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Our offices will be closed on Friday, June 19 in observance of Juneteenth.

Autor: Jeff Thielman

A “Happily Ever After” For One International Couple

A “Happily Ever After” For One International Couple

Escrito por Jeff Thielman en . Publicado en Blog, Boston, Historias de clientes, Legal.

It was love at first click for Andrea and Kurt, when they met online in 2014. But, there was one problem with this twenty-first century love story: Andrea lived in Peru, and Kurt lived in Boston. They spent the next two years chatting online before finally meeting in person in 2016.

Andrea was committed to moving to the United States to be with Kurt, but she was overwhelmed by the prospect of undertaking the complicated legal process to become a citizen by herself. One day, she saw an online advertisement for IINE’s Legal Immigration Service, and filled out an information inquiry. One of the many services IINE’s legal services team specializes in is providing support for the marriage green card process, and so she was able to engage legal team members Ashley Wellbrock and Caitlin Slavin to help further her case.

Once Andrea began working with IINE, she said she felt the burden of her legal paperwork being lifted off her shoulders.

“Thanks to Caitlin and Ashley most of the process was very smooth and easy going,” Andrea said. “The legal team helped me to navigate the USA immigration process with confidence. I just needed to bring all the required documents, and they took care of all the rest.”

Andrea started her work with the legal team in January 2019, and by the beginning of June, her application was approved by the federal government. Today, Andrea holds a conditional residence card, which means she can now work in the U.S., and travel abroad to visit her family. In in two years she can remove the conditions to become a permanent resident, another service that is provided by the IINE legal services team.

Andrea said she is grateful to the IINE legal staff for the attention they gave to her application process.

“I greatly appreciate their help, contacting me and making sure all was good with my case,” she said. “I am very happy that my beloved husband and I were so lucky to get all the support to make this dream come true.”

"Nada es fácil hasta que lo has hecho". Lecciones del Programa de Formación en Hostelería de Boston

"Nada es fácil hasta que lo has hecho". Lecciones del Programa de Formación en Hostelería de Boston

Escrito por Jeff Thielman en . Publicado en Blog, Boston, Apoyo al empleo, Formación para el empleo.

Graduation Speech by Leonardo Fermin, Hospitality Training Program

Hello everyone, thank you for being here today. My name is Leonardo Fermin. I am originally from Venezuela and I would like to start by telling you a little bit about myself.

Being in Venezuela, I had the opportunity to complete high school and continue on to University. I was very happy to get my Bachelor’s degree in Accounting. In 1998 due to a change in government, life in Venezuela changed drastically. During the first 10 years Venezuelans noticed how everyday life had changed. On one hand, the economy improved, because of oil production and high export prices. Unfortunately, social and political problems had also increased. In most recent years these problems have only continued to get worse, especially the economic and political issues.

In Venezuela if you are against the government in power, the government sees you as a threat and will do everything in their power to remove that threat. I was a member of a non-violent political party and also participated in protests to fight for the rights of everybody. Eventually armed groups belonging to the government began to persecute me and my family, even threatening our lives. For this reason I moved to The United States of America in 2017 to seek safety.

When I first came here, I had to work on a construction site for 2 months and then in a restaurant, where I am currently working as a cook. It is not easy to move to another country and work in an industry you are not familiar with. Though it is fun to work in a kitchen, I wanted to study something that will help me get a better job and advance my career. In February I came to the International Institute of New England to help my wife sign-up for English classes, and that was when I first heard about the Hospitality Training Program. I thought this was the perfect opportunity to begin a new career, in an industry I have been interested in for many years. I felt confident that this program would give me the knowledge and skills I needed to take this next step.

I learned many things, not only about hotels, but also history, and just how important it is to provide good customer service when working in hospitality. In addition I learned important life skills for the United States about how to apply for job positions, and how to have a successful phone and in person interview. I am very excited and I feel prepared to start working to achieve my goals. I feel more motivated than ever to work in a position helping people with my professional certificate.

