hernández, 2021).
This issue of the humanity of migrants is worth the investment of time and energy on both moral
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and ethical grounds, as well as practical or fiscal. Every person is entitled to due process. It is
imperative that steps are taken to respect, help and protect our fellow humans who are in crisis
by changing the public narrative about immigrants, practicing respect for human dignity, hearing
each other's stories, and taking action to increase access to legal representation to immigrants
in detention so that they might receive fair treatment and their full due process rights.
Theoretical/Conceptual Framework, Theory of Change and Logic Model
Institutionalized racism is the systemic ways in which dominant white society restricts
access to opportunities and power and benefits from marginalizing and oppressing BIPOC
populations (Jones, 2000; Anti-Defamation League, 2020). The United States has a long history
of enmeshment between the criminal justice and immigration systems, with both firmly rooted in
racism (Das, 2017). The current oppression of immigrants is clearly evidenced by the
undermining of due process that is experienced by detainees in both their criminal and
immigration proceedings, with the result being that almost 90% of the immigrants in detention
are from Mexico, or the Central American countries of Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador
(Ryo & Peacock, 2018). The issue of utilizing detention as a policy of deterrence for the
enforcement of immigration also should not be looked at as a silo, denying that colonialism and
imperialism did not cause the criminalization of migration or not that systemic racism has not
permeated immigration detention (Detention Watch Network 2015, Preston 2014, Ryo 2019).
This project is guided by the theoretical framework of Critical Race Theory (CRT) and
counterstory. In a classic work of American legal thought, Crenshaw et al. describe the “unique
and powerful theoretical contribution” (2006, p. 891) of CRT to be race-conscious frame of
analysis and “demonstrating the salience of race in places where its significance has been
overlooked” (2006, p. 892). Yosso (2006) and Martinez (2020) offer counterstory as an effective
means of using the CRT structure as a foundation for using empirical data with engaging
narratives that go against the majoritarian stories and humanize the need to change the
systems that limit access and opportunity for BIPOC individuals.
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CRT provides the scaffolding and the lens through which this project will examine the
issue of immigration, how racism limits access and opportunities for BIPOC migrants, and the
current dehumanizing narrative regarding immigrants as dangerous. Over time, this process
would improve current practices through raising awareness of the problem, humanizing the
need to change the system, and assembling public and government support for universal
representation programs. By providing accurate information in support of universal access to
legal representation, and changing the public narrative, the belief that some people are more
worthy of due process than others will be nullified, and a different, more equitable power
dynamic will be created.
The theory of change for this project includes a clear goal and tactics based on what
influences people to act (see Appendices A and B). Providing accurate information framed by
race-conscious analysis to a specifically targeted audience, and creating a parallel between
immigrant rights and human rights through counter stories while educating about the need for
and potential impact of universal representation will lead to changed behavior. Through critical
race media literacy, the racialized myths will be exposed, blame shifted away from the
immigrant victims, and attention directed forthrightly toward the historical and on-going patterns
of institutional racism (Yosso, 2020). The design criteria for this project are also undergirded by
best practices of anti-racism, such as centering the voices of those directly impacted by
outcomes, the narrative parallel between immigrant rights and human rights, and non-exploitive
solutions, reconnecting us to each other, with an inclusive and intersectional audience.
Area 3: Problems of Practice and Innovative Solutions
Project Explanation, Grand Challenge Connection, and Stakeholder Perspectives
This project is a public awareness campaign that will be conducted primarily through
social media, with the goal of changing the public narrative about immigrants, detention, and
access to legal counsel in order to support initiatives for universal access to legal representation
or other relevant issues impacting immigrants in our communities. Utilizing a cross-section of
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social media platforms including Instagram and Facebook, Supporting Human Rights and
Equality (S.HU.R.E.) will utilize credible sources to correct misinformation and provide first-
person accounts to counter the current dehumanizing narrative and raise awareness and
understanding of universal representation while also guiding and motivating people to get
involved in efforts supporting immigrant rights and to share within their personal circle of
influence. S.Hu.R.E. will educate, equip, and empower people to engage in the process of
amending their beliefs, creating attitude and behavior change centered on the humanity of
immigrants.
S.Hu.R.E. will be set up as a private 501(c)(4)- a social welfare non-profit organization
and have two simultaneous phases of the initial pilot launch, each addressing a different aspect
of the issue. One will be in Maine, where the population is over 94% White, only 3.6% foreign-
born, and less than 2% Hispanic or Latino (United States Census Bureau, 2019). The initial pilot
launch will establish a foundation from which S.Hu.R.E. can expand as a supportive community
is developed in Midcoast Maine and other regions outside of the Portland-area, which can then
be mobilized to meet the needs for housing and other transitional services. The other phase will
be in Arizona, where there are no universal representation programs, forging a partnership with
Pima County Justice for All (PCJFA). In conversations with representatives for PCJFA, they
have expressed a willingness to partner with S.Hu.R.E. in support of their 2022 ballot initiative to
establish an Office of Immigration Representation to provide representation on behalf of any
indigent Pima County resident in immigration proceedings. This partnership, which is scheduled
to commence in February 2022, will provide hands-on and behind-the-scenes experiential
learning opportunities about the process of promoting a single-issue ballot initiative in support of
immigrant rights. Connections and relationships will also be made with migrants directly
impacted by detention and/or deportation proceedings. Following completion of the pilot
partnership with PCJFA, S.Hu.R.E. will capitalize on the experience and expand to partner with
additional organizations in the state of Maine.
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Public opinion and government policy are not the only voices in the public discourse on
immigration, however. Additional stakeholders include businesses/private industry, institutions
of higher education, law enforcement, government agencies, faith leaders and their
communities, and nonprofit organizations. From restaurants and agro-plants to landscape and
construction businesses, many industries rely upon undocumented workers, and the owners are
not in favor of targeting their workforce both through policy and more aggressive enforcement
(Aguilar, 2020, Burnett, 2019). The general consensus among communities of faith is that the
more aggressive enforcement of immigration laws has inflicted damage upon families and
communities and numerous churches and religious organizations, of all sects, have increased
their activism and efforts to support immigrants (Wecker, 2019).
In multiple conversations of inquiry while exploring the problem space and identifying
need, it was discovered that many people (including those who consider themselves to be allies
of immigrants) are simply unaware of the truth regarding immigrants, detention, and deportation;
they may believe and be impacted by the current public narrative of immigrants as criminal,
dangerous and invading the United States with various nefarious motives. The most robust
evidence to help understand diverse audiences’ political and social views and concerns
regarding immigration in the United States was the comprehensive qualitative research and
audience segmentation data provided to the founder by Wendy Feliz, the Director of the
American Immigration Council Center for Belonging and Inclusion. Additional qualitative data
that is specific to Maine is being gathered for comparison and to inform future decisions.
The Immigration Mindsets Audience Mapping created five demographic profiles
including personal values, trusted messengers, and media preferences, which provide an
evidence-based foundation for this project (personal communication, W. Feliz, September 14,
2021). Campaign messages will be crafted to raise awareness of the misinformation that is
prevalent and accurate information will be disseminated from sources deemed credible by Ad
Fonte Media (Otero, 2021) and corroborated by the contrasting facts and counterstories
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gathered directly from migrants and/or individuals providing humanitarian aid along the border
or supporting asylum-seekers in Maine. Community organizations who are already supporting
and advocating for immigrants will likely be in support of universal representation, providing a
base of support from which to expand within each community (Tucker, Cheer, Garlick,
Berberich, Moussavian, & Chen, 2020; K. Jenkins, personal communication, November 4, 2020;
D. Rodriquez, personal communication, February 5, 2021; T. Miller, personal communication,
May 20, 2021 A. Steward, personal communication, September 2, 2021; W. Feliz, personal
communication, September 14, 2021).
During the start-up phase, the targeted population will be residents of Maine and Pima
County, Arizona. Additional, more specific, targeting efforts will include individuals Feliz
described as “ambivalent” and the “conflicted middle”, the people who are neither very
supportive nor very unsupportive of immigrants (personal communication, September 14, 2021).
Inroads to this population will be through collaboration with existing organizations who have
already expressed interest, including Welcome Immigrant Neighbors- Bangor and the newly
formed Connecting Across Cultures group in Midcoast Maine, and guided by feedback from the
focus group throughout the “soft launch” in Fall 2021.
Changes in the social fabric are necessary to rebuke the current narrative of immigrants
as dangerous and replace it with a new narrative, one emphasizing that immigrant rights are
human rights and that is the message at the core of S.Hu.R.E. The immigrants who are in
deportation proceedings or those applying for asylum will benefit by feeling fully informed and
fairly represented in the process, as they will consistently receive fair treatment and their full due
process rights due to having legal representation throughout the immigration court proceedings
(Kamasaki, Timmons & Tudi, 2015). There will also likely be increased efficiency and accuracy
of their proceedings, while also heightening the integrity of the system due to more fair
proceedings (Nash, 2019). With each of these changes being made throughout the process and
the implementation of universal representation, racial equity will be impacted, and the
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oppressive culture of the criminal justice and immigration systems will be shifted due to the
change in practices, impacting the Grand Challenges of Promote Smart Decarceration and
Eliminate Racism.
Environmental Scan and Opportunities for Innovation
It is challenging to identify the current solutions being attempted to address the issue of
the use of detention facilities for immigration enforcement, because there are many government
policies which support and reinforce the practice (Fernandez, 2014; Gilman & Romero, 2018).
The current solution landscape includes a new movement in support of universal legal
representation for deportation proceedings. The Safety and Fairness for Everyone (SAFE)
Network was launched in 2017 by the Vera Institute of Justice in collaboration with the Center
for Popular Democracy and the National Immigration Law Center to partner with local and state
governments to fund locals in their immigration proceedings, with the SAFE theory of change
being to partner with local and state governments and cultivate local leaders and political actors
to lead the push on universal representation (Vera, 2020; G. Pleasants, personal
communication, October 21, 2020). This project will fill the gap of providing parallel support to
the universal representation campaigns by focusing on public support and that of the
constituencies of elected officials, as well as providing guidance on specific actions that can be
taken in order to be effective. In speaking with an individual working for PCJFA and a program
director for Vera, both of these stakeholders indicated their need for support in changing the
public narrative in general and supporting advocacy campaigns in particular.
Opportunity Agenda (2021) is a social justice communication lab that utilizes a “values-
based story” typical of many organizations supporting immigrants, focusing on the economic or
cultural contributions that immigrants make to their communities. Another common tactic of a
more positive narrative is good immigrant/bad immigrant or prioritizing counsel for
unaccompanied children. This project will focus on an innovative approach to narrative change
by emphasizing that immigrant rights are human rights and all immigrants are entitled to
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representation in order to support their efforts to navigate the complexities of the criminal justice
and immigration systems so that they might receive fair treatment and their full due process.
Innovation Connection to Theory of Change and Logic Model
The theory of change for this project includes a clear objective that informs design
criteria and campaign strategies based on what influences people to take action (see
Appendices A and B). In addition to efforts directed toward changing the public narrative about
immigrants, the campaign will include specific calls to action: support local campaigns for
publicly funded universal representation (such as PCJFA in Tucson), as well as the national
movement; advocate with elected officials at all levels to support legislation for these programs
or others that protect the rights of immigrants; and (perhaps most importantly) speak up and/or
use social media to emphasize the humanity of migrants in an individual’s own circle of
influence. By providing human resources and technology, along with quantitative and qualitative
data collection to disseminate accurate information, S.Hu.R.E. will increase recognition of the
problem and provide parallel support for the efforts of local and state advocates who are
pursuing relevant policy changes. If the planned activities are accomplished, the public narrative
about immigration, detention and deportation will be changed; there will be an increase in legal
representation of immigrants in deportation proceedings; increased efficiency and accuracy of
proceedings; improved outcomes for detainees; and increased safety and security for
individuals who are migrants and their families (see Logic Model in Appendix C).
Area 4: Project Structure, Methodology, and Action Components
Prototype
The prototype for this project has two distinct components, the S.Hu.R.E. campaign
strategy and the social content, both of which are instrumental in exploring and evaluating the
design elements and whether the selected platforms and the content on those platforms are
going to be effective in changing the public narrative about immigrants, detention and access to
legal counsel (see Social Media Outreach Strategy in Appendix G). The social media toolkit
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provides an overview of the project, while the charts that follow outline the specific elements of
the outreach plan and the action steps that will be taken towards building a following. The
channel specific guidelines outline the differences for the separate platforms of Instagram and
Facebook. The Supporting Human Rights and Equality in Maine Facebook page is live, as is the
s.hu.r.e.inmaine Instagram account.
Between October 2021 and November 2021, and then again from December 2021
through May 2022, a focus group will be utilized for content development and evaluation. Ten
individuals either known or referred to the founder convened in mid-October to help understand
stakeholders’ perspectives on specific issues related to immigrants, detention, and access to
legal representation, and the reasons behind their relevant attitudes and behaviors. A pre-
survey was also conducted at this time (see Appendix H for survey and sample responses). On
October 20, a survey was given to 11 participants of a Maine Multicultural Center event, none of
whom were previously known and who reside throughout the state (see Appendix H for survey
and sample responses).
Over the next few months, beta content will be shared with members of the focus group,
who will provide quick feedback regarding specific material designed for social media platforms.
The focus group will convene again in mid-December 2021 and then once more in early June
2022, during which additional feedback will be provided as well as information useful for
identifying barriers and promoting factors to reach the desired audience, grow community, and
educate, equip, and empower people to engage in the process of attitude and/or behavior
change. Feedback from members of the focus group as well as comparative data from a post-
test will inform future design decisions and the social media strategy and/or content will be
revised accordingly.
Market Analysis and Alternative Options
In addition to the complexity of the issue of immigration, the constant movement of
people and correspondingly fluid and increasingly divisive social and political arenas contribute
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an ever-changing landscape: globally, for the United States, and even locally within states or
regions. Emergent Learning practices have been utilized to pull together stories, experiences,
and data to extract salient insights to apply to the work being done. Collaborators in this project
demonstrated an openness to shifting focus when conditions indicated a more prudent and
viable issue should be prioritized. Such a change required time and significant additional
research in order to alter the target area from solely Pima County, AZ to primarily Maine; reduce
the focus on universal representation; and design the engagement strategy described in this
report to increase knowledge and awareness; develop a community; and partner with
community organizations to support individuals seeking asylum with essential needs of housing,
food and a source of income. However, analysis of the local region revealed a clear value
proposition for this project in Maine, which is geographically and demographically different than
other states where immigrant alliance work is done differently, and where nothing like S.Hu.R.E.
currently exists.
S.Hu.R.E. Implementation Methodology
Glasgow et al. (2019), first developed RE-AIM in 1999 as a framework to help close the
gap between research and practice in public health and policy. The dimensions of RE-AIM
involve Reach, Effectiveness, Adaptation, Implementation, and Maintenance and “unique
features of RE-AIM include an explicit focus on issues, dimensions and steps in the design,
dissemination, and implementation process that can either facilitate or impede success in
achieving broad and equitable population-based impact” (Glasgow et al., 2019, para. 2).
Although RE-AIM is rooted in public health and policy, through the work of a research
consortium over the last fifteen years, use of the framework has expanded to include diverse
interventions, settings, and populations, an attribute leading to its selection to guide the process
of planning and evaluating S.Hu.R.E.
Powell et al. (2015) compiled a collection of 73 implementation strategies, many of which
can be applied in conjunction with the RE-AIM framework to the implementation of S.HU.R.E.
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(See Implementation timeline in Appendix E). While some discrete strategies have and will be
used independently (such as assess for readiness and identify barriers and facilitators), others
will be multi-faceted (such as build a coalition, promote network weaving, and capture and share
local knowledge). Completed and current course work has addressed several strategies in the
Reach and Effectiveness phases of the process, including developing relationships with
organizations and conducting local consensus discussions to identify the issues and narrow the
problem to be addressed, as well as identifying implementation barriers and facilitators. In
addition to the conversations with multiple stakeholders, including individuals and members of
immigrant-supporting organizations in Maine, fieldwork has been conducted in Arizona to
observe conditions and happenings at the border firsthand, meet with community group leaders,
and make connections with migrants and border justice advocates. Multiple individuals have
also been identified in Maine who support the mission of S.Hu.R.E.
Existing relationships with Maine-based organizations such as Welcoming Immigrant
Neighbors- Bangor, Connecting Across Cultures, and the Maine Multicultural Center, along with
Arizona-based organizations including PCJFA, the Tucson Samaritans, Salvavision, and others
provide a solid foundation upon which to form and cultivate relationships with partners during
the implementation effort, with information sharing and collaborative problem-solving occurring
organically, though there will also be intentional efforts to encourage and support these
synergistic processes.
The time frame for the start-up process, which falls in the Effectiveness, Adoption, and
Implementation phases of the framework, will continue for another 14 months (through
December 2022), during which the strategy of purposely reexamining the implementation
process itself will be used to evaluate whether S.Hu.R.E. is clearly adding value and
successfully implementing the specific solution to the specific problems as detailed earlier in this
report. Once this has been positively assessed and the design refined accordingly, S.Hu.R.E.
will be in a position to scale up with additional partnerships, tailoring implementation strategies
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as needed to meet the unique needs of other organizations and their corresponding
communities and move into the Maintenance phase of the RE-AIM framework.
The fact that S.Hu.R.E. leadership is not (yet) a community-identified leader could be an
outer context barrier, as Valente (2015) determined that interventions implemented by
community-identified leaders are more likely to be effectively implemented than those by non-
leaders. However, initial indications are that community members are willing to participate in
conversations, interested in learning more, and open to engaging with S.Hu.R.E. as a means of
increasing their awareness and understanding; community organizations have also been
receptive to the S.Hu.R.E. founder’s ideas and expressed commitments to collaborative efforts.
With each trip to the border for field work, the S.Hu.R.E. founder gains credibility, as these
experiences contribute to their knowledge and expertise, both of which will be further
recognized upon degree completion. Palinkas (2011) identified interorganizational networks and
cross-sector collaboration as elements of the outer context and an outer context facilitator for
S.Hu.R.E. is the presence of strong interorganizational networks and collaboration, which
increase the likelihood of successful implementation, as well as creating the social networking
support necessary to sustain an intervention.
An inability to overcome the larger immigration narrative and potential for changing goals
and priorities for organizations and beneficiaries could result in the inner context barrier of task
relevance or with individual adopter’s attitudes towards priorities and goals, as other
organizations may not consider universal representation to be a priority as the immigration
landscape continues to develop under the Biden-Harris administration. At the present moment,
the already backlogged and beleaguered immigration system is facing tension in several
significant areas, including the recent arrival of more than 31,000 Afghan refugees who are
being relocated throughout the United States, including hundreds coming to Maine (Jordan &
Steinhauer, 2021; Bouchard, 2021); the recent surge of Haitian immigrants and the response of
Border Patrol at Del Rio and the flurry of immediate deportations (Sanchez, 2021); and the
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uncertainty surrounding the re-starting of MPP next month (Rosenberg & Cooke, 2021).
Adaptive leadership will be required as these situations play out and S.Hu.R.E. must remain
nimble and flexible, with the willingness to shift focus again, while always making sure to remain
in alignment with the fundamental root of the mission of S.Hu.R.E. to create a counter narrative
about immigration and stop the dehumanization of immigrants.
S.Hu.R.E. Financial Planning
The S.Hu.R.E. founder and Board of Directors (once formed) will utilize appropriate
operational performance measures for effectiveness and efficiency, in order to responsibly
manage financial risks and to ensure the planned capacity to increase scale in order to impact
the Grand Challenges of Promote Smart Decarceration and Eliminate Racism by educating,
equipping, and empowering people to engage in the process of attitude and behavior change.
S.Hu.R.E. is a relatively small-scale program, with lofty aspirations to produce meaningful social
change through a private 501(c)(4) providing public education in order to create a counter-
narrative about immigration, stop the dehumanization of immigrants, and support initiatives for
universal access to legal representation.
Given that an element of S.Hu.R.E.’s activities is to engage in grassroots organizing in
support of ballot measures providing for universal representation and/or the election of political
candidates who support immigrants could also be important to the mission, the classification as
a 501(c)(4) is required because those specific activities are permissible under the IRS
guidelines and not permissible for 501(c)(3) organizations. An inherent challenge of the
501(c)(4) status of S.Hu.R.E. will be that donors will not receive a tax benefit for their
contributions. While this limitation could yield a potential negative impact on revenue, history
has shown that people are willing to financially support causes about which they care (Alliance
for Justice, 2020; Ibrisevic, 2020).
S.Hu.R.E. is currently in its start-up phase, which is projected to last through December
2022, with the FFYO beginning January 1, 2023. S.Hu.R.E. will require approximately $24,000
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over the next few years, with $8,250 over the start-up period and $15,710 for the first full year of
operation in 2023.
For both the start-up period and FFYO, the founder will be the sole individual dedicated
to S.Hu.R.E. as project personnel. Through the coursework and completion of the Capstone
Project for the Doctorate of Social Work program at the University of Southern California the
founder has developed the knowledge and skills necessary to serve in an executive capacity
and is prepared to effectively oversee the implementation of the social innovation of S.Hu.R.E.
The costs allocated for this position will be $70,000 for the start-up period of 1.75 years and
$40,000 for the FFYO. This amount was calculated based on a fair-market annual salary of
$80,000 and with the assumption that the position is .5FT because the founder will continue with
current professional obligations as an adjunct professor and therapist. However, the founder will
be working without compensation, including benefits, until 2024, thus eliminating the personnel
expenses for the first couple of years. Even so, most of the start-up and FFYO costs will be to
cover professional expenses rendered for research, marketing and communications, content
creation/development and production management.
Multiple steps are needed in order to prepare for a successful launch of S.Hu.R.E., with
some of these tasks being handled by professionals with the specific skill sets required, such as
the recruitment and hiring of a Board of Directors, as well as creating a logo and beginning the
process of creating a unique and recognizable brand identity. A local artist has been
commissioned to design the logo and further develop the branding kit, offering to donate their
time at an estimated cost of $2500. The Board and leadership team will also need to hire
independent contractors to accomplish tasks such as research and monitoring sources and/or
trends of misinformation; connecting with researchers, consultants, fact-checkers and
individuals directly impacted by detention and removal proceedings; and creating a website,
should it be determined that having one would benefit S.Hu.R.E. A Graduate Research
Assistant from the University of Arizona Binational Migration Institute will also be contracted with
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S.Hu.R.E. beginning in the Fall of 2022 to assist with research related to content creation and
production management as well as evaluation and assessment.
S.Hu.R.E. has a fundraising goal of $8,250 over the start-up period, which runs through
December of 2022 and $15,710 for the first full year of operation in 2023. In order to cover the
project expenses, a robust base of both individual and institutional donors will be required.
Therefore, funding sources for S.Hu.R.E. will be varied in accordance with the activities, ranging
from general support for public awareness and education campaigns or support of immigrants,
to future efforts supporting ballot measures or candidates for political office in a particular locale.
The sustainability of S.Hu.R.E. will depend on its ability to establish viable partnerships with like-
minded organizations, as well as having its own funding base. Individual donors will be relied
upon for $2500 in contributions for the start-up period and then $5000 for the FFYO.
Approximately 20% of the projected need of 100 individuals willing to donate $25 have been
identified, with some willing to donate more.
Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees (GCIR) is the nation’s only
immigrant-focused philanthropy-supporting organization. GCIR works with 130 member
institutions and 1,200 individual grantmakers in their network to address immigrant-specific
issues and advance justice, equity, and inclusion for all. S.Hu.R.E. is anticipating utilizing this
resource in order to secure foundation grants estimating $3,250 for the start-up period, and then
$10,710 for the FFYO in 2023. While some foundations can be reluctant to fund 501(c)(4)s,
many others recognize the impact these particular nonprofits can have towards achieving
foundation goals and ensuring security for their investments and are willing to fund primary
purpose/nonpartisan activities (Bolder Advocacy, 2021). The founder will be joining GCIR at the
start of next month for a discussion with the Alliance for Justice and leading immigrant justice
organizations to understand how philanthropy can fund in the 501(c)4 space, as well as learning
about active funding opportunities. A detailed break-down of the start-up and FFY operating
expenses as well as projected revenues is in the budgets in Appendix F.
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Impact Assessment and Addressing the Stated Problem
Project impact can be determined in different ways, from measuring the process, to
meeting short-term goals, as well as achieving outcomes in identified long-term results. The
start-up period of S.Hu.R.E. will be evaluated on each of the two components, the campaign
strategy and the social content, utilizing social metrics to monitor and analyze audience size,
growth rate and engagement on the various social media platforms, and surveys and focus
groups to assess the change in awareness, understanding and attitude: does providing accurate
information to a specifically targeted audience, while creating a parallel between immigrant
rights and human rights and educating about the need for and potential impact of universal
representation and lead to changed behavior? Sprout Social may be used to compile and
analyze data related to the growth, engagement and impact of each individual social media
platform, as well as cross-network operational efficiency.
Short-term goals include that public awareness will be raised and there will be a better
understanding of universal representation, as well as citizens knowing what and how to
advocate with elected officials to support publicly funded legal representation for individuals in
deportation proceedings. Assessment tools are in the process of being developed, with design
elements informed by feedback from the focus group, and will measure three key performance
indicators: individuals’ levels of awareness and understanding; attitudes towards immigrants;
and behaviors and engagement in advocacy actions. Survey questions utilized by Pew
Research Center, Lucid, and other reputable polling firms are being piloted with the focus group
(see Appendices F1 and F2).
The recent unsuccessful efforts of PCJFA to get the initiative for universal representation
on the ballot in 2020 provides a general benchmark of comparison upon which to evaluate the
impact of S.Hu.R.E. within Pima County. Specifically and most immediately, project impact can
be assessed by whether the added support of S.Hu.R.E. next year contributes to the PCJFA
initiative meeting their goal of the 90,000 signatures needed by July of next year to get an
S.Hu.R.E.: Supporting Human Rights and Equality

