Insights from Leaders in the Field

Immigration in the U.S. Today

The history of U.S. immigration enforcement laws, policies, and practices is one of exclusion, leaving many immigrants unable to adjust their citizenship status and forcing them to remain undocumented or in legal limbo. Immigration scholars and community leaders have long documented the impact of living in the U.S. with limited immigration protections or undocumented status: vulnerability to social isolation, poor health outcomes, chronic stress, legal precarity, labor exploitation, and limited upward mobility, among other challenges. These factors, combined with limited access to legal representation and policies that criminalize migration, mean that legal advocacy has become an essential tool. It not only helps individuals navigate a complex immigration system but also pushes back against the systemic forces that keep immigrant communities vulnerable. 

At TCC Group, we understand that this impact goes beyond individual lives to organizational and systemic levels. We saw this in real time earlier this year, as one of our partners reached out with growing concern about the accelerating pace of immigration enforcement in the U.S. Their project, focused on connecting Latino immigrant communities to HIV-related health and support services, was at risk. They feared that being too visible could unintentionally make them a target, both as a provider of services perceived as conflicting with current government priorities, and as a space that no longer felt safe for the communities they serve. The situation was so dire that the grantee was considering returning their award. We met with the grantee to strategize and identify ways to adapt their model. Together, we developed a more neutral approach that preserved access to critical services while reducing risk and visibility. With our client’s full support, the revised strategy was approved, allowing the grantee to continue their work.  

In a time of shrinking federal investment in public health, especially for marginalized populations, keeping this project alive was not just about maintaining funding—it was about ensuring trusted, community-centered support remains available when it’s most needed. 

Below, we catch up with one of our partners, Adam Ryan Chang from OASIS Legal Services, a legal advocacy organization, on how they are showing up in this moment for LGBTQ+ immigrants to best meet their needs.  

TCC Group: I’d love to learn a bit about your background and professional journey. I’m always curious about what draws someone to a leadership role. You’re the Executive Director of Oasis Legal Services (“Oasis”), which provides legal services to LGBTQ+ immigrants in California. Was there a specific moment—or a series of moments—that made you feel ready to lead Oasis into its next chapter? 

Adam: Philosophers over millennia have remarked on how no path really has an end; just an infinite number of new beginnings. To that extent, I think there were many moments that helped prepare me to lead Oasis. 

After law school and passing the bar, I still wanted to maintain some connection to community service, so I served as a project director at a nonprofit consulting firm, troubleshooting creative solutions for a variety of nonprofit models and missions. Our clients needed support in commonly outsourced projects like evaluating a program, bolstering volunteer outreach, creating systems for data tracking, or developing a communications strategy. In creating Oasis, the founders had clearly seen how queer and trans immigrants were judged and mistreated, particularly within immigration settings. Oasis’ board asked if I would assume the Executive Director role when the organization was just six years old. They endeavored to have a queer person of color from an immigrant background, with the right experience, lead the organization. In making my decision to join Oasis I asked questions like: Can I really do this? What if they don’t like my ideas? What if I fail? I was reminded of how far I’ve come, how I center my community, and how I excel at building bridges. While I do have a lot of relevant work experience, ultimately, the people around me let me know that I was ready to take the next step. 

TCC Group: Let’s talk about Oasis’ integrated model. Beyond immigration support—like asylum and work authorization—you also assess clients for social service needs and provide HIV screenings.  What advice would you give to advocacy organizations aiming to adopt more comprehensive practices to better serve their communities? 

Adam: First, focus on “better practices. I’m not a fan of the idea that service providers need to develop “best practices.” It fosters a mindset that if you put in a lot of time refining a model, spend on a large project budget, recruit revered experts in the field, etc., that somehow, someway, you’ll have landed on THE best practices. And that may be true, that your model is the best there is; but for how long? The answer is—until someone else comes up with a better solution. That’s why I default to the pursuit of “better practices.” In regard to creating an equitable society, there’s no best practice that will work universally. Instead, as practitioners and service providers, we can commit ourselves to always striving for something better, never settling for one group’s “best.” 

Second, innovate, critically. A novel approach should be backed by historical lessons. Is the new strategy in fact new? Or has it been tried before? If so, where? And what was the outcome? A realistic pilot of a service delivery model often takes years. Don’t fall into the trap of the funder’s timeline (i.e., they’re offering funding for one year, so you think you need a one-year pilot). You’re the community expert, and your community lessons should dictate all elements of the model idea, especially the timeline. Take the time to find the right partner who sees and understands your logic.

Finally, coalitions can be helpful, but aren’t always required. When I see organizations committing time and resources to collaborative work (whether in the same field or cross-sector), groups often hit a wall in actualizing their outcomes. An overlooked step is vocalizing, transparently, how the relationship is mutually beneficial. The signs of a good partnership? While confronting the external challenge may be difficult, working together shouldn’t feel like heavy lifting, and you should see a return on your investment almost immediately.  