One of my favorite parts of this experience was my classmates and having the opportunity to get to know each other. We have helped each other with the class. I want to thank my teacher Mary Blunt and all of IINE staff like Maura Lester and Tom Roberts McMichael.

Finally, my advice to my classmates is to be respectful, try your best to help each other, use all the knowledge you already have, listen and follow instructions, and work hard to achieve your goals. Nothing is ever easy until you have done it! There is a lot of opportunity here in this country which others don’t have in other parts of the world. It has been a privilege to work, learn, and laugh with you and I think we should be proud of what we have accomplished.

Also, I want to thank the Renaissance Boston Waterfront and the Westin Boston Waterfront for letting us to job shadowing at your hotels. So, thank you Ellen Reardon and Peter Neville — It was an amazing experience to see what is like to work in a hotel and follow in the footsteps of your friendly and professional staff.

I hope that in the years to come The International Institute of New England will continue to help refugees and immigrants advance in this beautiful country. Congratulations, everybody!!

Declaración del IINE sobre los cambios en la política de tasas públicas

Escrito por Jeff Thielman en . Publicado en Blog, Comunicados de prensa.

The Trump Administration’s new “Public Charge” policy will limit the ability of legally-admitted, tax-paying immigrants to become permanent residents and citizens of the U.S. The International Institute of New England condemns this xenophobic policy as un-American and economically indefensible.

Legal immigrants with documented statuses sometimes struggle to make a living when they first arrive in the U.S., due to language, education, and cultural barriers. During this early period, many take low wage, entry level positions that employers find  hard to fill.  Because of the low wages, these workers often require support from federal health, housing, and food programs to augment their wages so they can support their families and grow their employable skills.

IINE helps immigrant families access federal benefit programs, and we are witness to how those supports allow newcomers to become employees in American companies, manufacturers of American goods, founders of American businesses, and creators of American jobs. Newcomers rent and then purchase American homes, learn in American schools, join the American armed forces, and worship in American faith communities, all the while paying taxes into our federal government that more than covers the early benefit support they may receive. Legal immigrants pay for and deserve access to the same public benefits that are available to every person paying taxes in this country.

More than 1 million immigrants live in Massachusetts, and another 85,000 live in New Hampshire. Immigrants in Mass and NH paid nearly $14 billion in state and federal taxes last year. Immigrant-owned businesses employed nearly 200,000 people in this region last year.  It would be disastrous to remove the economic power of immigrants from New England’s cities and towns by enacting a policy that prevents them from putting down permanent roots through residency and citizenship.

IINE has been providing services to newcomers since 1918 – long before President Trump’s mother, Mary Anne MacLeod, immigrated to the U.S. in 1930. She listed her occupation at the time as “domestic worker.” The future Mrs. Trump came to America in pursuit of a better life because that is the promise that America has made to generations of “huddled masses, yearning to breathe free.”

It is unjustifiable to deny the American dream to newcomers who, like almost all our citizens’ ancestors, have sacrificed everything in pursuit of it.

Un mensaje del presidente y consejero delegado: estas son las razones por las que debemos luchar contra la política propuesta por la Administración Trump

Escrito por Jeff Thielman en . Publicado en Defensa, Blog, Comunicados de prensa.

Un mensaje del Director General del IINE, Jeff Thielman, sobre las nuevas directrices federales publicadas esta semana

"Temor fundado de persecución". Desde 1951, esa frase ha sido la norma mundial para los solicitantes de asilo desesperados por un futuro seguro. "Temor de persecución" es una forma jurídica de generalizar la guerra, la violencia de las bandas, la discriminación, el genocidio, la corrupción, el racismo y los conflictos religiosos y étnicos. Por todas esas razones y más, la gente ha venido a Estados Unidos a pedir asilo. Sin un plan, sin sus pertenencias, sin otro pensamiento que la búsqueda de la vida y la libertad.

Esta semana, Estados Unidos hizo caso omiso de la legislación nacional y de una tradición de 68 años de ofrecer refugio a las familias más vulnerables del mundo, al poner fin de hecho al proceso de solicitud de asilo para las familias centroamericanas.