34
initiative on the November 2022 ballot to establish an Office of Immigration Representation and
extend the right to a public defender for all immigration cases in Pima County. In addition,
meeting fundraising goals, both in terms of number of individual donors and the total
contributions, along with the successful formation of additional partnerships with like-minded
organizations will be measures of operational efficiency. Is S.Hu.R.E. reaching and being
effective with engaging and making connections within its intended target population and
establishing additional collaborative efforts?
Later in the start-up phase, starting in early 2022, information gathered from the focus
group will inform a pre-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design that will be used with
social media platform participants to assess the change in awareness, understanding and
attitude. An interrupted time series design may also be used, with measurements taken at
intervals over the period of time between January and December 2022. Great care will be taken
with the questions to ensure that they are easily understood. This clarity, along with the surveys
being anonymous, will contribute to accurately reported data from participants. These self-report
scales, along with observational data, can be used to assess individual attitudes and beliefs, as
well as changes from a baseline report in levels of engagement in interpersonal advocacy
actions/activities and/or social advocacy actions/ activities. Strengths of the evaluation design
are the multi-layered process of starting with a focus group prior to the pilot launch, using
proven survey questions, and creating new questions modeled after the methodology of reliable
pollsters. A disadvantage of these evaluation methods is weak validity due to the lack of a
formal way to determine causation for change. Furthermore, narrative change takes time. This,
combined with the probability of not focusing solely on one specific outcome due to the
complexity of the issue of immigration, “evaluating the causality between a successful narrative
shift and the strategies designed to shift it, can be particularly challenging” (Opportunity Agenda,
2021, para. 12).

