🇺🇸🗽🤯 HISTORY: 100 YEARS AGO, AMERICA TRIED, BUT ULTIMATELY FAILED, TO STAY “WHITE & PROTESTANT” WITH THE 1924 IMMIGRATION ACT — Many Were Hurt Or Died From This Bias In The Interim — Now Trump & The Nativist Right Want To Revive One Of The Worst Eras In U.S. History — Will Indifference & Ignorance From Dems & So-Called “Centrists” Let Them Get Away With Turning Back The Clock? ⏰☠️🤮 — Two Renowned Authors Offer A View Of A Biased, Deadly, & Ultimately Highly Counterproductive Past That Still Poisons Our Politics & Threatens Our Future As A Beacon Of Hope! — PLUS: Kowalski & Chase Take On The “False Scholars” 🤮 Who Disingenuously Attempt To “Glorify” Xenophobia & Racism!🤯

1924 Act
The 1924 Immigration Act vilified, dehumanized, and barred many of those immigrants who have made America great, like Italian Americans being demeaned in this cartoon. Yet, some descendants of those unfairly targeted appear oblivious to the mistakes of the past and willing to inflict the same immoral lies, harm, and suffering on today’s migrants.
IMAGE: Public Realm
Eduardo Porter
Eduardo Porter
Columnist and Editorial Board Member
Washington Post
PHOTO: WashPost

Eduardo Porter writes in WashPost:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/interactive/2024/immigration-history-race-quota-progress/

“I think that we have sufficient stock in America now for us to shut the door.”

That sounds like Donald Trump, right? Maybe on one of his campaign stops? It certainly fits the mood of the country. This year, immigration became voters’ “most important problem” in Gallup polling for the first time since Central Americans flocked to the border in 2019. More than half of Americans perceive immigrants crossing the border illegally as a “critical threat.”

Yet the sentiment expressed above is almost exactly 100 years old. It was uttered by Sen. Ellison DuRant Smith, a South Carolina Democrat, on April 9, 1924. And it helped set the stage for a historic change in U.S. immigration law, which imposed strict national quotas for newcomers that would shape the United States’ ethnic makeup for decades to come.

. . . .

The renewed backlash against immigration has little to offer the American project, though. Closing the door to new Americans would be hardly desirable, a blow to one of the nation’s greatest sources of dynamism. Raw data confirms how immigrants are adding to the nation’s economic growth, even while helping keep a lid on inflation.

Anyway, that horse left the stable. The United States is full of immigrants from, in Trump’s memorable words, “s—hole countries.” The project to set this in reverse is a fool’s errand. The 1924 Johnson-Reed immigration law might have succeeded in curtailing immigration. But the restrictions did not hold. From Presidents Johnson to Trump, efforts to circle the wagons around some ancestral White American identity failed.

We are extremely lucky it did. Contra Sen. Ellison DuRant Smith’s 100-year old prescriptions, the nation owes what greatness it has to the many different women and men it has drawn from around the world to build their futures. This requires a different conversation — one that doesn’t feature mass expulsions and concentration camps but focuses on constructing a new shared American identity that fits everyone, including the many more immigrants who will arrive from the Global South for years to come.

*******************************

Gordon F. Sander
Gordon F. Sander
Journalist and Historian
PHOTO: www.gordonsander.com

Gordon F. Sander, journalist and historian, also writes in WashPost, perhaps somewhat less optimistically, but with the same historical truth in the face of current political lies and gross misrepresentations:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2024/05/24/johnson-reed-act-immigration-quotas-trump/

. . . .

Johnson and Reed were in a triumphant mood on the eve of their bill’s enactment. “America of the melting pot will no longer be necessary,” Reed wrote in the Times. He remarked on the new law’s impact: “It will mean a more homogenous nation, more self-reliant, more independent and more closely knit by common properties and common faith.”

The law immediately had its intended effect. In 1921, more than 200,000 Italians arrived at Ellis Island. In 1925, following the bill’s enactment, barely 6,000 Italians were permitted entry.

But there were less intended consequences, too, including on U.S. foreign relations. Although Reed insisted there was nothing personal about the act’s exclusion of Japanese people, the Japanese government took strong exception, leading to an increase in tensions between the two countries. There were riots in Tokyo. The road to Pearl Harbor was laid.

During the 1930s, after the eugenics-driven Nazis seized control of Germany, the quotas established by the act helped close the door to European Jews and others fleeing fascism.

At the same time, the law also inspired a small but determined group of opponents led by Rep. Emanuel Celler (D-N.Y.), who were committed to overturning it. Celler’s half-century-long campaign finally paid off in 1965 at the Statue of Liberty when, as Celler looked on, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Immigration and Nationality Act, which ended national origin quotas.

But with anti-immigration sentiment on the rise and quotas once again on the table, it’s clear that a century after its enactment, the ghost of Johnson-Reed isn’t completely gone.

Gordon F. Sander is a journalist and historian based in Riga, Latvia. He is the author of “The Frank Family That Survived: A 20th Century Odyssey” and other books

***********************

Many thanks to my friend and immigration maven Deb Sanders for alerting me to the Sander article. I strongly urge everyone to read both pieces at the links above.

Perhaps the most poignant comment I’ve received about these articles is from American educator, expert, author, and “practical scholar” Susan Gzesh:

And because of the 1924 Act, my grandparents lost dozens of their siblings, parents, aunts, uncles, nieces, and nephews to the Holocaust in the 1940s because Eastern European Jewish immigration to the US had been cut off. They would have been capable of sponsoring more family to come to the US in the late 1920s and 30s, but there was no quota for them.

I have no words to describe my feelings about so-called experts who would praise the 1924 Act. I know that Asian Americans must feel similarly to my sentiments.

Well said, Susan!

 

Susan Gzesh
Susan Gzesh
American scholar, educator, expert, author
PHOTO: U. Of Chicago

I’ll leave it at that, for you to ponder the next time you hear Trump, DeSantis, Abbott, and the like fear-monger about the bogus “invasion,” spout “replacement theory,” and extoll the virtues of extralegal cruelties and dehumanization inflicted upon “the other” — typically the most vulnerable who are  seeking our legal protection and appealing to our senses of justice and human dignity! And, also you can consider this when the so called “mainstream media” pander to these lies by uncritically presenting them as “the other side,” thereby echoing “alternative facts!”

It’s also worth remembering this when you hear Biden, Harris, Schumer, Murphy, and other weak-kneed Dem politicos who should know better adopt Trumpist White Nationalist proposals and falsely present them as “realistic compromises” — as opposed to what they really are —  tragic acts of political and moral cowardice!

Eventually, as both of the above articles point out, America largely persevered and prospered over its demons of racism, anti-Catholicism, and anti-immigrant nationalism. But, it would be wrong to view this “long arc” analysis as “zeroing out” the sins and horrors of our past. 

Susan Gzesh’s relatives died, some horribly and painfully, before their time. That can’t be changed by future progress. Nor can the children they might have had or the achievements they never got to make to our nation and the world be resurrected. 

As Susan mentions, the 1924 Act also reinforced long-standing racism and xenophobia against Asian Americans that led to the irreversible harm inflicted by the internment of Japanese American citizens, continuing Chinese Exclusion, and a host of state laws targeting the Asian population and making their lives miserable. Belated recognition of the wrongfulness and immorality of these reprehensible laws and actions does nothing for their past victims.

Many Irish, Italian, and other Catholics and their cherished institutions died, lost property, or were permanently displaced by widespread anti-Catholic riots brought on and fanned by the very type of biased and ignorant thinking that undergirded Johnson-Reed. They can’t be brought back to life and their property restored just by a “magic wave of the historical wand.” 

U.S. citizens of Mexican-American heritage were deported and dispossessed, some from property their ancestors had owned long before there was even a United States. Apologizing to their descendants and acknowledging our mistakes as a nation won’t eliminate the injustices done them — ones that they took to their graves!

Despite the “lessons of the Holocaust,” America continues to struggle with anti-Semitism and anti-Islamic phobias and indifference to human suffering beyond our borders.

And, of course, the poisonous adverse impacts of slavery on our nation and our African-American compatriots continue to haunt and influence us despite disingenuous claims to the contrary.

Dan Kowalski
Dan Kowalski
Online Editor of the LexisNexis Immigration Law Community (ILC)
Jeffrey S. Chase
Hon. Jeffrey S. Chase
Jeffrey S. Chase Blog
Coordinator & Chief Spokesperson, Round Table of Former Immigration Judges

My friends immigration experts Dan Kowalski and Hon. Jeffrey Chase also had some “choice words” for the “false scholars” who extol the fabricated “benefits” of White Nationalism and racism embodied in “laws” that contravened the very meaning of “with liberty and justice for all” — something to reflect upon this Memorial Day. See https://dankowalski.substack.com/p/true-colors.

That prompted this response from Susan:

Susan Gzesh

11 hrs ago

Thank you, Dan! In memory of my Gzesh, Wolfson, Kronenberg, and Kissilove relatives who were victims of the Holocaust – after their U.S.-based relatives failed to get visas for them.

I also recently weighed in on the horrors of the 1924 Act in a recent article by Felipe De La Hoz, published in The New Republic: https://immigrationcourtside.com/2024/05/02/🏴☠%EF%B8%8F🤯🤮-a-century-of-progress-arrested-the-1924-immigration-act-rears-its-ugly-nativist-head-again-felipe-de-la-hoz-in-the-new-repub/.

Heed the lessons of history, enshrine tolerance, honor diversity, and “improve on past performance!”  We have a choice as to whether or not to repeat the mistakes of the past — to regress to a darker age or move forward to a brighter future for all!  Make the right one!

