The Immigrant’s Journal - Vol. 153

The Immigrant’s Journal Vol. 153

A Journey for a Better Life & Justice

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Protecting God’s Children From Distant Lands 26 Court Street, Suite 701, Brooklyn, NY 11242

www.theimmigrantsjournal.com Tel: 718-243-9431

December 16, 2021

Email: immjournal @aol.com

Inclusive Voting Rights for New York City Noncitizens

BY LINDA NWOKE SPECIAL TO THE JOURNAL

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s early as 2022, over 800,000 New York City residents will become eligible to vote in local elections.

Before this time, they only contributed to their communities and the city through taxes, and some were permanent residents. Yet, they remained ineligible to vote in local elections due to their citizenship status.

However, on December 9, the City Council voted overwhelmingly 33 to 14 and passed the "Our City Our Vote" legislation.

An effort that has been in the pipeline

The Immigration Policy Successes and Failures of the Biden Administration ....12

Champion for immigrants.

Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez sponsored Intro 1867.

Photo courtesy: CM Rodriguez’s office

continued on page 4

How Effective Are Vaccines Against Omicron? ....20

How Can You Have a Peaceful Family Christmas?....8

AG James Fights to Protect Dreamers, Pushes Back on Texas Lawsuit Attacking DACA

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EW YORK: New York Attorney General Letitia James continued her fight to protect hundreds of thousands of Dreamers across New York and the rest of the nation. Co-leading a coalition of 23 attorneys general from around the nation, Attorney General James filed an amicus brief in support of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy in Texas v. United States, where the coalition highlights the critical contributions of hundreds of thousands of

AG James. Editorial credit: a katz / Shutterstock.com

DACA recipients to public health efforts, the economy, and communities across the country — and pushes back on the Texas-led efforts to end DACA. Since 2012, DACA has provided access to work authorization and protected from removal approximately 825,000 individuals who grew up in this country, most of whom have known no home other than the United States.

“Home is here for hundreds of thoucontinued on page 2

Single and Ready to Date? How to Get Ready for a Relationship ....18

Brian Figeroux, Esq.

Beware of Immigration Fraud.

Arleigh Louison is Dead. The Devastation of His Fraud Lives On.....6

5 Tips For Staying On Budget This Holiday Season ....10

HOW TO GET A GREEN CARD G James Fights to Protect Dreamers/continued from page 1 sands of Dreamers who know no other home but the United States, and that has never been more evident than during the COVID-19 pandemic, when Dreamers stepped up and served on the frontlines to save millions,” said Attorney General James. “Despite Texas’ false and bigoted claims, DACA recipients are vital to our economy, vital to our communities, and vital to our way of life. We will continue to fight against these immoral threats of deportation, but the court has the opportunity here to preserve DACA and send a message that Dreamers are valued, that they are loved, and that they are crucial members of our society. Si se puede!”

DACA has allowed recipients to live, study, and work across the United States, free from the fear of being forcibly separated from their families and communities. The policy has enabled hundreds of thousands of grantees to enroll in colleges and universities, complete their education, start businesses that help improve the economy, and give back to communities as teachers, medical professionals, and entrepreneurs. These contributions became especially evident as the deadly coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic began to sweep through the nation and thousands of DACA recipients served on the frontlines as essential workers. As of

November 2021, an estimated 34,000 health care workers and support staff depend on DACA for their authorization to work in the United States, including nurses, dentists, pharmacists, physician assistants, home health aides, technicians, and others.

DACA also plays a vital role in supporting economies at the national, state, and local level. For instance, DACA recipients and their households pay an estimated $9.5 billion in federal, state, and local taxes each year. Allowing new initial DACA requests would lead to an estimated increase of $2.5 billion in state and local tax revenue over the next 20 years. Additionally, DACA recipients’ estimated spending power — $25.3 billion — is important to the overall economic health of the amici states. Without DACA, national economic growth over the course of a decade is projected to fall by $280 billion. Such a scenario would also lead to an estimated loss of $33.1 billion in Social Security contributions and $7.7 billion in Medicare contributions — funds that are critical to ensuring the financial health of national programs upon which Americans across the country rely.

In the amicus brief — filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit — Attorney General James and the coalition explain, among other things that: •DACA grantees are vital to communities, economies, and public universities;

2 •DACA increases public safety and decreases the strain on safety net programs; •Abrupt termination of DACA would cause substantial disruption and harm, including to amici states; •Any remedy in this case must account for the significant reliance interests at stake; •Amici states have structured programs, policies, and laws in reliance of DACA and the benefits it confers; and •The appellate court should reverse the district court’s order, which vacated and enjoined DACA, and erroneously concluded that the policy is unlawful.

After former President Donald Trump broke the promises made to Dreamers by ordering his administration to change the DACA policy in 2017, a prolonged legal battle began in September 2017 that made its way through multiple courts before landing at the U.S. Supreme Court in November 2019. During this legal battle, in 2018, Texas filed its own lawsuit, alleging DACA was unlawful.

That suit has been proceeding through the courts.

In June 2020, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Attorney General James' arguments that the Trump Administration’s attempt to cancel the DACA policy was unlawful.

After the Supreme Court ruled, the policy was supposed to resume, but the

Trump Administration announced that new DACA applications would not be granted. In August 2020, Attorney General James co-led a coalition of 17 attorneys general in a lawsuit that sought to vacate, as unlawful, a memo from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that sought to make changes to DACA. In November 2020, a federal district court issued an order granting Attorney General James’ request for partial summary judgment. And, in December 2020, that same federal court issued a remedial order granting Attorney General James’ request for DHS to reopen DACA to first-time applicants, restore protections to a twoyear period instead of one year, and make Advanced Parole available to DACA recipients again without restrictions.

On January 20, 2021 — on his first day in office — President Joe Biden signed an executive order rescinding the Trump Administration policy that threatened these Dreamers with deportation.

Joining Attorney General James in filing today’s amicus brief are the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia.l

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TIME FOR ACTION

Democrats Need to “Dramatically Reinvent the Immigration Debate in Defense of Multiracial Democracy”

BY AMERICA’S VOICE

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ashington, DC: A timely Los Angeles Times column by Jean Guerrero, “Stop letting hate groups control the immigration debate,” counsels Democrats to lean in to the immigration and border debate to provide a “counter-narrative” to Republicans’ fearmongering and xenophobia. Guerrero also takes to task too many in the mainstream media who unquestionably adopt the GOP’s frame, while including in their coverage and sources designated hate groups from the anti-immigrant Tanton network organizations.

As America’s Voice lays out below: we are headed into a midterm cycle where Republicans are frothing to run hard on racial dog-whistles and xenophobic border messaging. In response, Democrats cannot afford to ignore the immigration debate or pretend that adopting Trumplight deterrence-only policies will be good politics or policy.

Here is America’s Voice political resources and analysis: “Either Democrats dramatically reinvent the immigration debate in defense of multiracial democracy, or they reinforce white paranoia and accelerate our descent into white nationalism. They can’t have it both ways. …No matter what Biden does, Republicans will attack his policies as ‘open borders.’ No matter how few people make it to the U.S., Fox News will send cameras to conjure a border apocalypse. Neither Biden nor the Democrats can control that. What they can control is whether they take the bait by playing into and promoting anti-immigrant panic. …Cowardice and a lack of imagination are to blame for Democrats’ failure to come up with a cohesive counter-narrative to Republicans’ fearmongering. But many in the national media are also at fault. …Rather than pressing Biden about his promise to protect millions of undocumented essential workers and community members, many reporters are follow-

ing the Fox News formula of fixating on the numbers at the border. This spring, Media Matters for America found that Fox News steadily drove the border-crisis narrative, which cable networks CNN and MSNBC then seemed to adopt.

Top-tier news outlets also keep giving prominence to organizations that peddle anti-immigrant views, including those classified as hate groups by the Southern Poverty Law Center, such as the Federation for American Immigration Reform and the Center for Immigration Studies. Media Matters for America said it found that since January 2019, the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, the Wall Street Journal, Reuters and Associated Press published 203 articles that cited those groups or the ideologically aligned NumbersUSA, often without “sufficient context” about their backgrounds. Those groups were created or nurtured by John Tanton, a notorious white nationalist who promoted a race-based opposition to immigration. …Republicans understand that whoever controls the narrative controls the agenda. On that, they have benefited enormously from media outlets actively normalizing anti-immigrant hysteria.”

According to Zachary Mueller, Digital Communications Manager at America’s Voice: “There’s no doubt that Republicans will again deploy racist dog whistles in the midterms, trying to stoke fear about the so-called ‘Biden border crisis’ at odds with the Biden administration’s actual record, which – disturbingly – has been trending in a deterrence-only direction.

Meanwhile, as Jean Guerrero pointed out, too many in the media are echoing GOP talking points, which come directly from the anti-immigrant progeny of white nationalist John Tanton.

Instead of running from Republicans’ misleading and destructive vision, Democrats need to deploy a strong counter-narrative. They need to call out Republicans’ divide-and-distract strategy, connect it to the GOP drive to undermine our democracy – while lining the

pockets of their donors – and advocate for sharply contrasting and popular solutions when it comes to immigration, the border and who we can be as Americans.

The multiracial electorate that gave Democrats their majorities rejected Republicans’ racist dog-whistles and nativism in 2020, just as they did in the 2018 midterms and in off-year elections throughout the Trump era. But in order to keep this electorate energized and build toward that American promise of freedom, justice and equality, Democrats have to fight for their values, draw contrasts, and present a counter-vision to Republicans’ endless fear-mongering and racism.”

Check out the America’s Voice Ad Tracking Project for the latest examples of Republicans’ anti-immigrant fearmongering and politicization of the border.

It’s clear that Republicans have been planning to make xenophobic fearmongering around immigration and the border a focal point of their anti-Biden messaging and their midterm election plans since even before Biden’s inauguration.

