Author: Jeff Thielman

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On July 16^th, a federal District Court judge in Texas halted new applicants to DACA or the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. The ruling does not affect the more than 600,000 young people currently protected by DACA. In the written ruling, the judge said DACA is unlawful because the federal government violated the Administrative Procedure Act in 2012 by not following an appropriate “notice and comment” process.

One fact is clear, this ruling leaves 81,000 current applicants for DACA relief in limbo and further underscores the need for Congress to adopt legislation to protect DACA-eligible young people living in the United States. Currently, DACA recipients do not have a pathway to citizenship and live in constant fear of being torn from their families, communities, schools, jobs, and the only country they have ever known.

The International Institute of New England urges Congress to adopt common-sense legislation to protect the nation’s DACA recipients or DREAMers. IINE has served and employed DREAMers for many years. They are our friends and neighbors. They have worked in many frontline positions during the pandemic. Some have served in the U.S. military, many are students, and a growing number are parents of U.S. citizens.  DREAMers are Americans in every way, except on paper.

According to a Pew Research survey conducted in June of 2020, 74% of Americans support legislation protecting DREAMers. And, various studies show that deporting DREAMers would harm the economy, destroy families, reduce tax revenues, and cost the government billions of dollars.

The American Promise and Dream Act, which would provide conditional permanent resident status for several categories of immigrants, including DREAMers, has passed the U.S. of Representatives twice, and is awaiting Senate approval. In addition, a bipartisan bill in the Senate introduced by Senators Richard Durbin (D-IL) and Lindsay Graham (R-SC), known as the Dream Act of 2021 establishes a path to citizenship for some DACA recipients and other undocumented immigrants.

We urge Congress to listen to the American people and to do the right thing by passing legislation to protect young people who came here through no choice of their own and who are contributing to communities in every state across the country.

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The International Institute of New England (IINE) applauds President Biden’s decision to set the ceiling on the number of refugees the U.S. can admit to 62,500 people this year. The President’s determination gives hope to thousands of families here in the U.S. awaiting their loved ones as well as those abroad who have already been approved for admission.

IINE has resettled more than 15,000 refugees in Massachusetts and New Hampshire since the federal government formally launched the U.S. Refugee Resettlement program in 1980. The U.S. program is a model public-private partnership involving community members across the country who come together year after year to welcome people fleeing persecution.

IINE is committed to working with volunteers, faith and community groups, corporate donors, philanthropists and friends to welcome refugees to New England. Together, we are confident we can create a better and stronger resettlement system that serves refugees as well as the communities where they will reside.

To continue our commitment to welcoming refugees, IINE has formally endorsed the GRACE Act put forth by Massachusetts Senators Markey and Warren and New Hampshire Senator Shaheen. This legislation would strengthen the Refugee Act of 1980 by preventing the President from setting a Presidential Determination on Refugee Admissions at a level below 125,000.

[/fusion_text][fusion_separator s2id_autogen24=”” style_type=”none” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” sep_color=”” top_margin=”40″ bottom_margin=”” border_size=”” icon=”” icon_size=”” icon_circle=”” icon_circle_color=”” width=”” alignment=”center” /][fusion_button link=”https://iine.org/donate/” text_transform=”uppercase” title=”” target=”_self” link_attributes=”” alignment_medium=”” alignment_small=”” alignment=”center” modal=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” sticky_display=”normal,sticky” class=”” id=”” s2id_autogen16=”” s2id_autogen16_search=”” color=”default” button_gradient_top_color=”” button_gradient_bottom_color=”” button_gradient_top_color_hover=”” button_gradient_bottom_color_hover=”” accent_color=”” accent_hover_color=”” type=”” bevel_color=”” border_color=”” border_hover_color=”” size=”large” stretch=”no” margin_top=”” margin_right=”” margin_bottom=”” margin_left=”” icon=”” icon_position=”left” icon_divider=”no” s2id_autogen17=”” s2id_autogen17_search=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ s2id_autogen18=”” s2id_autogen18_search=”” animation_offset=””]Help us to continue our work[/fusion_button][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

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Late last week, the White House announced that the ceiling on the number of refugees admitted to the U.S. this year would remain at 15,000, the number established by former President Trump. This year’s cap is the lowest in U.S. history. In fact, since October, the country has admitted just 2,050 refugees, on pace to be the fewest ever.

Following public outrage about the announcement, the White House said the President will revisit this decision and may announce a higher admissions number by May 15. While this gives us some hope, the delay is deeply troubling.