 

🇺🇸 Due Process Forever!

PWS

05-27-24

⚖️🗽 SPECTACULAR NDPA OPPORTUNITY: GENDER-BASED ASYLUM LITIGATION — Sharpen Your Skills With This Two-Part Webinar From Tahirih Justice Center, Featuring Experts Maria Daniella Prieshoff, Monica Mananzan (CAIR Coalition), & Judge (Ret.) Lisa Dornell (Round Table) — April 23, April 25!

Due Process is a true team effort!PHOTO: Tahirih Justice Center
Due Process is a true team effort!
PHOTO: Tahirih Justice Center

Maria Daniella Prieshoff writes on LinkedIn:

Maria Daniella Prieshoff
Maria Daniella Prieshoff
Managing Attorney
Tahirih Justice Center
Baltimore, MD
PHOTO: Tahirih

Want to level up your #advocacy skills for your #genderbased #asylum cases in #immigrationcourt?Want to learn from a real immigration judge the basics of presenting your case before the immigration court?Then join me for Tahirih Justice Center’s”Advancing Justice: Gender-Based Violence Asylum Litigation in Immigration Court” webinar series!

Monica Mananzan
Monica Mananzan
Managing Attorney
CAIR Coalition
PHOTO: Linkedin

Part 1 of the series is on April 23, 12-1:30pm. It will focus on the case law and strategy you’ll need to present your best gender-based asylum case, including how to handle credibility, competency, and stipulations.Monica Mananzan from CAIR Coalition will join me in this webinar. To register for Part 1: http://bit.ly/3xvwPyt

Honorable Lisa Dornell
Honorable Lisa Dornell
U.S. Immigration Judge (Retired)
Member, Round Table of Former Immigration Judges

Part 2 of the series is on April 25, 12-1:30pm. Retired Immigration Judge Lisa Dornell will explain the best practices of litigating gender-based asylum cases before an immigration judge, as well as recommendations for direct examination, cross-examination, and how to handle issues with a client’s memory, trauma, or court interpretation.To register for Part 2: https://bit.ly/3PXJqRn

Please share with your networks!Our goal for this webinar series is to help pro bono attorneys and advocates enhance their the advocacy for #genderbasedviolence to have #immigrationjustice – we’d love for you to join us!

Registration Links here:

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/maría-daniella-prieshoff-61884435_advocacy-genderbased-asylum-activity-7183838321515626498-byB_?utm_source=combined_share_message&utm_medium=member_desktop

****************************

Wonderful learning opportunity! Many thanks to everyone involved in putting it together! 

Trial By Ordeal
Litigating gender-based asylum cases can still be an “ordeal” at EOIR, despite some decent precedents. Learn how to avoid this fate for your clients!
17th Century Woodcut
Public Realm
Source: Ancient Origins Website
https://www.ancient-origins.net/history/trial-ordeal-life-or-death-method-judgement-004160

Wonder whatever happened to the “gender-based regulations” that Biden ordered to be drafted by Executive Order issued shortly after taking office? At this point, given his “lobotomized/running scared/retrograde/Trumpy Lite” position on asylum seekers and immigrants’ rights, probably just as well that they died an unheralded bureaucratic death (just as similar assignments have in the last three Dem Administrations over a quarter century).

Outside of a few Immigration Judges, who, because they understand the issue and have worked with asylum-seeking women, would never be asked anyway, I can’t really think of anyone at DOJ who would actually be qualified to draft legally-compliant gender-based regulations!

GOP are misogynists. Dem politicos are spineless and can’t “connect the dots” between their deadly, tone-deaf policies and poor adjudicative practices aimed at women of color in the asylum system and other racist and misogynistic polities being pushed aggressively by the far right! While, thankfully, it might not “be 1864” in the Dem Party, sadly, inexplicably, and quote contrary to what Biden and Harris claim these days, it’s not 2024 either, particularly for those caught up in their deadly, broken, and indolently run immigration, asylum, and border enforcement systems!

🇺🇸  Due Process Forever!

PWS

04-11-24

⚖️🗽 BECKY QUOTES BECKETT, AS FEDERAL JUDGE “SCHOOLS” ADMINISTRATION, GOP NATIVISTS ON WHO THE “LAWBREAKERS” REALLY ARE! — USG Bears Legal (Not To Mention Moral) Responsibility For Forcing Children Into Squalid Camps ☠️🤮 To Await Processing That (By Law) Should Be Timely & Professionally Available @ The Border (But, By Design, Isn’t)!🏴‍☠️

Becky Wolozin
Becky Wolozin
Senior Attorney, National Center For Youth Law
PHOTO:Linkedin

Becky Wolozin, Senior Attorney, National Center For Youth Law, posted on LinkedIn:

I feel so privileged to have been part of this, to do something a good thing for people in this cruel world. Immensely proud of the advocates, migrants, and colleagues who worked together to hold the government to account and protect immigrant children caught in the fray of politics and an uncaring immigration system. It is a professional dream come true to be a member of Flores Counsel with National Center for Youth Law!

“Let us do something, while we have the chance! It is not every day that we are needed. Not indeed that we personally are needed. Others would meet the case equally well, if not better. To all mankind they were addressed, those cries for help still ringing in our ears! But at this place, at this moment of time, all mankind is us, whether we like it or not. Let us make the most of it, before it is too late!” ~ Waiting for Godot, Samuel Beckett

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/04/health/migrant-children-border-housing.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare

***************************

Thanks, Becky, for your talent, dedication, and humanity, all of which stand in sharp contrast to border bureaucrats, DOJ Attorneys, and scofflaw nativists who have “weaponized” myths, dehumanization, dereliction of legal duties, and abdication of moral responsibility! This is a great example of the type of expertise and teamwork to get the job done that is all too seldom seen from the Administration, Congress, and the Judiciary in today’s toxic and too often fact- and morality-free immigration (non) debate! I’m glad that Judge Gee saw through the Garland DOJ’s pathetic attempt to evade legal responsibilities by making arguments that easily could’ be characterized as frivolous! 

You can check it out yourself as quoted from the above NYT:

In response, lawyers for the Department of Justice argued that because the children had not yet been formally taken into custody by American customs officials, they were not obligated to provide such service. They did not dispute that the conditions in the encampments were poor.

Come on, man!👎🤯

Waiting for Godot
Samuel Beckett’s “Waiting for Godot,” and “Theater of the Absurd,” perhaps surprisingly, have continuing relevance to today’s “off the rails” immigration “debate.”
Naseer’s Motley Group in The Rose Bowl
Merlaysamuel
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
Waiting for Godot in Doon School.jpg Copy
[[File:Waiting for Godot in Doon School.jpg|Waiting_for_Godot_in_Doon_School]]
Copy
December 8, 2011
I also loved the quote from “Waiting for Godot!” As Courtside readers may know, the “Theater of the Absurd,” Samuel Beckett, and “Waiting for Godot” have previously found their way into my postings about Garland’s incredibly lackadaisical approach to “justice @ Justice!” See, e.g., https://immigrationcourtside.com/2023/12/22/%e2%9a%96%ef%b8%8f-followng-scathing-report-on-abuse-of-kids-in-immigration-court-eoir-announces-some-reforms-rekha-sharma-crawford-reports/.

🇺🇸Due Process Forever!

PWS

04-06-24

🤪 GARLAND’S BIA DRUBBED AGAIN ON PSG — This Time It’s 1st Cir! — Ferreira v. Garland!

Trial By Ordeal
Under Garland, the BIA’s approach to gender-based asylum has too often remained tethered to the past.  Woman Being “Tried By Ordeal”
17th Century Woodcut
Public Realm
Source: Ancient Origins Website
https://www.ancient-origins.net/history/trial-ordeal-life-or-death-method-judgement-004160

Hon. “Sir Jeffrey” S. Chase reports to the Round Table⚔️🛡️:

[Ferreira] [2024.3.21] Opinion

Victory in the 1st Circuit

Hi all: Another win to report, in a First Circuit case in which we filed a joint amicus brief with immigration law professors (and some in our group actually fit within both categories!).

However, the court declined to address our argument regarding the correct nexus standard for withholding claims (as opposed to asylum claims). The reason is that the court found that the BIA misstated one of the petitioner’s particular social groups, such that (according to the circuit court):

In sum, the BIA rejected a PSG of its own devising and not the social group Ferreira advanced. Its characterization substantively altered the meaning of Ferreira’s proffered PSG and amounts to legal error.

The court directed:

On remand, the BIA should carefully consider Ferreira’s gender-based PSG in light of our decisions in De Pena-Paniagua and Espinoza-Ochoa.

Both of those cited decisions were quite favorable to the petitioners.

Jeffrey S. Chase
Hon. Jeffrey S. Chase
Jeffrey S. Chase Blog
Coordinator & Chief Spokesperson, Round Table of Former Immigration Judges

*****************

Fear mongering and myth making by politicos of both parties, with the connivance of the media, deflect attention from the real problem: a dysfunctional U.S. asylum adjudication system that hugely and disingenuously over-rejects and under-protects, in addition to being too slow and unconstitutionally inconsistent. Thus, both parties intentionally skew the statistics against asylum seekers and feed racially-driven nativist “talking points” about the border!

The BIA/OIL claim that the gender-based psg is not recognizable is utterly preposterous! It took me fewer than 5 minutes of internet research to find this very recent Trinidad government report recognizing that gender-based violence is an endemic and well-documented problem that disproportionately affects women and girls in Trinidad. While the report sets forth an “aspirational multi-year plan” to address the problem (“willing to protect”), there is no indication that the plan is reasonably effective at present (“but unable to do so at present”).

https://www.eeas.europa.eu/sites/default/files/documents/2024/20240304_spotlight_national_strategic_action_plan_for_trinidad_and_tobago_0.pdf

Knightess
Knightess of the Round Table

Here is some other “choice commentary” from Round Table members:

“A win is a win–again ‘calling’ the BIA on doing the wrong thing!”