They’ve followed through: Facebook ad statistics on Republicans’ border scare tactics: AV analysis found 3,303 Facebook ads, costing an estimated $1.8 million, that used the “border crisis” dog-whistle between March and December 2021 The NRSC is out with a new ad that is a prime example of xenophobic dog whistling. It begins “Democrats are destroying America.” Like an NRCC ad released in early November, this new ad shows Black people from the Haitian asylum seeker encampment in Del Rio, TX, with audio that claims “at least 70 thousand illegal immigrants have been released into the United States” (a claim, of course, at direct odds with the Biden administration’s deportations of Haitians). l The mission of America’s Voice (AV) and America’s Voice Education Fund (AVEF) is to build the public support and the political will needed to enact policy changes that secure freedom and opportunity for immigrants in America.

TEAM Publisher I.Q. INC. Legal Advisor Brian Figeroux, Esq. Managing Editor & Editor-in-Chief Pearl Phillip Senior Writer Linda Nwoke Graphic & Website Designers Praim Samsoondar Kendrick Williams Anvar Sabirov Email immjournal@aol.com Visit www.ijlef.org www.falaw.us www.cawnyc.com Volunteering at THE IMMIGRANT'S JOURNAL LEGAL & EDUCATIONAL FUND, INC. Internship positions available throughout the year.

The Immigrant's Journal Legal & Educational Fund, Inc. is an organization dedicated to the educational and economic empowerment of all immigrants and immigrant organizations here in the United States. We at the Journal recognize the enormous contribution of immigrants to this country economically, socially and politically. Since September 11, 2001, however, immigrants have increasingly been discriminated against and Congress has passed legislation curtailing the rights of immigrants here in the U.S., broadly claiming that immigrants are a threat to ''National Security.'' We at the Journal believe that these charges are unfounded, unsubstantiated and exaggerated.

The Immigrant's Journal Volunteer Intern Program was introduced to give our volunteers the opportunity to work in an immigrant friendly environment while developing the necessary skills for college or law school. They assist our staff in resolving immigration and other legal concerns through personal interviews, radio, email and telephone contact. They also assist the public with citizenship applications and in researching whether or not children of naturalized U.S. citizens have derived citizenship from their parents. Some of our volunteers assist our legal staff by engaging in legal research and writing letters on other legal issues. Volunteer interns are also assigned various other jobs in our Youth Programs.

Hours are flexible. Email your cover letter and resume or any questions to immjournal@aol.com

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IMMIGRANTS’ RIGHTS

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Inclusive Voting Rights for Noncitizens/continued from page 1 for several years now grants some categories of non-citizens — the legally authorized to work in the country, have legal permanent residence status, and the 'Dreamers,' the right to vote in municipal elections ONLY. These include the election of municipal officeholders, City Council members, and the mayor.

The Implication of the Bill The regulation would enable these select New Yorkers to become eligible to vote.

A development that Public Advocate Jumaane Williams supports is the need to have the voices of immigrants dully represented. He expressed appreciation and applauded the efforts of the representatives and the positive step by the city.

"I'm grateful to the elected officials and advocates who have worked on this issue for so long, and that even as some states work to strip voting rights from communities of more color, our city joins others across the nation who already have restored this right and expanded democracy."

The Bill's success positions New York City as now the largest municipality in the country to extend non-citizen voting rights. It joins towns in Maryland and Vermont, while other local governments from California and Massachusetts are also considering similar measures.

According to Donovan Richards Jr, Queens Borough President, "In a time when democracy itself is under threat across the world, I applaud both the City Council for its courageous vote to enfranchise nearly one million of our neighbors and the countless advocates who fought tirelessly for years to make this victory possible."

The borough leader applauded the dedicated activism expressed through the votes; he believes that the city and democracy have become fairer and more robust, respectively.

Although the incumbent Mayor, Bill de Blasio, remains skeptical about the proposal despite promising to honor the City Council's decision.

The Journey The Bill, sponsored by Councilmember Ydanis Rodriguez, is a significant win.

Rodriguez Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez, who represents the 10th Council District, which includes the neighborhoods of Washington Heights, Inwood and Marble Hill, have been described as literally no other greater

Bertha Lewis. Editorial credit: a katz / Shutterstock.com

champion for our communities, our voices. He proved it again with this hard fought and significant victory.

The councilmember strongly believes in the value of the Bill for New Yorkers and the city. He says, "In one of the most diverse cities around the world, we must ensure adequate representation for all New Yorkers. That starts by expanding the scope of who is allowed to vote in our local elections."

He believes that the city, built by the contribution of immigrants, must honor them and allow them to participate in critical decisions like selecting their representatives. "Immigrants in New York City own more than half of the local businesses and contribute over $180 billion in GDP citywide. At the pandemic's peak, immigrant New Yorkers kept New York City running. Over half of our essential front-line workers are immigrants, and approximately one in five are non-citizens New Yorkers. They have earned the right of participation in our city elections," he noted.

Such facts stand as a shred of evidence to support a law that stands to upturn the existing practice of taxation without representation that has been in effect for a long time.

The council member is proud of the achievement and remains passionate about it, having inherited it from past prominent African American Council members, Charles Barron and Bill Perkins, who started the journey in 2005.

He recalls his firsthand experience as a Green Card immigrant, "I, who became a citizen in 2000, know how much I contributed being a Green Card holder from 1983 to 2000… I think it will empower all people who come from different socio-economic and ethnic backgrounds, Europeans, Latino, Asians, and black," he added.

Resistance to the Bill Despite the proposed legal actions that

will ensue from the passing of the Bill, he remains confident that the legislation and eventually law will prevail.

Reacting to the opposers of the Bill, Councilmember Rodriguez claimed that some anti-Intro 1867 bill opponents are pro-Trump supporters and advocates of voters' suppression. "In this particular one, I can say that some of those individuals who are talking about bringing lawsuits are the same individuals who supported Donald Trump. They are the same individuals saying Texas is doing right, causing voting suppression."

Fear lies at the heart of opposition to the bill-fear of change to democracy, of the future. "Well, what we have seen in this process, is there is a lot of fear among people. They are not ready to expand our democracy. New York City can now be a role model on how we care for voting participation. From now on, anyone looking to be mayor or a citywide elected official will have to spend the same amount of time in immigrant communities where we have a lot of citizens.

But there is still a percentage who are not yet ready."

Yet, he remains undeterred, focusing mainly on the advantages of the Bill that will far outweigh any challenge in the long run- its widespread impact, providence, and history. "There's a lot of Irish, Italian, and people from Poland that are Green Card holders. But because of their skin color, when they walk in the street, everyone sees them as citizens. So, we need to continue raising our voices."

He also encouraged continuous and active participation in the process. "And I think it's important for the Caribbean community to use social media to speak to the council member in the district and say thank you for being with us. Please continue fighting when it comes to the lawsuit. There's always a lawsuit, but we're confident that we will win."

Reacting to the passing of the Bill, longterm activist Ms. Bertha Lewis, the

Founder and President of Black Institute, expressed a similar opinion and support of his view. She reacted to the news and the possibility of a legal fight, against a mission of over sixteen years ago, with excitement, "I've been walking on air since Thursday, when the City Council passed Intro 1867, expanding the right to vote in local municipal elections."

She expressed a determination to win, "We know those right-wing Republicans, and maybe some Democrats may try to challenge the law in court, but we will win," she said. She also pointed out the failure of leaders and comrades, specifically, those who place their personal views over the people's desires.

Of note is the opposing role played by City Council member Laurie Cumbo, an African American who voted against the Bill. Cumbo asked, because she feels the bill would dilute the city’s black vote.

Ms. Lewis responded, "So Laurie Cumbo, who was supposed to be the Majority Leader at the City Council level. Her majority voted for it. So what kind of leader is she? What kind of a black leader is she? Those who voted against this Bill were true cowards.

Those who abstained, we know who you are, and we will not only be watching, but we'll be coming for you because one of the things that we must always keep in mind is don't go by what people say, go by what they do."

She pointed out that "Not everyone who claims to be progressive or claims to be democratic is so. And not all skin folk are kinfolk" An advice that will become handy in future elections when such representatives seek future positions.

Next Steps on the Bill From December 9 of 2021, till the next 30 days, when signed by the mayor, the Bill will become law, and from that date until a year, the law will become effective.

By 2023, when the next city council elections will occur, eligible and registered New York City non-citizens will be able to vote in the local municipal elections. "So, within 30 days, come the new year, the Bill automatically becomes hard, fast law. It goes into effect in one year, so when Green card holders and folks who have work permits will vote in the next City Council election in 2023," explained Ms. Lewis.

Ms Lewis also recalled the early fighting days as a leader of ACORN and her work with Immigration attorney, Brian Figeroux to help Caribbean teachers have a voice and get voting rights.l

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CIVIL RIGHTS

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Formerly Incarcerated Individuals Can Now Use DOC Information to Help Obtain IDNYC Cards

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ew York, NY: The Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) Commissioner Raquel Batista, NYC Department of Social Services (DSS) Commissioner Steven Banks, and NYC Department of Correction Commissioner (DOC) Vincent Schiraldi today announced reforms to help formerly incarcerated individuals to obtain identification.

To obtain an IDNYC, the City’s free municipal identification card, applicants must prove their identity by showing several forms of ID. Today, the City is expanding its list of acceptable documents to include ID information and photos maintained by DOC. The information already maintained by DOC as part of the detention process will serve as one point of identification, easing the steps to get an IDNYC card for formerly incarcerated individuals.

“At the Department of Social Services, our top priority has been improving social services delivery through a range of reforms that make it easier for New Yorkers in need to access the resources to which they are entitled,” said Department of Social Services

“Formerly incarcerated individuals are often left vulnerable due to the transient nature and varied circumstances when released from DOC custody,” said Raquel Batista, Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs.

