The Immigrant’s Journal - Vol. 161

The Immigrant’s Journal Vol. 161

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

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A New Win for Immigrants as USCIS Agrees to Restore Path to Permanent Residency for TPS Beneficiaries

State Budget Negotiations Stall, With Proposed Bail and Trial Changes Still Unresolved....5

BY LINDA NWOKE Editorial credit: Phil Pasquini / Shutterstock.com

I

April 7, 2022

n December 2019, Trump's administration decided to slightly modify an immigration condition which they described as a 'mere clarification 'that turned into a nightmarish reality for certain immigrants. The clarification sought to eliminate protections for several thousand immigrants covered by the Temporary Protection Status (TPS) beneficiaries. continued on page 12

How to Get a Green Card: Getting a Visa (K-1) For Your Fiancé to Come to the US to Marry You ....13

Congresswoman Clarke Issues Statement on the End of Title 42 ....3

Biden Administration Announces End to Horrific Title 42 Border Policy

BY REBEKAH WOLF

T

he Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced on Friday, April 1, that it will be terminating the Title 42 border policy. The U.S. government has used this policy to turn away asylum seekers and migrants over 1.7 million times since March 2020. The policy will end on May 23 to give the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) time to implement the termination. After May 23, individuals approaching the border will be

Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico 03-20-2021 Migrants, mostly Hondurans, live in the Good Samaritan shelter in Ciudad Juárez, they were expelled from the United States under title 42. Editorial credit: David Peinado Romero / Shutterstock.com

processed normally as they were before Title 42 went into place.

Title 42 refers to an obscure public health law that allowed the government to invoke the COVID-19 pandemic to turn away people seeking refuge in the United States. Ending Title 42 is a critical step in reforming an asylum process that has been decimated over the last six years.

The Trump administration first implemented Title 42 after pressuring the CDC to use it under the guise of protecting the United States from the continued on page 10

A 4-step Maintenance Plan to Help Keep Your Relationship Going Strong ....17

Brian Figeroux, Esq.

AG James and DOI Commissioner Strauber Deliver $900,000 to 200 NYCHA Construction Workers Denied Fair Pay ....2

Health Commissioner Dr Vasan Alerts Providers About Covid-19 Treatment ....20

IN THE NEWS

2

AG James and DOI Commissioner Strauber Deliver $900,000 to 200 NYCHA Construction Workers Denied Fair Pay

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EW YORK: New York Attorney General Letitia James and New York City Department of Investigation (DOI) Commissioner Jocelyn E. Strauber on April 4, announced their joint efforts to combat wage theft by securing nearly $900,000 for more than 200 workers who were underpaid by Lintech Electric (Lintech).

An investigation found that over the course of three years, Lintech disregarded the prevailing wage rate and underpaid its employees by almost $900,000 on multiple New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) projects in all five boroughs. As a part of the agreement, Lintech will repay the impacted workers the money they were cheated plus interest and will be banned from public works projects in New York for five years.

“Every worker deserves fair pay for their hard work,” said Attorney General James. “The prevailing wage was established for a reason — to protect the hardworking New Yorkers who built our city and keep it functioning. No employee should fear that they will be cheated at the hands of greedy employers, especially at the expense of the public good. I am

proud to finally return the money owed to these dedicated workers and I will do everything in my power to ensure that Lintech does not deceive or exploit any more workers.”

“Lintech, a subcontractor for general contractors hired by NYCHA through its guarantors, agreed to pay almost $900,000 to workers that it underpaid for over three years, in violation of New York’s Prevailing Wage Law,” said DOI Commissioner Jocelyn E. Strauber. “I applaud the workers who alerted DOI of this underpayment, prompting an audit that exposed this wrongful conduct. As a result of this joint investigation by DOI and Attorney General James’ office, Lintech will also be banned from New York public works projects for five years. DOI and its law enforcement partners will pursue and hold accountable employers that seek to cheat workers of their rightful wages, and we will ensure that those victims are made whole. I thank the state attorney general and NYCHA for their partnership on this important investigation.”

Attorney General James and the New York City Department of Investigation

AG James Editorial credit: a katz / Shutterstock.com

(DOI) began a joint investigation into Lintech in September of 2019 after a DOI investigation and audit revealed that Lintech underpaid its employees.

Between 2015 to 2018, Lintech failed to pay workers the prevailing wage rate and supplemental benefit rate on multiple NYCHA Housing Complex public work projects. The workers were hired to install and maintain lighting and electrical outlets on scaffolding surrounding multiple NYCHA apartment buildings throughout the city but were not adequately compensated.