“Great job, Team!!  Let’s keep up this winning streak.”

“Wow – great! As Paul would say, another bad Garland/BIA Fiasco. Making up a psg and then denying relief because of it. Funny if it were not so tragic!“

“Yes, especially when they are telling IJs they can’t even determine what PSG fits the facts of the case unless the Respondent gets it just right!  Yet they can make up whatever they want and then say it doesn’t fit the facts or isn’t cognizable!”

“When we were at the International Judges conference that [Paul] organized at Georgetown, all of the international judges said that gender was a recognized psg in their countries—even the countries where women are discriminated against and/or persecuted!”

“Like most of you, I am at a loss to understand how gender, alone, does not meet every requirement of PSG. The BIA position on this is inexplicable, and IMO, at minimum, borders on frivolous.“

Roger that! Intentionally ignoring the obvious and failing in the duty to consistently recognize and prioritize many easy grants of asylum and other protection is the “elephant in the room” for the U.S. justice system! 

No wonder spineless politicos, judges, and the media want to shift attention away from their shared responsibility for a glaringly unjust and inept asylum system to blame the hapless victims of their collective failure — whose lives and futures are on the line!

🇺🇸 Due Process Forever!

PWS

03-22-24

🇺🇸⚖️🗽👨🏻‍⚖️😎 JUDGING: WHAT MADE IT ALL WORTHWHILE!

From my inbox:

Greetings & invitation to my father’s celebration of life

Dear Honorable Judge Schmidt,

I am so glad that Laura provided me with your contact – and hope all is well with you!

Laura likely mentioned this to you already; you were my father’s (Bing Li) judge in 2013 when he was placed behind bars at Rappahannock. Time truly flies – it is hard to believe that a decade has already gone by. But the impact that you’ve made – the decision to give our family a fighting chance to stay together in this country – will always be of life-changing significance. In the ten years since, I graduated from Princeton University with a degree in Chemistry and am now a junior engagement management at McKinsey driving energy transition work in Houston. All of this is possible thanks to the faith and fairness you’ve given my father during his most critical time.

Sadly, my father passed away to Stage IV Colon Cancer during the height of COVID-19. Long overdue, we’re finally able to plan a celebration of life at the National Club Press this Friday, Feb. 16th, and I would like to cordially invite you as my guest. It would be an enormous privilege to have you there, and I sincerely look forward to the opportunity of conveying to you, in-person, the consequential difference you made for our family. On that note, before my father passed away, he was able to compile his diaries from Rappahannock in which your name had come up a number of times. I will be reading some of his excerpts during the event.

Bing Li
Bing Li

 

In either case, truly, truly appreciate your time and consideration, Judge Schmidt! If Friday evening does not end up working out for you, I would love it if you have time for me to pay you a visit sometime in the near future when I’m next in DC!

Please take great care and look forward to your thoughts!

Best,

Jessica Li

*********************

The “little things” we do make a big difference.

Thanks so much for your kind words and allowing me to share this Jessica. Condolences to you and your family. And, congratulations on your family’s stellar contributions to America. I know your father must have been so proud of your accomplishments. It’s an honor to have played a role in making it possible!

🇺🇸 Due Process Forever!

PWS

02-19-24

🇺🇸🗽🥰 AMERICA, THE LEGACY OF IMMIGRANTS: DIANE HARRISON’S THOUGHTS ON HOW TO MAXIMIZE YOUR IMPACT!

Image via Freepik
Image via Freepik

Strategies for  Immigrants Leaving a Lasting Legacy That Endures Through Generations

By Diane Harrison

Courtside Exclusive

February 14, 2024

In life’s journey, the aspiration to leave a mark that resonates through generations is a common thread that binds humanity. Immigrants, in particular, face unique challenges and opportunities in crafting legacies.

The essence of your journey, enriched by diverse cultures and experiences, offers unparalleled potential to influence the world positively. Embracing this potential requires intentional actions and decisions that reflect your deepest values and aspirations. Below, immigrationcourtside.com shares more:

Manifesting Core Principles

You hold the power to mold your legacy through the daily embodiment of your core values. Let kindness, integrity, and generosity be the guiding principles of your actions. When lived out loud, these virtues serve as beacons that inspire those around you. Consistently demonstrating these qualities becomes the foundation upon which your legacy is built, ensuring that your influence endures through time.

Safeguarding Your Story

In today’s digital age, safeguarding your history and accomplishments is crucial. Take the time to digitize important documents to protect them from physical degradation and ensure they remain accessible for generations. Converting these files into PDFs helps maintain their integrity across various platforms and means you can share them quickly and securely.

Use a straightforward drag-and-drop tool to crop and resize pages (this deserves a look). Take this essential step to preserve the narratives and achievements that define your legacy.

Cultivating Meaningful Connections

The strength and depth of your relationships reflect the essence of your legacy. Foster meaningful connections with family, friends, and community members. These bonds are the fabric of your legacy, weaving together a network of support and love that mirrors your values. Through these relationships, you create a living legacy of warmth and support that resonates well beyond your immediate circle.

Passing on Wisdom and Expertise

Your knowledge and skills are invaluable gifts that can significantly impact others. Sharing your expertise not only helps others grow but also cements your legacy as someone who contributes to the advancement of others. Whether mentoring the younger generation or volunteering your time for those in need, these acts of generosity amplify your legacy, making a lasting difference in the world.

Leading with Ethical Integrity in Business

In business, nurturing a lasting legacy involves a steadfast commitment to ethical standards. Constructing an enterprise that mirrors your core values fosters a more equitable marketplace and sets a precedent for others to emulate.

Delve into the advantages of establishing an LLC, including limited liability, tax benefits, streamlined paperwork, and heightened flexibility. Guiding the formation process and evading exorbitant legal fees through self-filing or utilizing a formation service demonstrates a dedication to prudence and resourceful decision-making.

Advocating for What Matters

Your support for causes close to your heart extends the reach of your legacy far beyond your personal sphere. Whether through financial donations, advocacy, or hands-on involvement, your engagement in these causes leaves an indelible mark. This commitment to making a difference embodies the essence of a legacy that transcends time and geography, cementing your role as a catalyst for change.

Launching Enduring Ventures

Embark on endeavors that mirror your passions and beliefs, be it through a business venture, community project, or artistic expression. These initiatives are monuments to your dedication and vision, reflecting your unique contributions to the world. Such endeavors enrich your legacy and inspire others to pursue their passions with similar fervor and commitment.

Ensuring a Lasting Foundation

Ensuring your financial and legal affairs are in order is fundamental to legacy building. Proper management of wills, trusts, and other legal documents guarantees that your assets support your loved ones and the causes you cherish, even in your absence. This foresight and planning ensure that your legacy’s impact is felt long after you departed, offering future generations support and opportunities.

Your choices and values are pivotal in building a lasting legacy. As an immigrant, your diverse experiences present a unique opportunity to shape a legacy that transcends cultures and time. By embodying your values, preserving your heritage, and making meaningful contributions, you can leave a lasting impact that inspires others for generations to come.

 

If you enjoyed this article, you can find more helpful content at immigrationcourtside.com!

*******************

There is so much misinformation, misdirection, ignorance, and hate out there these days. Since we are indisputably “a nation of immigrants,” it’s really a bizarre form of “self loathing” promoted by the GOP and embraced by a disturbing number of our fellow citizens.

That’s why my day always gets brighter when one of these thoughtful, helpful, encouraging, informative, and well-written PSAs from my friend Diane Harrison appears in my “Courtside inbox!” As always, thanks Diane for reminding us who we are and what we can achieve if we work together to welcome, value, cherish, assimilate, and maximize the opportunities and values of human migration — the most ancient and inevitable phenomenon in human history!

🇺🇸 Due Process Forever!

PWS

02-14-24

🇺🇸🗽⚖️ ATTN NDPA ALL-STARS 🌟 — HERE’S YOUR CHANCE TO WORK IN A SENIOR LEVEL POSITION FOR ONE OF AMERICA’S PREMIER SOCIAL JUSTICE NGOs: AYUDA Is Hiring A Director Of Legal Programs! 😎

 

YOU can be on the team with these and other NDPA superheroes:

Paula FitzgeraldExecutive Director AYUDA
Paula Fitzgerald
Executive Director
AYUDA
Laura TraskDirector of Development & Communications AYUDA
Laura Trask
Director of Development & Communications
AYUDA

 

📣 Job alert! 📣 Ayuda is seeking an immigrant champion to become our next Director of Legal Programs and lead the continued expansion of our immigration legal services. 

If you share our mission of creating a world in which immigrants thrive, take a look at the full job posting and apply now: https://lnkd.in/e_yypNsk 

Please spread the word 💜

pastedGraphic.png

Apply

Director of Legal Programs 

Washington, DC

Description

ORGANIZATIONAL PROFILE

Ayuda is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to providing direct legal, social and language access services, education, and outreach to low-income immigrants in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. Since 1973, Ayuda has provided critical services on a wide range of issues, in the process acquiring nationally recognized expertise in several fields including immigration law, language access, domestic violence and human trafficking. Ayuda has office locations in Washington, DC, Silver Spring, MD and Fairfax, VA.

WHY DO YOU WANT THIS JOB?

Because, just like everyone at Ayuda, you believe:

• In seeing communities where all immigrants succeed and thrive in the United States.

