New co-branded platform equips state and local leaders with practical tools for responding when federal immigration enforcement affects communities
NEW HAVEN, CT / WASHINGTON, DC — As cities, counties, and states navigate responding to the impact of federal immigration enforcement policies, the American Immigration Council (AIC) and Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services (IRIS) are launching the Immigration Response Playbook, a new online resource for state and local leaders. The Playbook brings together policy examples, legal frameworks, and other tools from jurisdictions across the country to help communities understand their options and make informed decisions.
The Playbook addresses a need that both organizations consistently hear from municipal and state partners: leaders want to protect their communities, but don’t always know what others have done or what legal authority they have to act. This resource brings that knowledge together in one place — organized for people making decisions in real time.
“The Trump administration is maximizing fear and confusion to intimidate our communities, inflicting a new level of cruelty with its lawless actions,” said William Tong, the Connecticut Attorney General. “I thank IRIS and the AIC for compiling this comprehensive playbook of strategies and policy tools to strengthen local and state protections against federal overreach. The Office of the Attorney General will continue to work closely with IRIS and community partners to respect, honor and protect immigrants and immigrant families.”
The collaboration combines IRIS’s platform infrastructure and deep expertise in immigrant and refugee services — built over more than 40 years in Connecticut — with AIC’s policy research depth and relationships across its state and local programming to support immigrant integration efforts nationwide. The result is a resource informed not just by legal analysis, but by the actual experiences of offices doing this work on the ground.
“Local and state leaders are facing urgent questions as federal immigration enforcement actions create fear or confusion in their communities. This playbook brings together practical tools, legal frameworks, and examples from across the country so that local leaders can make informed decisions grounded in what their community needs,” said Caitlin McTiernan, AIC program manager.
The Playbook includes:
- Real-world policy examples from cities and states that have navigated enforcement actions, community protection measures, and related legal questions
- Legal frameworks and implementation tools, drawn from AIC’s policy research and updated as federal enforcement priorities shift
- Links to existing IRIS and AIC resources, including IRIS’s New Americans platform and AIC’s research and analysis
- Regular updates reflecting emerging trends, new jurisdictional examples, and evolving legal guidance
“State and local leaders have been reaching out to us asking what they can do to protect their communities. Our research led us to AIC. Like us, they know that these leaders do better when they can learn from one another. This playbook puts that idea into action, both policy expertise and field-tested practice in a regularly updated, efficient, searchable knowledge hub,” said Maggie Mitchell Salem, IRIS Executive Director.
The Immigration Response Playbook is available now at playbook.irisct.org and will be updated on an ongoing basis.
About IRIS: Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services
IRIS welcomes refugees and other immigrants, helps them rebuild their lives, pursue their dreams, and contribute to the vitality of their communities. Founded in 1982, IRIS advances economic mobility, legal stability, language equity, and civic engagement through its New Americans platform. Learn more at irisct.org.
About the American Immigration Council
The American Immigration Council works to create a more welcoming and fair immigration system. Through litigation, research, and programs that expand access to legal assistance, the Council helps ensure immigrants are embraced, communities are enriched, and justice prevails for all. Follow us on BlueSky @immcouncil.org and Instagram @immcouncil.
Media inquiries:
IRIS: Maggie Mitchell Salem, msalem@irisct.org
American Immigration Council: Elyssa Pachico, epachico@immcouncil.org
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