Uniting for Immigrant Rights and a Just Future

Leading the immigrant rights program at the Haas, Jr. Fund is an honor and, like many of you, I’ve had to dig deep to find my footing in these times. As the daughter of Iranian immigrants and an immigration lawyer, watching the unraveling of democracy and decades of progress is overwhelming. The fear around me is palpable—families afraid to go to work, school, or even be active online. But now is the time to practice courage, resilience, and collective action. I’m grateful that I learned from my grandmother that we are all capable of holding sorrow and the hope for a better future at once. Holding duality is required to move from overwhelm into action.  

To our nonprofit partners on the frontlines, tirelessly responding to an onslaught of attacks on immigrant rights, know this: the Haas Jr. Fund stands firmly with you. Your courage moves us to double down on ensuring your safety and wellbeing. As a first step, the Haas Jr. Fund is supporting immigrant rights organizations in taking legal action against policies that trample on basic rights and hard-won gains in California.  As a lawyer who fought the Muslim Ban, I know the courts alone won’t save us. We need a wider tent and broader strategies—legal, narrative power, and movement-building—to create a future aligned with our vision where undocumented students graduate college, all immigrants can access healthcare, and economic security is a reality for everyone. But this is just the beginning of a marathon. I believe it is imperative to join forces with other funders—across all issue areas—to mobilize an extraordinary philanthropic response. We may not have all the answers, but we know that we must do more.  

Even small actions matter. I’m finding grounding in my day-to-day life. Friends in Solano who own co-op farms are stepping up to protect their employees; college roommates in San Jose who are local community counselors are ready to stand with students if ICE shows up on campus; I see parents walking their friends’ kids to school in my neighborhood in San Francisco;  my colleagues at the Fund are asking us to be bold and pursue big ideas that can have impact for the long term across California. Underneath these heartening actions, I see folks reflecting, learning, and pivoting because we cannot continue as we were before. I deeply believe opportunities for change will open up in ways we have not imagined. Let’s seize every opportunity to be a collective force for the values and principles that guide our work. We are stronger together.

With determination and in partnership,  
Elica Vafaie