• In the overall success of our organization and all our programs.

• That families should be healthy and safe from harm.

• That all people should have access to professional, honest, and ethical services, regardless of ability to pay or status in this country.

• That diversity and equality make this country better.

WHAT WILL THIS JOB ENTAIL?

• Ensure the delivery of client-centered, high-quality legal services across Ayuda’s offices in DC, Maryland, and Virginia.

• Provide supervision to Legal Managers, and other positions as needed.

• Provide strategic direction for the legal program within Ayuda and lead the team towards meeting goals and objectives.

• Maintain and develop consistent practices and policies across legal programs.

• Oversee financial management of grants for the legal program, including client trust accounts for the low-bono fee-based services.

• Manage legal program budget, including overseeing the overall annual budget as well as providing support and oversight to Managing Attorneys on individual legal grant budgets (preparation, revisions, etc).

• Provide oversight to managers and support to Grants and Finance staff for grant management, including grant reporting and grant applications.

• Manage Ayuda’s delivery of low-bono fee-based immigration legal services.

• Collaborate with Ayuda’s Social Services and Language Access programs to ensure the provision of holistic services.

• Represent Ayuda in meetings with prospective grantors and donors to support Ayuda’ s fundraising efforts.

• Stay informed about legal changes and help to communicate legal changes and their significance to staff.

• Support Communications & Development team by drafting external legal updates and supporting participation in media interviews by legal team.

• Represent Ayuda and its clients at local and regional stakeholder, coalition, and advocacy meetings.

• Participate in Ayuda’s efforts to bring about systemic change on behalf of our clients.

• Represent the legal program as a member of Ayuda’s Senior Management Team, supporting organizational management and strategic planning and implementation.

HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU CAN DO THIS JOB?

Eligibility: Must be legally able to work in the United States and maintain proper work authorization throughout employment. Must be able to meet the physical requirements of the position presented in a general office environment.

Education/Experience:

• J.D. or L.L.M. degree from an accredited law school and licensed and in good standing to practice law in any U.S. state or territory.

• 3+ years of experience providing legal services to low-income immigrants (immigration, domestic violence/family law and/or consumer law experience preferred but not required).

• 3+ years of supervisory experience.

• Program management and leadership experience required.

• Experience working with low-income immigrant survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, child abuse/neglect or other forms of trauma.

Preferred Knowledge & Skills:

• Excellent written and verbal communications skills, flexibility, and good humor.

• Excellent judgment, calm demeanor even under pressure, strong work ethic, resourceful, and able to maintain confidentiality.

• Decisive, with ability to exercise independent judgment.

• Proven ability to develop and maintain and positive team environment and support staff morale and resilience.

• Ability to mentor, train and provide career path guidance to staff.

• Ability to work collaboratively in a team environment and to initiate and follow through on work independently.

• Excellent time management skills and ability to work in a fast-paced environment.

• Ability to adapt to changing priorities.

• Program evaluation and project management skills.

• Knowledge of a second language a plus, with Spanish language skills preferred (examples of other languages commonly spoken by Ayuda’s clients include Amharic, Arabic, Tagalog, French, and Portuguese).

SALARY AND BENEFITS:

The anticipated salary for this position is $125,000 – $140,000, depending on experience.

We are proud of the benefits we can offer that include:

• Platinum-level medical insurance plan 100% employer-paid.

• Dental and vision insurance 100% employer paid.

• Long-term disability insurance 100% employer paid.

• Life and AD&D insurance 100% employer paid.

• Pre-tax 401(k) with Employer match on first 3% of salary.

• Vacation Days: 21 days per year until year 3, 27 per year in years 3-7 and 33 days per year after 7 years employment. Employees begin with 3 days of vacation leave.

• New employees begin with 5 days of Health & Wellness (sick) leave and accrue an additional 5 hours per pay period plus emergency medical leave up to 12 weeks per year.

• 12 weeks paid parental leave/family leave.

• 24 days paid holidays and staff wellness days, including Winter Break the last week of the year.

• Job-related professional development fees (including annual state bar dues and professional memberships).

• Flexible work schedules.

This position is exempt for overtime purposes.

Employees with federal student loan debt may be eligible to apply for Public Service Loan Forgiveness through the Department of Education.  For more information, go to https://myfedloan.org/borrowers/special-programs/pslf.

TO APPLY:

Please apply with resume and cover letter.  Writing samples may be requested.

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis until the position is filled. If you have questions about this position, please reach out to us at HR@ayuda.com.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYMENT STATEMENT:

Ayuda is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against based on disability.

We believe that a diversity of experiences, opinions, and backgrounds is integral to achieving our mission and vision. We celebrate diversity and seek to leverage the passion, energy, and ideas of a culturally diverse team.

Apply

View All Jobs

Powered by pastedGraphic_1.png

Privacy Policy | Payroll & HR Softwa

 *****************************

This is a spectacular chance to work with really dedicated professionals performing a meaningful mission to help migrants adapt, prosper, and obtain legal status in our DMV area while enriching and assisting our communities. It’s about working together to build a better America for everyone!

As I have mentioned before, I am a proud member of AYUDA’s Advisory Council. At our meeting held at AYUDA this week, I was surrounded by talented, dedicated folks, who, unlike the often biased and ill-informed politicos out to destroy our legal immigration framework, are committed to solving problems in a humane, creative, legal manner recognizing the humanity and talents of our migrant communities.

Among other things, I heard:

  • Busses continue to arrive in our area without warning and coordination from either the “sending states” or the Feds;
  • The overwhelming number of those arriving are forced migrants with strong asylum claims;
  • Many of the current arrivals are from Venezuela and Nicaragua, countries with repressive leftist dictatorships with established records of persecution and human rights abuses recognized and condemned by Administrations of both parties; 
  • Many arrivals, because of language problems and haphazard Government processing, do not understand how the asylum system operates;
  • Through information sessions, AYUDA and other NGOs are filling an information gap left by poor Government performance;
  • Despite the monumental efforts of terrific pro bono lawyers from across the DMV area (more needed) there is neither rhyme nor reason to the handling of these cases at EOIR and the Asylum Office;
  • Some cases are expedited, some are placed on slow dockets; 
  • There are no BIA precedents or useful guidance on the many recurring situations that should result in grants;
  • Different results on similar material facts are a continuing problem;
  • Delays and “Aimless Docket Reshuffling” by EOIR hinders pro bono representation.

These are the problems that Congress and the Administration could and should be solving! Instead, outrageously, they are focused on spreading dehumanizing myths and devising even more wasteful “enforcement only” gimmicks that are bound to fail and leave more devastation, trauma, and wasted opportunities in the wake! Human lives and human rights are neither “bargaining chips” nor “political props” in an election year! 

AYUDA
Americans are being bombarded by false messages of hate, fear, resentment, and dehumanization directed at out immigrant communities. That’s a HUGE problem for our nation of immigrants’ future! Fight back by joining AYUDA and becoming part of the solution!

AYUDA and other NGOs offer a chance to be part of the solution, save lives, and stand against the disgraceful failure of our Government to honor our legal commitments to asylum seekers and other migrants. Be a champion of migrants who make our “nation of immigrants” really great!

🇺🇸 Due Process Forever!

PWS

01-19-24

⚠️ DISCLAIMER: The views expressed in this promotional recruiting message are mine and do not represent the position of AYUDA or any other entity!

⚖️🗽👏 ESTHER NIEVES OF WICKER PARK, IL “GETS” THE MESSAGE OF CHRISTMAS 😇 & THE HUMANITY OF ASYLUM SEEKERS, EVEN IF OUR LEADERS (AND TOO MANY “FOLLOWERS”) DO NOT!🤯☹️👎

Description Immigrants & Refugees Welcome - Banner on Facade - Pilsen - Chicago - Illinois - USA Date Taken on 18 February 2017, 10:55 Source Immigrants & Refugees Welcome - Banner on Facade - Pilsen - Chicago - Illinois - USA Author Adam Jones from Kelowna, BC, Canada

Description Immigrants & Refugees Welcome – Banner on Facade – Pilsen – Chicago – Illinois – USA
Date Taken on 18 February 2017, 10:55
Source Immigrants & Refugees Welcome – Banner on Facade – Pilsen – Chicago – Illinois – USA
Author Adam Jones from Kelowna, BC, Canada
Creative Commons License

From the Chicago Sun Times:

https://chicago.suntimes.com/2023/11/30/23982579/migrants-families-racism-venezuela-chicago-tents-nuclear-power-plant-war-letters

Migrants are cut from the same cloth as the rest of us

One of the words I have not heard to describe migrants — but is a more accurate than the negative portrayals — is “families.”

By  Letters to the Editor   Nov 30, 2023, 5:11pm EST

With the holidays upon us, there will undoubtedly be plenty of work parties, shopping sprees with kids in tow and the ubiquitous family gatherings. The coming months will also challenge us to wear layers of clothes and wrap ourselves and our loved ones in blanket-like coats. I am fortunate to have plenty of gloves, scarves, coats and boots.

Others are less fortunate. The unfortunate ones include the “new arrivals,” most of whom have never experienced a Chicago winter. Since the migrants’ arrival, critics have taken to the airwaves offering their comments about the tents, buses, use of police stations, encroachment on city streets, and, what they believe is the destruction of the city’s social and economic fabric. Descriptions of migrants are also disconcerting: liars, troublemakers, thieves, wayward parents using their kids to manipulate the immigration system and outsiders trying to live off the municipal dough.