Commissioner Steven Banks. “With basic proof of identification needed to apply for and access many government services and supports, the IDNYC program has given more than a million New Yorkers an effective form of ID and made our City fairer and more inclusive – but we knew we could take that progress further. This common-sense reform will help us better support more New Yorkers, regardless of background, which includes addressing the unique needs of individuals who’ve experienced criminal legal system involvement, who

deserve the same access to opportunity and services as other New Yorkers.”

“Formerly incarcerated individuals are often left vulnerable due to the transient nature and varied circumstances when released from DOC custody,” said Raquel Batista, Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs.

“This effort will allow the procurement of necessary identity documents after their release so they can experience a safe integration back to society and experience IDNYC’s wide variety of benefits.”

“A core part of our mission is to help people return to their communities with tools that will allow them to thrive,” said Vincent Schiraldi, Commissioner of the Department of Correction. “This is a common-sense effort that will make people’s lives better.”

Individuals leaving DOC custody often do not have photo identification, which impedes their ability to reintegrate into the community and access critical assistance programs and benefits. This new effort will help facilitate reentry for formerly incarcerated individuals by allowing them to use documentation produced in connection with their detention as proof of identity in obtaining IDNYC. To apply for IDNYC, applicants will need a total of four points from documents proving identity and NYC residency.

For more information about documents accepted by IDNYC and to book an appointment, please visit nyc.gov/idnyc or call 311 and say “IDNYC.” “IDNYC has provided millions of New Yorkers from various backgrounds with the necessary identification to access continued on page 6

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IN THE NEWS

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Arleigh Louison is Dead. The Devastation of His Fraud Lives On.

Formerly Incacerated/ continued from page 5

BY MARY CAMPBELL

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ederal law enforcement agents arrested Arleigh Louison on July 18, 2019. He was indicted in Vermont on 12 counts of making false statements and submitting over 1,800 fraudulent immigration applications to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

“A federal grand jury returned a 12count indictment against Arleigh Louison, 53, of Brooklyn, New York, charging him with running an immigration fraud scheme that included the filing of false statements with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, including over 1,800 fraudulent applications for over 1,000 petitioners within the last four years. Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) agents arrested Louison in Brooklyn, New York, and executed a federal search warrant at his office,” said the U.S. Department of Justice press release.

“The indictment charges that the false statements were made in connection with Form I-360 petitions for status adjustments under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). In short, the indictment charges that Louison presented or caused the presentment of adjustment of

The late “Untouchable “Louison. Photo: Facebook

status petitions containing false statements to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services Service Center in St. Albans, Vermont claiming that the petitioners were victims of abuse. The indictment also charges that these petitioners, who paid Louison for his services, did not discuss abuse with Louison, were not abused as described in the petitions, and did not authorize the statements made in the petitions Louison submitted to USCIS. The indictment also charges that Louison fabricated fee waiver petitions on behalf of these individuals without their knowledge.”

Problems for Victims/Clients Louison has since passed. However, he has left a carnage of victims facing deportation and a myriad of immigration

issues. What does this mean? Since Arleigh Louison was arrested for immigration fraud, the files of all his clients will be reviewed by the Immigration & Customs Enforcement agents (ICE).

Additionally, every single client will be served a Notice to Appear (NTA) and be interviewed by ICE agents with the sole purpose of seeking admission to initiate deportation proceedings. The NTA is the first step taken by the American government to remove an immigrant from the country. If you were a client of Louison, it is imperative that you consult with an AILA attorney and do not meet with ICE alone. You should also seek the advice of more than one counsel. Get a FREE case evaluation. ASK THE LAWYER – call 855-768-8845.l

Coalition Demands An Official End to Family Detention That Results in the Permanent Closure of Detention Facilities

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ashington, DC: In response to Axios reporting that the Biden administration will stop detaining undocumented families in detention centers, Silky Shah, Executive Director of Detention Watch Network issued the following statement: “While this is encouraging news, it must be realized with an official policy to end the practice of family detention that results in the permanent closure of detention centers without the facilities being converted into adult detention centers. In the absence of an official policy end, the Biden administration is leaving the door open to reignite family detention in the future despite the overwhelming consensus to shut these facilities down for good and ensure that no family is detained in ICE custody ever again. President Obama also ended the practice of family detention at the Hutto Detention Center in his first year in office, only to bring large scale family detention back in 2014. Hutto remains open today as an ICE facility for women.”

“ICE’s family detention centers, like all detention centers, need to be shut down and contracts must be terminated.

Support services for people who need it, like transportation and housing, should be provided and facilitated by local community based groups – never ICE, an enforcement agency that is plagued by egregiously poor conditions and a culture of violence that results in systemwide abuses.”

“Alternatives to Detention” (ATD) run

by ICE are an alternative form of detention. ATDs, like ankle monitors, have only proven to be another route to restrict and monitor immigrants, expanding the surveillance dragnet and further alienating immigrant communities. In fact, the number of people under ICE’s surveillance and control has risen in tandem

with an alarming rise in the number of people in detention since President Biden took office.”

“We must see a permanent reduction of bed space and people in ICE custody.

Detention, in all of its forms, must be abolished. Regardless of the conditions or justifications, any length of time in detention inflicts unnecessary trauma.”

The Dilley and Karnes Family Detention Centers are on Detention Watch Network’s ‘First Ten’ to Communities Not Cages list that demanded the shut down of 10 immigrant detention centers in Biden’s first year of office. l Detention Watch Network (DWN) is a national coalition of organizations and individuals working to expose and challenge the injustices of the United States’ immigration detention and deportation system and advocate for profound change that promotes the rights and dignity of all persons. Founded in 1997 by immigrant rights groups, DWN brings together advocates to unify strategy and build partnerships on a local and national level to end immigration detention.

vital services in our city regardless of their immigration status. With this new announcement, formally incarcerated New Yorkers will also now be able to benefit from this program and have one less barrier to reintegrating back into society. I want to thank the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, the NYC Department of Social Services, and the NYC Department of Correction for their support and collaboration on this important initiative,” said Council Member Vanessa Gibson.

"Now more than ever, we need to ensure all New Yorkers can have access to critical government services, including health and vaccine access, to combat the new COVID19 Omicron variant. And having identification is key to unlocking these services. The new IDNYC initiative with the Department of Corrections that ensures formerly incarcerated can prove their identity through DOC records is the right step to help these New Yorkers get back on their feet," said Councilmember Carlos Menchaca, Chair of the Committee on Immigration. "As the lead sponsor of the IDNYC legislation, I envisioned a program that made it easier, but securely, for vulnerable New Yorkers regardless of their immigration or economic status to get their municipal ID. MOIA's new initiative with DOC gets us closer to a vision of justice."

"To justly support formerly incarcerated individuals' reentry to our communities and the workforce, the city needs to eliminate the barriers that hinder this process.

The reforms by the City's agencies will facilitate getting the identification these individuals need not only for their reentry but to also access critical resources. This is how we advance racial justice," said Council Member Francisco Moya.

“For formerly incarcerated individuals, lack of photo identification often acts as a barrier to reintegration into their communities. Today, New York City is taking action to change that by reducing the points of identification that formerly incarcerated individuals must actively provide, easing the process to get an IDNYC card. I commend the de Blasio administration for taking this step, and I will continue to fight for more reintegration resources and supportive services for the formerly incarcerated,” said Council Member Antonio Reynoso.

“Formerly incarcerated individuals face enough challenges accessing housing, employment, benefits, and other programs as they return home,” said Council Member Adrienne Adams. “Making the process easier for individuals to obtain an IDNYC card will go a long way. I applaud the inter-agency collaboration by MOIA, DSS, and DOC to make this reform happen.”l

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GENERATIONS

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Facts About Aging and Alcohol

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any of us look forward to celebrations during the holidays, yet it is also a time when some people are more likely to drink beyond their limits than at other times of the year.

Some people will suffer adverse consequences that range from fights to falls to traffic crashes. This holiday season, it is particularly important to take measures to protect your own health and that of your loved ones due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Uncle George's and Grandma Betty's Stories Anyone at any age can have a drinking problem. Uncle George always liked his liquor, so his family may not see that his drinking is getting worse as he gets older.

Grandma Betty was a teetotaler all her life until she started having a drink each night to help her get to sleep after her husband died. Now, no one realizes that she needs a couple of drinks to get through each day.

These are common stories. The fact is that families, friends, and healthcare workers often overlook their concerns about older people drinking. Sometimes trouble with alcohol in older people is mistaken for other conditions related to aging, for example, a problem with balance. But, how the body handles alcohol

pain that might be a warning sign of a heart attack.

•Cause some older people to be forgetful and confused—these symptoms could be mistaken for signs of Alzheimer's disease. can change with age. You may have the same drinking habits, but your body has changed.

Alcohol may act differently in older people than in younger people. Some older people can feel "high" without increasing the amount of alcohol they drink. This "high" can make them more likely to have accidents, including falls and fractures and car crashes. Also, older women are more sensitive than men to the effects of alcohol.

Drinking too much alcohol over a long time can: •Lead to some kinds of cancer, liver damage, immune system disorders, and brain damage •Worsen some health conditions like osteoporosis, diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, ulcers, memory loss and mood disorders •Make some medical problems hard for doctors to find and treat—for example, alcohol causes changes in the heart and blood vessels. These changes can dull

Alcohol and Medicines Many medicines — prescription, overthe-counter, or herbal remedies — can be dangerous or even deadly when mixed with alcohol. Many older people take medications every day, making this a special worry.

Before taking any medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist if you can safely drink alcohol.

How Alcohol Affects Safety Drinking even a small amount of alcohol can lead to dangerous or even deadly situations. Drinking can impair a person's judgment, coordination, and reaction time. This increases the risk of falls, household accidents, and car crashes.

Alcohol is a factor in 30 percent of suicides, 40 percent of crashes and burns, 50 percent of drownings and homicides, and 60 percent of falls. People who plan to drive, use machinery, or perform other activities that require attention, skill, or coordination should not drink.

