Foundations Pool Money to Aid Immigrants Following Federal-Government Crackdown

In response to a federal-government crackdown on some immigrants in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks, a handful of grant makers have created a fund to help small organizations that serve immigrants hire more staff members, form coalitions among themselves and with civil-rights groups, and promote the civic participation of newcomers to the United States.

The Four Freedoms Fund has received pledges worth $2.7-million from the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the Ford Foundation, the Mertz-Gilmore Foundation, and the Open Society Institute — all in New York — and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, in Miami.

“The fund was formed in response to the government’s harsh measures against immigrants since September 11,” said Shona Chakravartty, program officer of the Four Freedoms Fund.

Ms. Chakravartty cited extra registration requirements included in the Patriot Act of 2002 — a set of federal laws designed to guard against terrorism — and detentions and deportations of thousands of Arab, Muslim, and South Asian immigrants after the September 11 terror attacks as examples of changes in federal policy on immigrants. The fund will be managed by Public Interest Projects, in New York.

“We’re hoping the fund will raise the visibility of the issues surrounding immigrants,” Ms. Chakravartty added.

The Four Freedoms Fund also is designed to garner the interest of local and regional grant makers and coalition builders, said Taryn L. Higashi, a deputy director of the human-rights division at the Ford Foundation. “We’ve heard that coalitions are hard to sustain because there’s no one to staff them,” said Ms. Higashi. “Smaller groups need more staff just so they can attend meetings and get to know and help each other.”

Ms. Chakravartty said that grant applications will be solicited by invitation only beginning in August. The group hopes to begin making grants by October.