One of the words I have not heard but is a more accurate depiction of the new arrivals is families. The buses full of people reflect a multi-generational exit from countries steeped in turmoil and unrest: infants, children, parents, or other caretakers. Describing those who arrive as families could lead us to consider them fully human, more like us. Instead, we use words that create a chasm that places the migrants at an arm’s distance from us, society and our city.

Throughout the next month, love, joy, harmony and peace will be words we will likely hear daily in songs, written in holiday cards and celebrated in plays and movies that bring friends and families together. Some will celebrate the season by remembering the birth of a unique child. Warned to flee to ensure the safety of his wife and newborn child, the family patriarch left for other lands. Wouldn’t it be remarkable if we could see the face of this child in the faces of the children we see coming here? Perhaps we can take the first step by using words that remove the stigma and distance between us and the “new arrivals.” The words? Families, of course.

Esther Nieves, Wicker Park

********************

Yup, contrary to the absolute, hateful, BS from Trump, Johnson, and the rest of the MAGA right, and the disgraceful indifference of too many Dems, most migrants want: 1) security, 2) opportunity, and 3) a better future, particularly for family. That’s what I found over more than 13 years on the trial bench at the Immigration Court. Basically, what all of us want from life!

Migrants deserve fair, humane, dignified treatment from the U.S. and our legal system, regardless of whether they ultimately are able to meet the legal criteria to remain!

🇺🇸 Due Process Forever!

PWS

12-24-23

🤯 “CHRISTMAS @ THE BORDER 2023” — “The Prince of Peace,” A Poor Palestinian Jewish Outsider & Alleged Threat To The Powerful, Might Be Astounded By Trading Human Lives & Futures Of The Most Vulnerable For Bombs! — 2k Years Later, Folks Claim His Name Yet Mock His Humble, Merciful Message About Treating Fellow Humans With Kindness, Dignity, Respect! 🤯

Holy Family at the Border
Families arriving at the border today likely to find those in power parrot the words of Christ while ignoring his teachings about mercy, humility, humanity.
IMAGE: Sojourners
Todd Miller
Todd Miller
Border Correspondent
Border Chronicle
PHOTO: Coder Chron

Todd Miller in The Border Chronicles:

https://www.theborderchronicle.com/p/the-modern-day-nativity-scene-a-concertina?r=1se78m&utm_medium=email

I am at the Stanton Street Bridge between El Paso and Ciudad Juárez, where one year ago I watched groups of people wade through the shallow water to “pedir posada,” the Spanish-language term used for Joseph and Mary asking for refuge in Bethlehem 2,023 years ago. This year, there are no people below me, at least not right now, and the Rio Grande is a greenish, contaminated trickle that will dry up completely just east of El Paso, and then be replenished by the Rio Conchos 200 miles downriver in Presidio, Texas. On the other side of the bridge, you can see that the holiday season is in full gear as the line of people entering the United States coming from Ciudad Juárez extends up to the top of the bridge, exactly above the river. Surrounding the river are the props of the modern-day nativity scene: coiling razor wire, 30-foot walls, Texas Army National Guard troops and their armored jeeps, armed U.S. Border Patrol agents in their green-striped trucks, drone surveillance, camera surveillance, biometric systems. Partially, this is the result of the most money ever put toward federal border and immigration enforcement (as we reported this year, 2023 was $29.8 billion, a record number, which adds to the more than $400 billion since 2003). Partially, this is because Texas’s spending on Operation Lone Star, courtesy of Governor Greg Abbott and his right-wing, un-Christian justification machine, which has added up to $4.5 billion over the last two years. And this has been the response of the United States for people “pidiendo posada” for 30 years since Operation Blockade/Hold the Line began a border-building spree that has not ceased: there is no room at the inn.

I think of that cold night on the ground in a stable that is depicted in so many places this time of year as I walk past shivering refugees in heavy coats sitting outside against the Sagrado Corazón church in El Paso a few blocks from the border. I am reminded of the hundreds upon hundreds of people arriving to the Arizona border, as Melissa reported on earlier this week. I am reminded of the young Guatemalan mother I met myself at the border wall in late November as she tended to her two-month-old under the 30-foot border wall. They had been waiting there for two days. The infant was sick, and the nights were cold. The rest of the group, from the coast of Guatemala, built a fire to keep warm. When were the wise men going to arrive, the kings, the angels? The humanitarians did arrive, as they do, day after day (see Melissa’s reporting on that). I am reminded of being in Bethlehem myself a few years back, visiting the Aida refugee camp of Palestinians, which was surrounded by a tall concrete wall that had an embedded “pill box,” or a tower where snipers could point their assault rifles located mere miles from that stable where Mary gave birth on the cold ground. The Christmas story is playing out all around us, as lawyer and anthropologist Petra Molnar pointed out for us just yesterday. Where Mary, Joseph, and the infant Jesus had to flee Bethlehem when King Herod started to wield authoritarian power, the long trek to Egypt fleeing persecution is happening right now, throughout the world, such as in the Darién Gap in Colombia and Panama, as discussed in Melissa’s two interviews with anthropologist Caitlyn Yates—one podcast in December, one in August. Or the equivalent might be in the Mediterranean, as we discussed with Lauren Markham last June after a ship capsized near Greece, killing 600 people, or the countless places across the world where people struggle with a huge enforcement apparatus, which Anna Lekas Miller wrote about in her book Love Across Borders. We have spent the year doing our best to give you insight into what is happening on our borders.

I love this time of year, December, because things start to slow down, the frenetic pace starts to wane. For me, this becomes a more reflective period. Yet this modern Christmas story is anything but reflective. On television sets, commercials remind us of the holiday spirit (and to buy as much as we can), and movies have heartwarming tales of people coming together. Yet hospitality is scoffed at in words and policy, no matter what president, no matter what political party. Melissa has reported time and time again about the dehumanizing rhetoric; earlier this week, she wrote about a Fox News reporter talking about invaders and invasions and “credible fear thresholds.” This discourse abounds, with stories of people “taking advantage of our asylum system,” and claims that the United States can’t absorb any more people. Did Mary and Joseph hear similar soundbites on their journeys?

Give a gift subscription

In these stories, we rarely hear about U.S. foreign policy, both historical and current. Take, for example, the Monroe Doctrine’s effect in Latin America: the centuries of upholding dictatorships, training generals, arming militaries—and, lately, creating border guards—and influencing politics, as well as the economic domination, in which corporate power and extractive industries enjoy a borderless world and can travel anywhere and take anything they want (see NAFTA, see CAFTA), from precious resources to cheap labor. Meanwhile, regular people—sometimes the very people displaced by corporate power—face harsher and harsher border regimes that extend throughout the continent. The same thing the Greg Abbotts of the world accuse undocumented people of doing here, corporate power is doing there. Studies have continually shown how a migrant labor force bolsters the U.S. economy in myriad, even critical ways (see, for example, the film A Day without a Mexican), yet border crossers get blamed for the big societal problems as if they had the power to set policy in corporate board rooms and in Washington. In the halls of power, debates stagnate over whether people are refugees or economic migrants—creating more divisions between the people most affected by the entrenched borders.

At the height of her pregnancy, Mary and Joseph walked for days, fleeing a Caesar Augustus’s occupying force—a story that resonates with more than 184 million people on the move today. I am reminded of my dear friend Irene Morales, a nun with the Madres of the Eucaristia, who I worked with two decades ago and who told me day after day—as we traveled through northern Mexico and the U.S. borderlands—that she saw Christ in the faces of people on the move. In the early 2000s, thousands of people were arriving to Altar, Sonora, to cross through the Arizona deserts. The people I talked to and interviewed were mostly from southern Mexico, and in many cases they were migrating because they could no longer make ends meet. From about 2002 to 2005, I talked to hundreds of people, and often it was parents thinking about their children, parents who talked about skipping meals for their children, wanting their children to get an education, or sometimes it was children on the move for a sick parent. So often it was a story of sacrifice at a time in a post-9/11 era characterized by a massive ramp-up on the border, with terrorism and migration blurring into each other at a policy level. “El rostro de Cristo,” Irene told me.

Stanton Street Bridge at sunset with a long line of people crossing from Ciudad Juárez to El Paso as is typical during the holidays. (Photo credit: Todd Miller)

Share

As I stand on the bridge in Juárez, where everything seems basically the same, I know a lot has happened over the last year, and we have covered much of it at The Border Chronicle. I, for one, have been following that contaminated river and have gone into Chihuahua to report on border water struggles for a forthcoming book, and I have shared some photo essays here. Melissa also wrote about Chihuahua earlier this year for The New Yorker, focusing on the epidemic of journalists assassinated in Mexico, which she summarized in The Border Chronicle. I feel so fortunate to work alongside Melissa, who not only wrote (and talked to experts) about the innards of this massive border fortification, whether it be the surge of wall building, deadly vehicle chases, Operation Lone Star, or Florida cops patrolling the border—and the right-wing rhetoric that so often propels it (not to mention the Elon Musk circus)—but also about people in border communities for inspiration and solutions such as border artists, a brilliant sidewalk school, or a doctor who spends his time treating border crossers (Doctor Brian Elmore also penned an op-ed for us). And that’s just a taste. This year, I had the opportunity to go to Yale and debate border enforcement, a humbling and educational experience, to say the least. As I wrote about my losing effort, some of the dynamics we constantly struggle with in this sort of border journalism were clearly revealed.

