Mayor Sheffield names Elizabeth Orozco-Vasquez as director of the Office of Immigrant Affairs & Economic Inclusion

• Vasquez comes to the Mayor's administration from her role as CEO of Freedom House, Detroit area's preeminent agency serving city's immigrant population
• Mayor tasks Vasquez with ensuring that the voices and needs of immigrants and non-English speaking individuals are integrated within City's policies and strategies
• Office also will focus on creating greater opportunity, equity and economic mobility initiatives tailored to underserved Detroiters

Mayor Mary Sheffield today affirmed her strong commitment to Detroit's large immigrant population by naming a highly respected advocate and leader in supporting immigrant needs, Elizabeth Orozco-Vasquez, as the City's new Director of the Office of Immigrant Affairs and Economic Inclusion. Orozco-Vasquez is an accomplished executive with nearly two decades of experience in nonprofit administration, housing stability, and immigrant services.

Most recently, Orozco-Vasquez served as the Chief Executive Officer of Freedom House Detroit, the only agency in the state that provides shelter and wraparound services to refugees, asylum seekers, and others seeking humanitarian protection. As the first Latina to lead the organization in over 20 years, she oversaw a period of unprecedented expansion. Under her leadership, she tripled the agency's operating budget through her work with federal, state, and local governments, foundations, and private funders; launched a multi-million-dollar, phased campus expansion to secure the agency's long-term infrastructure; and, in 2023, increased service capacity by 400%.

"I am delighted to welcome such a proven and trusted leader as Elizabeth to my Administration," said Mayor Sheffield. "Our residents clearly stated their expectations for this Office and I have heard them loud and clear. Moving forward, the standard for Immigrant Affairs and Economic Inclusion will be to ensure that our practices and policies reflect the needs of our Detroiters that have historically been left out of the City government decision-making processes."

Orozco-Vasquez is an expert at identifying and creating systems to help dismantle barriers for families with significant housing, economic mobility and service access needs. She has worked closely with the City, State and regional stakeholders expand legal access programs, create the second initiative in the state of Michigan to provide mental health services to immigrant survivors of torture, develop employment and housing case management programs, and transform City and State emergency shelter service models.

Among the responsibilities Mayor Sheffield has tasked Orozco-Vasquez with include:

• Leading an Office of Immigrant Affairs and Economic Inclusion Strategic Plan that assesses the needs of traditionally underserved populations and creates metrics toward equitable service delivery
• Ensuring that the voices and needs of Detroit's immigrant communities are represented within the City's internal and external policies and strategies
• Coordinating with the City of Detroit Human Resources Department to ensure that recruitment, training and retention practices result in a workforce that reflects Detroit's diverse demography
• Serving as a subject matter expert and strategy advisor across the Sheffield Administration, focusing on communications, economic development, health and human services and broad service delivery

A Mexican immigrant raised in Detroit, Orozco-Vasquez's professional journey is deeply rooted in her lived experience, which drives her commitment to equity. Now serving as the Director of the Office of Immigrant Affairs and Economic Inclusion, she will leverage her technical and advocacy expertise to ensure Detroit remains a center of safety, equity, and economic opportunity.

"It is a great honor for me to not only work for Mayor Sheffield, the first woman mayor of Detroit, but also to be an advocate for new immigrants and the many generations of immigrants who have long called Detroit home," said Orozco-Vasquez. "I look forward to continuing to help make Detroit a place where each and very one of our residents feels at home and feels welcome in our great city."

"We look forward to ensuring that Elizabeth's deep connections and proven ability to build bridges across communities throughout Detroit result in inclusive partnerships and policies so that our entire city can truly Rise Higher," Mayor Sheffield said.

Orozco-Vasquez will begin her new position on Monday, March 30.