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VDSS Office of New Americans
REFUGEE AND IMMIGRANT SERVICES
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Preparing Virginia Immigrant Families for Tax Season 2026
As we approach tax filing season, many immigrants may feel worried or confused about filing their 2025 income taxes. There are new rules, and people may have questions about how their personal information is used and protected. It is understandable to have concerns about privacy and confidentiality. To support families, the Office of New Americans (ONA) Immigrant Services has updated a list of important resources to help immigrants get ready for tax season. These resources, available in both English and Spanish, are meant to be accessible to anyone who wants to learn more. We encourage organizations and community partners to review this information, stay informed, and help protect the confidentiality of family's personal information and immigration status.
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RAIVS Refugee + Immigrant Volunteer Summit
ReEstablish Richmond is hosting the 8th Annual Refugee + Immigrant Volunteer Summit: Welcome in Action, a cornerstone event that educates, empowers, and connects community volunteers, faith communities, and service providers who support refugees and immigrants in Richmond. The two-day summit, taking place Friday and Saturday, February 20 and 21, will offer sessions, conversations, and networking opportunities for those engaged in welcome work. For more details and registration, click here.
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Invitations: Community Partnerships Session and Kickoff Event, Working Symposium on Refugee and Migrant Education
The Working Symposium on Refugee and Migrant Education is pleased to invite participants to the “Community Partnerships” session on Friday, February 27, from 9:45 to 11:00 AM via webinar. Those who register will receive advance copies of the presenters’ papers showcasing innovative programs and partnerships supporting refugee and migrant communities.
Additionally, Virginia Tech's Center for Refugee, Migrant, and Displacement Studies will also host an event to kick off the symposium, “From Afghanistan to the U.S.: Stories of Displacement and New Futures,” on Thursday, February 26 from 6:00 to 7:15 PM, offered in person at the VT Inn (Latham Ballroom C) 901 Prices Fork Rd, Blacksburg, VA 24061 and online via webinar.
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Join Greater Richmond SCAN
Children, Screens, and Well-Being Forum
Join local and national leaders, parent advocates, public health experts, educators, and other stakeholders for a day of collaborative learning and cross-sector engagement at the Children, Screens and Well-Being Forum. This community-focused event, convened by the Greater Richmond Trauma-Informed Community Network, will take place at Shineforth in Richmond on February 26 from 8:30am – 3:00pm and will provide tools and strategies to promote healthy development and digital safety for children and adolescents. To register click here and download a flyer with the QR code to share widely.
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Vision y Compromiso
Mental Health and Emotional Well-Being & Know your Rights Virtual Training Series
Visión y Compromiso and the education & Training and Community engagement department invite promotoras and community leaders to join Mental Health and Emotional Well-Being Training Series 2026 and Know Your Rights (KYR) Training Series 2026, a monthly virtual space offered in English and Spanish. These trainings provide tools, information, and resources on mental health, self-care, and rights awareness to strengthen community well-being and resilience
Mental Health Sessions in English (third Tuesday of the month)
Dates: Feb 17 to November 17
Mental Health Sessions in Spanish (third Wednesday of the month)
Dates: Feb 18 to November 18
Know your Rights Sessions in English (last Tuesday of the month)
Dates: Feb 24 to November 19
Know your Rights Sessions in Spanish (last Wednesday of the month)
Dates: Feb 25 to November 20
Recordings of previous trainings and resources from the series in English and Spanish will be continuously updated on their website. Access the resources and recordings here.
If you have questions, need help registering, or need assistance accessing the resources, please contact Dayana Partida at dayana@visionycompromiso.org
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"LimitLess"
Teen Summit RVA
Teen Summit RVA 2026 is a free, teen-designed leadership summit for students in grades 9–12 on March 14, 2026, at the Richmond Convention Center, 403 N 3rd St., Richmond, VA 23219. Registration opens February 9 and is available until full. Teens will enjoy meals, swag, prizes, and choose interactive sessions on topics like entrepreneurship, AI, culture, and college and career exploration, plus connect with employers and community resources. Teen Summit RVA is presented by the counties of Chesterfield, Henrico and Hanover, and the City of Richmond with support from each locality’s school division. The event has been sponsored by The Community Foundation for a Greater Richmond and Virginia Career Works. More information here.
