VACIR Virginia Coalition for Immigrant Rights

Virginia’s immigrants have contributed much to the economy and culture of the Commonwealth, but administrations and citizens at large have often neglected them. To meet their needs, a number of immigrant communities have organized at the grassroots level, creating nonprofit organizations united in a common cause.

The Virginia Center for Immigrant Rights (VACIR) is a multi-racial and multi-ethnic coalition of organizations that exists to win dignity, power and quality of life for all immigrant and refugee communities.

Through assisting with legal advocacy and access to medical care, VACIR works to ensure that Virginia is a place where all are welcome and immigrant communities get the resources they need to thrive. 

Legal Advocacy

VACIR connects immigrants with legal assistance that is safe, reliable, and affordable. VACIR’s online database of legal providers creates a centralized location for those seeking assistance to find the information they need.

VACIR includes organizations advocating for immigrants of many nationalities, ethnicities, and religions, each located throughout the Commonwealth. VACIR coordinates, represents, and advocates for these diverse groups to the General Assembly, ensuring that barriers to immigrant progress are removed, thereby improving the quality of life for all. 

Many immigrants arrived as children or students and, until July 1st, 2020, did not qualify for in-state tuition, regardless of status. As a result, these students could not enroll in public universities and were denied equal access to education. In 2020 the Assembly passed legislation removing barriers to state financial aid for public and private colleges and universities, granting undocumented students equal opportunity in higher education. VACIR advocated for inclusive policies so that all students will feel welcome at school.

VACIR also encouraged participation in the 2020 US Census, helping communities secure funding for the Commonwealth. Some estimates indicate this saved Virginia twenty thousand dollars per person over ten years if undocumented immigrants are not counted. The Coalition also provided advice and assistance to immigrants regarding their political questions and statistical information during the counting process.

Medical Care

According to a 2021 report from the Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis, “27% of the total uninsured population in Virginia are foreign-born non-citizens. This is largely because many non-citizens, particularly undocumented immigrants, face several barriers to accessing health insurance.”

VACIR advocates for medical care that is safe, reliable, and affordable. VACIR’s online database of free clinics compiles every location in Virginia that can provide physical and mental health services for little or no cost. 

VACIR believed that COVID-19 relief should include a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants and that this is essential to Virginia’s economic recovery. Undocumented immigrants work in food service, construction, and the supply chain and pay millions of dollars in taxes. These individuals, VACIR argued, are contributing members of society and many of them have been in the state for years. Despite this, undocumented immigrants are left out of relief packages that would greatly benefit them and also Virginia.

Get Involved

• Volunteer! Fill out the volunteer form on the VACIR website to learn about how you can support the work they do. 
• Donate! Support VACIR through a financial contribution that will help them continue to provide resources to immigrant communities.