In older adults, too much alcohol can

lead to balance problems and falls, which can result in hip or arm fractures and other injuries. Older people have thinner bones than younger people, so their bones break more easily. Studies show that the rate of hip fractures in older adults increases with alcohol use.

Adults of all ages who drink and drive are at higher risk of traffic accidents and related problems than those who do not drink. Drinking slows reaction times and coordination and interferes with eye movement and information processing.

People who drink even a moderate amount can have traffic accidents, possibly resulting in injury or death to themselves and others. Even without alcohol, the risk of crashes goes up starting at age 55. Also, older drivers tend to be more seriously hurt in crashes than younger drivers. Alcohol adds to these age-related risks.

In addition, alcohol misuse and abuse can strain relationships with family members, friends, and others. At the extreme, heavy drinking can contribute to domestic violence and child abuse or neglect. Alcohol use is often involved when people become violent, as well as when they are violently attacked. If you feel that alcohol is endangering you or someone else, call 911 or get other help right away. l

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FAMILY MATTERS

8

How Can You Have a Peaceful Family Christmas? for. Either way, set expectations early on so that no one will feel screwed over if they spent a lot on you, and that there can be no snidey comments about your gifts.

BY MARY CAMPBELL

C

hristmas may be nicknamed the most wonderful time of the year, but in reality, for many, this isn't the case. Unfortunately, when families come together, rather than being a joyous occasion of love and laughter, it can often turn into a tumultuous occasion with bickering and fallouts. Forcing a smile or relinquishing an argument isn't easy, but can help go some way to keeping the peace. However, if these are options are not in your nature, or you need more tips in order to have a peaceful time, then this article just might be able to help.

Ask other family members for backup if you think it won't be enough if only you speak with them.

1. Avoid Sensitive Topics Some people are very headstrong; they have provocative opinions, and aren't afraid to share them. If there are people like this in your family, then it's time to ask them to keep their thoughts to themselves, just for the holidays. This might be easier said than done, but if there's any chance it will prevent conflict over political or social issues that usually resort to personal attacks, then it's worth a shot.

2. Don't Be Late Tardiness can cause an instant conflict at such a stressful time. Being late to a family gathering suggests that you didn't care about your family enough to be on time, and your lateness might have even caused a delay with food or other Christmas activities. Be on time and ensure everyone else is as well. For example, if everyone is meeting at your parents' house at 2pm, message the rest

of your family beforehand to make sure everyone knows the time and can confirm they won't be late — it's the easiest way to start the celebrations in a good mood.

3. Set Present Budgets The financial side of Christmas is a huge worry, and if you don't want to take the worry into the new year with you in the form of debt, then you need to set budgets for presents beforehand. There's no shame in saying that you can't afford to buy a lot, or even that you don't want to buy a lot as you have other things to pay

4. Have Plenty of Activities The more spare time everyone has, the more time they have to argue, nitpick, or complain, and as the day presses on with people becoming tired or bored, well, things could take a turn quickly. Be on hand with some fun and easy Christmas activities or games, ones that aren't going to cause tension (avoid Monopoly, for instance!), ones where everyone can have a laugh or work together nicely.

Keeping everyone occupied or having an easy time will leave no room for arguing.

5. Bite Your Tongue Sometimes you can be the cause of an argument yourself when you are asked an offensive question or are on the receiving end of a crude comment from a drunk uncle, and suddenly you're the one escalating the situation. This isn't to say that you shouldn't stick up for yourself, but if overly personal questions or mean continued on page 9

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9

FAMILY MATTERS

Keeping Our Kids Safe

BY DR. DAVE A. CHOKSHI

A

s a father of a young child and the City’s doctor, it has been especially meaningful for me to see so many brave children roll up their sleeves to get vaccinated against COVID-19. I have had the privilege of being present when some have gotten their first dose. I remember one young person had tragically lost their mother to the COVID-19 pandemic. The family felt relief and joy after waiting so long for the comfort of knowing the child was protected.

Since the COVID-19 vaccine was authorized, over 140,000 children ages 511 have received at least one dose in New York City. We are proud of this progress, but still too many of our youngest New Yorkers remain unvaccinated. Right now, it’s more urgent than ever, because infection rates are highest among school-aged children. Since the start of the pandemic, school-aged children have accounted for approximately 7% of all cases. In the last 30 days, 14% of all cases have been among this age group.

It is critical for parents and caregivers to understand that COVID-19 is a serious childhood illness. It can result in hospitalizations, ICU admissions, long-term health issues, and in rare cases, death. No

children have died from the vaccine.

Understandably, many parents and caregivers want to make sure it’s safe—even those who are fully vaccinated themselves. According to a new survey, about a third of parents of children ages 5 to 11 say they want to wait and see how the vaccine is working for others before getting their child vaccinated. But our leading pediatricians are strongly recommending vaccination right now, precisely because it helps keep our kids safe.

Some are concerned after hearing about a risk of myocarditis, or mild heart inflammation. This is of course something we take seriously. What we know is that myocarditis is actually more likely to occur as a result of COVID-19, not vaccination. It also likely helps that the dose used in 5-11 year olds is a third of the dose used for those 12 and up.

But benefits of vaccination go beyond just protection from COVID-19.

Although, thankfully, the youngest New

Yorkers have largely avoided COVID’s worst outcomes, they have all shared in our collective trauma, and far too many have experienced loss. With vaccination, children can return to normal life again.

They can catch up on hugs, play dates, sleepovers, sports and school activities.

They can more safely gather with friends and family over the holidays.

Another reason to get the shot now is that starting this week, children 5 and up will need to show proof of at least one vaccination dose for indoor dining, fitness and entertainment activities and many after school activities as well like sports, band and choir.

I urge everyone to get your child vaccinated as soon as possible. You can go to the City’s vaccine finder to find locations in all five boroughs, including City sites, pharmacies, and clinics. The Health Department is working with over 1,500 pediatricians to distribute the vaccine.

The instinct parents and caregivers have to protect children is a good one— our first priority is always to keep our children safe. I want to be clear: To not have your child vaccinated is taking a serious risk. The vaccine will keep your child and our communities l Dr. Chokshi is New York City’s Health Commissioner

Peaceful Christmas/ continued from page 8

comments arise, ask yourself if it's worth a fight before you hastily react. Do everything you can to play your part in keeping the peace. If the issue needs addressing, try to speak to the person in private at another time.

Some of these things may work, others may not, it will entirely depend on your family's habits and ways as to how much of a difference you can all make together.

Of course, if the stress of Christmas and the thought of the upcoming family fights are too much for you then the alternative is to excuse yourself from family gatherings altogether for this year.

You should never feel shamed or guilted into joining Christmas celebrations if it will have a negative impact on you in any way. Sometimes the best thing for you is to have a quiet holiday period alone or maybe with a friend's family instead, where you can genuinely relax and take a well-deserved break.l

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MONEY MATTERS

10

5 Tips For Staying On Budget This Holiday Season

BY CHRIS TOBIAS

F

or many people, the holidays are the most delightful time of the year. There's a feeling of anticipation and excitement in the air as you count down to Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa. But for some, financial fears overshadow the festive joy. How can you afford to buy a present for that special someone? Can you feed your family a festive feast without breaking the bank?

While these types of questions are common, they're not the only ones people have about the holidays. A significant portion of Americans, especially those in lower income households, don't have a stable income they can count on. Plus, self-employed people often have sporadic income coming.

Some people are forced to cut shopping trips, skip holidays, or even get seriously behind on bills during this time. Are you financially prepared for the holidays?

Here are some tips for holiday budgeting that will help you enjoy the holidays with less stress.

List Holiday Expenses Early The earlier you know what you're up against, the better. Don't wait until the last minute to start listing expenses and budgeting for them. The earlier you start, the more time you'll have to allocate the necessary cash to your list. Holiday expenses involve more than merely gifts.

They might be your biggest expense, but there are others to think about early on.

Will you be hosting a party? That will entail buying food. What about gifts for the host or hostess of parties you'll be attending? Add that to the list. Be sure to list everyone you'll buy gifts for and how much you'll spend. If you're planning to send out holiday cards, include the cost of buying, printing, and mailing them in your budget.

Holidays are a time to celebrate with family and friends, but be careful not to get too carried away. If you find yourself financially in over your head, start planning ways to curtail your holiday spending. Work with the amount of money you know you'll have. Don't use credit cards and pay it off later. That's how people get into financial trouble. The worst way to start a new year is with credit card debt.

Whatever you do, don't wait! Budgeting well ahead of time will give you time to make adjustments and avoid overspending.

Put Aside Money Each Month If you start planning your holiday budget months ahead of time, you can put aside a certain amount of money each month to cover holiday expenses. That's why earlier is better. At least begin planning at least six months ahead of time, so you'll be ahead of the curve.

Comparison Shop Online Comparison shopping sites will help you find the best deals on gifts. The worst approach is to wait until the last minute and rush out to buy gifts. Shop for gifts without the added pressure of a deadline, and you'll make smarter decisions and get better deals. You can also take advantage of special sales throughout the year.

If you find a site with good deals, buy for several people at once. You may get an additional discount, and you'll likely get free shipping if you purchase in volume. The earlier you start, the more flexibility you'll have. By starting early,

you'll also have the luxury of waiting for a special coupon or discount.

Homemade Gifts Have Meaning Too If you have a special talent, trade money for time by making holiday gifts for friends and family. You might have crafts skills or art skills that lend themselves to gift making. If not, what could you prepare in your kitchen that people would appreciate? It could be anything from handmade soap or candles to pumpkin bread, pecan pie, or holiday cookies you prepare in your kitchen. No one will think less of you if you give a handmade gift, and they may even appreciate it more. continued on page 11

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IMMIGRANTS’ MATTERS

11

ICYMI: Intensifying Food Insecurity Crisis in Central America Highlights Urgency for TPS

A

new piece in the Austin American-Statesman underscores the link between widespread hunger and migration pressures, especially in our hemisphere. More than two million people are estimated to have fled Haiti and the Northern Triangle region of Central America since 2014 as a result of food insecurity and child malnutrition, climate disasters, and civil unrest. Devastating twin hurricanes Eta and Iota compounded the issue by decimating crop harvests a year ago, destroying necessary infrastructure that supports food production like roads and bridges, and wiping out entire communities.