Lintech’s actions violate the Prevailing Wage Law, which requires contractors and subcontractors to pay the prevailing rate of wage and benefits to all employ-

ees under a public work contract.

Lintech’s financial guarantors, Neelam Construction Corporation, Pro-Metal Construction, and Zoria Housing, will also be held financially accountable for underpaying workers as guarantors of Lintech’s underpayments. The companies will repay close to $900,000 in wages, supplemental benefits, interest, and penalties to be distributed to 200 impacted employees. Today’s agreement also bars Lintech from performing, contracting, or subcontracting public work in New York state for five years, including a $30,000 penalty to cover the cost of the investigation.

The Office of the Attorney General thanks NYCHA for its partnership in this matter.

“We are pleased to work with the attorney general and the New York City Department of Investigation to root out malfeasance at NYCHA and to ensure that workers are justly compensated for their services,” said NYCHA Chair & CEO Greg Russ. “Wage theft and service crimes impact our operations, workforce, and residents, and will not be tolerated.”l

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3

TIME FOR ACTION

Senate Democrats: On a Title 42 Vote, Will You Stand for Welcoming Refugees or Will You

Stand With Stephen Miller?

BY AMERICA’S VOICE

Managing Editor & Editor-in-Chief Pearl Phillip Senior Writer Linda Nwoke

Email immjournal@aol.com Visit www.ijlef.org www.falaw.us www.cawnyc.com

istration to take this step of unwinding the cynical use of Title 42. The administration has a solid plan to fully activate its operational capacity to deal both with those who are eligible for relief and those who are not. And let’s stop being small and fearful. We as a nation are strong enough and capable enough to manage upticks and downturns in forced migration at our southern border.

Let’s be clear about Republican intentions: they want to scare Democrats into voting for a Title 42 extension that will effectively end asylum in America. In such a proposal, we expect conditions to be included in the legislation that will be impossible to meet. Unless Democrats

stand up to this cynical Republican play, they will be standing with Stephen Miller and Republicans as they slam the doors shut on refugees – perhaps forever.

Democrats have a choice. They can cower before an ugly rightwing disinformation campaign that falsely asserts America has “open borders” designed to “replace” Americans, or they can stand for the proposition that America can govern our borders with both order and justice.

Stephen Miller recently stated, “I was deeply proud to work on implementing the hugely successful Title 42 policy.”

Do Democrats really want to vote to continue his work? History is watching. l

Congresswoman Clarke Issues Statement on the End of Title 42

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ashington, D.C.: Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09) released the following statement after the Biden Administration announced it would end the Trump-era Title 42 policy: "As the daughter of immigrants and a lifelong advocate for their fair chance and access to the American dream, the Biden Administration’s decision to lift the harmful, malicious, and discriminatory policy that is Title 42 is a welcome blessing and one that I have long awaited. While this policy endured, countless hopeful migrants suffered under its authority as we circumvented our obligations under international and domestic

Legal Advisor Brian Figeroux, Esq.

Graphic & Website Designers Praim Samsoondar Kendrick Williams Anvar Sabirov

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ashington, DC: Upon news that Senate Republicans are seeking to force a vote on keeping Title 42 in place as part of a COVID funding package deal, the following is a statement from Vanessa Cárdenas, Deputy Director of America’s Voice.

The stakes are high. The question is whether Senate Democrats are going to stand with Stephen Miller and Senate Republicans who want to end asylum as we know it, or stand for an America that can protect both its borders and its tradition as a welcoming nation?

A Senate vote in support of extending Title 42 could come as early as this week.

Title 42, a public health law enacted in 1944, was contorted by Stephen Miller in 2020 to deny people the opportunity to apply for refugee status under established law. It has been in existence for two years, and by all objective measures, it has been a failure. It turbocharged recidivism, inflated the number of “border encounters,” and prevented the use of consequence delivery mechanisms under existing law.

It is long overdue for the Biden admin-

TEAM Publisher I.Q. INC.

Rep Clarke Photo credit: Congresswoman Clarke’s Office

law. This harmful policy disproportionately affected Black migrants and created life-threatening conditions for immigrants seeking refuge at our borders.

Untold unaccompanied children, families, asylum seekers; none were spared the denial of due process entitled to them

by law,” said Clarke.

“Though it is difficult and perhaps impossible to undo this pain caused by Title 42, it is my hope that its end will signal the beginning of a national commitment to compassionately and safely welcome new Americans to our country.

But let me be clear: our nation owes these communities, particularly the Haitian people who were disproportionately and vastly victimized under its cruelty, more than the apologies and empty words they are so tragically accustomed to. They deserve our promise for a better, more accepting, more loving future. And I intend to keep it."l

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 Tel: 718-243-9431

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Know Your Rights with ICE If approached by ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) agents, you have rights!