Much has changed over the last year, but—from what I can tell suspended between El Paso and Ciudad Juárez—much has remained the same. The border policy is the same, there is more money in the budgets, there is more money in as-of-yet-unpassed supplemental funding bills, there are more and more contracts for private industry. And now we have an election year. And, as we all know, during an election year, the border is a politician’s sacrificial lamb. So be prepared for a good dose of border theater, and we’ll be here with our coverage, commentary, interviews, and podcasts. The last thing I want to do is stand on that bridge a year from now and watch people wade through the trickling Rio Grande to “pedir posada” at a large gate at an even more fortified border wall in El Paso. That is, however, the likely outcome of 2024, and we will cover all of it. But we will also find the spaces where people are trying to make change, we will listen to the border communities, and we will document the humanitarian efforts. And trust me you, we will be looking in the places where there is generosity toward the stranger.

**********************

40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.’

Matthew 25:40

It’s very straightforward. Yet, somewhere between the Nativity and MAGAMike Johnson, the message got lost! The real “War on Christmas” and Judeo-Christian values is being conducted by those in powerful positions who disingenuously press for deadly, illegal, inhumane, dehumanizing treatment of forced migrants!

Thoughtful, practical solutions — more aligned with Judeo-Christian values — proposed by experts with first-hand experience with migrants and migration are arrogantly ignored by our leaders. See, e.g., https://immigrationcourtside.com/2023/12/17/⚖️🗽-there-are-ways-to-harminize-harness-the-reality-huge-positive-potential-of-global-human-migration-they-are-neither-simple-nor-imm

https://immigrationcourtside.com/2023/12/19/⚖️🤯👩🏽⚖️👨🏻⚖️-as-garlands-backlog-hits-3-million-way-past-time-to-clean/.

 

Even now, U.S. and Mexican leaders insist, contrary to evidence, that the answer to forced migration is more and harsher enforcement. See, e.g., https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwjGta3V66WDAxV8D1kFHU7ECn0QFnoECBcQAQ&url=https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-mexico-border-negotiations-956cbc7a92ac08572327533ce1572a2a&usg=AOvVaw0lxqJYakyq5Ocbm0VxiVld&opi=89978449.

To quote Colby King in today’s WashPost:

I read somewhere that God’s eternal promise of Christmas is a closeness with humanity, forgiveness of sins and a radical, unconditional love for all. We ain’t there yet.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/12/22/christmas-prayer-bethlehem-gaza-war-peace/

Colbert I. King
Colbert I. King
Columnist
Washington Post

Also lost in the rush to cruelty and “deterrence:” Individuals have a legal right to apply for asylum at the U.S. border regardless of whether they arrive at a port of entry. See, INA, section 208. 

The so-called “illegal” crossings are driven largely by the USG’s failure to implement timely and fair screening and processing at ports of entry. Even so, many individuals cross nearby the ports and wait patiently, in an orderly manner, outdoors, often in harsh conditions, to be “processed” by CBP.

This is hardly a “law enforcement crisis.” It’s a humanitarian crisis that, despite warnings and plenty of constructive ideas from experts, Congress and the Executive have jointly failed to address in a reasonable and responsible manner.

How unserious are Congress and the Administration about addressing the situation at the border in a responsible manner? The increasing flow of asylum seekers is predictable, considering that it is part of a worsening worldwide refugee flow. 

So one logical, obvious thing to do, rather than building walls, prisons, and installing barbed wire, would be to hire and “surge” more USCIS Asylum Officers to the Southern Border to screen asylum seekers for credible fear, perhaps even expanding operations to foreign territory. 

According to USCIS, there were 1028 authorized Asylum Officer positions in September 2022. https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/outreach-engagements/Asylum-Quarterly-Engagement-Oct-6-22.pdf.  One year later, in September 2023, that number hadn’t changed! And, remarkably, the number of those positions filled had had actually slightly declined from 78% to 74%. https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/outreach-engagements/AsylumQuarterlyEngagement-FY23Quarter4PresentationTalkingPoints.pdf. Talk about a disconnect!

🇺🇸 Due Process Forever!

PWS

12-23-23

👦🏽⚒️ 🤯 THE U.S. HAS A BIG CHILD LABOR PROBLEM: Stephanie Canizales & Jen Podkul Have Solutions! — Hint: Deportations, Detentions, Separtions, Weakening Child Labor Laws, Border Militarization AREN’T Helping! — “Children’s futures are under threat in the U.S., and stalled immigration policy is a culprit.”☠️

 

Stephanie L. CanizalesAssistant Professor of Sociology U of Cal. - Merced PHOTO: UCM
Stephanie L. Canizales
Assistant Professor of Sociology
U of Cal. – Merced
PHOTO: UCM

Stephanie writes in the LA Times:

https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2023-10-26/immigration-policy-child-migrants-labor

. . . .

The stories of child migrant laborers are harrowing. They take on late-night, early-morning or 12-hour shifts that keep them out of school. They work on farms, at garment and food manufacturing factories as well as meat and processing plants, in construction and sawmills — often dangerous jobs with few protections.

Despite media portrayals of this system as a new economy, historian Ivón Padilla-Rodríguez has documented that the success of industries such as agriculture, manufacturing and construction in the Southwest relied on child labor as far back as the early 20th century. My dad arrived in Los Angeles from El Salvador as a 17-year-old in the 1970s. He immediately became a garment worker in denim factories across downtown Los Angeles and later installed carpet for a man who refused to pay him.

Los Angeles remains a center for this problem. My research studies the lives of undocumented young adults who arrived in the U.S. as unaccompanied minors from 2003 through 2013 and now live in L.A. I’ve spoken to children who have worked in garment factories that sew clothes for companies including Forever 21, J. Crew and Old Navy. Others worked in hotels such as the Ritz Carlton downtown or cleaned the homes of the rich and famous as live-in domestic workers.

Given my research focus, I often get asked what the government is doing about this child labor epidemic and what regular people can do about it. My response: It depends how far you want to go.

Perhaps counterintuitively to many Americans, part of the equation is paying attention to these youth before they cross our border by granting them what anthropologist Lauren Heidbrink and other scholars identify as “el derecho a no migrar” — the right not to migrate. 

Young people need alternatives to migration to make a living. That shouldn’t mean aiding foreign governments in deporting migrants, as the Biden administration recently pledged to aid Panama’s government. It should mean investing in community-based programming to integrate children into their home society, such as Colectivo Vida Digna in Guatemala, which aims to reduce youth migration by supporting Indigenous teens and their families in reclaiming Indigenous cultural practices and strengthening communities so they can build futures without leaving their home country.

Even with those programs, some children will migrate to the U.S. and need shielding from exploitation. That may sound uncontroversial in theory, but the current policy landscape shows little willingness to widen the social safety net in practice, even for children and youth.

Take, for example, that last month a federal judge ruled illegal, but declined to end, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, a program implemented by executive order in 2012 that offers work authorization and a stay on deportation for undocumented youth brought to the U.S. as children. Courts have debated the policy for more than a decade, and with the Supreme Court expected to review the policy a third time, even these longtime U.S. residents — once touted by President Obama as “talented, driven, patriotic young people” — are left in limbo.

Then there’s the immigration program meant to provide vulnerable immigrant children a path to lawful residence and citizenship: the Special Immigrant Juvenile Status designation created in 1990. A recent report found that it has produced “avoidable delays, inconsistent denial rates, and a growing backlog” of petitioners, putting unaccompanied youth’s lives “on hold” and leaving them vulnerable to exploitation and abuse.

All the while, states across the U.S. are actively moving to weaken child labor laws for all children, immigrants or not.

Children’s futures are under threat in the U.S., and stalled immigration policy is a culprit. Protecting children and child workers requires moving forward on immigration. Failing to do so may haunt us for generations to come.

Stephanie L. Canizales is an assistant professor of sociology at UC Merced.

***************************

Jennifer Podkul
Jennifer Podkul
Vice President of Policy & Advocacy
Kids In Need of Defense (“KIND”)
PHOTO: Momsrising.com

Jen writes in WashPost:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/10/26/legal-protection-children-exploitation/

October 26, 2023 at 1:58 p.m. ET

The figures in the Oct. 20 news article “Child labor violations soar in FY 2023” were staggering and all too familiar in my work with unaccompanied children, who are particularly vulnerable to exploitative labor conditions. Overnight shifts operating heavy machinery at slaughterhouses are not jobs or roles for any child.

To prevent this exploitation of unaccompanied children, we need to ensure existing laws are enforced, including child labor standards put forth by the Labor Department. Additionally, the Department of Health and Human Services should work toward ensuring every unaccompanied child is provided legal counsel as set out in the Fair Day in Court for Kids Act, recently introduced by Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii).

As we’ve seen from experience, a lawyer can be one of the few trusted adults in the life of a child who is experiencing exploitation. Attorneys help unaccompanied children understand their rights against abuse and access a fair chance to make their case for U.S. protection, which can lead to the ability to apply for legal and safe employment. Most unaccompanied children do not have this elemental protection.

Jennifer Podkul, Washington

The writer is vice president of policy and advocacy for Kids in Need of Defense.

*************************

Read Stephanie’s full op-ed at the above link. Many thanks to both of these experts for speaking out on this tragic, solvable, yet widely ignored by the pols and the media, issue!

For what it’s worth, one enforcement measure that Nolan Rappaport and I have agreed upon and pushed in our respective commentary has been better enforcement of labor laws. See, e.g.,  https://immigrationcourtside.com/2018/06/06/nolans-latest-in-the-hill-undocumented-immigrants-shouldnt-replace-legal-ones/. Seems like it should be a “no-brainer first step” that doesn’t require major legislative changes. 

Another outspoken supporter of the right of all children not to be exploited is my friend Rep.Hillary Scholten (D-MI)! See, e.g., https://immigrationcourtside.com/2023/02/28/⚖️-tackling-the-problem-in-fiery-🔥-floor-speech-rep-hillary-scholten-d-mi-demands-action-against-migrant-child-labor-these-are-my-kids-re/.

