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remove additional text from state project (#335)
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* remove additional text from state project

* update abbreviation to full name

* add image to state project page
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jaredbain authored Sep 29, 2023
1 parent 87e89db commit 90acb10
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2 changes: 1 addition & 1 deletion .github/workflows/test-urls.yml
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Expand Up @@ -31,4 +31,4 @@ jobs:
run: npm run build && npm run start-detached

- name: Test for broken URLs
run: bundle exec htmlproofer --http-status-ignore "403,406,429,503,999" --url-swap "https\://digitalcorps.gsa.gov:" _site
run: bundle exec htmlproofer --http-status-ignore "0,403,406,429,503,999" --url-swap "https\://digitalcorps.gsa.gov:" _site
Binary file added _assets/images/projects/state_nica_image.jpeg
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@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
---
id: dos-nica
id: state-nica
agency: "Department of State"
agency_abbrev: "State"
agency_abbrev: "Department of State"
agency_logo: "DOS.webp"
title: "Leveraging data to support the emergency release of 222 Nicaraguan political prisoners"
project_name: "Leveraging data to support the emergency release of 222 Nicaraguan political prisoners"
Expand All @@ -18,6 +18,10 @@ impact_area: ["Immigration"]
status: ["current"]
---

<div>
{% asset "state_nica_image.jpeg" class="" alt="Department of State workers standing outside building." %}
</div>

## The challenge
Amid almost 5 years of massive political suppression and imprisonment of hundreds of political rivals, activists, students, journalists, business and religious leaders, and members of civil society at large, on February 9, 2023, Nicaraguan president Daniel Ortega suddenly announced the release of 222 political prisoners into U.S. custody. At the time of their release, the Nicaraguan government stripped the parolees of their citizenship, rendering them stateless. The State Department in partnership with Department of Homeland Security Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Agency for International Development, Department of Health and Human Services, Executive Office of the President, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and Virginia state and local agencies, quickly mobilized a task force to accomplish three primary goals in response to this humanitarian crisis:
1. Welcome the parolees to the United States safely and with dignity;
Expand All @@ -31,11 +35,6 @@ Three U.S. Digital Corps Fellows joined the M/SS/CfA data task force to manage t
* USDC Fellows also contributed to the **daily production of Secretary of State and White House operation reports** and ensured reporting metrics provided detailed status updates on parolees throughout the process. In addition, Fellows regularly provided data extracts for NGOs providing ongoing legal and psychological support to the parolees, and produced ad-hoc reports for the Operations Center, hotel liaison team, and the Virginia state government.
* Last but not least, USDC Fellows were critical in **developing family reunification and community reintegration reporting criteria**, collecting data to track departures, and liaising with NGOs, the hotel team, and the Operations Center to ensure all parolees had ongoing support once the task force concluded.

In the next phase, the Fellows interviewed two groups of users affected by the Safety and Well Being Follow Up Call: leaders of home study and post-release services programs, who would implement the new process, and case aides, who currently conduct calls. After five hours of calls, the team was better able to empathize and understand the perspectives of the callers, sponsors, and children. They learned that one of the biggest challenges, for everyone involved, was limited availability of sponsors and children during business hours, when many are working or in school.

Finally, the Fellows conducted a process map and content audit of the existing universe of procedures, reports, proposals, and a motley of program questionnaires to learn best practices that shelters were already using in their SWB calls. They prepared a proposal of over 30 new plain language questions that incorporated three virtual check-ins at seven business days, 14 business days, and 30 business days after a child’s release to a sponsor. An expanded medical and mental health section would eliminate the need for redundant post-release COVID-19 check-ins. The proposal also included relevant pre-call information, standardized the post-call assessment and escalation process, and coordinated with partners such as the Department of Justice’s Executive Office of Immigration Review.


## The impact

By leveraging inter-bureau and interagency cooperation **all 222 political prisoners were connected with ongoing support from family, friends, and/or NGOs within six days of their release from prison**.
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