18 | COMMUNITY NEWS shadows
>> continued from pg 6
until DACA— the 2012 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. On June 15, 2012, President Obama created a new federal policy giving temporary permission to stay and work in the United States for certain undocumented youth who came to the U.S. as children. After paying her $465 and submitting her DACA paperwork: Naveed was safe from deportation, got a work permit and a driver license in New York, paid in-state tuition, and enrolled in a nursing program. “It was huge relief [and] made life a lot easier,” says Naveed. Her status expires in March and she is working on her DACA renewal process. In his November 2014 address on television, President Obama said that mass amnesty for all undocumented immigrants would be unfair and mass deportation ‘would be both impossible and contrary to our character.’ With Congress unable to address the broken immigration system, he gave a recent executive order to protect five million unauthorized immigrant parents who have lived in the U.S. for at least five years and have children who were either born in the U.S. or are legal permanent residents from deportation, including Naveed’s parents. diabetes
>> continued from pg 8
is over,”says Dr Saeed. Similar sessions as well as chronic disease management workshops were also offered at Mustafa Center and Islamic Center of North Virginia Trust. Dr Saeed is proud of this batch. They come every week and on time, and genuinely seem to enjoy the class and each other’s company. “ADAMS experience has been solid,” he says. He needs more coleaders, especially Muslims. Currently he teaches the classes with his non-Muslim colleague. “I need passionate people who want to help others. You don't need a medical health background, just a willingness to commit to a 4 hour training and 6 week commitment.” The curriculum is prepared by Stanford University and they are very particular that the exact program is followed. An
....
December 19th 2014 - January 15th , 2015 The new changes in the Deferred Action for Parental Accountability (DAPA) and DACA will help families stay together. Starting in May, pending a background check, those qualifying under DAPA can also apply for employment authorization. This order also toughens security along the nation’s southern border. Seventeen states have already filed a joint lawsuit in federal court to try blocking the executive order. Like many undocumented people, Naveed doesn’t want to be a political pawn, used for election year rhetoric. She dreams of a life without the burden of travel restrictions, dreams of being able to have long term goals. Education about the process is important as many vulnerable people are scammed. Naveed gives the examples of notarios in the Hispanic community; she works for El Centro, a storefront immigrant day worker center in Staten Island. Notario means lawyer in Spanish, but in the boroughs of New York a notario is just a notary public. Many notarios have committed immigration fraud, charging fees for help they never provide and submitting unneeded paperwork that can often get undocumented people in trouble. They apply for things that undocumented people don’t qualify for, putting them at risk for deportation. According to the American Bar Association, victims often permanently lose opportunities to pursue observer from the state will come to monitor a session or two to make sure that the county does not deviate from the program. Sometimes attendees do ask Dr Saeed Islamic solutions to their health problems and he gives them the Prophetic example: eat less. The Prophet Muhammad would eat one meal a day, eat two meals a day and don’t eat when you are not hungry. Farrukh Husain holds out his prescriptions for the nine medications he takes every single day. Looking at numbers, Dr Saeed thinks he should go back to his doctor as he should be able to cut down on the medication. Husain has lost weight, he walks a mile 3-4 times a week on the treadmill. Spicy food and rice is also cut from his plate. He works in Alexandria and makes to the class a little late but it is worth the drive. “More people should come and benefit from this program,” assesses the Sterling based accountant. “Another thing we have been doing here
immigration relief because a notario has damaged their case. Immigration is often viewed as a Latino issue, but it affect all communities. At a recent DACA information panel at a library in a ‘desi’ neighborhood in New Jersey, Naveed met many young women from South Asia who came to the US on H-1 visas with their husbands. Due to the recession, many of their spouses lost their jobs and work authorizations, and they overstayed. It is tremendous emotional and psychological burden to carry. Having these difficult conversations is important, says the 24 year old. “Communities have to provide safe spaces where these conversations can take place,” she adds. Mistrust of authorities and fear of deportation also stops many from talking about their status or applying for status change. For those concerned about give their information to the government, Naveed says honesty is key; the government is collecting information. There are very revealing questions asked in the forms about places lived and schools attended, says Naveed. But it is a benefit that seven million other people are not getting, she says, and those eligible should take advantage so they can become productive members of society. She acknowledges the fear, but no one is being fined, not even employers, says Naveed, encouraging eligible people to at the Health Department for a number of years is we help the uninsured find medical care. I frequently help uninsured patients get connected.” says Dr Saeed. He appreciates the time that he given at the pulpit of area Islamic Centers. Some have not let him speak or set up workshops but others have been welcoming. He keeps campaigning on. Resources in Fairfax County Fairfax County’s Community Health Care Network (CHCN) is a place where uninsured people can find free or low cost primary care. In addition to enrolling eligible patients into this network, the medical social workers at each of these three clinics help patients to become enrolled in other medical care programs such as Medicaid, Medicare, the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), Kaiser Bridge, and other programs a patient may be eligible for. Set up an appointment with a medical social worker to find a medical home that is best for you. For
sign up for DACA. The leaders in community, especially those on the pulpit, set the tone of countering the stigma, if a message of confidentiality and help is sent to undocumented congregants. A poster with resources such as contacts to attorneys, or immigrant rights groups that can help file paperwork without fraud on a Islamic center bulletin board would be beneficial. “You can’t force someone to come out of the shadows; you can provide a safe space for them,” she says. DACA is temporary; it is not a pathway to citizenship but it does have many advantages, reminds Naveed. “No one wants to worry that will I make it home tonight? Will there be a raid at work tonight? Don't make it harder on yourself and your children than it has to be,” she advises those who qualify. Deferred action or DACA is only a temporary measure and is not intended to, and does not grant, legal status to the individuals that the DREAM Act seeks to benefit. Only Congress can award lawful permanent resident status or citizenship, so immigrant advocates think it is essential that work continues towards the passage of the DREAM Act. As she fills out paperwork for her parents, Naveed thinks about the many friends and community members among the 7 million that did not qualify and continues to organize for immigration reform.
more information about CHCN please see this link … http://www.fairfaxcounty. gov/hd/pcs/hdchcn.htm The Fairfax County Health Department offers a variety of free services (including pediatric dental care) for eligible patients, for more information please see this link… http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/hd/ hdclinicsite.htm Here is a link to Northern Virginia Health Services Coalition: http://www. novaclinics.org/home Here is a link to a free clinic called HealthWorks for Northern Virginia … http://hwnova.org/Here is a link to the HOPE free clinic in Fairfax … https:// www.missionlifecenter.org/hopeclinic Here is a link to the All Dulles Area Muslim Society (ADAMS) free clinic called the ADAMS Compassionate Healthcare Network (ACHN) … http:// achnclinic.com/