What can I do if ICE is at my door?

•

You do not have to immediately open the door for ICE and you do not have to speak to ICE.

•

From behind the closed door, you may ask them who they are and to show their badge, ID or business card through the window or peephole or to pass it under the closed door.

•

You can ask if they have a judicial warrant:

If they say No, you do not have to let them in.

You may say, “I do not want to speak with you.”

If they say Yes, you can ask them to slide it under the door. To know if it is a judicial warrant, look to see who signed the warrant.

A judicial warrant is a warrant from a court, signed by a judge. For example, judge signatures may have “Honorable/Hon.” “Judge” “Justice” or “Magistrate” in front of them.

•

In an emergency, such as a threat to public safety or a threat to someone’s life, ICE can come in without asking your permission. If this happens, you still do not have to speak to ICE.

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If ICE is looking for someone, you do not need to speak. If you choose to speak, you can ask ICE to leave contact information. While you do not need to tell ICE where the person is located, providing false information puts you at risk.

What can I do if ICE is inside my home?

•

If ICE enters your home without your permission, you can tell them clearly: “I do not consent to you being in my home. Please leave.” Saying this may not always stop them, but it may help any future legal case.

•

If ICE starts to search rooms or items in your home, you can tell them, “I do not consent to your search.” You can continue to repeat this if they continue to search without consent.

•

You can tell them if there are children or other vulnerable residents in your home.

What can I do if ICE stops me on the street or in public?

•

Before you say anything, you can ask, “Am I free to go?”

If they say Yes: you can say,

“I don’t want to answer your questions”

If they say No: you can say,

“I want to remain silent.”

If ICE agents try to search your pockets or belongings, you can say, “I do not consent to a search.”

If they search you anyway, you cannot physically stop them, but clearly saying it may be important in any future legal case.

This fact sheet gives only general information.

It is not legal advice. Consult an attorney for legal advice.

Call 855-768-8845 for anEnglish Immigration Consultation

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KNOW YOUR RIGHTS

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State Budget Negotiations Stall, With Proposed Bail and Trial Changes Still Unresolved

BY GEORGE JOSEPH & JOSEFA VELASQUEZ, THE CITY

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lbany lawmakers departed the state Capitol Thursday for a long weekend without a deal on the state’s $216 billion spending plan — ensuring that the budget won’t be enacted by a midnight deadline Friday.

Gov. Kathy Hochul and Democrats leading the State Senate and Assembly remain at an impasse on several issues, above all over how aggressively to revisit bail reform and other criminal justice measures passed along with it in 2019.

New York law currently prohibits cash bail for most misdemeanors and non-violent felonies, and requires judges to release people with the least restrictive conditions imposed to ensure they return to court.

But lawmakers say they’re close to striking an agreement to reform the bail law a second time since it was passed three years ago, adding additional gun crimes to the the list of charges for which judges are permitted to set bail — such as being arrested more than once with an unloaded illegal gun — and lowering the

Gov. Hochul Editorial credit: lev radin / Shutterstock.com

threshold for gun trafficking charges, a bail-eligible crime, from 10 illegal guns to five, according to sources briefed on the discussions.

Also under discussion is the possibility of making additional offenses eligible for arrest instead of a desk appearance ticket, the sources said.

State legislators are still unlikely to consider including a provision in the bail laws that would grant judges the ability to weigh a defendant’s “dangerousness” when considering pretrial release measures — a change both Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams have been pursuing but that progressive lawmakers oppose, arguing it could result in racially biased decisions

by judges.

Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart Cousins (D-Westchester) was adamant Thursday afternoon that the “dangerousness” provision was off the negotiating table.

“We’re not introducing a dangerousness clause,” she told reporters at the state Capitol. “We don’t want poverty criminalized and that’s our reality.”

‘Getting Closer’ Lawmakers are not expected to reconvene until Monday. Meanwhile, they’re dealing with COVID infections among members of Hochul’s team and news that an upstate judge has invalidated their

recently redrawn legislative district lines — a ruling that Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James said they intend to appeal.

Through the weekend, the governor’s office and legislative leaders are expected to continue to hammer out budget details, which are subject to change at a moment’s notice.

“We are getting closer to agreement, with consensus on major policy items,” Hochul said in a statement.

“New Yorkers should know that progress is being made and that we will put in the time it takes to reach an agreement that delivers for them and moves our state forward,” she added.

While Hochul’s first budget as governor will be late, practically speaking she and Legislature have until Monday to enact a financial plan for New York before state workers will see payroll disruptions.

