Advocacy and Media Training

1. Advocacy and Media Training Melina Roche, Grassroots Advocacy Associate Belle Woods, Associate Director, Communications Mary Cunningham, Digital Media Specialist January, 2019

2. On the Agenda • Why Engage and How AILA Engages • Client Concerns/Protection • Messaging • Engaging with members of Congress • Opinion Pieces • Break • Why Be Social • How to Be Social • How to use Social Media to Advocate • On Camera Tips and Tricks • Take Action!

3. Why Engage? • Raises your profile as a thought leader and expert on immigration policy • Demonstrates your dedication and passion for fair and just immigration policies and laws • Allows you to inform, educate, and dispel myths about the immigration system • Expands your network and can lead to new opportunities

4. Why Engage with Legislators • Builds your profile as an advocate and a champion to your clients – which can help bring in more clients. • Influence your lawmakers’ views on immigration law and policy: • Lawmakers and their staff are not experts in immigration laws/policies and may not know how their constituents and communities are impacted. This is specially important for Freshman CA Reps. Josh Harder (CA-10) and T.J. Cox (CA-21) • Sharing client cases helps legislators really understand the issue and its impact.

5. Why Engage with Legislators • What if my members of Congress are knowledgeable/good on immigration? • Engage at a deeper level! • Attend town-halls, meet in-person meetings, NDA • Encourage letters to the Administration or oversight hearings – especially House members • Offer your legal expertise and client stories, if appropriate • Invite them to do a “site-visit” • It encourages legislators to continue championing immigration issues

6. Why Engage Through Social Media 79% of online adults now use a social media site of some kind • Credibility and Reputation (71%) • Become a thought leader • Show that you’re an expert • Branding • Education and Communication (45%) • Learn from other experts • Follow the news • Communicate with your peers and potential clients • Share your messaging with reporters, Congressional representatives, and the community • Exposure (48%) • Mostly free marketing tool, SEO, Connect • 24% of lawyers have had a client retain them because of their online networking

7. Why Engage with Press and Through Opinion Pieces • Lift your profile in the community • Build your network • Increase your visibility to potential clients • Educate and inform reporters, and through them the public • Can potentially benefit client cases

8. AILA National Engages by: • Educating Congress and agency leadership • Bill analysis, policy briefs, voting recommendations, submitting comments and letters • Briefings and face-to-face meetings • Speaking out publicly against injustices and using the media to amplify our efforts • Press Statements, Quicktakes, Talking Points, etc. • On Social Media, use sample tweets/other posts • Providing AILA members with tools and resources to speak out: www.aila.org/advo-media.

10. National Agency Engagement National Liaison Committees: • USCIS HQ • USCIS Service Center Operations • California Service Center • Nebraska Service Center • Texas Service Center • Vermont Service Center • Potomac Service Center • USCIS Field Operations/Immigrant Investor Program Office • National Benefits Center • USCIS International Operations • DHS Office of the CIS Ombudsman • ICE • EOIR • CBP Field Operations (Admissions) • CBP Border Patrol (Enforcement) • DOL • DOS • Verification and Worksite Enforcement • ICE HSI, USCIS Verification Division (E-Verify), DOJ Office of Special Counsel, OCAHO

11. Local Agency Engagement • Keep lines of communication open with the government • Collaborate with Other Local NGOs • Collaborate with Other AILA Chapters • AILA National has a local listserv set up for the following committees: Asylum, CBP, DMV, ICE, EOIR, USCIS Field Offices, and SSA. • Communicate with other chapters on your liaison activities • Keep lines of communication open with AILA National • Report problems that can’t be resolved locally • Communicate with the appropriate AILA National Liaison Committee • http://aila.org/about/leadership/national-committees • Participate on AILA National Local Liaison outreach calls

12. Client Concerns/Protection Before you share a client example, think about: • What to look for in a good client example • What to consider before sharing • Talking to the client about sharing their story • Options to conceal their identity Keep in mind: Once you open the door to the press or the public, there is no closing it. You are NEVER alone in this = Media Liaisons & AILA staff

13. Public Perceptions • GOOD NEWS: Attitudes toward immigrants have improved a lot in the past 5 years. • In 2012 only 45% agreed with the statement “We should welcome immigrants, regardless of how they came here” • According to polling done late August 2017, that number soared to 77% that agreed or strongly agreed, including 26% of Republicans

14. What the public understands about immigration • The American public does not share advocates’ understanding • Advocates/Experts are inflicted by a “curse of knowledge” • The public possess multiple frames that they use to understand the issue • Bring them into a more productive frame to make your point

15. Them vs. Us Immigrants as Them Immigrants as Us Immigrants Are People Like Us Nation of Immigrants The Value of Diversity/Enriches Cultural Life Immigrants as a Resource Solutions less punitive, more functional and humane. • Lawbreaker • Illegal • Job Competitors • Jobs we won’t do • Takers • Solution is secure and control the border.

