Supporting Environmental Justice for Immigrant Families

Climate change and environmental degradation are driving global migration around the world, including into the United States. However, the challenges continue inside U.S. borders, where immigrant families often live in neighborhoods disproportionately affected by pollution, industrial waste, and poor housing conditions. That’s why Immigration Counseling Service (ICS) and nonprofits in Willamette Week’s Give!Guide Environment Category are working to address environmental inequities.

Local environmental nonprofits are working to make nature more accessible, clean up ecosystems, and advocate for inclusive green spaces. These groups also address the intersection of climate justice and social equity—empowering marginalized communities and preserving traditional ecological knowledge.

Climate change also contributes to natural disasters that disproportionately affect people of color, immigrant families, and low-income individuals. From wildfires and floods to earthquakes and hurricanes, natural disasters can strike with little warning. For immigrant communities, the stakes are often even higher. In addition to the loss of home or livelihood, disasters can also threaten documentation of legal status, access to services, and personal safety. ICS helps immigrant families prepare for and recover from natural disasters.

ICS’s clients include disaster survivors and front-line responders. For example, ICS first supported our client Lucia* in the aftermath of the 2020 southern Oregon wildfires. Her family’s home was destroyed, and she had lost all her legal documentation. ICS’s emergency mobile legal clinic in Medford provided a safety net for dozens of immigrants like Lucia who had lost everything in the fires. Due to ICS’s support, Lucia is now a U.S. citizen and a thriving young professional.

Another ICS client, Andres, was a young man who fled violence in Guatemala for a better life in the United States. After facing many challenges on his journey, he was separated from his parents and entered the U.S. as an unaccompanied minor and was detained. After ICS successfully secured his release, Andres trained as a firefighter and helped protect Oregon communities during the 2020 wildfires.

You can help. By donating through Give!Guide, you are supporting dedicated nonprofits and investing in a healthier, more equitable future for all. Together, we can protect our environment and ensure families affected by climate change have the opportunity to grow and thrive.

*Note: Names and details in this story have been altered to protect the client’s identity.