The longer the President takes to issue the so-called Presidential Determination – the ceiling on the number of refugees who can arrive this year – the more likely it is that very few refugees will enter the U.S. this year. The delay is devastating to thousands of refugees already approved for admission and to the many members of their families living in the United States eagerly awaiting their arrival.

The reasons for the President’s backpedaling vary. The federal government is managing an influx of unaccompanied children and other asylees crossing the southern border, and it is no secret that admitting refugees to the United States is not a high priority for most Americans

As advocates for both populations, we look forward to Congress and the administration providing the critical resources to serve both refugees and the surge of unaccompanied children at the border.

As the President and the State Department study their options on the number of refugees the nation will admit this year, we at IINE think our nation’s leaders need to take a moment to listen to organizations like ours that do the rewarding work of resettling refugees into communities across the country.

Welcoming refugees is a local, grassroots effort involving trained case managers employed by non-profits like IINE, faith and community groups, employers, and local philanthropists. The federal and state government provide initial funding to support newly arrived refugee families. Resettlement agencies supplement this funding with private donations, in-kind gifts, and volunteer labor. 

From 1980 until 2017, the United States was a world leader in resettling refugees. The U.S. Refugee Admissions Programs program reminded nations around the world to support and welcome people who were fleeing persecution and seeking peace, and our leadership encouraged other countries to treat refugees with kindness.

Since 1980, the average number of refugees admitted to this country was 95,000 per year. Still, less than one percent of all refugees actually get the chance to resettle in the U.S.

Many Americans hardly knew about the program until it became a political issue in the 2016 election. Americans now know that refugees are the most vetted immigrants to the United States, and they contribute very quickly to their new country.

In fact, if Mr. Biden sat down with the head of a construction company or leader of a hospital trying to hire more employees, he may be surprised to learn how important refugee resettlement is to economic development – in short, how much communities throughout this country rely on refugees.

Now is the time for President Biden to honor his commitments by signing a Determination Letter immediately to admit more refugees into the country. Such an action honors our nation’s heritage as a place of welcome for those fleeing persecution, re-establishes the United States as a leader in the worldwide response to the global migration crisis, and brings new talent and energy to communities across the country. 

[/fusion_text][fusion_separator s2id_autogen24=”” style_type=”none” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” sep_color=”” top_margin=”40″ bottom_margin=”” border_size=”” icon=”” icon_size=”” icon_circle=”” icon_circle_color=”” width=”” alignment=”center” /][fusion_button link=”https://iine.org/donate/” text_transform=”uppercase” title=”” target=”_self” link_attributes=”” alignment_medium=”” alignment_small=”” alignment=”center” modal=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” sticky_display=”normal,sticky” class=”” id=”” s2id_autogen16=”” s2id_autogen16_search=”” color=”default” button_gradient_top_color=”” button_gradient_bottom_color=”” button_gradient_top_color_hover=”” button_gradient_bottom_color_hover=”” accent_color=”” accent_hover_color=”” type=”” bevel_color=”” border_color=”” border_hover_color=”” size=”large” stretch=”no” margin_top=”” margin_right=”” margin_bottom=”” margin_left=”” icon=”” icon_position=”left” icon_divider=”no” s2id_autogen17=”” s2id_autogen17_search=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ s2id_autogen18=”” s2id_autogen18_search=”” animation_offset=””]Help us to continue our work[/fusion_button][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

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Today a jury in Minneapolis convicted a White police officer of the murder of a Black man, George Floyd. Such a verdict is a rare event in the United States.

The facts were never in dispute. Derek Chauvin placed his knee on George Floyd’s neck for nine minutes and twenty-nine seconds, an excessive amount of force by any measure. Mr. Floyd’s cries of “I can’t breathe, I can’t breathe” were heard by onlookers, captured on video, and shared with billions of people around the world.

As we learned in the trial, the events traumatized the teenager taking video of the event, a medical professional who arrived on the scene, a store clerk, and every onlooker that day. In fact, the tragic murder of Mr. Floyd impacted people around the world, motivating millions to take to the streets and march for the first time in their lives.

While one person was held accountable today, we know that institutional racism in the United States is as prevalent as ever. There are efforts across the country to disenfranchise Black voters, use of police force is the 6th leading cause of death for young Black men, and the median income of Black families is less than 60% of the median income of White households.

