Immigrants Rights Network of Iowa-Nebraska

Nebraska has one of the fastest growing Hispanic populations in the country.  This tremendous growth has created many social, legal, and public policy needs.  While many of these "new" immigrants find work in meatpacking and food processing plants, they struggle to maintain a decent quality of life.  Nebraska Appleseed's Project Quality of Live is working to protect their legal and civil rights, and help them build healthy futures for themselves, their families, and their communities.

Basic Banking for Immigrants

Unbanked new immigrants and Latinos too often are targets of crime or victimized by predatory lending and other high-cost financial services. Nebraska Appleseed and our community partners are working to improve immigrants’ access to mainstream financial institutions through education and advocacy. For newcomers who are working hard and contributing to our communities, access to basic banking services is a key to full participation in society. For everyone in the community, and as Congress has long recognized, expanding access to mainstream financial services makes our communities safer and positively impacts the financial health of our society – ensuring that families’ resources are invested in basic needs, education, and local business, rather than skimmed away by fringe financial services.

Government and Industry Responsibility Project

Conducting litigation on the responsibilities of government and industry, when subsidized by the State of Nebraska, to improve the working and community conditions of Nebraska’s new immigrants. This litigation, which has gained national media and legal community attention, creatively seeks to hold accountable tax credit and incentive decisions, and to help create standards so these public funds improve the quality of life of these families and communities.