16. Values-Based Messaging:Pragmatism “We can’t deport ourselves out of this.” • Metaphor Possibility: Removing 11 million people from the families and communities is impractical and expensive. What would digging 11 million trees up do to a forest and its surrounding ecosystem?

17. Values-Based Messaging:Prosperity Shared Prosperity • “Immigrants are workers, tax-payers and contributors.” • “Economies grow with more people.” • Metaphor Possibility: Economies are like quilts, the more pieces you add, the larger they get and the more people they cover.

18. Values-Based Messaging:Moral Argument “Every human being deserves basic respect and dignity.” “America has always been a nation of immigrants.” “We welcome the stranger and show them our humanity.”

19. Let’s Talk About this Worksheet • Hands-on • Trade if subject matter isn’t your expertise area. • Keep this exercise in mind the whole rest of the training!

20. Messaging Don’ts • Do NOT say the system is broken • Invokes fatalism • Activates listeners’ negative frame • Hold one kind of immigrant up over another: • High vs. low skilled • DREAMer vs. their parent • “Felons not families.”

21. Backing Up the Message • MaptheImpact.org • How many jobs are immigrants creating? • How much $ do immigrant-owned businesses generate? • How do immigrants contribute? • To Medicare • To Social Security • Through local and state taxes Use #s and $s to back up your message. This is what it means to California!

23. Talking to Reporters • Prepare • Get information, buy some time, respond. • Emphasize your legal expertise • Don’t feel you have to answer every question • Keep it professional • Avoid the temptation to reveal things “Off the record” or default to “No Comment

24. Advocating for change

25. It takes a village • Advocacy is a collective effort! The more voices that speak out, the more effective we will be. • AILA members and allies are not alone! • Get involved in AILA’s advocacy efforts • Take Action Tuesdays • Reach out to your Chapter Advocacy Liaisons and AILA’s Gov Relations team

26. Get to Know your Legislator AILA’s Advocacy Action Center allows you to find: • Legislator’s office info • Staff contact info • Committee information • Social media profiles – Don’t forget to follow them on social media! • and Email legislators! www.aila.org/takeaction#/legislators

28. Prepare • Define your purpose or “ask” for contacting your legislators • Provide information about a bill? Or sway their vote? • Educate them on a local or national immigration issues? • Ask them to write a letter, call for oversight, ? • For national policy issues, use AILA’s statements, policy briefs, analysis and voting recommendations • Make sure to share before or after an in-person event • Gather information and examples that impact your district/state and share client stories, when appropriate

29. Advocating for Change • Identify the best way to engage with legislators and their staff: • Phone, Email, and Social Media – perfect for when immediate action is needed and building pressure around and issueJoin AILA National and allies in their campaign - Volume is key! • In-person events – a MUST to educate, clarify misconceptions, build a relationship with key to staff to influence legislators’ decisions and opinions. Food is always a good movitor!Reach out to the Immigration Legislative Assistant (DC office) or Immigration caseworker and District/State Director (local office)

30. Tips for Engaging with Legislator • Prepare – • Research the legislator’s position in advance • Visit their websites, social media accounts, etc. • Local newspapers often profile legislators • The facts and counter arguments for your issue • State/district specific data is the best • Engage with staff • DC or District/State Staff • District/State Staff tends to have longer tenures, and can stay through different legislators

31. Tips for Engaging with Legislator • Introduce yourself as a constituent & immigration expert – Not a constituent? Share your connection to their district • Explain the issue and your concerns briefly and simply, no legalese, jargon or acronyms • Use the right message – one that will resonate with the legislator – Pragmatic, Shared Value, Moral • Pop Exercise!