🇺🇸 Due Process Forever!

PWS

10-27-23

 

🗽😟 SOME OF THOSE FOLLOWING ADMINISTRATION’S CALL TO USE LEGAL PATHWAYS LEFT HANGING! — Julie Turkewitz Reports For NYT

Julie Turkewitz
Julie Turkewitz
Andes Bureau Chief
NY Times
PHOTO: Linkedin

 https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/24/world/americas/venezuela-migrants-darien-gap-biden.html

They live in a rusty shack with no running water, hiding from the violence just outside their door, haunted by a question that won’t go away: Should they have listened to President Biden?

A year ago, Dayry Alexandra Cuauro and her 6-year-old daughter, Sarah, fled a crumbling Venezuela, setting off for the United States, carrying almost nothing. But they quickly lost each other, separated in a treacherous jungle known as the Darién Gap.

For three terrifying days, Ms. Cuauro heaved herself over muddy hills and plowed through rivers that rose to her chest, panicked that her child had drowned, been kidnapped or fallen to her death.

Many of the migrants traveling alongside the Cuauros — like hundreds of thousands of others — simply ignored the president’s warning, dismissing it as a ploy to keep them at bay. They kept marching, crossed the border and quickly started building new lives in the United States, with jobs that pay in dollars and children in American schools.

Ms. Cuauro listened and dropped off the migrant trail. But nearly a year later, all she has gotten is an auto-reply: Her applications to enter the United States legally have been submitted. She refreshes the website constantly, obsessively, and every day it says the same thing: “Case received.” Only the numbers shift: 57 days. 197 days. 341 days.

Online, she is bombarded by jubilant posts from Venezuelans who have made it to the United States — pictures of them in Times Square, wearing new clothes, eating big meals, going to school. Even the friend who guided her daughter safely through the jungle kept going and made it to Pennsylvania, where he now makes $140 a day as a mechanic.

. . . .

Sarah had become a literal poster child for the Darién. She and her mother had done what Mr. Biden had asked of them. They had a first-class support team of eager American sponsors. Yet no one could figure out how to get their cases through the U.S. immigration system.

. . . .

Recently, a member of the Cuauro committee, the woman in North Carolina, reached out with an urgent request. A Venezuelan man who had contacted her asking for help was about to take the Darién route. The woman asked Ms. Cuauro to talk to him — to try to convince him to apply for the legal route instead.

“I did it,” Ms. Cuauro said, “but he didn’t want to listen, and he left.”

The man got to the American border and, within days, crossed into the United States.

*****************

Read Julie’s article at the link.

As Courtside readers know, I love writing headlines. So, here’s one for the story that Julie might have written had the Administration been quicker on the uptake:

🇺🇸🗽⚖️😊 VENEZUELAN MOM, DAUGHTER FIND SPONSOR, SAFETY IN U.S. UNDER BIDEN PROGRAM AFTER HARROWING DARIEN ORDEAL — “The Legal Path Was Quick, Safe, &  Saved Our Lives,” Says Ms. Cuauro, “Others Should Use It!”

Despite often using language peppered with terms that might once have appeared in business textbooks, the USG does not follow a “business model.” Nowhere is that more true than in the largely dysfunctional immigration bureaucracy. Businesses that ran like ICE, USCIS, and EOIR would have gone bankrupt long ago.

Nevertheless, it would be prudent for the Administration to employ some “better business practices” on immigration, which does have a dynamic, potentially even more positive, effect on the U.S. economy. 

In the case of the Southern Border, the USG is “competing” with professional smugglers and human traffickers who DO view it in business terms. The “smugglers’ heyday” of a bias-driven Trump Administration that operated in direct contravention of common sense, the rule of law, the laws of supply and demand, and the realities of worldwide forced migration is gone, for now — although, undoubtedly to the delight of criminals and cartels, GOP politicos would dearly love to re-establish it and thereby enhance profits for the “bad guys.” 

But, there are plenty of glitches in the Biden Administration’s approach. As this article illustrates, they are unable and unwilling to do what’s necessary to “out-compete” smugglers by making the legal channels they tout robust, timely, generous, and user friendly!

In the meantime, the GOP is marshaling its White Nationalist forces to make the system for legal entry even more restrictive, irrational, and less usable. That will make smugglers essentially “the only game in town” and cede much more of immigration control to self-interested criminals. 

🇺🇸Due Process Forever!

PWS

10-26-23

🇺🇸🗽😎👩🏽‍🏫 D.C. TEACHER OF THE YEAR BETH BARKLEY HELPS MIGRANTS SUCCEED! — “I have students that are changemakers. My students are leaders. … This is really for and because of them.”

Beth Barkley
Beth Barkley
English Teacher
Cardozo High
Washington, D.C.
D.C. Teacher of the Year 2023
PHOTO: WashPost

Lauren Lumpkin writes in WashPost:

By Lauren Lumpkin

October 11, 2023 at 5:55 p.m. ET

Beth Barkley thought she was attending a ceremony for International Day of the Girl on Wednesday. The high school English teacher stood in the library at Cardozo Education Campus as the citys mayor explained the importance of attaining educational equity across genders.”

But, in a ceremony focused mostly on her, Barkley learned that she had been named D.Cs 2024 Teacher of the Year.

This year we have a teacher of the year who serves as a role model not only for her students, but for other teachers across the District,” said D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D). She has gone above and beyond her normal teaching duties to uplift student voices and inspire her students.”

Each year, educators across the city vie for the top honor, which comes with a $7,500 check and the chance to compete for National Teacher of the Year in a contest run by the Council of Chief State School Officers. Barkley, who teaches English and other classes to students who are new to the United States, was met with applause and sparkling pompoms wielded by students.

This is a huge honor,” she said to the room of teachers, staff members and several of her students. I have students that are changemakers. My students are leaders. … This is really for and because of them.”

. . . .

****************

Read and listen to the complete article at the above link.  Here’s an NBC 4 TV News special report on Beth’s achievements. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvTPZ7fOt-Q.

A great reminder that each of us can choose to be part of the problem or part of the solution, like Beth!

🇺🇸Due Process Forever!

PWS

10-11-23

🇺🇸🗽😎 — IMMIGRANTS BRING OPTIMISM TO U.S. — New L.A.Times Series Lets Immigrants’ Voices, Often Drowned Out In Debate, Be Heard — “So we set out to ask immigrants to tell us about their lives and put their voices and stories at the forefront.”

Smiley Face
Smiley Face
Creative Commons

By David Lauter

Good morning. It’s Tuesday, Sept. 19. Here’s what you need to know to start your day.

  • Inside a new Times project on immigrants in America
  • A suspect was arrested in the killing of a L.A. County sheriff’s deputy
  • Indulge in Carpinteria’s retro, family-friendly vibe
  • And here’s today’s e-newspaper

The Times is exploring immigrant stories. Here’s what we’ve learned so far

What if we could give you a window into the lives of one-sixth of the U.S. population? What would we find out?

I’m David Lauter, a senior editor at The Times. That window is what we set out to create with Immigrant Dreams, our project on the lives of America’s huge and growing immigrant population, who make up 1 in 6 adults in the U.S. — close to a record for the past century.

For years, immigration has been one of the hottest of political hot buttons. The U.S. has been stuck in a seemingly unending debate over a broken immigration system, featuring stalemates in Congress, disorder at the southern border and a lot of heated rhetoric.

Much of that debate, however, has ignored the voices of actual immigrants. So we set out to ask immigrants to tell us about their lives and put their voices and stories at the forefront.

That’s not only an important American story, it’s a crucial story for California, which is home to the nation’s largest immigrant population.

We partnered with the nonprofit KFF, formerly the Kaiser Family Foundation, to do a large-scale poll of U.S. immigrants to find out how their lives are going, what they’ve experienced since coming to America and what their expectations are for their futures.

Planning and conducting that poll took almost two years. We tested extensively in advance to make sure we had polling methods that would work to get a representative sample of immigrants. Then we drafted a questionnaire and translated it into nine languages. Pollsters spent more than 13,000 hours interviewing people and mailed more than 75,000 surveys.

You can take some of the poll questions yourself and see how your views compare with the people we surveyed.

Once the data came back this spring, Times reporters and photographers went to work looking for individuals and families with whom we could spend time to illuminate the findings of the survey.

So what did we find out?

Optimism. That’s one of the clearest findings and the theme of our initial story, told beautifully by reporters Brittny Mejia, Jeong Park, Jack Herrera and Tyrone Beason and photographers Irfan Khan, Dania Maxwell and Brittainy Newman. Columnist Gustavo Arellano weighed in, as well, with his own story of immigrant optimism.

And because our poll told us that many immigrants feel they don’t have enough information about how the U.S. system works, our project also includes pieces about important issues like the public charge rule and how to protect yourself against scams.

For the rest of the fall, we’ll be rolling out additional stories about aspects of immigrants’ lives. We hope you’ll come along with us on the journey.

**********************************

The initial report — on how and why immigrants are more optimistic — gives some great profiles and is a “must read” for those interested in getting beyond the myths and outright falsehoods about migration that dominate the airwaves and our political dialogue. 

🇺🇸 Due Process Forever!

PWS

09-20-23

🇺🇸⛵️LABOR DAY PICTORIAL FROM LINEKIN BAY, MAINE!