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S.Hu.R.E. Stakeholder Involvement
Individuals who have been the most impacted by the problem have been involved since
the start of the project, sharing personal stories and experiences, informing the design process,
and guiding the development of the messages, and directly impacted community members will
continue to be directly centered throughout the campaign. Other stakeholders and additional
potential coalition partners include legal service providers; allied groups and constituencies;
community leaders and community-based organizations; faith leaders, civil rights organizations,
racial justice activists and other communities of conscience; and advocates and organizations
with experience in grassroots and organizing local campaigns, all with the intention of building
an inclusive and intersectional community of support. Users of this project include public
citizens, both those who may be already engaged with allied community groups and those who
are not, as well as elected officials. A detailed stakeholder analysis matrix can be found in
Appendix D.
S.Hu.R.E. Communications Products and Strategies: Cultural Responsiveness
Diversity, equity and inclusion is not guaranteed for S.Hu.R.E. simply because the
majority of the beneficiaries are people of color. First and foremost, the positionality of the
founder, and the potential influence of race, social class and personal beliefs, etc. must be
thoroughly explored and critically reflected upon on a consistent basis to maintain awareness of
the intersectional perceptions of difference and the power dynamics that exist. Language used
in the S.Hu.R.E. case for support will emphasize humanity and personhood. Full attention will
also be paid to identifying the needs of the beneficiaries: immigrants, some of whom may be in
deportation proceedings, and especially those in detention or who have been ordered to remain
in Mexico pending the outcome of their asylum case. Intention and attention will be paid to
highlighting a strength-based approach to communication with stakeholders and potential
donors and/or funders. Immigrant voices and experiences will be centered and amplified
throughout the content that is on S.Hu.R.E. social platforms.
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36
In alignment with the tenets of CRT and the use of counterstory, an important element of
S.Hu.R.E. is to center the voices of migrants and those community members directly impacted
by detention and removal proceedings, who can share their experiences in their native countries
and throughout the journey to the United States, as well as attesting to the impact of the lack or
presence of legal representation. All relationships formed must be respected and honored,
requesting consent, ensuring accuracy, not oversimplifying people or cultural practices, and
allowing the individuals to tell their own story and control their own image. Care must be taken
to represent varied identities, eliminate barriers which may prevent full participation, and bring
multiple representatives of the immigrant community into the process of preparing and
presenting material (in multiple languages), serving on the board, and evaluating the
implementation of S.Hu.R.E.
Ethical Concerns and Potential Negative Consequences
Power must be considered and equity advanced in every aspect of the work of
S.Hu.R.E. to effectively change the narrative surrounding immigration. Author Teju Cole (2012)
introduced the White Savior Industrial Complex in an effort to bring attention to the fact that
there is a real danger for White Americans (the primary demographic of Maine and, therefore,
the individuals most likely to be following S.Hu.R.E.) to participate in social activism to satisfy
personal emotional needs and/or to neglect the systemic underpinnings and historic events that
have laid the foundation of understanding for today’s issues. The social justice narrative of
S.Hu.R.E. must be willing to openly and frequently address race (Opportunity Agenda, 2021).
The founder and other individuals involved with S.Hu.R.E. must actively assess for and respond
to their own bias, learn and actively practice anti-racist behaviors, and maintain focus on their
efforts to dismantle systems of oppression. S.Hu.R.E. must also remain cognizant of the
potential of an increased presence on social media putting immigrants and particularly
undocumented individuals in danger from immigration enforcement authorities and/or anti-
immigrant individuals in the community.
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37
Another potential negative consequence would be if the social platforms turned into just
another realm for unproductive and divisive discourse. Mechanisms are in place to remain alert
for this occurring and change course by returning to focus of content to sharing facts and first-
person accounts, using humanizing language, showing similarities, and promoting S.Hu.R.E.’s
vision of focusing on ways forward, starting in our own interactions with members of our
community.
Area 5: Conclusions, Actions, and Implications
Prototype Ready to be Shared: Potential Future Decisions and Actions
This paper has, thus far, largely focused on the initial start-up phase of S.Hu.R.E., which
will of course, be laying the foundation for future action. The primary objective of the current
efforts of the project are to increase public awareness with the goal of changing the public
narrative about immigrants, detention, and access to legal counsel in order to support initiatives
for universal access to legal representation or other relevant issues impacting immigrants in our
communities.
In response to the Maine Immigrants’ Rights Council Asylum-Seekers Working Group’s
New Arrivals Assessment finding that Maine has “limited services and resources outside of
Greater Portland” (Maine Immigrant Rights’ Council 2021, slide 4), S.Hu.R.E. has explored the
environmental landscape of Midcoast Maine and found it to be a viable location for an immigrant
housing settlement with more robust community support. S.Hu.R.E. has begun activity on
Instagram and the Facebook page is live. An anticipated outcome of the social media campaign
to increase awareness will be a collective of individuals and organizations who have the desire
to actively support migrants in Maine. Future action will be to cultivate this collective with
deliberate intentions to plan, develop, and raise additional public support for a cohousing living
community for immigrants. Following further exploration of the environmental context in the
Midcoast region, S.Hu.R.E. expects to develop an intentional collaborative immigrant housing
S.Hu.R.E.: Supporting Human Rights and Equality