El cambio de política es breve: sólo 340 palabras en una "Modificación de Procedimiento" sobre la Elegibilidad de Asilo. Pero, con esas 340 palabras, el gobierno federal de Estados Unidos ha condenado estratégicamente al peligro e incluso a la muerte a miles de hombres, mujeres y niños que tienen un temor legítimo y fundado de persecución.

Cada año, el Instituto Internacional de Nueva Inglaterra atiende a cientos de personas del Triángulo Norte -Guatemala, El Salvador y Honduras- que nos inspiran con sus agallas, su espíritu generoso y su gratitud. Nuestros asistentes sociales ayudarán a 200 niños no acompañados y separados de sus familias de esta regióna reunirse con sus familiares en Nueva Inglaterra. Muchas de las 1.500 personas que participarán en nuestros programas de inglés, formación profesional e inserción laboral en 2019 proceden de Centroamérica.

Mientras lees esto, los habitantes del Triángulo Norte que no pueden volver a casa porque sus vidas correrían peligro están trabajando en restaurantes, hoteles, hospitales, fábricas y otras industrias de toda Nueva Inglaterra. Están pagando impuestos, formando familias y construyendo una comunidad mejor. Son nuestros vecinos y amigos.

La nueva política de asilo de la administración es errónea, amoral, contraria a nuestras leyes y tradiciones y, en última instancia, contraria a nuestros propios intereses nacionales. No debe mantenerse.

"I Always Dreamed of Getting a Better Education"

“I Always Dreamed of Getting a Better Education”

Escrito por Jeff Thielman en . Publicado en Blog, Boston, Historias de clientes, Inmigrantes haitianos, Formación para el empleo.

Michou was a single mother of two and pregnant with her third child in 2010 when a powerful earthquake struck her homeland of Haiti. Left homeless by the devastation, Michou and her children emigrated to the U.S. During their first few years here, Michou acted as a full-time caretaker for her sons, both of whom have autism, and her teenage daughter.

Michou’s life took a new direction this past winter when she became a student in IINE’s intensive skills training program. The workforce development program prepares immigrants for careers in the healthcare and hotel industries with a curriculum geared toward customer service, professional workplace skills, and industry-specific vocabulary.

Michou said that participating in the Hospitality Training Program at IINE was “life-changing.”

“I loved, loved, loved the program,” she said. “I always dreamed of getting a better education.”

Two days after she graduated from the training program, a large luxury hotel offered Michou a job in one of its restaurants. Her starting wage is well above the state minimum, and the position offers generous benefits, including higher education tuition remission for Michou and her children.

Reflecting on her experience in the program, Michou said: “I’m really proud of myself – this program changed everything.”

Michou’s daughter Fabiolla, now 18, is a student at the University of Massachusetts Boston and hopes to one day become a criminal defense lawyer. Her sons, Orlmitch and Mitchello, are enjoying school and receiving an outstanding education.

Michou’s new career was made possible by her own initiative as well as the recent expansion of IINE programming to Boston’s Metro North region. In 2018, IINE began offering Skills Training courses at community centers in Malden, Everett, Chelsea and Revere, cities with growing populations of immigrants looking for good jobs and career options.

Intellia Therapeutics organiza a voluntarios para apoyar la educación y la reunificación familiar en Massachusetts

Intellia Therapeutics organiza a voluntarios para apoyar la educación y la reunificación familiar en Massachusetts

Escrito por Jeff Thielman en . Publicado en Blog, Boston, Socios comunitarios, Voluntario.

In May, 20 volunteers from Cambridge-based Biotech firm Intellia Therapeutics visited IINE offices to tackle an office-wide spring cleaning and provide behind-the-scenes support to refugees, immigrants, and unaccompanied immigrant minors.

Intellia’s team started with lunch and an info-session to learn about refugee affairs and the needs of local organizations. After pizza and discussion, they broke into teams to take on important work in three areas.

“The first group helped prepare welcome packets for our Unaccompanied Children’s Program,” Molly April said. She is the office manager at IINE’s Boston headquarters.