Sailing vessels anchored in Linekin Bay -- Labor Day Weekend 2023
Sailing vessels anchored in Linekin Bay — Labor Day Weekend 2023
Windjammer American Eagle anchored just off the Schmidt Family Dock
American Eagle anchored just off the Schmidt Family Dock
08-31-23
First Fire
First Fire in newly refurbished historic fireplace!
08-31-23
Ready for Game Day
Ready for Game Day!
08-31-23

*********************************

“Fun facts” about the Windjammer American Eagle:

Let’s go sailing

A sailing vacation on the American Eagle is right for just about everyone—couples, friends, families with children, ages 12 and up, and independent travelers. There is an easy congeniality on board that makes for instant relaxation and great camaraderie.

Captain Tyler King has been sailing and working on boats since he was very small spending most summers sailing all around Massachusetts Bay and up beyond Penobscot Bay. He has been in the Windjamming fleet since 2013, working on quite a few of the vessels. The American Eagle sails Down East on four to six day cruises. Sometimes longer adventures of 9 to 14 days to the Canadian Maritimes or tall ship events

are planned. Spectacular scenery, wildlife, lighthouses, and wonderful meals, including an island lobster bake are part of every trip.

Each cruise is a unique adventure: exciting sailing at an affordable price. Most of our guests have sailed with us before or come on the recommendation of a friend.

Board after 6 p.m. on the trip date, settle\ in and sleep aboard that night before we sail the next morning. Pack casual, comfortable clothes, and two pair of rubber soled shoes (no high heels, flip flops, golf shoes, or dress whites, please). Rain gear, a warm sweater or jacket, a sun hat and sunscreen are musts. Bring your camera; you’ll take a lot of pictures.

You are encouraged to follow our course on the chart, take the wheel and sail the schooner. Or, kick back, bask in the sun, and read. As for the sailing—well, that’s just one reason our guests keep returning. But don’t take our word for it—try it for yourself!

A few facts to know before you sail

  • The American Eagle accommodates 26 guests and is 92 feet on deck. She’s the only National Historic Landmark vessel to meet international safety standards.
  • Single cabins are available upon request.
  • All cabins have reading lights, fresh linens, hotand cold running water, 12-volt outlets, and places

    to hang your clothes.

  • Toilets and a separate fresh hot water shower areconveniently located below deck; you can walk through

from the galley to most cabins.

  • We heat the compartments below for comfortearly and late in the season.
  • There’s no smoking below deck. Electronics may beused only with headphones.
  • There’s convenient air, van and bus servicedirectly to Rockland.
  • We offer free parking right on our own wharf.We even have room to plug in your RV!

We take MasterCard, Visa and Discover. Contact us with any questions.

Captain Tyler R. King • Schooner American Eagle P.O. Box 482, Rockland, Maine 04841

1-800-648-4544 info@schooneramericaneagle.com

🇺🇸 Happy Labor Day & Due Process Forever!

PWS

09-01-23

🇺🇸🗽👩🏾‍🎓 INVESTING IN AMERICA’S FUTURE: MAINE MAKES EFFORT, WELCOMES NEW STUDENTS FROM ASYLUM-SEEKING FAMILIES!  — “School leaders say the work can be challenging and puts a significant strain on resources, but it’s also a privilege to welcome new students into the community.”

 

Gillian Graham
Gillian Graham
Staff Writer
Portland Press Herald

https://www.pressherald.com/2023/08/28/schools-make-last-minute-push-to-prepare-for-new-students-from-asylum-seeking-families/?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Daily+Headlines%3A+Hundreds+celebrate+return+of+Gray-New+Gloucester%2FRaymond+Little+League+team&utm_campaign=PH+Daily+Headlines+ND+-+NO+SECTIONS&auth0Authentication=true

Local schools make last-minute push to prepare for new students from asylum-seeking families

In Freeport and Sanford, schools have hired English instructors and made other adjustments needed to welcome dozens of new students.

BY GILLIAN GRAHAM STAFF WRITER

Maine welcomes students
Maine welcomes students

 

Children catch bubbles Aug. 17 at a free barbecue organized by the Lewiston School Department to mark the end of its summer outreach program that provided numerous services for students and families. It also gave the School Department the opportunity to connect with students and parents, hand out schedules, sign students up and make connections before the start of school. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

With just a week to go before the first day of school, staff from Freeport schools headed to a local hotel to meet their newest students.

The 67 students, all from asylum-seeking families, had just moved to the Casco Bay Inn from the Portland Expo, where nearly 200 people had been staying in the temporary shelter before it closed. The families all decided to send their kids to Freeport schools instead of busing them to Portland to attend classes, said Jean Skorapa, superintendent of Regional School Unit 5 in Freeport.

“Our first goal is to get them enrolled and in a class,” she said. “That piece is done. Now we look at how to best serve their needs.”

The scramble to welcome new students and connect them with the services they need is becoming a familiar challenge in Freeport and other Maine communities where the families are settling.

For the past several years, school districts in southern Maine have had to make quick adjustments as they enroll dozens of students from asylum-seeking families, many of whom come from African countries and speak little or no English when they arrive. To meet their needs, they’ve had to hire more teachers for English learners, add social workers and support staff, and make sure translation services are in place to communicate with parents.

“For us, this is a new experience,” said Steve Bussiere, assistant superintendent in Sanford, where 38 students enrolled in May when their families arrived in the city. There will be 55 students from asylum-seeking families in Sanford schools this year, he said.

School leaders say the work can be challenging and puts a significant strain on resources, but it’s also a privilege to welcome new students into the community.

“We’ve had new Mainers with us over the past year and a half. They’ve made us a more well-rounded, diverse district,” Skorapa said. “They’re a wonderful addition to our school community and we welcome them with open arms and are thrilled to have them with us.”

. . . .

************************

Read the complete article at the link.

Congrats to educational and political leaders in Maine for making the system work as it should! Immigrants becoming Mainers and settling down there is making a positive difference! Seems like the Feds, not to mention other states and localities, could use some of this same positive approach and enlightened, courageous leadership.

The Portland’s Press Herald’s Editorial Board echoed this view in an editorial published yesterday:

Our View: To invest in immigrant pupils is to invest in the future

A big effort by Maine schools to accommodate English language learners will have a big return for their communities.

A new experience.

That’s how Steve Bussiere, assistant superintendent in Sanford, described Sanford schools’ addressing the needs of 55 new students from asylum-seeking families this coming school year.

It’s a new experience for the kids, too, and thanks to thoughtful, time-intensive efforts by Bussiere’s colleagues and other schools around Maine – hiring additional teachers to teach English to English language learners, hiring more social workers and more support staff and refining translation services so that school staff and administrators can communicate with new pupils’ parents – it can be a good experience.

The focus on multilingual learners requires a serious effort and will make a serious difference to our state.

Thankfully, the Maine Legislature expressed its understanding of that fact in July, including $3.5 million for the support of English language learners – via the English Language Learner Hardship Fund – in the special supplemental budget.

This valuable funding becomes available to schools at the end of October. Portland’s public schools will receive more than $784,000; Lewiston, $631,000; South Portland, $302,000; Biddeford, $192,000, Brunswick, $150,000; Saco, $110,000; Freeport, $109,000, and Westbrook, $93,000.

In Freeport, arrangements have been made for 67 new students who recently moved with their families from the temporary shelter at the Portland Expo to the Casco Bay Inn. Jean Skorapa, superintendent of Regional School Unit 5 in Freeport, struck a crystal-clear and exceedingly warm note earlier this week – sounding like many other Maine educators on the same subject in recent years.

“We’ve had new Mainers with us over the past year and a half. They’ve made us a more well-rounded, diverse district,” Skorapa said. “They’re a wonderful addition to our school community and we welcome them with open arms and are thrilled to have them with us.”

In other school districts, efforts such as these have been up and running for a while. According to our reporting Monday, Lewiston schools work with students who speak a total of 38 languages. The school district there has a multilingual center that works with families and offers vital help with paperwork and orientation. Portland has been supporting new students from asylum-seeking families for years; in July, we reported that one-third of the district’s roughly 6,500 students were multilingual.

The numbers make it clear as day: The downside risk of underfunding English language learning is now way too steep for these parts of Maine to run. Yes, there’s a moral imperative here; it is also a legal requirement of our public schools. We trust that, on the strength of existing work in this realm, the practice of funding multilingual learning education becomes just that – a practice. Rep. Michael Brennan, D-Portland, House chair of the Education and Cultural Affairs Committee, expressed his commitment to continue funding the program “in the coming years.”

Appropriate investment in these students fosters a sense of belonging, reduces the risk of pernicious, hard-to-close learning gaps and, as students find themselves better and better equipped to support their families locally, has wide-reaching benefits. To say nothing of what it means for school graduates of the future. On top of that, successive studies have shown that the teaching techniques that assist English language learners assist all students.

That’s not to say there won’t be hurdles to overcome. In recent days, tense and ugly anti-immigrant rallies in Manhattan, Staten Island and Woburn, Massachusetts, laid bare the style of racist, isolationist thinking that continues to oppose even the most commonsense steps towards integration and inclusion.

Our schools need more support, and they need it to be specific. The calls for increased attention to the new members of the student body need to be sustained in their volume and their clarity. It makes sense, at every level, to seize this opportunity to enrich our classrooms and our communities.

Kids are our future. It’s definitely worth the effort!

Helping Hand
A Helping Hand.jpg
Image depicts a child coming to the aid of another in need. Once we have climbed it is essential for the sake of humanity that we help others do the same. It is knowing that we all could use, and have used, a helping hand.
Safiyyah Scoggins – PVisions1111
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0
White Nationalist Xenophobes like Trump, DeSantis, Abbott, & Ducey have abandoned Traditional Judeo-Christian values in favor of neo-fascism. But, the rest of us should hold true to our “better angels.”

🇺🇸 Due Process Forever!

PWS

08-31-23