38
settlement with both on-site resources and assistance in accessing services in the surrounding
towns.
Conclusions, Context, and Implications for Practice and Further Action
If S.Hu.R.E. is successful in building followers, accurate information will be disseminated
regarding the lack of connection and minimal threat to public safety of the so-called “criminal
aliens” and there will be a higher level of public awareness about the policies and practices of
ICE and the immigration system, especially how they impact individuals and families. By finding
and joining people and organizations committed to the shared mission of changing the narrative,
the rare resource of collaboration in narrative work will be expanded. There is also value in the
specific and innovative narrative change- tapping into a universal emotion and human
connection and turning this into a call for action. S.Hu.R.E. will challenge the belief that some
people are more worthy of due process than others, contributing to the creation of a more
equitable power dynamic and shifting the oppressive culture of the immigration and criminal
justice systems due to the changes in practices and public opinion. The audience that would
benefit the most in terms of improvements in day-to-day living and well-being will be individuals
navigating their immigration cases, as they will have access to legal representation, putting
them less at risk of long-term detention and deportation. Furthermore, widely shared American
values of due process and fairness as laid out in the Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution
will be protected.
Limitations and Risks
Limitations to this project include that narrative shifts take time- longer than messaging
shifts, requiring patience and perseverance to remain committed to the work. Narrative shifts
are also complex, muddled by the perpetual shifting environmental landscape, which will also
make it difficult to evaluate the effectiveness of specific or individualized strategies; further
complicating evaluation efforts is the comparatively new emergence of the field of narrative
strategy, with limited research done to date (Opportunity Agenda, 2021).
S.Hu.R.E.: Supporting Human Rights and Equality