A year after the storms, relief and recovery in these communities has been ineffective, slow, or nonexistent. New Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designations in Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and El Salvador could provide immediate humanitarian relief and work to stabilize the region long term through an increased flow of remittances from family members with work authorizations in the United States.

The Biden Administration has the statu-

tory authority to evaluate and grant TPS independently, without the engagement of Congress. The conditions on the ground in the region clearly meet the criteria for TPS and the Biden Administration should seize this opportunity to make concrete progress towards their commitments to enact humane, commonsense immigration policies instead of continuing to fall short.

The article is excerpted below: “At the same time that President Biden announced making a $10 billion commitment to tackle hunger and malnutrition, the administration was expelling more than 12,000 migrants who had converged, hungry and desperate, in Del Rio. … tackling hunger sustainably is more complex than just distributing food parcels. It requires strengthening rural areas all over the world that support farmers and provide them livelihoods, improving the conditions that lead to migration, often first to cities and eventually overseas. …The fact is that hunger and migration are secondary consequences of the sys-

temic failure to invest in small-scale farmers and rural communities …Firstly, the goal should be to grow livelihoods, not just food. Agriculture offers families a way to not only feed themselves but also to generate income, giving them the collateral to afford health care and education, and to cope with the unpredictable, like natural disasters or political instability. …The agricultural sector is one of few that provides both a basic human right and the opportunity to go beyond poverty alleviation for true social mobility that reduces irregular migration – when small-scale farmers are connected to productive and profitable markets. Surely, this is in everyone’s best interests, including the U.S.”l(America’s Voice)

Staying on Budget/ continued from page 10

For people you don't know as well, a holiday card may be sufficient. Showing someone you appreciate them doesn't always require a gift. A beautiful card and meaningful words are often enough.

Stick to It! It's easy to get sucked in by the holiday spirit, as the holidays draw closer and spend more than you intended. Keep your budget close by and keep referring back to it. Stick to your list and budget, and track your expenses as you go. Keep a running tally of how you're doing so you don't overspend. You'll enjoy the holidays more if you don't overspend and end up financially flattened as you go into a new year.

The Bottom Line You'll enjoy the holidays more if you don't have the added stress of not budgeting, and then desperately trying to buy everything you need at the last minute using credit cards. Give yourself plenty of breathing room and flexibility before the holidays. Set guidelines and limits, and stick with them. You'll thank yourself when the next year rolls around.l

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BIDEN ADMINISTRATION

12

The Immigration Policy Successes and Failures of the Biden Administration

BY WALTER EWING

T

he Biden administration has—in its first year—rolled back many of the worst discriminatory policies implemented by the Trump administration that targeted non-U.S. citizens. But much work remains to be done.

The U.S. immigration system and the refugee program are still plagued by dysfunction and in dire need of substantive reform. And COVID-19 continues to be used as an excuse to summarily expel asylum seekers who arrive at our southern border. The Biden administration must redouble its efforts in the coming year to ensure that the federal government treats immigrants and refugees fairly and with compassion.

Reversal of (Many) Discriminatory Visa Policies Under the Biden administration, non-citizens seeking to obtain or maintain immigration status in the United States are now subject to far less blatant discrimination than they were during the Trump years. So far, President Biden has: •Repealed Trump’s discriminatory ban on the entry into the United States of

President Biden. Editorial credit: Ron Adar / Shutterstock.com

people from several Muslim-majority or African countries on January 20.

•Revoked the Trump administration’s requirement that all applications for visas (and for the U.S. refugee program) be subject to “extreme vetting” on February 4. This requirement had subjected many visa applicants to invasive and unnecessary additional screening that is partly responsible for growing processing delays.

•Rescinded Trump’s COVID-19 immigrant visa ban on February 24 and allowed his COVID-19 non-immigrant visa ban to expire on March 31. These bans used the pandemic as an excuse to enact sweeping restrictions on legal

crimination than they were during the Trump years. So far, President Biden has: •Repealed Trump’s discriminatory ban on the entry into the United States of people from several Muslim-majority or African countries on January 20.

•Revoked the Trump administration’s requirement that all applications for visas (and for the U.S. refugee program) be subject to “extreme vetting” on February 4. This requirement had subjected many visa applicants to invasive and unnecessary additional screening that is partly responsible for growing processing delays.

•Rescinded Trump’s COVID-19 immigrant visa ban on February 24 and allowed his COVID-19 non-immigrant visa ban to expire on March 31. These bans used the pandemic as an excuse to enact sweeping restrictions on legal immigration.

•Repealed the Trump administration’s harsh “public charge” rule on March 15, which had expanded the grounds under which the federal government could deny visas to applicants who had ever received public benefits.

However, Biden took a step in the opposite direction on November 26

when, in response to the emergence of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, he banned the entry into the United States of any non-U.S. citizens who were present in certain southern African countries during the previous 14 days.

The World Health Organization has said the ban is not necessary, and the Omicron variant is already spreading widely inside the United States.

Backlogs and Delays in Consular Processing The Biden administration has done little to improve the processing of visa applications at U.S. embassies and consulates abroad. As of October 14, 60% of consulates and embassies were still fully or partially closed for “anything other than emergency nonimmigrant visa appointments” in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many visa applicants are still being forced to wait far longer for a visa than ever before.

The State Department reported that, as of October 31, there were 490,089 applicants for immigrant visas whose cases were “documentarily complete.”

However, only 28,964 of these had been scheduled for interviews at a consulate or continued on page 13

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BIDEN ADMINISTRATION Biden Administration/ continued from page 12 embassy in November, leaving 461,125 who were still waiting for an interview to even be scheduled.

In a welcome development, the State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs announced on November 19 that it would “focus on reducing wait times” for services at U.S. embassies and consulates.

Backlogs and Delays in the Processing of Immigration Benefit Applications The Biden administration has lifted many of the “invisible wall” policies put in place by the Trump administration, such as the “no blank spaces” policy and a 2018 policy targeting applicants for humanitarian benefits.

However, the administration has done little to improve the processing of immigration benefit applications at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). At the end of the third quarter of Fiscal Year (FY) 2021, USCIS had a backlog of 7.8 million applications and petitions. Processing times varied enormously by application type, ranging from 1.2 months for an I-129 (Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker) and 2.8 months for an I-175 (Application for Employment Authorization) to 60.6 months for an I-918 (Petition for U Nonimmigrant Status) and 21.7 months for an I-730 (Refugee/Asylee Relative Petition).

13 meet this goal because resettlement of new refugees was suspended in November to prioritize the processing of Afghan evacuees.

Processing delays have an enormous effect on immigrants, especially those applying for or renewing a work permit.

Many people have lost their jobs or are at risk of losing their job, sparking lawsuits against the agency over the delays.

The administration’s “discretionary funding” request to Congress for FY 2022 has asked that $345 million be allocated to USCIS to reduce the backlog of applications for naturalization and asylum.

Slow Rebuilding of the Refugee Program On May 3, after months of delays, Biden finally raised the FY 2021 refugee admissions cap to 62,500 (after initially choosing to maintain the historic low of 15,000 set by the Trump administration).

However, the Biden administration only succeeded in admitting 11,411 refugees by the end of the fiscal year—the lowest number in history.

On October 8, Biden raised the FY 2022 refugee admissions cap to 125,000.

The administration is again unlikely to

Expulsion of Asylum Seekers at the Southern Border The Biden administration has continued the Trump administration policy of using COVID-19 as a pretext to expel asylum seekers who arrive at our southern border back into Mexico. Public health experts tend to agree that such expulsions are unnecessary.

Most of these expulsions are being carried out under a provision of U.S. health law known as “Title 42,” which allows the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to “prohibit…the introduction” into the United States of individuals who might spread a communicable disease.

In addition, on December 2 the Biden administration announced that it would reinstate Trump’s “Migrant Protection Protocols” (MPP), also known as the “Remain in Mexico” program. Under MPP, migrants who arrive at the southern border are forcibly sent back to Mexico and told to return to the border multiple times for hearings in U.S. immigration court to seek asylum.

The Biden administration had halted MPP in January, but in August a Texas court ordered that it be reinstated. MPP was initially applied only to people from

Spanish-speaking countries and Brazil, but Biden has expanded it to encompass people from any country in the Western Hemisphere.

Under the “new” MPP, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at least will ask migrants if they fear persecution in Mexico, which was forbidden under Trump.

Support for Immigration Reform Biden has sent a comprehensive immigration reform bill to Congress called the “U.S. Citizenship Act.” This bill would, among other provisions, create a pathway to legal status for undocumented immigrants, clear visa backlogs, recapture unused visas, and reduce the long wait times for visas. The bill was introduced in the House of Representatives on February 18 as H.R. 1177 and currently has 150 cosponsors, but has not yet been put to a vote.

Challenges for the Future Moving forward, the Biden administration must do much more to restore the integrity and improve the efficiency of the U.S. immigration system. To do so, the administration should focus on vastly improving the processing capacity of USCIS and U.S. embassies and consulates abroad, rebuilding the refugee program, and reversing course on the unnecessarily harsh treatment of asylum seekers at the southern border. l

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AMERICAN DREAM

14

Mayor de Blasio Urged to Delay Lien Sale

N

ew York City, NY: On October 27, 2021, nineteen council members led by Council Member Robert E. Cornegy, Jr. stood together to urge postponement of the December 17th property tax lien sale considering the ongoing challenges the COVID-19 pandemic presents to New Yorkers. New York City has not budged, and Council Member Cornegy demands immediate action to delay the imminent lien sale.