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2026 Joint Mental Health Summit
Elevate & Empower: Bridging the Gap in Women’s Mental Health
Join us on Tuesday, March 24, 2026 (8:30 a.m.– 3:45 p.m.) in Norfolk, VA, or virtually via Zoom for a conference on women’s mental and behavioral health. Learn about gender-specific challenges, systemic barriers, and proven strategies to support women’s wellness and access to care. Registration. For more information check available flyer.
| | Promoting your organization's services, educational webinars, or community events? We would love to help spread the word! Please reach out to liliana.penalver@dss.virginia.gov to share your initiatives and ensure that Virginians have access to valuable resources and events. Together, we can enhance awareness of resources and strengthen support for New Americans in Virginia! | | | Federal, State, and Local News | | |
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On February 3, 2026, a federal judge indefinitely blocked the government’s move to end TPS for Haiti, keeping protections in place while the case proceeds and possible Supreme Court review looms. For more TPS updates for other countries, please see here.
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On February 3, 2026, Governor Abigail Spanberger issued an executive directive instructing Virginia’s state law enforcement agencies to terminate all existing 287(g) agreements with ICE, so state officers are no longer deputized to perform federal civil immigration enforcement.
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Virginia lawmakers are considering an appropriations request to create a parallel program to provide food assistance benefits to refugees, asylees, and humanitarian parolees who would otherwise be eligible for SNAP but for their immigration status.
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Invitation to Join
AIRVA Advocates for an Intercultural Richmond
You are invited to join AIRVA (Advocates for an Intercultural Richmond), a network of human services professionals serving refugees and immigrants in the Richmond area. The group meets in person every two months on Friday morning at 10 am to share information, discuss challenges, and identify resources for the communities you serve. The upcoming sessions are planned for March, focusing on adult education, and May, highlighting youth programming. If you would like to connect and participate, please reach out to Paige Soma, IRC Community Engagement Coordinator, at paige.soma@rescue.org for more details. This is a great opportunity to learn about local resources and network with others supporting refugee and immigrant communities.
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Fairfax County Residents Invited to Participate in GMU Research
The Institute for Immigration Research (IIR) at George Mason University, in partnership with Fairfax County, is conducting a new study to better understand the contributions, skills, and challenges of Fairfax County residents, particularly immigrants. Residents age 18 or older who live in Fairfax County are invited to participate through a 15–20 minute web-based survey, a community conversation (focus group), or an individual interview, all available in nine languages, including Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, English, Farsi, Korean, Spanish, Urdu, and Vietnamese. Please share this opportunity; for more information or questions about the study, please contact Dr. Marissa Kiss at mkiss@gmu.edu or visit the project page.
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Submit your work for 'Roots & Resettlement,' a collection of creative writing & art
Virginia Tech’s Center for Refugee, Migrant, and Displacement Studies invites creative submissions from Latine voices worldwide for Roots & Resettlement, a mixed‑media digital collection on migration, movement, place, and belonging. Submissions may include essays, poems, photos, drawings, paintings, or other art that reflect immigrant and second‑generation experiences, the meaning of home, and how roots are carried, lost, or remade through movement, memory, language, and community, in English, Spanish, Indigenous languages, or any combination. Deadline to submit is March 15. Please send all submissions to Deirdre Hand at dhand08@vt.edu and in the subject line, write "Roots & Resettlement Submission." More information here.
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YouthBuild Grant Opportunity
The U.S. Department of Labor is accepting applications for YouthBuild grants, to support community-based pre-apprenticeship programs serving opportunity youth ages 16–24 who are out of school or work. Eligible applicants include nonprofits, local and state governments, school districts, tribal entities, faith-based institutions, and institutions of higher education. YouthBuild provides job training and education for youth ages 16–24 who left school without a diploma, offering vocational skills in construction and other in-demand fields while they help build or rehab affordable housing in their communities, with applications due March 2, 2026.
More information here.
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Resource Highlight: La Casa de La Salud
Important Announcement
La Casa de la Salud has updated its main phone number to 804-924-5109, which now serves as both the primary line and WhatsApp Business contact. Community members can use this number to call, send WhatsApp messages for health education, receive support with resource navigation, and receive updates about programs and events. La Casa de la Salud connects and guides community members to health resources, serving Richmond, Petersburg, Virginia Beach, and Harrisonburg.
For more information check available Spanish and English flyer.
| | | Trainings and Community Resources | | VIRTUAL TRAININGS, WORKSHOPS & WEBINARS | |
Not “Business as Usual”: How Urban AFE Networks Can Help Immigrant Learners and Communities Manage Multiple, Interwoven Challenges
Urban Alliance for Adult Literacy
Feb 10, 3 PM - Virtual
Sustaining Yourself While Supporting Others: Trauma Informed Care in Action
Switchboard
Feb 11, 1 PM - Virtual
Empower Communities: Health & Public Benefits
The National Immigration Law Center
Feb 11, 1 PM - Virtual
Navigating Change - Reflections on a Year of Policy Decisions
Lutheran Social Services NCA
Feb 12, 12 PM
*Virtual town hall to learn about policy changes impacting refugees and Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) holders.