Still under consideration are proposals for $3 billion in additional child care funding, health insurance coverage for undocumented New Yorkers, alcoholic drinks to go and suspension of the state continued on page 6

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KNOW YOUR RIGHTS

6

Proposed Bail and Trial Changes/ continued from page 5 sales tax on gasoline.

Also in the mix is a second try at another piece of the 2019 criminal justice reform package: a law specifying deadlines and other rules prosecutors have to follow when turning over evidence to the defense in criminal cases, in a process known as discovery.

Currently, the law requires district attorneys to deliver a wide array of evidence, including police records and body camera footage, in a matter of weeks.

The discovery rules can enable defense attorneys to win case dismissals, even for what prosecutors view as relatively innocuous disclosure failures.

Prosecutors say the laws also put immense pressure on assistant district attorneys and support staff to search through voluminous bodies of evidence, much of which they note will never make it to trial.

According to people briefed on the proposal but not authorized to speak publicly, the changes to the discovery reforms are “very technical.”

A draft summary of a Hochul proposal from earlier this month, viewed by THE CITY, would give prosecutors wiggle room to be in “substantial compliance” with their current evidentiary requirements, but how such an assessment would be made is unclear.

Hochul has been an ally of district attor-

New York State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D-Westchester). andrea.stewartcousins/Facebook

neys in their efforts to ease the demands on prosecutors as she faces her first election as governor.

“We welcome many of the amendments proposed by the governor,” said Washington County District Attorney J. Anthony Jordan, president of the District Attorneys Association of New York. “We also continue to ask that the state provides counties with a steady and reliable stream of funding to comply with the expanded and expedited exchange of discovery.”

The 2019 discovery overhaul toppled an evidence-sharing statute known colloquially as the “Blindfold Law’’ because it allowed prosecutors to claim they were “ready” for trial early on, stopping the speedy trial clock, and hold back on key disclosures until the eve of opening arguments.

These at-times disingenuous statements of readiness could cause cases to drag on

for months and then years, a system failure that helped keep many New Yorkers, like Kalief Browder, in jail pre-trial and in the dark.

But after the reforms went into effect, rank-and-file prosecutors say the new rules, requiring large-scale disclosures within 20 to 35 days, proved overwhelming.

“All of a sudden, it became less about doing justice, and more about collecting scattered paperwork and putting it all in one place,” said W. Dyer Halpern, a former prosecutor who left the Bronx District Attorney’s Office this January.

“Prosecutors began to come to the conclusion that it was more practical to not meet discovery obligations and let a case get dismissed than it was to try and do all the discovery on every case assigned to them,” he continued.

Prosecutors, and even some judges, have also argued that defense attorneys

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are taking advantage of the reform statute: keeping quiet about insubstantial paperwork they knew had not been turned over, then filing motions in the hopes of winning dismissals on technical speedy trial grounds.

In a recent decision, Bronx Criminal Court Judge Jeffrey Zimmerman lambasted defense lawyers.

“The People acted in good faith, and the defense got the discovery it needed.

So how did we get here?” opined Zimmerman. “How have we arrived at a place where motions of this nature, with little chance of success, are routinely filed on the eve of trial, thus further delaying the timely resolution of cases?”

Silent Partners Defense attorneys point out that most prosecutors, many of whom now call themselves “progressive,” have not been willing to go public about their advocacy on the issue, instead pushing for changes through the legislature’s murky budget process, where policy is baked into the spending plan to shield lawmakers from politically risky votes.

Of the five city borough prosecutors asked by THE CITY to state their stand, only Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz responded with a statement identifying specific legislative changes.

Echoing the governor, Katz’s office said that while it supports early and comprehensive discovery, it also believes that evidence-sharing obligations should be limited “to relevant and material information.” Katz also supports changes which would allow prosecutors to stop the speedy trial clock, which limits how long they can try a case, once they have “substantially” complied with discovery obligations.

“Experience has informed us the discovery statute can be improved by amending some of the requirements that elevate form over substance and therefore are not always in the interest of justice,” said Chris Policano, a spokesperson for Katz.

The Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan and Staten Island district attorneys did not respond to or declined to respond to requests for comment.

In the meantime, public defenders and other defense attorney groups have tried to hold the line, fearing that the rollbacks now under consideration could take away any teeth the law has.

“This proposal, if adopted in the final budget, would fundamentally destroy discovery and Kalief’s Law by removing the key mechanism to ensure that the prosecution discloses critical documents to the defense in a timely manner,” said Redmond Haskins, a spokesperson for the Legal Aid Society, New York City’s largest public defender organization.