As an organization that welcomes refugees and immigrants from around the world, we have an obligation to introduce our clients, who are largely people of color, to a country and culture that has much work to do. We take this responsibility seriously, and, to be honest, we are still learning how best to help New Americans navigate the racism they see in their new country.

Here at IINE, we recommit ourselves to our racial justice work, to creating a safe community for the people of color whom we are privileged to serve, and to recognizing and participating in the work still left to do.

While we know there is still much to do, let me state that at IINE we unequivocally believe that Black lives matter.

Jeff Thielman
President and CEO

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On March 18, 2021, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the American Dream and Promise Act. Now it is up to the Senate to pass this bill, which will provide pathways to citizenship to 2.3 million Dreamers, young people who have lived, studied, and worked here for most of their lives and know no other country but the U.S. Please write to your Senator today urging them to pass this crucial act.

You can read a summary of the bill here.

Use our email template:

I am writing to urge you to support the American Dream and Promise Act, which will provide 2.3 million Dreamers with a pathway to citizenship. Dreamers who came here as children and have spent years contributing to their communities should not live in fear of being deported. I believe passing the American Dream and Promise Act is a crucial step forward for immigration reform.

How to email your representatives:

Massachusetts

Sen. Elizabeth Warren
Sen. Edward Markey

New Hampshire

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen
Sen. Maggie Hassan

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On March 16, 2021 eight people were murdered in Atlanta. Six of those people were Asian women. While it is not yet clear if these murders will carry hate crime charges, we know that hate incidents against the Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) community increased nearly 150% since the beginning of the pandemic. In 2020, more than 3,000 Anti-Asian hate incidents were reported to Stop AAPI Hate and another 500 incidents have already been reported in 2021.

The International Institute of New England (IINE) condemns any anti-Asian racism and stands firmly with the AAPI community.

IINE has a long history of working with the AAPI community, and we have resettled many Asian refugees in New England. These refugees came to the United States to escape the persecution they were facing in their home countries, yet now they are facing targeted harassment and hate incidents in their new country.

At the core of IINE’s work is the commitment to build and promote welcoming communities that recognize the value of every person. We remain committed to this work and will continue to fight back against racist rhetoric, policies and actions.

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You can report incidents of anti-Asian harassment to Stop AAPI Hate here.

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On March 9, 2021, the Biden administration declared that it had stopped defending the public charge rule enacted during the Trump administration. The Justice Department notified the Supreme Court of the new policy, leading to the dismissal of cases challenging the rule.

The public charge rule allowed for the rejection of green card applicants if they relied on or were likely to rely on public benefits. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas said, “The 2019 public charge rule was not in keeping with our nation’s values. It penalized those who access health benefits and other government services available to them.”

“The International Institute of New England welcomes this news,” said Jeff Thielman, President and CEO of the International Institute of New England. “Immigrants and refugees have been fearful of accessing public benefits and healthcare, including COVID-19 testing and vaccinations. No person or family should be at risk of losing their immigration or refugee status for receiving aid for which they are legally qualified.”

IINE remains steadfast in our commitment to welcome immigrants and refugees to New England and will continue to help our clients access the benefits they need.

You can read the Department of Homeland Security’s statement on the public charge rule here and their statement on litigation related to the public charge rule here.

[/fusion_text][fusion_separator s2id_autogen24=”” style_type=”none” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” sep_color=”” top_margin=”40″ bottom_margin=”” border_size=”” icon=”” icon_size=”” icon_circle=”” icon_circle_color=”” width=”” alignment=”center” /][fusion_button link=”https://iine.org/donate/” text_transform=”uppercase” title=”” target=”_self” link_attributes=”” alignment_medium=”” alignment_small=”” alignment=”center” modal=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” sticky_display=”normal,sticky” class=”” id=”” s2id_autogen16=”” s2id_autogen16_search=”” color=”default” button_gradient_top_color=”” button_gradient_bottom_color=”” button_gradient_top_color_hover=”” button_gradient_bottom_color_hover=”” accent_color=”” accent_hover_color=”” type=”” bevel_color=”” border_color=”” border_hover_color=”” size=”large” stretch=”no” margin_top=”” margin_right=”” margin_bottom=”” margin_left=”” icon=”” icon_position=”left” icon_divider=”no” s2id_autogen17=”” s2id_autogen17_search=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ s2id_autogen18=”” s2id_autogen18_search=”” animation_offset=””]Help us to continue our work[/fusion_button][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]