TCC Group: I want to shift to what we’re currently seeing with immigration enforcement, much of which we’re witnessing in real time through our digital devices. I often hesitate to use phrases like “unprecedented times,” because exclusionary and harsh immigration policies have long been part of the U.S. system.  In your work, what feels most urgent right now to help immigrants feel safer, more supported, and more cared for? 

Adam: Immigration fraud (people charging immigrants for non-existent legal services) is still very widespread, and the political climate has created ample opportunity for criminals to take advantage of desperate people looking for help. I wish more people knew how to help immigrants search for vetted nonprofits or reputable law firms. Searching a provider’s name, seeing a website, or even better, seeing that there are online reviews for the firm or agency are simple ways to avoid fraud. 

Another is owning our narratives. These days, many stories are spun into the “truth”, and it’s important to reclaim and uplift the lived experiences of our immigrant communities. As cliché as it sounds, while legal battles can be fought in court or at the legislature, the realm of public opinion holds a lot of sway in our society.  We show support by proclaiming (with our voices, in the streets, through our art, in articles, at the pulpit, anywhere and everywhere) that no one is illegal; immigrants are not a threat; LGBTQ+ people do not corrupt children. 

When talking about the present conflict and challenges for immigrants in the U.S., I find it helpful to get very specific; the average American has very limited knowledge of the U.S. immigration process. Beginning with a basic understanding of (a) what is a student visa or a work visa, (b) what does it mean to apply for asylum, or (c) reviewing the various ways someone could become “undocumented,” are all good entry points for learning more about our immigration system. 

Lastly, there are many immigrants (documented and undocumented) who are having very tough conversations with their loved ones about leaving the U.S. voluntarily. Someone leaving on their own can be better than being deported, but voluntary departure for an undocumented immigrant can mean that the person is not allowed back in the U.S. for years. Speaking to an immigration attorney to understand how to leave the U.S., and if there’s a chance to preserve an option of one day returning, can empower families and help them better plan for their future.

TCC Group: Many nonprofits are navigating a shifting funding landscape. Grants—whether from private philanthropy or government sources—remain a vital lifeline, helping organizations stay open and achieve their missions. Given today’s challenges, what do you see is working well in the sector, and where is there room for improvement? 

Whether an immigrant can stay in the U.S. tends to hinge on whether the individual (or family) has an attorney, and this year, rates for a private immigration attorney have substantially grown as the immigration process has become increasingly complex. At the government level, some cities and counties have approved emergency funds (some as high as $5 million) for immigration legal services. I’m heartened to see local governments take action in this way, as the fear of future ICE raids has prevented people from showing up for work, going to their health appointments, or visiting local retailers. Expanded immigration policing has financially and emotionally hurt counties with large immigrant communities.  

More counties can get organized and have their legislatures commit to basic principles to combat ICE raids: no local resources, no access to local jails, and no joint task forces between local law enforcement with federal agents. Mayors and police chiefs should notify residents of any impending ICE raids, and schools, hospitals, and businesses can review what it means to designate private spaces that may limit ICE’s access or entry. 

The federal administration is arresting immigrants with no criminal history who are being moved to detention centers where access to family, community, and legal resources is intentionally cut off. Many “public” detention centers (e.g. county jails) contract the management and operations to private firms, blurring the line between public and private. Movements can do more to challenge how and when private civilians financially benefit from the mass incarceration of groups of people. 

TCC Group: I’d like to end by sharing a quote from a recent video I saw of writer and poet Ocean Vuong sharing what he tells new students, “Look, I know it is hard. The world is on fire…However, it has always been on fire. There has never been an author that has had the immense luxury of writing at a time of absolute peace […] However, we as writers have arrived so late to the cannon and have an immense wealth of the archive. I get to write a novel having read all of Toni Morrison, all of James Baldwin, all Virgina Woolf.” My question to you is, on the darkest days, what archive do you turn to that gives you immense hope? 

Adam: What a beautiful question, and such an insightful framing of what it means to live and work in the here and now. Our clients definitely inspire me. Oasis has supported nearly 3,000 individuals to date with immigration status. I can easily fall into a trapped mindset that to be queer or trans is to suffer—to be ridiculed, harassed, abused by family, targeted by the government, hidden and isolated out of fear, and for survival and safety. But, our team is really intentional about sharing client victories. We email one another and celebrate our collective efforts. Clients share words of gratitude in English or in their native languages and open up about their own goals and dreams. I’m lucky to witness many times in my life how people who are healed, who get to experience profound joy, want to spread happiness to others around them. 

Months ago, a client wrote a general letter of appreciation to our donors, asking our team to share it with anyone who supports Oasis, letting donors know that they saved their life. It really hit me, how a woman who is no longer with us, who has never personally met one of our clients, is creating a legacy that will shape the destiny of our next client who will gain asylum, receive a green card, and ultimately become a U.S. citizen.