“Our case managers for the UAC program help migrant children adjust to life in the US. The welcome packets that the volunteers put together provide first resources to the children and their families, while simultaneously welcoming them and helping them feel more at ease.”

The Intellia team prepared enough materials to last through the next six months. The second team did a comprehensive cleaning of six ESOL classrooms and computer lab.

“Keeping a clean, organized, focused, and welcoming classroom can be difficult when there are so many people using the space,” Molly said. “The volunteers helped by eliminating some of the distracting mess around the classes.”

The final group organized and cataloged the food pantry that is available to all IINE clients. This included cleaning the space but also accounting for each item and verifying the quality and expiry of each.  Their projected helped ensure quality items were properly stored and ready to be distributed to the more than 500 people who access the IINE Food Pantry each year.

Intellia was introduced to IINE through Life Science Cares, a nonprofit partner connecting life science companies with NGO’s in the greater Boston area.

“We have found that volunteering brought together the Intellia family,” Intellia’s Senior Scientist Sharmistha Kundu said. “Employees not only enjoyed going outside their workplace and working with different partners during this event, but they also appreciated the opportunity to interact with other colleagues at Intellia with whom they may have shared passions and interests.”

Employers who organize volunteer efforts with IINE not only give back to their community, but can reap the benefits of building a stronger team, a healthier workplace, and improved employee retention.

In 2017, a survey conducted by Deloitte of 1,000+ recent corporate volunteers found that 74% of employees think volunteerism provides an improved sense of purpose in the workplace, and 89% of employees believe that companies who organize volunteer activities offer a better overall work environment than those who do not.

Los servicios jurídicos del IINE ayudan a los recién llegados a dar el siguiente paso en su viaje hacia la inmigración

Los servicios jurídicos del IINE ayudan a los recién llegados a dar el siguiente paso en su viaje hacia la inmigración

Escrito por Jeff Thielman en . Publicado en Blog, Historias de clientes, Legal.

For many people who need help with their immigration paperwork and applications, attorney fees are often the most expensive part of the process. In order to provide affordable and reliable legal help, the International Institute recently relaunched a Legal Immigration Forms Service (LIFS), available to all, that provides high quality legal assistance at a fraction of the cost. Unlike many providers, IINE’s staff attorneys and Dept. of Justice-accredited representatives offer support throughout the entirety of the legal application process, not just during the initial form submission.

Last year, the LIFS program helped more than 200 immigrants reach landmarks in their lives by earning permanent residency, work authorization, marriage and fiancée visas, and citizenship. One of those clients was Adam Younis, who recently became a U.S. citizen after almost six years in the country.

“IINE met Adam in 2013 after he had already fled Sudan and was working as a nurse in Egypt,” Ashley Wellbrock said. She is the coordinator of the Legal Immigration Forms Service program, and is an accredited representative who works directly with legal clients. Her experience in refugee services goes back many years, including the time when Adam first came to IINE from the mid-East. She was on the team that welcomed Adam at the airport on his first day in the U.S.

“We resettled him that year and he went through our community services and employment services programming,” she said. “We helped him get his first jobs at Finagle a Bagel and Starbucks. He then enrolled in our Hospitality Training Program, got certified in hospitality, and was placed at the Fairmont Copley hotel where he’s worked since 2015.”

After five years in the U.S., Adam became eligible for citizenship and looked to IINE to help with this last step in his resettlement, Ashley said.

“In 2013, I was his case manager in resettlement and so when we launched the LIFS program, he reached out to me to do his citizenship.”

Mr. Younis passed his citizenship test and was sworn in as a naturalized U.S. citizen on May 29 in Lowell.

Immigrants can access legal services at IINE by contacting our team directly, or through referrals from employers. IINE’s legal team helps with all manner of family immigration law: green card applications, marriage green cards, family reunification petitions, travel documents, and work authorization forms.

“We have a 100 percent success rate in clients receiving their USCIS benefits,” Ashley said. “Our services differ from most providers as we commit to being with the clients through the entire process until they receive their new status.”