39
While the results of the last election and recent change in presidential administrations
seems to indicate a more favorable landscape for immigration policy, the Biden Plan for
Securing our Values as a Nation of Immigrants (2020) does not include guaranteeing universal
representation in immigration cases, so there is also no guaranteed public funding to support
S.Hu.R.E. There could also be further backlash to the election results and the events of the last
nine months, some of which may impact immigration, as has been seen in the issue of voting
rights. Or, individual donors or foundations may not consider universal representation to be a
priority as the issue of immigration continues to develop under the Biden-Harris administration,
preferring to finance other efforts to support migrants and asylum-seekers who are entering the
United States at the southern border. There is also the risk that because this campaign is social-
media based, there will be some level of inequity in access by individuals without smartphones
or other means of access to the Internet.
Recommendations for Future Work
It is possible that this project could serve as a template of what any regional community
in Maine or other similar geo/demographic region, such as New Hampshire, Vermont and areas
of upstate New York could use to increase awareness (if needed), develop a community of
support, and then develop an intentional collaborative immigrant housing community.
Recommendations for future work include to conduct further networking efforts with additional
immigrant advocacy groups and other communities of conscience both in and outside of
Midcoast Maine to support the potential to scale/expand to the Bangor-area, DownEast, and
County regions of Maine. On a broader scope, because the field of narrative strategy is
relatively new, specifically studying and then reporting on the impact of counterstory on anti-
immigrant rhetoric will contribute to the literature in and expansion of the discipline.
Plan for Advancement of Next Steps
Over the next several months, the founder’s attention and efforts will be focused on the
soft-launch process- developing content, communicating with focus group members, refining the
S.Hu.R.E.: Supporting Human Rights and Equality

40
strategies for expanding reach, and improving assessment tools. Moving forward, recruiting a
group of committed and resourceful individuals to serve as founding board members for
S.Hu.R.E. is a priority task. In addition, relationships will be expanded with at least a dozen
individuals who are asylum-seekers in Maine and/or directly impacted by detention and removal
proceedings in order to highlight one person/family per month on the S.Hu.R.E. social media
platforms in 2022. S.Hu.R.E. is positioned to contribute to transformational changes in attitude
and behavior towards immigrants through education and advocacy for equality and justice in
laws and communities.