New York City annually sells the delinquent property tax and water/sewer debts of homeowners to a third party, which then tries to collect on the debt and brings a foreclosure action for sale of the property. Although New York’s tax lien sale is intended to incentivize property owners to pay their taxes, the process of selling liens can pressure owners to sell their buildings to speculators or cut corners with maintenance to make up for the debt owed — all without oversight from the city and at the expense of tenants who are unaware of what’s happening behind the scenes.

The pandemic interrupted the necessary, robust community education and outreach events that normally precede the tax lien sale. Instead of making up for lost time, the City has fallen flat in its efforts to contact owners. Tens of thousands of New Yorkers are at risk if we do

CM Cornegy Editorial credit: a katz / Shutterstock.com

not delay the scheduled lien sale.

At a time when homeowners, like many other New Yorkers, are still attempting to recover from the devastating impacts of the pandemic, we should not compound their difficulties by adding a potential loss of housing.

“The City’s lien sale is intended to incentivize property owners to pay their taxes. But the sale this year will likely force minority property owners to lose generational wealth. It also threatens the homes of many renters, all while we are still reeling from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is clearly in the

interest of New York City to delay the sale at this precarious moment,” said Council Member Robert E. Cornegy, Jr., Chair of the Housing and Buildings Committee.

“New Yorkers must be given the chance to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic without the looming threat of being removed from their homes,” said New York Attorney General James. “The tax lien sale has a disproportionate impact on communities of color and will only exacerbate the financial hardships so many are already facing in the middle of a pandemic. Now is the time to support hardworking homeowners, not saddle them with undue financial burden.

It’s time to create a better and more just system for New Yorkers, and I urge the Mayor to take immediate action to delay the tax lien sale.”

“As homeowners, seniors, and families struggle to recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, they cannot afford to be at risk of losing their homes and the generational wealth they have built over decades,” said Council Member Adrienne Adams, Co-Chair of the Black, Latino, and Asian Caucus.

“Communities of color like the residents of my district are disproportionately harmed by this outdated policy. I join my

colleagues to call on the City to cancel the upcoming tax lien sale and implement a more equitable way of municipal debt collection.”

“We urge the City to postpone the property tax lien sale. We cannot hinder the recovery for so many financially vulnerable New Yorkers, including minority and immigrant New Yorkers, by putting them at risk of losing their homes. By postponing, we have an opportunity to protect families and ensure they have timely access to resources that will help them,” said Council Member Francisco Moya.

“The tax lien sale is an outdated, counter-productive, and inequitable tool that disproportionately impacts people of color and senior citizens – the very populations hit hardest by COVID-19. We cannot continue to balance the City’s books at the expense of our most vulnerable communities, especially in a time of such great economic instability,” said Council Member Carlina Rivera, member of the Tax Lien Sale Task Force.

“The Mayor must cancel the lien sale scheduled for this Friday, and use this as an opportunity to rethink our system of collecting municipal debt as we look to a new Council term and Mayoral administration.”l

Call 888-670-6791 26 Court Street, Suite 701, Downtown Brooklyn VISIT OUR WEBSITE WWW.THEIMMIGRANTSJOURNAL.COM FOR MORE IMMIGRATION NEWS & UPDATES

CONVERSATIONS

15

How to Have a More Positive Mindset circumstances. However, you can bring positivity into your own life by bringing it into the lives of others. Here are a few ways to do that.

BY MARY CAMPBELL

W

hen our world changes quickly and suddenly because of things like COVID-19, it is common to experience changes in our thoughts, feelings and behaviors.

Feelings of worry, stress or fear can be scary and affect your mental and physical health. It’s important to remember that these feelings are normal, especially during a crisis, and can vary in severity from mild uneasiness to intense emotions depending on the person.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the COVID-19 pandemic can cause strong feelings of stress for adults and children, including: •Fear and worry about your own health and the health of your loved ones •Changes in sleep or eating patterns •Difficulty sleeping or concentrating •Worsening of chronic physical health problems •Worsening of mental health conditions If you’re experiencing any of these, there are ways to manage your symptoms and cope while maintaining physical distancing.

The CDC recommends a few ways to cope with feelings of stress, including: •Take breaks from the news, including

Interaction Be positive when interacting with other people. It can be hard to remain positive when dealing with negative people.

However, it is best not to try to change their negative attitude. You cannot force a negative person to have a positive perspective if they are not ready. You can use positive words and phrases when speaking with them. Likewise, you can also encourage and empathize with them.

However, it is best to limit your time with negative people. Keep conversations light and brief. on social media.

•Take care of your body with healthy meals, exercise and deep breathing techniques.

•Take time to relax and do at-home activities you enjoy.

•Connect with your loved ones.

In recent years, we've heard a lot about how our thoughts can affect our lives.

Proponents of the law of attraction tell us how we should have positive thoughts and speak positive words to improve our

Be Nice Always be nice when dealing with others. Speak words of encouragement.

Compliment them and congratulate them on any goals they have achieved. Smile when talking and look others in the eye.

This shows that you are listening and are interested in what they are saying.

Be Social Stay in contact with others. Call or text family members or friends just to see how they are doing. Social media makes

it easy to stay in touch. Post a funny photo or inspirational quote to brighten someone's day. Send a virtual card just to let someone know you are thinking of them. There are many ways to be kind and show you care.

Don't Expect Anything in Return Don't spread positivity with expectations of receiving the same or better in return.

Your random acts of positivity should be done out of the goodness of your heart, not for your own benefit. When you do things with an ulterior motive in mind, you cancel out the whole process.

Genuine emotions of love, kindness, and gratitude are their own reward.

The more you bring positivity into the lives of others, you will notice positive changes in your own life. Don't expect to see a difference overnight because it took a long time to create negativity in your life. A few positive thoughts or words will not change a lifetime of negative ones. However, the more you practice bringing positivity into the lives of others, the more positive your own life will become. If you want to change your life for the better, you have to become that change and meet each day with an attitude of gratitude. l

HEY, NYC!

In a mental health crisis, we have options PLEASE CALL 1-888-NYC-WELL (1-888-692-9355) Ask about Mobile Crisis Teams Counselors can meet you where you are and provide help

Talk to a counselor 24/7 for crisis counseling or suicide prevention

Artwork by Sam Meyerson.

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Call 911.

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JOBS & RECESSION

16

Create Your Success Story in 2022! attorneys, opposing counsel, vendors, staff members, clients, and others. The work is varied, and each day brings new challenges.

BY THE CHAMBER COALITION

A

career as a paralegal (also known as a legal assistant) can be a wonderfully fulfilling profession. Paralegals perform legal, regulatory, and business-related research for lawyers working at their organization.

Most of the time, paralegals work for law offices, non-profits, corporations' legal departments, or courts. These professionals also provide legal support services to attorneys. They assist lawyers in filing motions, memoranda, pleadings, and briefs in various court systems and accompany lawyers to see clients and go to court. Here are five great things about being a paralegal: 1. Rise in Pay Paralegal compensation has risen steadily in the past decade. As paralegals perform a broader and more complex range of tasks (paralegals even represent clients in court in certain countries and administrative tribunals), their earnings continue to rise. The average paralegal salary hovers at around $50,000 per year, but paralegals often make more through bonuses. Overtime hours can also add significant cash to a paralegal's paycheck.

2. Explosive Employment Outlook The paralegal field is one of the fastestgrowing professions on the globe. The U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, predicts the employment of paralegals and legal assistants by over 25 percent, much faster than the average for all occupations. Among the factors driving this growth is client demand for cheaper, more efficient delivery of legal services. Since hourly rates charged by attorneys are typically double or triple the rates of paralegals for the same task, law firm economics mandates the increased use of paralegals to minimize costs. As a result, a paralegal career is one of the hottest non-lawyer jobs in the legal industry.

3. Easy Career Entry Unlike lawyers who must complete seven years of formal education and pass the bar exam to practice law, you can become a paralegal in as little as a few months of study.

4. Intellectual Challenge Paralegal work is intellectually challenging and involves a range of high-level skills. The most successful paralegals are problem-solvers and innovative thinkers.

Paralegals must become subject matter experts in their specialty areas and master legal procedure, research, drafting, and other skills. They must stay on top of ever-changing laws and new legal trends and developments while interfacing with

5. Rising Prestige As paralegals perform more complex and challenging work, paralegal prestige is rising. Paralegals are no longer simply lawyer's assistants; they assume corporate management roles, leadership roles in law firms, and entrepreneurial roles in independent paralegal businesses. Over the years, paralegals have transcended the image of glorified legal secretaries to become respected legal team members.

Ready to Take the Leap?

A career as a paralegal can be rewarding professionally and personally and offers a unique opportunity to help others; options vary, depending on the paralegal's practice area. Paralegals in the public interest sector help poor and disadvantaged segments of the population with legal issues ranging from protection from domestic abuse to assistance preparing wills. Ready to take the leap, the next step? Call us at 718-722-9217 or visit www.freeparalegal.org to complete your registration which includes payment.l

Need Assistance? Call 718-722-9217.

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KNOW YOUR RIGHTS

17

Farmworkers Need Fair Overtime Pay

BY RODOLFO MENDEZ, MARTIR ZAMBRANO & JORGE RAMIREZ

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lmost all of New York’s workers begin to get overtime pay after working 40 hours a week. Yet under state law, farmworkers only get it after working 60 hours a week. Our work is tiring, and we suffer from injuries from repetitive work and the general nature of farm work — but we do it to ensure there’s food on our family’s tables. Collectively, we have raised 10 children and have seven grandchildren, all of whom have relied on our paychecks. They are why we work in an industry which so few want to work in, and work such long and difficult hours.

Farm work is very much dependent on the season, the weather and the ripeness of the produce. While there are in fact times of the year when we do work well more than 60 hours per week, other times we may come just under that. But under current state law, we could work 10-hour shifts for six days in a row and just be paid our regular rate of pay.