Enterprise Bank Lowell 100

En el centenario del IINE, Enterprise Bank fue más allá del típico patrocinio de eventos

Escrito por Jeff Thielman en . Publicado en Blog, Socios comunitarios, Lowell.

Sophy Theam durante su discurso

Cuando el IINE celebró su histórico centenario en Lowell a principios de este año, uno de los principales patrocinadores del evento, Enterprise Bank, decidió que una donación por sí sola no era suficiente. La serie de acontecimientos que llevaron a Enterprise Bank a convertirse en algo más que un patrocinador fiscal de la celebración comenzó meses antes.

En 2018, cuando el IINE comenzó a planificar la celebración, se organizó un comité directivo basado en la comunidad para asegurarse de que la historia y la personalidad de Lowell estuvieran representadas. Como parte de la celebración del centenario de un año de duración, el IINE invitó a la gran comunidad de Lowell a ayudar a identificar a 100 de los líderes más admirables de la comunidad inmigrante de Lowell, así como a lowellianos nacidos localmente que han apoyado a los nuevos estadounidenses. Con el tiempo, la fiesta de aniversario pasó a conocerse como The Lowell 100 Celebration.

Desde el principio, fue evidente que el Enterprise Bank, fundado por Lowellian, formaría parte de esta celebración especial. El banco apoyó inicialmente el proyecto con un generoso patrocinio y siguió con el trabajo voluntario de algunos de sus altos ejecutivos.

Para hacer posible la ambiciosa hazaña de homenajear a 100 Lowellians, Sophy Theam, Especialista del Programa de Diversidad e Inclusión y Liderazgo de Enterprise Banks, dirigió el comité de voluntarios dedicados a nominar, investigar y seleccionar a los homenajeados. Su trabajo durante nueve meses ayudó a identificar a inmigrantes y defensores dignos de mención en siete campos: Liderazgo cívico, fe, educación, salud y bienestar, arte y cultura, acogida e inclusión y revitalización de Lowell. En conjunto, los galardonados representan a inmigrantes y descendientes de 40 nacionalidades diferentes que han desempeñado un papel en la evolución de Lowell como una vibrante ciudad de inmigrantes.

El comité dirigido por la Sra. Theam contó también con el apoyo del Dr. Robert Forrant, historiador y especialista en la historia de Lowell en la Universidad de Massachusetts Lowell.

"Que yo sepa, nunca se ha intentado homenajear a 100 habitantes de Lowell de esta manera", declaró el Dr. Robert Forrant. "Revisar la historia de la ciudad de una forma tan inclusiva y llegar a un cuadro de honor de 100 inmigrantes y refugiados que han contribuido a vitalizar la ciudad es una gran empresa, pero digna del impacto que los homenajeados habrán tenido en la ciudad".

George Duncan fundó Enterprise Bank and Trust Company en Lowell en 1989 y es Presidente del Consejo de Administración. El Sr. Duncan ha tenido un profundo impacto en la ciudad de Lowell y su revitalización. A través de la filantropía, el compromiso cívico, la asistencia sanitaria, las iniciativas de vivienda y el apoyo a una amplia gama de organizaciones sin ánimo de lucro, ha sido un defensor clave de los inmigrantes y los refugiados. George creció en un barrio diverso de Lowell. A través de su afiliación al Enterprise Bank, sigue promoviendo activamente la diversidad en la contratación y demuestra un compromiso duradero de servicio a la comunidad.

Para ver el vídeo del discurso de Sophy Theam en la celebración del centenario, haga clic aquí.

Perspectiva personal de una madre estadounidense

Escrito por Jeff Thielman en . Publicado en Blog, Boston, Socios comunitarios.

I am normally a good sleeper, but last week’s New York Times article chronicling the horrific saga of an immigrant child ripped from his parents at the border kept me awake in frustrated, frightened wonder. I wonder how the U.S. government can ever possibly justify an immigration “process” that would keep a 4-month old child in foster care for more than six months while his traumatized parents tried to locate him. The broken asylum system, the lifelong impact on this young family, the dreadful sense that this is only one of many terrible similar instances… it is almost too much to bear.