32. Pop Exercise

33. Tips for Engaging with Legislators • Explain the impact to their constituents by: • Sharing district/state specific information • 91% of members of Congress want this information • Sharing clients’ stories, when appropriate • 79% of members of Congress want personal stories • Make a clear and direct request/“ask” • 88% of members of Congress want a specific “ask”

34. Tips for Engaging with Legislators • Engage in a conversation and welcome questions • If you don’t know an answer to a question, let the office know you will follow up with an answer – and do it! • Always be polite, positive and professional • Agree to disagree and move the conversation forward • Create a social media opportunity – very important for in-person events • Follow Up: • Send a thank you email for their time – this is a must after an in-person meeting – and offer yourself as a resource.

35. Tips for Engaging with Legislators • Brag about your efforts! • Share on social media and tag your legislator(s) • Write an opinion piece that you can then share with legislators and on social media • Invite others to be advocates, including clients – because it takes a village! • Emails, phone calls, and social media are a great way to do this!

36. Opinion Pieces One of the best ways to educate and inform members of your community about aspects of immigration law of which they might not be aware. • Letters to the Editor (look for templates on aila.org): • Short • About a specific article you've read • Op-Eds: • “Opposite the editorial page” • Longer piece, 600-1000 words, varies by outlet Trump's crackdown on legal immigration is hurting America By Anastasia Tonello, President of the American Immigration Lawyers Association

37. How to Write an LTE #1 – length. #2 – write something you know: Business/H-1B cap season, Detention, Asylum Seekers, Detainers, DACA/Dream… #3 – urge change/action #4 – Why are YOU writing this (expertise!)

39. Social Media - It’s not scary!

40. Finding the Right Platform • Know your platforms • What do you wish to accomplish? • Reaching potential clients? • Getting news? • Being a thought leader? 3. How much time can you dedicate to it? 4. Determine which platform is right for you. • LinkedIn – 73% of lawyers have a presence here • Facebook – 27% of lawyers have professional presence here • Twitter – 23% of lawyers have professional presence here • Google Plus for businesses 5. Get comfortable using the new platform!

41. Setting It Up • Keep handles short and professional • Choose a professional photo and bio • Use the same photo and bio across all sites • Figure out what you’re going to post and how you will get that information, ie Google Alerts • Content is king • Download social media apps on your phone • Remember, it’s not necessarily about the followers • Follow relevant people / organizations

42. Finding the Right Message • Join the conversation- social media is like a cocktail party • Post relevant content • Use hashtags as appropriate (don’t use 10!) • Keep it short and sweet • Watch your tone • Visuals are key! • Post about current events • Share information more than once, but do not overload! • Post/respond in a timely manner • Show your personality!

43. What to Avoid • Silly photos, names and handles • Only using the platform once or twice • People who only want to start an argument • Posting anything you wouldn’t want others to see – even though you can delete a post, it really is permanent! • Divisive posts • Bad grammar, typos, etc. • Just posting a link with no other content • “Selling” your content

44. How to Build Your Network on Social Media Platforms • Cross-promote on your website, other social media platforms, even your personal page • Buy cheap targeted ads (Facebook) • Put it on your business cards / in your email signature • Invite your email contacts and your Facebook friends • Spread the word • Post engaging content

45. How to Build Your Network on Twitter • Start by following organizations like @AILANational! • Follow-first rule: I follow you then hopefully you follow me • Show engagement. Like and retweet your favorite tweets to gain followers • Create lists. They help you listen to relevant conversations and identify influencers

46. Instagram • Deciding whether to create an account • If Instagram makes sense for you, create a business profile • Pros • More than 500 million active monthly users • 75% of Instagram users take action, like visiting a website, after looking at an advertising post • “Live” Updates via Stories • Cons • Can only use Instagram through the app • Consistently need engaging photos • Cannot post links, except in bio • Once you have an account • Use hashtags – posts with at least one hashtag average 12.6% more engagement • Same rules apply as other networks: tag others, keep it short

47. Photo Content Ideas for Instagram • AILA conferences • Witness • Promotional materials • Meeting with MOC • Event at your firm • Rally • LTE or op-ed

48. Anatomy of a Social Media Post

49. Write your own posts • Things to think about for Twitter: • Hashtags • Photos/Videos • Example • Tagging people/organizations • Action items • Character limit • Shortened links • Things to think about for Facebook: • Photos/Videos • Links • Length • Privacy • Call to action

50. Social Media Exercise • Draft two tweets about the article or to share you LTE when it is published (240 characters) • Are there other community groups or organizations you might tag in a tweet about this issue? • Draft a Facebook post about the article or to share your LTE when it is published (480 characters) • What are some photos you might be able to incorporate on an Instagram post related to this Letter to the Editor?