{"id":3953,"date":"2026-01-07T16:24:34","date_gmt":"2026-01-07T21:24:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wotsnj.org\/?page_id=3953"},"modified":"2026-01-30T13:13:55","modified_gmt":"2026-01-30T18:13:55","slug":"summary-of-accomplishments-2","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/wotsnj.org\/en\/summary-of-accomplishments-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Summary of Accomplishments"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n
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2000<\/strong>
Wind of the Spirit (WotS) was founded as a grassroots faith-based organization committed to advancing fair and humane immigration policies<\/strong>, using human rights as a framework and popular education as a political practice. After community consultations, we began to develop the driver’s license campaign.<\/strong><\/p><\/div><\/div>

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2001<\/strong>
WotS stopped a local ordinance that sought to fine day laborers $500 or imprison them for up to three months for waiting for work on Morris Ave. in Morristown, NJ.<\/p><\/div><\/div>

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2002<\/strong>
We launched the Education Campaign against wage theft, a prevention campaign aimed at the day laborer community. We promoted responsibility in paying taxes through the ITIN number and a commitment to being a good neighbor by volunteering to clean up the town.<\/p><\/div><\/div>

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2003<\/strong>
\u2022We established the first community partnership with OSHA in the country, with the aim of promoting occupational health and safety education among immigrant workers.
\u2022 The existence of the collective and the organization’s board of directors was formalized; the Collective\u2013Board was created.
\u2022 We conducted the first training session for WotS Human Rights Promoters.<\/p><\/div><\/div>

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2006<\/strong>
Historic mobilization on May 1 to Liberty State Park and in Morristown, with more than 1,000 people participating.<\/p><\/div><\/div>

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2007<\/strong>
\u2022We fought against the implementation of the 287(g) program in Morristown, which promotes collaboration between local police and immigration authorities. In the first stage of the campaign, we collected 3,650 signatures in just seven days.
\u2022We were in Arizona supporting NDLON in the fight against Sheriff Arpaio, who was criminalizing the immigrant community in the state.<\/p><\/div><\/div>

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2008<\/strong>
Despite racism and hostility, we organized the \u201cIn-County Tuition\u201d <\/strong>campaign to guarantee access to County College of Morris (CCM) for undocumented students, allowing them\u2014upon meeting certain requirements\u2014to pay tuition as county residents.<\/p><\/div><\/div>

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2009<\/strong>
\u2022Fighting hard in contexts where the danger of collaboration between local police and immigration authorities was not yet understood, we managed to halt the implementation of the 287(g) program in Morristown.
\u2022 We continued to organize to promote the DREAM Act, with active support in Washington, D.C.<\/p><\/div><\/div>

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2011<\/strong>
\u2022 We won the campaign that guaranteed undocumented students admission to County College of Morris as state residents.
\u2022 We supported the launch of the NJ Dream Act Coalition.<\/strong>
\u2022 We were part of national campaigns against detentions and deportations.<\/p><\/div><\/div>

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2012<\/strong>
\u2022 We started local groups in New Brunswick, Camden, Newark, Paterson, and Dover.
\u2022 We trained more than 300 immigrant workers in occupational health and safety after Hurricane Sandy.
\u2022 We participated in the national effort to pass DACA.<\/p><\/div><\/div>

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2013<\/strong>
\u2022 WotS youth led the campaign for the NJ Tuition Equity Act<\/strong>. After a hard-fought battle, we achieved victory.
\u2022 We joined the No More Deportation<\/strong>s campaign, organizing civil disobedience actions in New Jersey and Washington, D.C. WotS members were detained and arrested at a time when it was still difficult for the movement to understand the importance of nonviolent direct action.<\/p><\/div><\/div>

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2015<\/strong>
\u2022 We continue to push for the approval of driver’s licenses for undocumented individuals at the state level.
\u2022 We contribute to the approval of municipal resolutions in favor of driver’s licenses and local identification cards.
\u2022 We train 1,368 workers in occupational health and safety.<\/p><\/div><\/div>

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2016<\/strong>
We participate in marches in support of DACA and fair, dignified, and comprehensive immigration reform, and we continue to educate and organize the community for the approval of driver’s licenses.<\/p><\/div><\/div>

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2017<\/strong>
\u2022 We pushed for the passage of the Immigrant Trust Directive<\/strong> in 2018, with the goal of preventing local police from acting as immigration agents.
\u2022 We began promoting the \u201cNo Hate, No Fear: Immigrants Are Welcome Here\u201d <\/strong>campaign\u2014now known as ITA\u2014in Morristown, where we organized a mobilization of more than 400 people against the detention and deportation of immigrant families.
\u2022 We organized and mobilized in solidarity with the victims of Charlottesville.<\/p><\/div><\/div>

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2018<\/strong>
\u2022 We supported the organization in achieving the passage of the New Jersey Equity Act <\/strong>and the Earned Sick Leave Law.<\/strong>
\u2022 Hundreds of WotS youth mobilized against gun violence by participating in the March for Our Lives.<\/strong><\/p><\/div><\/div>

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2019<\/strong>
\u2022 After a struggle marked by perseverance, we achieved the passage of the Driver’s License Act for undocumented individuals.
\u2022 We contributed to the increase of the minimum wage in New Jersey to $15 per hour and the passage of paid sick days through local resolutions.<\/p><\/div><\/div>

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2020<\/strong>
\u2022 We led the community response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Thirty-five members made 15,000 masks, which were distributed free of charge. In addition, we deployed 17 workers to emergency sites to provide support to sick people and assist with the 2020 Census.
\u2022 We supported and accompanied Black Lives Matter<\/strong> organizing processes, conducting multiple teach-ins in different municipalities in Morris County.
\u2022 We supported the passage of the NJ Equity Act<\/strong> and began organizing to promote the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights<\/strong> in New Jersey.<\/p><\/div><\/div>

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2023<\/strong>
\u2022 We continued our campaign to advance the Immigrant Trust Act (ITA) <\/strong>and trained 3,200 workers in occupational health and safety, as well as general labor rights.
\u2022 We strengthened community engagement to promote the New Jersey Domestic Workers Bill of Rights.<\/strong><\/p><\/div><\/div>

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2024<\/strong>
\u2022 As part of a state coalition and after a sustained struggle, we achieved a historic victory: on January 12, the Domestic Workers’ Rights Act (S-723\/A-822)<\/strong> was signed into law.
\u2022 We continued to promote the Immigration Trust Act (ITA)<\/strong> and secured the passage of two local resolutions in its favor in Madison and Chatham.<\/p><\/div><\/div>

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2025<\/strong>
\u2022 We trained and deployed 21 Rights Promoters, educating over 1,100 immigrant families and 370 community allies through Know Your Rights and community response workshops across multiple New Jersey municipalities.
\u2022 We educated more than 550 domestic workers and 800 employers on New Jersey\u2019s Domestic Workers\u2019 Bill of Rights.
\u2022 We led the We Belong Here – Citizenship4All <\/strong><\/em>campaign as part of the Migrant Regularization Project.
\u2022 We supported the passage of Immigrant Trust Act (ITA) <\/strong><\/em>to pass 33 resolutions in 28 municipalities and 4 counties across New Jersey.
\u2022 We strengthened leadership development and political education among our members, conducting over 20 legislative education visits.
\u2022 We marked 25 years of advocacy through symbolic actions and justice walks for immigrant rights in New Jersey and nationally.
\u2022 We participated in key international spaces, including the Global Compact for Migration Review and the Global Forum on Migration and Development.
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