I’m the mother of a precious and rambunctious toddler, and my stomach turns every time I think of all the children who have been separated from their families by our government – either temporarily at the border, in a raid, or at the point of detention. Even worse, though, are the too many families whose separation is permanent because a parent or a child have perished while in custody.

This week, the world turned its attention to the U.S. border again when father and daughter, Oscar and Valeria Martinez, drowned in the Rio Grande. They were victims of an inhumane system that chooses cruelty over common sense. Asylum seekers like Oscar Martinez’s family are fleeing violence and systemic corruption in their home countries. They want a better life for their children. Oscar and his little girl carried hope with them for the 1,200 from El Salvador to Matamoros, Mexico. But those hopes died in the river, because our government refuses to implement proper asylum policies.

It would be easy to give in to despair at this point. What can one person possibly do in the face of this relentlessly racist, cold-hearted, nonsensical and manufactured crisis?  But then I remember: the hope that drove Oscar and his family drives many others, and I want to help them realize their dreams. I also remember that throughout history many individuals have felt powerless during their time of struggle, but then  turn out to be the heroes we look to for inspiration.

I am proud to work for an organization that helps reunite unaccompanied migrant children with their family member in the U.S.  These days, I can only sleep because I am somewhat soothed by the knowledge that my work contributes to families being safely reunited.

The amazing caseworkers at IINE reunite about 200 unaccompanied Central American children with family members or sponsors living in New England. You can read more about the program and our caseworkers here.

I am proud that Family Reunification is a big part of our organization’s mission; not just with Central American families in the Unaccompanied Children program, but for Congolese, Bhutanese, and Sudanese families who are reunited through IINE’s Refugee Resettlement program, and for the Vietnamese, Ukrainian, Italian, Afghan, and Moroccan families who meet again through our Legal Immigration Forms Service.

As a mom, as an immigrant, as an American citizen, and as an advocate for human rights, I admit that the news today fills me with despair. When I read about the failures of our immigration system, the overwhelmed federal workers, the chaotic asylum process and the legislators who have turned their backs on a crisis that could have been avoided, it seems easier to give up and become immune. To be sure, history will not be kind to us when this dark period is re-examined.

In 2030, when my toddler of today is a young man learning U.S. history, what will I say when he asks me about the separation policy and detention camps? I really hope I have a good answer for him.  I hope I can tell him that we didn’t rest until we did something to fix this current situation and that we stood by those children like it was our job. Because that’s what Americans are supposed to do. That is the job of an American. We take responsibility for others, we stick up for the vulnerable, we protect children and defend the voiceless.

I see glimmers of American greatness every day at my job: in the IINE classrooms where newcomers are learning English, in the compassion and capability of our outstanding staff members, and in the endless generosity of our many donors and funders. Greatness isn’t gone.  It’s just obscured – by fear, racism, and division.

America can only be great again when our government and our policies treat everyone with dignity and respect. Maybe then we can all sleep soundly again.

Personal Perspective from one American mom
By Elsa Gomes-Bondlow, Chief Development Officer, IINE

Un mensaje del Presidente y Director General: Estas son las razones por las que debemos luchar contra la política propuesta por la Administración Trump

Escrito por Jeff Thielman en . Publicado en Blog, Del escritorio del Director General.

Mis colegas a veces se refieren a mí como el "Profesor" Thielman porque exijo hechos, datos y un debate estratégico antes de adoptar una política en el IINE. Acepto sus burlas, pero estoy seguro de que un enfoque de la estrategia basado en hechos es un procedimiento operativo estándar para la mayoría de las organizaciones.

Por desgracia, la investigación política rigurosa no es la norma en la actual Casa Blanca. Basta con rascar la superficie del plan de inmigración recientemente publicado por el presidente Trump para darse cuenta de que los hechos y los datos no han tenido nada que ver con su propuesta de admitir en Estados Unidos principalmente a inmigrantes "basados en el mérito".