S.Hu.R.E.: Supporting Human Rights and Equality

41

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Patrol Chief says. KXAN News. https://www.kxan.com/border-report/migrants-no-longer-
crossing-into-del-rio-texas-border-patrol-chief-says/
Sarabia, H. (2018, April). “Felons, not families”: Criminalized illegality, stigma, and
membership of deported “criminal aliens”. Migration Letters, 15(2), pp. 284-300.
https://doi.org/10.33182/ml.v15i2.374
Southern Border Communities Coalition. (2021, January 19). Asylum seekers at the border.
https://www.southernborder.org/border_lens_asylum_seekers_at_the_border

Stave, J., Markowitz, P., Berberich, K., Cho, T., Dubbaneh, D., Simich, L., Siulc, N., &
Smart, N. (2017, November). Evaluation of the New York Immigrant Family Unity
Project: Assessing the impact of legal representation on family and community unity.
S.Hu.R.E.: Supporting Human Rights and Equality

50
Vera Institute of Justice. https://www.vera.org/downloads/publications/new-york-
immigrant-family-unity-project-evaluation.pdf
Towner, T. L., & Muñoz, C. L. (2018). Baby boom or bust? The new media effect on political
participation. Journal of Political Marketing, 17(1), 32–61.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15377857.2016.1153561
TRAC. (2017, November 28). Asylum representation rates have fallen amid rising denial rates.
https://trac.syr.edu/immigration/reports/491/
TRAC. (2020, January 8). Record number of asylum cases in FY 2019.
https://trac.syr.edu/immigration/reports/588/
TRAC. (2021). Immigration Court quick facts.
https://trac.syr.edu/immigration/quickfacts/?category=eoir
Tucker, E., Cheer, S., Garlick, M., Berberich, K., Moussavian, A. & Chen, A. (2020, May 12).
Building the Movement. Vera Institute of Justice. https://www.vera.org/advancing-
universal-representation-toolkit/building-the-movement
Ubay, J. (2021, October 7). ‘White Borders’ explores America’s long history of racially
exclusive immigration policies. Hawaii Public Radio.
https://www.hawaiipublicradio.org/the-conversation/2021-10-07/white-borders-explores-
americas-long-history-of-racially-exclusive-immigration-policies
United States Census Bureau. (2019, July 1). QuickFacts Maine
https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/ME/PST045219
United States Customs and Border Protection. (2021, October 25). FY 2020 Nationwide
Enforcement Encounters: Title 8 Enforcement Actions and Title 42 Expulsions.
https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/stats/cbp-enforcement-statistics/title-8-and-title-42-
statistics

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United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement. (2019). U.S. Immigration and Customs
Enforcement fiscal year 2019 Enforcement and Removal Operations report.
https://www.ice.gov/sites/default/files/documents/Document/2019/eroReportFY2019.
pdf
United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement. (2020). U.S. Immigration and Customs
Enforcement fiscal year 2020 Enforcement and Removal Operations report.
https://www.ice.gov/doclib/news/library/reports/annual-report/eroReportFY2020.pdf
United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement. (2021) Detention Management.
https://www.ice.gov/detain/detention-management
Valente, T.W.; Palinkas, L.A.; Czaja, S.; Chu, K-H.; Brown, C.H. Social network
analysis for program implementation. PLOS ONE.
.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0131712
Vera Institute of Justice. (2019, December 10). Advancing universal representation: A toolkit
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https://www.vera.org/advancing-universal-representation-toolkit
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https://religionandpolitics.org/2019/10/22/for-many-immigration-activists-welcoming-str
angers-is-an-act-of-faith/
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Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203624821
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of Multicultural Education, 22(2), 5+.
https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A637123489/GPS?u=usocal_main&sid=bookmark-
GPS&xid=85051dc5

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Appendix A: Theory of Change: DIY Template

What is the
problem you
are trying to
solve?

This Capstone
Project
addresses the
Grand
Challenges of
Promote Smart
Decarceration
and Eliminate
Racism.

The due process
rights of migrants
in detention
centers are
undermined
because they do
not have access
to adequate legal
materials and
limited access
to legal
representation for
immigration
proceedings.

Who is your
key audience?

The general
public, most of
whom are not
aware of the
factual status
of the problem
and the current
movement
towards a
solution of
publicly funded
universal
representation.

What is your
entry point to
reaching your
audience?

Public
awareness
campaign-
primarily through
social media,
including social
networking and
media sharing.

Leveraging
partnerships-
WIN- Bangor,
Maine
Multicultural
Center, PCJFA

What steps are
needed to bring
about change?

Public recognition
of the problem, the
need and potential
impact of universal
representation.

Case studies/
story- and/ counter-
story-sharing to
demonstrate
impact of legal
representation.

Partnering with a
variety of groups
and constituencies
to create a diverse
support network.

Measurable
effect of your
work?

Local and state
governments will
implement and
fund universal
representation.

Measurable
effect?

Higher number of
detainees will
have legal
representation for
Master Calendar
Hearing

What are the
wider benefits
of your work?

Improved
outcomes for
detainees

Wider benefits?

Decreased
isolation and
separation from
family

Increased safety
and security for
individuals and
families
Wider
benefits?

Decreased cost of
detention
Measurable
effect?
More efficient and
accurate
immigration court
proceedings
What is the long
term change you
see as your
goal?

Narrative change:
immigrant-rights=
human rights

Detainees will
consistently
receive fair
treatment and
their full due
process rights.

Oppressive
culture of the
criminal system
will be shifted.

Key
assumptions

Anti-immigrant
rhetoric will
continue due to
the current
social and
political
landscape.

Key
assumptions

Allied groups and
members will
support the
campaign for
universal
representation,
providing a base
of support from
which to grow.

Key
assumptions
With education
and information,
the attitudes and
beliefs of the
public will change,
leading to
behavioral change
(supporting the
campaigns and
elected officials
pushing for
programs at the
local or state
level).

Key
assumptions
Past pattern of
improved
outcomes for
detainees with
legal
representation will
continue.

Key
assumptions

Operation
Streamline will not
be expanded in light
of increased backlog
from COVID-19.

Stakeholders
Allied groups and
constituents
Citizens
DHS/ICE
Elected officials
Legal service
providers
Migrant in
detention
Private prison
companies
Business/private
industry
Law Enforcement

S.Hu.R.E.: Supporting Human Rights and Equality

54

Appendix B : Theory of Change: Fourfold Framework

Outcome

Process

Proposition
This project will contribute to transformational
changes in attitude and behavior towards immigrants
through education and advocacy for equality and
justice in laws and communities.

