Lift Kids Out of Deep Poverty Act would help refugee families in “deep poverty”
Lift Kids Out of Deep Poverty, a set of bills being introduced by Representative Marjorie Decker and Senator Sal DiDomenico, would provide financial assistance to Massachusetts families with children living in poverty. The bills are targeted at families who are below [...]
Afghan evacuees approved for federal refugee benefits
The International Institute of New England (IINE) is pleased with the passage of the Continuing Resolution on Thursday, September 30, 2021 authorizing Afghan humanitarian parolees to receive refugee resettlement benefits. These much-needed benefits will include reception and placement services, and [...]
Stop repatriating Haitians seeking safety in the U.S.
On Wednesday, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) expelled 86 Haitian nationals from the U.S., and flew them back to Haiti. These migrants were expelled under Title 42, a policy created under the Trump administration to speed deportations in the early [...]
Refugee cap raised to 125,000
The International Institute of New England applauds President Biden’s plans to increase the cap on the number of refugees who can enter the U.S. from 62,500 to 125,000 starting on October 1. There are 26.4 million refugees around the world, and [...]
A Tribute to Newell Flather, Philanthropic Leader
Newell Flather, an impactful philanthropist and a steadfast friend to Lowell’s immigrant community, died last week. Newell was the founder of GMA Foundations, and he was also widely recognized for his early work in creating new community foundations throughout New [...]
Afghanistan: A need for a broader response
The humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan has brought together a coalition of advocates, organizations, and nations helping Afghans seek safety, including the U.S. military, which has evacuated more than 120,000 people in the past two weeks. While thousands of Afghans are [...]
American Heroes
Afghans and U.S. citizens who have been evacuated from Afghanistan in the past few weeks owe their lives to the heroic efforts of U.S. troops guarding Hamid Karzai International Airport. The International of New England (IINE) is grateful to U.S. [...]
We Stand with the People of Haiti
On August 14, a magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck near southern Haiti. The loss of life and injuries have been large, amplifying the already growing economic and political devastation in the country. Many of our colleagues and clients have family and [...]
A Moral Imperative: Stand Behind Our Allies in Afghanistan
While the U.S. Department of State and the Department of Defense are currently evacuating embassy staff and U.S. nationals from Kabul, Afghanistan after the fall of the city to the Taliban, the International Institute of New England strongly encourages the Biden administration to support our Afghan allies [...]
In Defense of DACA
On July 16th, 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 [...]
A Joyous Welcome
Habimana Kabera and Leniya Mukamuganga met in the Democratic Republic of Congo and soon had to flee violence in their home country. Arriving in a refugee camp in Rwanda, they had seven children, now ages 7 to 22, over the next 25 years. [...]
Senator Elizabeth Warren visits IINE in Lowell
U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren visited the Lowell Community Health Center (Lowell CHC) today. She met with the Lowell CHC leadership, toured the Mill City Grows mobile market, and visited IINE’s new offices on the second floor of the Health Center. Senator [...]