Know Your Rights for Immigrants & Allies Training Set for March 7
Area residents are invited to attend a special presentation next month by a Western Illinois University political science professor and the founder and executive director of Western Illinois Dreamers to learn more about rights for immigrants and allies in Macomb's City Hall Community Room.
Julia Albarracin-Green, who is also an attorney in Argentina, will host the in-person training from 1:30-3 p.m., Saturday, March 7, to discuss federal rights and priorities; rights as an immigrant or ally; safety plan preparations, and incident reporting. The program is open free to the public. Attendees will register at the door.
'During times when immigration enforcement has become so central to the life of Americans, the public needs to be educated about the rights and responsibilities of law enforcement and immigrants alike,' Albarracin-Green explained. 'Immigration enforcement agencies' activity is still documented in our state.'
According to Albarracin-Green, immigrants who could be targets of immigration enforcement need to plan for the care of their children and the administration of their property in case of detention. In addition, tips for allies, such as never interfere with immigration enforcement activities when documenting incidents, will be discussed at the training.
The March 7 program is hosted by Western Illinois Dreamers and Indivisible of West Central Illinois.
About Western Illinois Dreamers (WID) Western Illinois Dreamers opened Welcoming Centers in Beardstown and Monmouth in 2021, expanded to Springfield and Peoria in 2022, and to Macomb in 2025. WID achieved its U.S. Department of Justice recognition in 2024, launching its first Immigration Legal Clinic to provide culturally competent legal support.
The WID offices provide essential support, such as assistance with applications for human services, health outreach, information about constitutional, labor, and educational rights, housing and utilities assistance, and scholarships for undocumented or DACA students at WIU. WID’s Legal Clinic offers free immigration legal services for work authorization, asylum, and adjustment of status, as well as representation for detained individuals. WID has educated over 18,000 immigrants, teachers, and counselors on immigration, labor, and education rights; served more than 20,000 immigrants and refugees through social services; and provided hundreds of legal consultations and immigration legal representation to support successful social integration.