Pero empecemos por la cuestión moral. En IINE, creemos:

·The fundamental obligation of a nation founded by immigrants is to welcome people who share our values and want to contribute to the country.

·It is immoral to separate families intentionally at our border, to deny them a path to reunification in America, and to prohibit people seeking asylum the chance to make their case inside our country. This principle has been a cornerstone of American immigration policy since the nation acknowledged its failure to admit Jews fleeting the Holocaust during World War II.

·The vast majority of Americans, including Donald Trump, Jared Kushner, and Stephen Miller, have achieved success because their ancestors – who were likely unskilled and not fluent in English – immigrated to the U.S. at some point in the past.

Dejando a un lado la moral, la propuesta del Presidente adolece de graves defectos económicos. Estados Unidos no puede funcionar sin una gran reserva de trabajadores principiantes para cubrir los puestos de fabricación y procesamiento, así como los cientos de miles de puestos de servicios que quedan sin cubrir cada año. Sin inmigrantes, Estados Unidos no podrá cubrir los 500.000 puestos de entrada en el sector sanitario necesarios para atender las crecientes necesidades de los baby boomers que llegarán a las residencias de ancianos en los próximos veinte años. (Fuente: CNN)

Ampliar la inmigración basada en los méritos sería un complemento maravilloso a nuestra política de inmigración tradicional. Estados Unidos debería acoger siempre a innovadores y emprendedores altamente cualificados que quieran hacer su vida en el país. Según la revista Fortune, los inmigrantes representan el 77% de los taxistas de Nueva York, el 77% de los trabajadores agrícolas de California y el 69% de los trabajadores agrícolas de Florida.

De un modo u otro, todos los estadounidenses dependen de estos trabajadores, que pasan a formar parte del tejido de las comunidades locales y cuyos hijos e hijas cursan estudios superiores y acaban formando parte de la "mano de obra cualificada" de nuestro país.

La abrumadora necesidad de nueva mano de obra estadounidense no se limita a los campos de lechugas y naranjos. Más cerca de casa, la demanda de trabajadores principiantes nunca ha sido mayor. Casi un millón de inmigrantes viven en el área metropolitana de Boston, y otros 100.000 residen en New Hampshire. La mayoría de las personas nacidas fuera de EE.UU. pero residentes en Nueva Inglaterra no podrían optar a un estatus de inmigración "basado en los méritos", pero en esta región, con la mayor tasa de trabajadores adultos con estudios universitarios del país, los empleos de salario mínimo y de menor cualificación quedan sin cubrir. Los sectores de la construcción, la sanidad y la hostelería no pueden cubrir sus necesidades de mano de obra sólo con estadounidenses nacidos en el país.

Nueva Inglaterra y todo el país necesitan inmigrantes para construir nuestra economía, alimentar nuestras almas y honrar nuestro patrimonio. Y necesitamos una conversación seria sobre una verdadera reforma de la inmigración en lugar de la farsa que el Presidente montó la semana pasada en la Rosaleda.

Jeff Thielman

Presidente y Consejero Delegado

La familia Thein

Escrito por Jeff Thielman en . Publicado en Blog, Historias de clientes, Lowell, Reasentamiento de refugiados.

The Thein family’s journey from Myanmar to the United States was triggered by the all-too-familiar circumstances of loss, risk, and uncertainty that plague every refugee family.

Yet, from the moment they landed in Lowell in the spring of 2016, Nai Win Thein, Mi Thein Si and their three children quickly became known among the IINE staff who supported them as “the family who always smiles.”

Although unable to communicate in English upon their arrival in the U.S., Nai Win and Mi’s enthusiasm to establish a new life for their children was evident at every step. During their first meeting with their caseworker and a translator, the couple smiled as they described their long-term goal of making sure their three children have access to an excellent education. The eldest, at ten years old, acquired English skills in a flash, and like many immigrant children, she took the lead in initiating new conversations.

But her parents were not far behind her. They both enrolled in IINE English classes and soon their smiles to staff were accompanied with greetings of “How are you?” and “Nice to see you.” They progressed quickly in language and cultural orientation classes, and in just a few months they were ready to find jobs.