Farmworkers are predominately undocumented Latino workers. For many of us our status in this country means our bosses can treat us as disposable, pay us subminimum wages and

threaten deportation. When employers are allowed to manipulate you to work in extreme conditions for hours on end, it’s no different than indentured servitude.

To many people, we are the nameless and faceless newly deemed “essential” workers who helped put food on your tables during the COVID-19 pandemic.

And yet, for decades we have been subjected to inherently racist treatment and as such our rights as workers have been relegated to the Jim Crow era. In fact, The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 explicitly excluded agricultural and domestic workers in an effort to exclude Black workers; the racial divide it created then still exists today for us, which is why the new New York law was so critical.

Agricultural Workers United-NY is a project of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union and the United Food and Commercial Workers, which fought for the historic passage of New York’s Farm Laborers Fair Labor Practices Act. The new law sought to unwind decades of unfair treatment towards farmworkers like us. More importantly, it sought fair protections for us as laborers, and the opportunity for us to unionize and bring union contract protections to our workplaces. As a result, we are incredibly proud to be the

first farmworkers in New York to unionize with Local 338 RWDSU/UFCW. The new law gave us the opening to organize. The intent was to raise wages above the poverty line and to give us the same worker rights under the law that others across our state get. However, while, as its name suggests, the law was implemented to bring fairness to our industry, sadly it was passed with a loophole preventing us from true equity at work with others. The carve-out means we don’t actually have truly fair wages under the law, because our overtime pay only kicks in after 60 hours of work per week.

The law does, however, provide an opportunity to review the overtime disparity. It called for the Department of Labor to hold a wage board hearing 18 months after the 2019 passage to reconsider the issue. Since those 18 months fell in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, the board at the time put the issue off, while we farmworkers continued to toil away producing now considered “essential food” for the “greater good.”

But the pandemic also ravaged our community; many of us live together in small apartments where the virus can spread rapidly. There was no consideration for us workers when they put off the decision on overtime hours, which

meant that our wages remained the same while New York’s farm owners increased their profits. It made our passion to fight to bring the first union to a farm that much stronger.

Our local’s first union contract will yield us needed protections and a fair pay structure. One change in particular could be overtime pay after 40 hours.

However, there is absolutely no reason we shouldn’t already be seen as equal under the law. There is no reason that farmworkers seeking union protections shouldn’t already have this as a baseline for our pay, just like everybody else.

Our wages are extremely low as it is.

Our work is work not many want to do.

We do it to provide for our families. It’s long past time that the Farm Laborers Fair Labor Practices Act live up to its name and guarantee fair pay for fair work. This change will be a drop in the bucket for farm owners, while fundamentally changing the lives of thousands of workers across the state. l Mendez, Zambrano and Ramirez are members of Agricultural Workers United-NY, which is a project of the RWDSU and the UFCW. This Op-Ed was originally published in the NY Daily News on November 30, 2021.

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LOVE & RELATIONSHIPS

18

Single and Ready to Date? How to Get Ready for a Relationship

BY JENNINE ESTES, MFT

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f you find yourself in a pattern of unsuccessful relationships, then you may have a relationship dynamic pattern that is familiar to you, but not working. Sometimes this is unconscious and causes us to act out with behavior of which we are unaware. In order to get ready for a relationship, you need to address any self-destructive habits that are holding you back.

Is it time for you to get ready for a relationship? Consider the following ways to make a positive, lasting impression on new people in the dating world: •Consider how the vibes you send out are being received by other people. If you are trying to get ready for a relationship but feel inadequate, unattractive, or have low self-esteem, other people will pick up on how you feel. It could cause them to lose interest in you because they sense the validation vacuum. Find ways to boost your confidence and work on your sense of self-worth. Productive methods include exercising, decreasing stress, pursuing counseling, maintaining a healthy diet, getting a haircut, buying

muscles. Soften your eyes and smile.

Take another breath. Let your shoulders drop and make sure your arms and legs are not crossed. This is an easy and practical way to come across as more approachable. When your face and posture are open, you are issuing an invitation to get to know you better.

clothes that flatter you, etc. Stand tall and think positively.

•Stop comparing yourself to others. If you always compare yourself to other people, it sets you up for constant failure, because no two people are alike: everyone has their strengths and weaknesses.

You are a unique individual with desirable traits to compatible people. If you really want to get ready for a relationship, you will need to remember what it is that you have to offer. Maybe you are incredibly compassionate or committed; perhaps you are adventurous and easygoing. While not everyone will be a good match, knowing what it is about you that is most attractive can help you focus on making that more apparent instead of worrying about what it is others are doing.

•Put yourself out there by experiencing new things. Take on new hobbies or travel to new environments such as church, dating sites, meet-up groups, etc. to meet new and interesting people. There’s an old mantra that says, “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.” Mix up

your life a little and get passionate about what interests you. Passionate people are attractive; they have a light in their eyes and purpose in their lives.

•Laugh and smile more often. In addition to being attractive and magnetic, laughter and smiling elevates your mood and keeps your body healthy. Take a deep breath right now and relax your facial

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•Get clear on what you are looking for in a partner. Maybe you are dipping your toes into the dating world after a significant relationship or perhaps you’ve been “in the game” for a while.

Either way, it is only fair to yourself and those whom you may date for you to know what you want. I’m not talking about a list of cosmetic non-negotiable traits. Rather, think about whether you are dating casually and openly or if you are looking for something long-term and exclusive. What kind of things are most important to you in a relationship? Are you all about fun and excitement or lowkey bonding? Get ready for a relationship by considering what a healthy relationship means to you when it comes to conflict resolution, communication, and other aspects of the relationship. Just as importantly, be ready to communicate those things so that you and those you date are on the same page.

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•Off-putting patterns can be so ingrained that they may need to be addressed with a professional.

Relationship choices are based on habits that were created in our childhood and were repeatedly reinforced growing up.

We often have patterns that cause heartache and frustration instead of the kind that lead to successful, happy relationships. Begin to understand where your relationship patterns come from, what they look like, and then choose to do something different. The support of a compassionate and experienced therapist can help you uncover issues and build healthier behaviors through counseling.

To get ready for a relationship, you must look inward and become the best YOU. Only then can you attract and be a good partner for someone else. l

Interested? Send your resume to info@myiqinc.com

Jennine Estes is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist MFT (LMFT#47653).

Reprinted with kind permission.Visit www.estestherapy.com

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•Don’t spend your entire holiday season with married or coupled families and friends. Make plans to socialize where singles are more likely to be. Host or go to a “friends-giving” or look for singles’ events. It may be uncomfortable initially, but the discomfort fades into camaraderie when you meet new people who are feeling the same way that you are. Even with those we love, it is possible to be lonely so finding your own thing can ultimately give you confidence and help you bond with someone special.

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LOVE & RELATIONSHIPS

19

Immigrants and Domestic Violence

BY JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

O

ctober is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. And, immigrants are particularly vulnerable because many may not speak English, are often separated from family and friends, and may not understand the laws of the United States. For these reasons, immigrants are often afraid to report acts of domestic violence to the police or to seek other forms of assistance. Such fear causes many immigrants to remain in abusive relationships.

Immigrants in the US. have the right to live a life free of abuse. Due to the victim’s immigration status, abusive partners have additional ways to exert power and control over their victims. If you are an immigrant or refugee in an abusive relationship, you may face unique issues that make it hard to reach out for help.

The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) is a landmark piece of legislation seeking to improve criminal legal, and community-based responses to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking in the United States. This federal law provides numer-

ous forms of protection for noncitizen women—and men—who are the victims of domestic violence or other qualifying crimes. There are three forms of protection: “U” visas for victims of crime, “T” visas for victims of severe forms of trafficking, and “self-petitions” under the VAWA. Any victim of domestic violence — regardless of immigration or citizenship status — can seek help. An immigrant victim of domestic violence may also be eligible for immigration-related protections. If you are experiencing domestic violence in your home, you are not alone.

A specialized immigration attorney

should always be your first point of contact regarding immigration questions and concerns. You can also listen to Ask the Lawyer Radio Program on WVIP 93.5FM on Thursdays, 10pm-11pm, and Sundays, 11pm to 12am. The program provides excellent information and also an opportunity for a FREE, no-obligation legal consultation. The number to call is 855-768- 8845. You can also visit www.askthelawyer.us Domestic violence is against the law regardless of one’s immigration status.

Be a loving family member, good friend, and caring neighbor: please share this information.l

Call Equity Smart Realty at 888-670-6791 for a FREE consultation.

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HEALTH

20

How Effective Are Vaccines Against Omicron? An Epidemiologist Answers 6 Questions

BY IGNACIO LÓPEZ-GOÑI THE CONVERSATION

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he pandemic has brought many tricky terms and ideas from epidemiology into everyone’s lives.

Two particularly complicated concepts are vaccine efficacy and effectiveness.

These are not the same thing. And as time goes on and new variants like omicron emerge, they are changing, too. Melissa Hawkins is an epidemiologist and public health researcher at American University.

She explains the way researchers calculate how well a vaccine prevents disease, what influences these numbers and how omicron is changing things.

1. What do vaccines do?

A vaccine activates the immune system to produce antibodies that remain in your body to fight against exposure to a virus in the future. All three vaccines currently approved for use in the U.S. – the PfizerBioNTech, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines – showed impressive success in clinical trials.

2. What is the difference between vaccine efficacy and effectiveness?

All new vaccines must undergo clinical trials in which researchers test the vaccines on thousands of people to examine how well they work and whether they are safe.

Efficacy is the measure of how well a vaccine works in clinical trials.

Researchers design the trials to include two groups of people: those who receive the vaccine and those who receive a placebo. They calculate the vaccine’s efficacy by comparing how many cases of the illness occur in each group, vaccinated versus placebo.

