Standing with Immigrant Families: The Vital Work of Alianza NORCO
In Northern Colorado, immigrant families are facing fear, family separation, and uncertainty every day
Alianza NORCO is meeting them with care, community, and critical services
Founded in 2017 by a Salvadoran immigrant woman and allies, Alianza NORCO (Alianza) provides life-changing support to immigrant families in Larimer and Weld counties. From legal help to health screenings to emotional support, Alianza has become a trusted and vital resource for those navigating an increasingly hostile environment.
Trusted support in a time of fear
In 2025, immigration raids and deportations without due process are increasing across Colorado, and fear is growing in immigrant communities. Many families are afraid to leave their homes—even for health care.
“Our clients are terrified, even those with legal documents,” says Executive Director Patricia Alvarez Harrell. “They’re not showing up for medical appointments. They’re worried about their families, their jobs, and their safety.”
To adapt, Alianza started private health screenings and health fairs. Their team has been trained as community health workers and certified insurance enrollment assisters, helping families sign up for Medicaid and other health insurance products—safely and privately.
Supporting mental health, community connection
As fear and stress grow, so do mental health needs. But access to bilingual and culturally responsive providers is rare.
With support from The Women’s Foundation of Colorado (WFCO), Alianza created a unique peer-to-peer support group program in 2023. These groups offer space for people to talk, feel heard, and build community, all with clinical support in the background. They have also started offering one-on-one behavioral health support with behavioral health specialists.
“This model didn’t exist,” says Patricia. “With support from WFCO for our legal team, Alianza was able to leverage additional funding to expand our reach and insurance enrollment goals. This is transformational for immigrant families—especially because most bilingual providers only accept Medicaid, which many of our community members are unable to access.”
Flexible funding that responds to urgent needs
The Women’s Foundation of Colorado provides unrestricted funding through its WINcome program. This means Alianza can respond quickly and creatively to what immigrant families need most—without waiting for approval or red tape.
For example, when a woman facing domestic violence was too scared to call the police, she turned to Alianza. The team helped her file a police report, accompanied her to the hospital, and is now working to help her apply for a U visa—a path to safety and stability for victims of crimes.
Legal services and the fight to work
Alianza’s legal services help clients apply for or adjust their immigration status—whether it’s applying for citizenship, renewing a work permit, or filing for Temporary Protected Status (TPS).
But right now, Alianza is facing what Patricia calls a “status adjustment crisis.” Some clients are suddenly losing their work permits, leaving them unable to work and putting their employers at risk, too.
“We’re seeing people come to us, desperate to figure out how they’ll feed their families,” says Patricia.
Even when families do qualify for public benefits like SNAP or housing stability support, many won’t apply out of fear their information could be shared with ICE. WFCO is working at the policy level to help stop this harmful data sharing.
Immigrants are essential to Colorado’s economy
Alianza is not only focused on helping individuals—they’re also fighting back against the harmful narrative that immigrants are a burden. The truth? Immigrants are essential to the success of Northern Colorado.
Recent data on immigrants and the economy from the Colorado Fiscal Institute shows:
- 30,900 immigrants live in Weld County, and 19,500 live in Larimer County
- They make up 10% and 18% of business owners, respectively
- Immigrants in Weld County pay $187 million in taxes and hold $605.6 million in spending power
- In Larimer County, they pay $152 million in taxes and have $423.3 million in spending power
What WINcome funding helped Alianza do in 2024
Thanks to WFCO’s flexible funding, Alianza NORCO was able to:
- Serve 54 clients, impacting 270 family units
- Host 12 community events
- Offer 11 different immigrant legal services
- Distribute $34,861 in cash assistance for legal filing fees
Why it matters
The work Alianza NORCO does—powered by trust, flexibility, and deep community connection—is saving lives, protecting families, and building a better future for Northern Colorado.
But the need keeps growing. More families are turning to Alianza. More lives depend on quick action. And more flexible funding—like what The Women’s Foundation of Colorado provides—is essential to meeting the moment.
“We’re not just offering services,” Patricia says. “We’re offering safety, dignity, and hope.”
Additional resources for immigrant families
In addition to the many resources Alianza NORCO provides, you can find a list of other organizations and resources supporting Colorado’s immigrant community below:
- American Immigration Lawyers Association: Professional association of immigration attorneys. Search for an attorney in your area here.
- Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition (CIRC): Coalition advocating for the rights of all immigrants, refugees, and their families. Offers Know Your Rights packets and resources.
- CIRC ICE Activity Reporting Hotline: 844-864-8341
- CONSTRUYENDO: Offers trauma support to heal monolingual Spanish speaking community members and their children through ancestral methods of healing, massage therapy, herbalism, yoga, workshops with Latinx mental health professionals, and more.
- Fuerza Latina Help Hotline: 970-472-1501
- Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network (RMAIN): (303) 866-9308. Provides free immigration legal and social services to immigrant children and to adults in immigration detention.
- See Alianza NORCO’s Resources Page for more immigrant resources (legal, housing, and other) across Colorado.