Working with the International Institute’s employment team, the couple decided Mi would seek a job first while the father watched the children and addressed some medical issues.

During those first months, the five Theins went everywhere together including the children’s school bus stops, medical appointments, and the grocery store. At their one-month anniversary in the U.S., the family purchased a birthday cake, debating over chocolate and vanilla at length. As their caseworker recalls, “It was the sweetest moment when they discovered the marble option. Everyone cheered.”

More than a year after their arrival in Lowell, Mi works full-time at a local linen company, and Nai Win cares for their two-year-old son while the older children attend school.

As they take their last steps toward total self-sufficiency, the Theins have taken advantage of IINE’s Individual Development Account (IDA) program. The program, funded by federal government, contributes matching funds for refugee families to start businesses, purchase homes or vehicles, or attend college. The Thein family is saving for a car so their family adventures can extend beyond downtown Lowell.

El IINE celebra 100 años de servicio con 100 homenajeados

El IINE celebra 100 años de servicio con 100 homenajeados

Escrito por Jeff Thielman en . Publicado en Blog, Eventos, Lowell.

More than 600 people gathered at the Lowell Memorial Auditorium on Wednesday, May 1 to mark the centennial of the International Institute of New England (IINE) and to recognize the enduring legacy of immigrants and refugees in the Lowell community.  IINE is one of the oldest and largest refugee resettlement and immigrant services organizations in the region. Each year, the organization serves 2,000 people in Lowell, Boston, and Manchester, NH. The nonprofit’s century of service will be celebrated in the city where it all began.  As part of the centennial celebration, IINE invited the greater Lowell community to help identify 100 of the most admirable leaders from Lowell’s immigrant community who have made achievements in their fields, as well as locally-born Lowellians who have supported immigrants and immigrant issues.

Guest speakers included Massachusetts State Rep. Rady Mom, and Lowell City Manager, Eileen Donaghue. UMass Lowell professor Robert Forrant spoke about the history of IINE in Lowell, and about the research that went into sourcing the Lowell 100 honorees. Photos from the event can be seen here.

Biar Kon, a former refugee and one of the Lowell 100 honorees, spoke about his own immigration journey and the welcome he found in Lowell. View the video of Biar’s speech here.

“My family was granted refugee resettlement to the United States, and suddenly, everything changed,” he said. “We finally had a home we could call our own where we could lock our door and be safe. I was able to study English and attend school regularly.” Biar said he is looking forward to a bright future in Lowell.

The highlight of the evening was the recognition of 100 people who have had an impact on in the immigrant community of Lowell. Included in the list of honorees are professors, priests, public servants, educators, executives, entrepreneurs, and advocates. The Honoree List represents 35 different countries, many generations, and dozens of industry sectors. Many honorees attended the celebration in person, and others were represented by co-workers, friends, or descendants.  All attendees received a copy of the Lowell 100 Commemorative book that lists biographies of the honorees, and information about IINE’s history and people.

“To my knowledge, no attempt has ever been made to honor 100 Lowellians in this fashion,” Dr. Robert Forrant said. He is a professor in the History department at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, and a local history expert helping IINE delve into its own archives and others to present a topical examination of the legacy of immigration in Lowell.

“In such an inclusive way, to review the city’s history and come up with an honor roll of 100 immigrants and refugees who have helped to vitalize the city is a big undertaking,” he said. “But one worthy of the impact the honorees will have made on the city.”

A group of women from Lowell and the surrounding area founded the International Institute of New England (IINE) in 1918. They banded together in response to rising nationalism in the USA following WWI. Originally, IINE welcomed refugees who arrived by boat and helped them with housing, employment, and language training. Today, much of that same work continues, but with a modern slant on services. IINE staff greet new arrivals at the airport, secure their housing with local landlords, and set them on a fast-paced 90-day route to self-sufficiency. Immigrants who are not refugees participate in IINE’s English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes, job-training programs, and legal services.

To see videos and photos from the Lowell 100 Celebration, click here: https://iine.org/100