Planning for Success: Are Immigration Legal Services the Right Fit for Your Organization?
CLINIC
Feb 12, 12 PM - Virtual
Legal Q&A session for social service providers working with unaccompanied children
USCRI
Feb 12, 2 PM - Virtual
Confidence, Advocacy and Collective Impact
Welcoming America
Feb 12, 2 PM - Virtual
*Join community organizers, nonprofit professionals, local leaders, anyone working to build stronger, more welcoming communities.
Improve community health by strengthening social connections
County Health Rankings & Roadmaps
Feb 17, 3 PM - Virtual
Caring Through Crisis: Trauma-Informed Strategies for Survivors of Disaster, Conflict, and Violence
Hispanic and Latino Behavioral Health Center of Excellence
Feb 18, 1PM - Virtual
Messaging on Immigrant Children and Families
Theyoungcenter & CLASP
Feb 19, 3 PM - Virtual
*Learn about new messaging research on immigrant children and families.
Untangling the Intersection of Race/Ethnicity with Nativity Status in the Lives of Foreign-Born Americans: Charting a Path Forward
Institute on Immigrant Integration Research and Policy
Feb 19, 2 PM - Virtual
Broken Promises: The Dismantling of Refugee Protection
NPNA
Feb 24, 1 PM - Virtual
Empower Communities: Workers Rights
The National Immigration Law Center
Feb 27, 2 PM - Virtual
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The Virginia Poverty Law Center maintains an up-to-date FAQ page on data privacy and public charge issues, which is an excellent resource to share with patients and clients. This FAQ, available in both English and Spanish, helps individuals better understand how using programs like Medicaid and SNAP may or may not affect their immigration-related concerns, so they can make informed decisions about applying for and keeping these benefits. Service providers are encouraged to bookmark this page and check it regularly, as it is frequently updated with the latest information and guidance.
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Project Connect outreach workers are a valuable resource for individuals and families who need support applying for, enrolling in, or renewing Virginia Medicaid and FAMIS coverage, including help completing applications, navigating eligibility and enrollment, troubleshooting issues, and answering program questions. Outreach workers serve communities across the state, and some are bilingual in Spanish, helping ensure language is not a barrier for many families seeking coverage and care. A full list of Project Connect outreach workers, including their contact information and the areas they serve, is available so community members can connect directly with someone in their region for one-on-one assistance here.
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This educational resource explains How to prepare for immigration, CBP, and ICE raid and what to expect during encounters so community members can feel more informed, calm, and prepared. It describes how officers may approach people at home, work, in public spaces, or at traffic stops, and highlights practical steps to stay safe, assert your rights, and make a plan before an emergency happens.
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Switchboard’s Supporting Clients Through the New USCIS Refugee Review Process is a concise guide that explains recent USCIS refugee review and hold policies in plain language and offers general scripts, key talking points, and referral guidance to help service providers respond to client questions and connect them with legal and mental health support.
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This new report from the Migration Policy Institute, New Frameworks for Language Access: Tracking the Expansion & Features of State & Local Laws & Policies, highlights how states and localities are advancing language access so residents with limited English proficiency can better connect to essential public services. This resource is especially valuable for agencies, schools, and community partners seeking to strengthen interpretation and translation services, improve compliance with civil rights obligations, and engage more effectively with multilingual communities.
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The brief “How States and Localities Can Strengthen Workplace Protections for Immigrant Workers” from the National Employment Law Project shares simple policy ideas to protect immigrant workers, including preventing immigration-related retaliation and helping workers safely assert their rights. Additionally, a Guide for Employers: What to Do if Immigration Comes to Your Workplace.
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The Vera Institute of Justice’s ICE Detention Trends dashboard is an interactive website that uses detailed government data to show how many people ICE detains, where they are held, and how detention has changed over time. Organizations and professionals can use this tool to better understand how immigration detention is changing over time and across the country, and to see clear, regularly updated information on the number of people detained, the types of facilities they are in, and how long they are held. This data can support advocacy, program design, strategic planning, funding proposals, and community education efforts. Access here.
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Click on each region for a listing of cultural festivals, mobile clinics, information sessions, job fairs, networking meetings and other local events: | |
| | | The resources and organizations shared in this newsletter are provided solely for informational and educational purposes. References or links to external entities within this Newsletter do not imply the endorsement of the Commonwealth of Virginia, Department of Social Services or the Office of New Americans. | | | | |
