TWO-PART WEBINAR SERIES

Shifting Immigration Policy in Practice: Equipping Social Workers to Navigate Its Impact on Immigrant Communities

As immigration policies evolve, social workers are often among the first to witness their tangible effects in homes, schools, hospitals, and communities. This webinar explores how recent immigration policy changes shape the lived experiences of immigrants, particularly those with vulnerable or uncertain legal status. Designed specifically for social work professionals, this session offers:

• A primer on key immigration policies and how they influence access to services, legal protections, and social integration

• An overview of the systemic barriers rooted in policy that affect undocumented individuals, asylum seekers, refugees, DACA recipients, and mixed-status families

• Case examples illustrating how policy changes ripple through families, communities, and agencies

• Practical approaches for navigating legal complexity while advocating ethically and effectively for clients

By deepening their policy literacy, social workers will be better equipped to support immigrant populations through uncertainty, and to serve not just as helpers, but as policy-aware advocates for equity and inclusion.

Part 1 | Immigration Policy: Foundations & Implications for Social Work Practice

Speaker: Alexandra Weber, MSW, LICSW

Thursday, September 18 (12-1:30pm EST)

Earn 1.5 CEUs 

This session introduces social workers to the fundamentals of U.S. immigration policy, including historical context, recent developments, and current legal categories. Through a social justice lens, participants will examine how immigration status affects access to resources, rights, and protections, and how policies intersect with the lived realities of immigrant families.

Learning objectives: 

• Analyze the impact of local, state, and federal immigration policy on their clients

• Integrate policy advocacy into their practice while adhering to professional ethics

• Elevate immigrant voices and co-create solutions rooted in dignity, equity, and resilience

Registration fees:

• $15 for NASW members

• $35 not yet members

Please note: This webinar will be hosted in a Zoom Meeting room. Attendees will receive an email with details to join one day prior to the webinar. To receive CE credit, attendees must attend the full duration of the webinar; partial credit is not available. Please read our virtual programs and conferences participant expectations here. 

Social Work Continuing Education Credit: CE credit is provided by the NASW-MA Chapter; CEUs have been approved for Massachusetts and Rhode Island attendees. If you are not licensed in Massachusetts and/or Rhode Island, please check with your state social work licensing board if they accept NASW-MA Chapter approved CEUs.

Speaker bio: 

Alexandra “Xan” Weber, LICSW is Chief Advancement Officer and Senior Vice President at the International Institute of New England (IINE), responsible for resource development, advocacy, and community engagement. Xan oversees the organization’s fundraising, institutional partnerships, advocacy initiatives, and community engagement. Xan spent her first 14 years at IINE in program roles—developing its continuum of service and tripling its program size and impact—before shifting in 2021 to grow IINE’s resources. A Licensed Independent Social Worker in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Xan holds degrees from Georgetown University and the University of Iowa, where she received her Master’s in Social Work. Xan lives with her husband and two children in Jamaica Plain, MA.

Register here for part 2 | Practice with Purpose: Policy-Informed Advocacy for Immigrant Communities: https://www.naswma.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=1982552&group=