From 1996-1998, PCIC advocated for expanded citizenship classes through the Pima County Adult Education Centers, enabling over 2,000 people to prepare for the U.S. citizenship exams.

In 2003, PCIC collaborated with the Diocese of Tucson and St. John Catholic Church to open the Casa San Juan Immigrant Center, which provides information about immigration and citizenship, medical support, emergency financial help, and other resources. In 2005, PCIC collaborated with the AZ Attorney General to open a satellite office at Casa San Juan to hear and register complaints about immigrant abuses.

 In 2004, PCIC was successful in opposition to Proposition 200, the Protect Arizona Now Initiative. PCIC collected over 3,800 early ballot requests and ran a campaign of educational forums, mailings, phone banking, neighborhood walks, and multi-layered actions in congregations.  Although Proposition 200 passed statewide, it was defeated by voters in Pima County.

In 2006, PCIC conducted an intensive campaign opposing Proposition 300, which denies access to childcare subsidies, adult education, and in-state university tuition to undocumented Arizona residents. PCIC conducted educational forums in member congregations, held press conferences and public forums, ran neighborhood walks to distribute literature, and made thousands of phone calls. Although the proposition passed, we raised awareness in both immigrant and non-immigrant congregations of the importance of these programs to immigrants.

After the passage of Proposition 300, PCIC trained groups of student leaders to challenge the implementation of the proposition at Pima Community College and the University of Arizona. 

Officials at both institutions are now investigating ways to use private funding to support undocumented students.

In 2006, PCIC created a draft of a Human Dignity Toolkit, a written and eventually online resource providing information about immigrants’ legal rights and the services available to both documented and undocumented immigrants. The toolkit has been discussed, evaluated, and improved upon through dozens of house meetings in immigrant congregations and will be ready for distribution in the near future. Back to top