Effectiveness, on the other hand, describes how well a vaccine performs in the real world. It is calculated the same way, by comparing illness among vaccinated and unvaccinated people.

Efficacy and effectiveness are usually close to each other but won’t necessarily be the same. How the vaccines work will vary a bit from the trial results once millions of people are getting vaccinated.

Many factors influence how a vaccine performs in the real world. New variants like delta and omicron may change things. The number and age of people enrolled in the trials matter. And the health of those receiving the vaccine is also important.

Vaccine uptake – the proportion of a population that gets vaccinated – can also influence vaccine effectiveness. When a large enough proportion of the population is vaccinated, herd immunity begins

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to come into play. Vaccines with moderate or even low efficacy can work very well at a population level. Likewise, vaccines with high efficacy in clinical trials, like coronavirus vaccines, may have lower effectiveness and a small impact if there isn’t high vaccine uptake in the population.

The distinction between efficacy and continued on page 21

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HEALTH

21

Vaccines Against Omicron/ continued from page 20 effectiveness is important, because one describes the risk reduction achieved by the vaccines under trial conditions and the other describes how this may vary in populations with different exposures and transmission levels. Researchers can calculate both, but they can’t design a study that will measure both simultaneously.

3. How do you calculate efficacy and effectiveness?

Both Pfizer and Moderna reported that their vaccines demonstrated more than 90% efficacy in preventing symptomatic COVID-19 infection. Stated another way, among those individuals who received the vaccine in the clinical trials, the risk of getting COVID-19 was reduced by 90% compared with those who did not receive the vaccine.

Imagine conducting a vaccine trial. You randomize 1,000 people to receive the vaccine in one group. You randomize another 1,000 to be given a placebo in the other group. Say 2.5% of people in the vaccinated group get COVID-19 compared with 50% in the unvaccinated group. That means the vaccine has 95% efficacy. We determine that because (50% – 2.5%)/50% = .95. So 95% indicates the reduction in the proportion of disease among the vaccinated group.

However, a vaccine with 95% efficacy does not mean 5% of vaccinated people

will get COVID-19. It’s even better news: Your risk of illness is reduced by 95%.

Vaccine effectiveness is calculated the exact same way but is determined through observational studies. Early on, vaccines were well over 90% effective at preventing severe illness in the real world. But, by their very nature, viruses change, and this can change effectiveness. For example, a study found that by August 2021, when delta was surging, the Pfizer vaccine was 53% effective at preventing severe illness in nursing home residents who had been vaccinated in early 2021. Age, health issues, waning immunity and the new strain all lowered effectiveness in this case.

Best estimates suggest vaccines are around 30%-40% effective at preventing infections and 70% effective at preventing severe disease.

A preprint study – one not formally reviewed by other scientists yet – that was conducted in Germany found that antibodies in blood collected from people fully vaccinated with Moderna and Pfizer showed reduced efficacy in neutralizing the omicron variant. Other small preprint studies in South Africa and England showed a significant decrease in how well antibodies target the omicron variant. More breakthough infections are expected, with decreased immune system ability to recognize omicron compared with other variants.

4. What about the omicron variant?

The preliminary data about omicron and vaccines is coming in quickly and is revealing lower vaccine effectiveness.

5. Do boosters boost immunity against omicron?

Initial data reinforces that a third dose would help boost immune response and

protection against omicron, with estimates of 70%-75% effectiveness.

Pfizer has reported that people who have received two doses of its vaccine are susceptible to infection from omicron, but that a third shot improves antibody activity against the virus. This was based on lab experiments using the blood of people who have received the vaccine.

Booster doses can increase the amount of antibodies and the ability of a person’s immune system to protect against omicron. However, unlike the U.S., much of the world does not have access to booster doses.

6. What does this all mean?

Despite the lowered effectiveness of vaccines against omicron, it is clear that vaccines do work and are among the greatest public health achievements. Vaccines have varying levels of effectiveness and are still useful. The flu vaccine is usually 40%-60% effective and prevents illness in millions of people and hospitalizations in more than 100,000 people in the U.S. annually.

Finally, vaccines protect not only those who are vaccinated, but those who can’t get vaccinated as well. Vaccinated people are less likely to spread COVID-19, which reduces new infections and offers protection to society overall.l Melissa Hawkins is a Professor of Public Health, American University

FALSE: I’M HEALTHY. I DON’T NEED TO BE VACCINATED. TRUE: Young or otherwise healthy people who are unvaccinated have gotten very sick and died from COVID-19. COVID-19 can also cause long COVID which can include difficulty breathing, muscle and joint pain, headaches, and tiredness.

COVID-19 VACCINES SAVE LIVES. GET VACCINATED. FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT NYC.GOV/COVIDVACCINE.

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WELCOME TO AMERICA

22

Biden Reinstates the ‘Remain in Mexico’ Program: What You Need to Know

BY AARON REICHLIN-MELNICK

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ollowing months of negotiations with Mexico, the Biden administration announced that it would reinstate the Trump-era Migrant Protection Protocols (informally known as the “Remain in Mexico” program) on Monday, after a Texas court in August ordered it to reinstate the program.

Although the new version of MPP will make some positive changes, the Biden administration chose to expand MPP to Haitian nationals and other individuals who were not subject to MPP under Trump.

How did we get here?

MPP originally began in January 2019 under the Trump administration. Over the next two years, nearly 70,000 people were sent back to Mexico and told to wait for court hearings at four locations along the U.S.-Mexico border: San Diego, El Paso, Laredo, and Brownsville.

Those placed into court hearings often waited months for their hearings. Delays were especially severe in El Paso, where there were only four immigration judges assigned to MPP cases and thousands of

cases per judge.

Migrants placed into MPP faced enormous difficulties in making their cases from Mexico. Because there were few lawyers in the United States who could provide legal assistance to migrants in Mexico, nearly 95% of people placed into MPP were unable to find a lawyer, compared to just 40% of people inside the United States.

Mexico was also not safe for migrants, especially those who remained in border cities. By the time the previous version of MPP came to an end, there more than 1,500 publicly documented cases of kidnapping, assault, rape, torture, and other crimes against people placed into MPP. It was nearly impossible to make a strong asylum claim while penniless, without a lawyer, and in constant danger.

As a result, by the time the Biden administration stopped placing people into MPP in January 2021, just 521 people had been granted asylum out of the thousands who applied.

When President Biden took office, court hearings had been suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and MPP had largely been replaced by Title 42.

Beginning in February, the Biden admin-

Hidalgo, TX, USA - May 26, 2021: Border Patrol agents arrest a group of Mexican men and a Central American couple who crossed the Rio Grande River illegally near a section of border wall.Editorial credit: Vic Hinterlang/Shutterstock.com

istration admitted over 13,000 people who still had pending MPP cases and allowed them to seek asylum from safety inside the United States. The states of Texas and Louisiana later sued to force the Biden administration to restart MPP, and a federal judge in Texas ordered the administration in August to “reinstate MPP in good faith.”

What changes has the Biden administration made to MPP? Under the new guidance put out by the Biden administration, MPP will operate in a fairly similar manner to how it operated under the Trump administration.

Migrants will still be required to appear for court hearings in the same locations as before. However, there is already significant confusion about this point. The Biden administration said that individuals would be returned to Mexico in the state of Tamaulipas, bordering South Texas. But Mexican officials have said that they did not agree to this.

The administration did make several significant changes to MPP, although it remains unclear how these changes will work in practice.

First, MPP can now be applied to a larger group of people than before.

Under the Trump administration, only nationals of Spanish-speaking countries (excluding Mexico), as well as Brazil, were subject to MPP. However, the Biden administration will now apply MPP to any “Western Hemisphere” nationals (excluding Mexico). This means that Haitians and other Caribbean nationals can now be placed into MPP. However, the Mexican government said it would place limits on the number of non-Spanish-speaking nationals who can be returned to the country. It did not clarify the terms of those limits.

Second, the Biden administration has made it easier for migrants to express a fear of persecution or torture in Mexico and avoid being placed into MPP. Under the Trump administration, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers were forbidden from asking migrants if they feared return to Mexico, and only if a migrant “affirmatively” expressed a fear would they be eligible for a screening to be taken out of MPP. And even then, migrants had to prove it was “more likely than not” that they would be perse-

cuted to be removed from the program.

Under the reinstated MPP, CBP officers will be required to ask every migrant if they fear persecution. Migrants will now only have to prove that there is a “reasonable possibility” that they face persecution and torture in Mexico to be taken out of MPP. Importantly, simply being kidnapped and held for ransom may not count as persecution, so these protections will still exclude many people with a genuine fear of being forced to remain in Mexico.

The State Department will also arrange transportation for migrants traveling from the border to shelters, as well as from shelters back to court. However, according to recent reports, most migrant shelters in Mexico are already full. And with MPP resuming on Monday, the Biden administration has still not publicized any details about this transportation process and there are no indications that this promise will be met.

Migrants will also have a greater ability to talk to their lawyers while in various stages of MPP. But this will not solve the fundamental problem that very few migrants have lawyers in the first place.

Under the reinstated MPP, CBP will be required to exempt a larger set of “vulnerable” migrants than in the past, including certain pregnant women, those with disabilities, and LGBT+ individuals. However, getting agents on the ground to follow these rules will be very difficult, as CBP’s failure to follow the previous exemptions under the Trump administration was well-documented.

Finally, the Biden administration says that it will attempt to resolve all MPP cases within six months. The Trump administration made the same claim when it began MPP in 2019, and that rapidly became impossible as thousands of people were put into MPP each month.

Unless the Biden administration severely limits the number of people put into MPP, the new 6-month deadline will prove just as impossible to meet as the old 6-month deadline.

Taken together, the changes made by the Biden administration may mitigate a small amount of the worst harms of MPP but will not fundamentally change the program. There is no way to make a fundamentally inhumane program humane.l

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The lawyer you hire, does make a difference!

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