Resources/Inputs: Human resources, technology, quantitative and qualitative
data collection
Activities: Public Awareness Campaign; social networking and media sharing;
provide parallel support for the efforts of local, state and national advocates
who are pursuing policy change; provide education regarding how to advocate
with elected officials and/or to support universal representation
Outputs: accurate information regarding the lack of evidence regarding
danger posed by immigrants; increase in publicly funded local and state
deportation defense programs; increased legal representation for detainees
Outcomes: more efficient and accurate immigration court proceedings,
improved outcomes for detainees, decreased cost of detention
Impact: shift in public narrative about immigration: immigrant rights are
human rights; long-lasting behavioral change due to raised awareness and
increased knowledge

Evidence
Base
Access to Counsel in Immigration Court: Special
Report by Ingrid Eagly, Esq. and Steven Shafer,
Esq., September 2016.
Key finding: Immigrants with legal representation
are more likely to succeed in their cases.

Cost of counsel in immigration: Immigration
economic analysis of proposal providing public
counsel to indigent persons subject to immigration
proceedings by Dr. John D. Montgomery, May 28,
2014
Relevant finding: the proposal is likely to make
immigration removal proceedings more accurate and
efficient. Generally, the involvement of counsel is
likely to increase the chances that respondents who
are legally entitled to be in the United States are
allowed to stay.
Best Practices:

Stanford Social Innovation
Review: https://ssir.org/articles/entry/stop_raising_awareness_already

Universal Representation
https://www.vera.org/advancing-universal-representation-toolkit

#Pop Justice
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/6001b70b59882814f5d98d43/t/601af964
9c7c415d8f9a7bd7/1612380517186/PopJustice+Volume+3_Research+Review
.pdf

Multidisciplinary approach
https://repository.law.umich.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1141&context=m
jlr

S.Hu.R.E.: Supporting Human Rights and Equality

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Appendix C: Logic Model

Name: Amy Tice
Capstone Project: Public Awareness Campaign in support of Universal Representation
Goal: Change the public narrative about immigration through raised awareness and increased knowledge
INPUTS ACTIVITIES OUTCOMES
What we
invest
What we do Who we reach
Why this project:
short-term results
Why this project:
intermediate
results
Why this project:
long-term results
*Human
resources

*Technology

*Quantitative
and qualitative
data
*Public Awareness
Campaign to build public
recognition of the
problem through media,
messaging and organized
communication
*Social networking and media
sharing: information and case
studies/stories
*Provide parallel support for
the efforts of local, state and
national advocates who are
pursuing policy change
*Provide education
regarding how to advocate with
elected officials and/or to
support universal
representation
*Allied groups
and
constituencies

*General public

*Elected
officials
*Accurate information disseminated regarding
the lack of connection and minimal threat to
public safety of the so-called “criminal aliens”
*Higher level of public awareness about
the policies and practices of ICE and the
immigration system…how they impact
individuals and families
*Reduction in dehumanizing language, shift in
attitudes and beliefs
*Public support for government
funded universal representation
*Influence elected officials to support local and
state governments to fund locals
in immigration/deportation proceedings
*Increased number
of detainees
released on bond
*Increased safety
and security for
individuals and
families
*Decreased isolation
and separation from
family
*Detainees prepared
and have legal
representation for
Master Calendar
Hearing
*Increased
immigrant
buy-in/acceptance
of/compliance with
immigration system
proceedings due to
feeling informed and
fairly represented
*Increased efficiency
and accuracy of
proceedings at Merit
Hearings
*Long-lasting behavioral
change due to raised
awareness and increased
knowledge

*Specific narrative
change: immigrant rights
are hunman rights, not
“good” immigrant vs.
“bad” immigrant

*Improved outcomes for
detainees

*Improved efficiency of
immigration system-
backlog of cases cleared

*Decreased financial
expense and reduced
human cost

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Assumptions
Immigrants will continue to be detained due to the current
social and political landscape and the interconnection of the
immigration and criminal justice systems.
Billions of dollars are spent annually to fund immigrant
detention and these dollars will continue to be spent.
External Factors
There is significant anti-immigrant rhetoric in the United States.
Government policies support and reinforce the practice of the use of detention for immigrant
enforcement.
ICE lacks accountability, is politically untouchable, and summarily denies legal access to
immigrants in detention through policy and practice.

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Appendix D: Stakeholder Analysis Matrix

Stakeholder
Name
Contact
Person
Impact

Influence

What is
important to
the
stakeholder?
How could the
stakeholder
contribute to
the project?
How could the
stakeholder block
the project?
Strategy for
engaging the
stakeholder
Allied Groups
and their
constituencies
WIN-Bangor
Maine
Multicultural
Center
Low-
Medium
Medium-High

Fair and
humane
treatment of
immigrants,
reducing
detention
population
People power,
public support
and exposure
Choose not to
support and
engage/ participate
Emphasize
alignment with their
mission and values
Citizens None
specified
Varies Medium-High Fair and
humane
treatment of
immigrants;
responsible use
of tax money
People power,
public and
economic
support,
influencing
elected officials
Choose not to
support and
engage/ participate
Emphasize
morality. potential
positive outcomes
for immigrants,
saving taxpayers
money
DHS/ICE None
specified
Medium-
High
Medium-
indirect
influence
Enforcement of
immigration
laws,
maintaining bed
quotas, meeting
standards of
care
Supporting
universal
representation
Influence public
opinion with
“alternative facts”
Demonstrate
efficiency, potential
to eliminate backlog
of cases, improve
integrity and public
image
Elected
Officials
Chip Curry
Angus King
Varies Low on public
awareness
campaign
High on
universal
representation
Election to
office,
representing
constituents and
what they
value/deem to
be important
issues
Voice support,
draft, propose
and/or support
legislation for
universal
representation
Choose not to
support/endorse,
speak against and
influence public
opinion
Show data of public
support
S.Hu.R.E.: Supporting Human Rights and Equality

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Legal
Representation
Pro Bono
attorneys
through
various non-
profit groups
or initiatives
High Medium Fair treatment
and full due
process rights
for immigrants,
asylum-seekers
and refugees
Consulting-
share their
experiences and
legal expertise,
provide case
studies
Choosing not to
participate
Potential for access
to additional
resources to
improve parity with
government
attorneys
Migrant in
Detention
Rosie,
among
thousands of
others
High Low Getting out of
detention,
successful
outcome in court
proceedings
Sharing
experiences,
impact of legal
representation
Access to legal
representation,
ability to influence
change and impact
other migrants
Private Prison
Companies
GEO Group,
CoreCivic =
top 2
Potential
to be
High
Low Profit, meeting
standards of
care
Access to
detainees for
interviews/
gathering
stories
Lobby against
universal
representation,
continue policies of
transferring, etc.
which create
additional barriers
to legal access
Improved public
image, more able to
meet standards due
to reduced
numbers

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Appendix E: RE-AIM Implementation Timeline

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Appendix F: Capstone Budgets- Start-up and FFYO

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Appendix G: Social Media Outreach Strategy

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63
Social Growth Approach
Element Description/Actions
Strategic
Alignment
Content strategy, tactics, and daily/weekly programming in alignment with
project goals of awareness (impressions, reach, channel growth, email
acquisition) and engagement (engagement rate= engagement/reach, click
through rate, downloads, email open and click through rates).
Content
Pillars
1. Narrative: Immigrant rights= human rights
2. Personal stories/First-person accounts
3. Sharing facts/correcting misinformation
4. Engagement/Action opportunities
Sticky
Content
Content that gets more people to engage with content. Using metrics to track,
media monitoring, studying “competitor” or influencer social media
coverage/metrics to identify drivers, data-driven communications strategies.
Brand
Identity
Branding kit. Ashlee commissioned for logo.
Earned
Content
Facebook: Frequent comments, tagged photos, tags/mentions of account,
shared content
Instagram: Frequent comments, tagged photos, tags/mentions of account
What is the equivalent of a partner for a product giveaway for S.Hu.R.E.?
Email
Integration
Using email to drive social growth and vice versa. Closed loop with links to
social profiles in email footer.
Measurement
Model
Aligning and assigning KPIs to content and social program. Identify
benchmarks to monitor performance and understand if efforts are successful
by tracking results toward social impact with clear KPIs.

KPI Statements:
Reach: I want to know whether supporters are telling other people about
S.Hu.R.E.. I will determine if more people are visiting my sites and I will
determine in S.Hu.R.E. gains more followers on Instagram and Facebook.

Engagement: I want to know if S.Hu.R.E. supporters are sharing information
about an issue with their social network. I will determine if people are liking or
sharing posts on social media and if they are creating original responses to or
about S.Hu.R.E. posts.

Social Impact: I want to know if S.Hu.R.E. is raising awareness and changing
attitudes or behavior. I will determine if people are reporting a more
informed/accurate understanding about immigrants and the immigration
process and if this has influenced their beliefs and/or actions.

Engagement: I want to know if S.Hu.R.E. is driving action and getting
communicated to decision-makers. I will determine if more S.Hu.R.E. followers
are taking specific calls to action as defined/identified in posts.
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Channel-Specific Guidelines
Instagram Facebook Facebook Group
Content Type
Summary
Visual-photos and
videos
Clickable- status
updates, photos,
videos, events, links,
and other multimedia
content
Community Building-
dialogue around
common attitudes,
values, goals; cause-
driven action/event
planning
Description Values-based, social,
conversational,
community-driven
Highly clickable,
highly shareable
content
A space for
connection, idea
sharing, and “private”
conversation
Visual Quality
Requirement
High Medium Low
Cadence Daily 4 days/week Daily participation
once established
Incentives for
Engagement
Like-Gate contests

Partner with other
Maine immigrant
groups
Partner with other
Maine immigrant
groups

Feature members
who are "making a
difference" for
migrants or in
advocacy efforts
“Each one invite one”
campaign
Success Looks Like Follower growth while
maintaining high
engagement rate
Shared posts,
engagement
Follower growth,
community
engagement- user
generated content

S.Hu.R.E.: Supporting Human Rights and Equality

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Instagram Sample Content

Rosario came to the United States in May of 2019 seeking safety, applied for asylum at the El
Paso Border, and was placed in detention for 9 months while waiting for her petition to be
heard. The immigration judge who heard her case ruled that she qualified for asylum and in
spite of this decision being appealed by the U.S. Government, the Board of Immigration Appeals
also agreed that Rosario should be granted asylum as of August 19 and she can now apply for
legal permanent residence next August.

While Rosie had a positive outcome in immigration court, she was one of only 1,637 of her
countrymen who can say the same and 9,902 other individuals from Guatemala had their
petitions for asylum denied last year...almost 86%. If it were not for her receiving legal support
and representation from an El Paso-area non-profit, Rosario Catun-Sierra would have been just
one more of the almost 10,000 fellow Guatemaltecos to be denied asylum in 2020.

#immigrantrightsarehumanrights
#supportinghumanrightsandequality
S.Hu.R.E.: Supporting Human Rights and Equality

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Register to join via Zoom: https://bit.ly/3FCanTQ
#immigrantrightsarehumanrights
#supportinghumanrightsandequality
S.Hu.R.E.: Supporting Human Rights and Equality

67

Celebrate Indigenous Roots this Monday with @Presente Maine. Art. Games. Home remedies.
Conviviality. Community. Monday, October 11 in Deering Oaks Park.

#immigrantrightsarehumanrights
#supportinghumanrightsandequality

S.Hu.R.E.: Supporting Human Rights and Equality

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Click here for: Resource Books Instagram Post Once on the Canva page, click on
As the days grow shorter and the evenings cooler, now is the perfect time to do some reading
about the borderlands, migrants, and the historical events that have laid the foundation for
today’s issues. Here are some recommendations, with most written by or featuring the voices of
migrants or those in the lands from which migrants have come to the United States.

Tales from the Borderland~ Lawrence J. Taylor
Crossing With the Virgin: Stories from the Migrant Trail~ Kathryn Ferguson, Norma Price, Ted
Parks
Between the Lines: Letters Between Undocumented Mexican and Central American Immigrants
and their Families and Friends~ Larrry Siems
Voices of the Border: Testimonios of Migration, Deportation, and Asylum~ Tobin Hansen and
María Engracia Robles Robles, ME
Build Bridges, not Walls: A Journey to a World Without Borders~ Todd Miller
Storming the Wall: Climate Change, Migration, and Homeland Security~ Todd Miller
A Different Kind of War~ J. Malcolm Garcia
The Devil’s Highway: A True Story~ Luis Alberto Urrea
Central America’s Forgotten History: Revolution, Violence, and the Roots of Migration~ Aviva
Chomsky
Not a Nation of Immigrants: Settler Colonialism, White Supremacy, and a History of Erasure and
Exclusion~ Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz

Please consider looking for these titles at your local #independentbookstore.
Tucson-area people: shop @Barrio Books #latinabusinessowner #chicanascholar

#immigrantrightsarehumanrights
#supportinghumanrightsandequality

S.Hu.R.E.: Supporting Human Rights and Equality

69

S.Hu.R.E.: Supporting Human Rights and Equality

70

Facebook “Soft-Launch” Data 10/8-10/29

Metric Data
Page Followers 31
Page Likes 27
People Reached 892
Post Engagements 215
Video Views 30
Misc.
Most active post-> Article
with link to article about
immigrants not being
responsible for COVID
surges.
89 Link Clicks
57 Reactions
40 Comments
3 Shares

S.Hu.R.E.: Supporting Human Rights and Equality

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Appendix H: Survey Links and Sample Responses

S.Hu.R.E. Soft-Launch Pre-Survey (English)

What is the first word that comes to mind when you think about immigrants in Maine?
Hard working
absent
Culture
Resources
brave
Workers
non-existent
Diversity
Refuge

S.Hu.R.E.: Supporting Human Rights and Equality

72

Maine Multicultural Center Community Forum Survey

S.Hu.R.E.: Supporting Human Rights and Equality

73

S.Hu.R.E. Soft-Launch Pre-Survey (Spanish)

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Asset Metadata

Creator Tice, Amy (author)

Core Title S.Hu.R.E.: Supporting Human Rights and Equality

School Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work

Degree Doctor of Social Work

Degree Program Social Work

Degree Conferral Date 2021-12

Publication Date 10/12/2022

Defense Date 11/19/2021

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag human rights,immigrant rights,immigration,narrative change,OAI-PMH Harvest,universal representation

Format theses (aat)

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Enrile, Annalisa (committee chair), Blosnich, John (committee member), Fatouros, Cassandra (committee member)

Creator Email altice@alumni.usc.edu,altlcpc@gmail.com

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