“Cases will drag for years, our clients will languish in jail and be forced to make critical decisions about their cases without seeing the entirety of the evidence,” he added.” This would summarily reinstate the Blindfold Law as we know it.” l This story was published by on March 31, 2022 by THE CITY.

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IMMIGRANTS’ CONCERNS

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New Census Data Highlights Important Role of Immigration in Countering US Population Decline

BY ANDREW LIM

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ore than two-thirds of U.S. counties saw natural decreases in population between 2020 and 2021, according to the latest estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau. This means that almost 2,300 counties across the country had more deaths than births, providing further evidence that the United States is growing at its slowest pace in its history.

This trend could be offset by immigration, but only if more people choose— and are able to—move to the United States.

Though much of the downward trend is due to COVID-19, which has killed almost 1 million Americans since early 2020, other trends have also contributed to this demographic slowdown. While people are choosing to have fewer children or no children at all, birth rates in the United States have continued to fall to their lowest levels in decades.

This is a challenge to America’s future prosperity because a stable, if not growing, population is one of the foundations of a healthy economy. Industries need workers to meet demand and expand, businesses need a consumer base to survive, and governments need a solid tax base to pay for services and infrastructure. A shrinking population is an inversion of this cycle.

Absent immigration, the U.S. could soon find itself in a demographic predicament similar to Japan’s, in which fewer numbers of working adults are forced to support an ever-growing population of elderly people.

Overall, only 58.0% of U.S. counties saw positive population growth between 2020 and 2021 while 41.8% lost residents (8 counties, or 0.3%, saw no change in population). Worryingly, many large, urban counties—including those that have seen impressive population growth over the past decade—shrank between 2020 and 2021. Harris County, Texas—home to Houston—grew by almost 4 million people, or 15.9 percent, between 2010 and 2020. But the county recorded a loss of almost 5,000 residents between 2020 and 2021.

Amid this demographic shift, international migration has played an important role to help sustain U.S. population growth. The Census’ new numbers show that 71% of counties had more immigrants move in from abroad than leave.

Despite this overall net positive, the number of people immigrating to the U.S. between 2020 and 2021 plunged to its lowest level in the past decade, with only 245,000 people migrating from abroad. In comparison, between 2011 and 2018, at least double this number— 500,000—of new immigrants arrived each year.

As a result, in many parts of the country, international migration helped offset population declines but was not large enough to fully reverse the trend. In large urban areas that typically attract large numbers of immigrants, such as New York City, Miami, and Los Angeles, the data suggests that losses due to urban dwellers moving out to suburbs and smaller cities were not balanced out by new immigrants this year as they have been in the past.

Digging deeper, we also find that 40 counties would have recorded population losses had it not been for new international migrants. These counties include several important cities, including New Haven, Conn., Salt Lake City, Utah, and Durham-Chapel Hill, N.C., despite being a small fraction of all U.S. counties. In New Haven County, Conn. alone, the population would have shrunk by almost 1,000 people, rather than keeping its population stable.

These numbers reveal that new immigration remains a key element of population growth and stability in the United States, perhaps more now than it has ever been, given recent domestic demographic trends. While alarming, it is important to note that 2020-2021 was indeed an abnormal period dominated by a pandemic causing global, economic, and social disruptions.

The silver lining is that the slowing of the U.S. population growth may be reversed if migration patterns eventually return to their pre-pandemic levels. The steep decrease in international migration has been the combined result of the coronavirus pandemic and restrictive immigration policies implemented by the Trump administration. With COVID-19 mitigation measures being lifted across the U.S. and around much of the world, the Biden administration must now work to restart our system of legal immigration in earnest so that people who qualify to come to the U.S. under current law may do so efficiently and so that we can begin to reverse current demographic trends before it is too late. l

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JOBS & RECESSION

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Being a Paralegal Is a Great Career Choice! staff members, clients, and others. The work is varied, and each day brings new challenges.

BY THE CHAMBER COALITION

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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 attorneys, opposing counsel, vendors,

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

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FAMILY MATTERS

9

Kids Afraid of Getting Shots? Here Are 3 Easy Ways for Parents to Help Them along with the opportunity to express their feelings will save them from having to process what’s happening all at once.

This often helps children better cope with the process.

BY LYNN GARDNER THE CONVERSATION

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ew things are more challenging than trying to vaccinate a terrified and uncooperative child. I have seen children wedge themselves into a corner and refuse to budge. I have seen them thrash and yell. And I have seen them sit perfectly still, but cry the entire time.

I’m an associate professor of pediatrics and have been a primary care pediatrician for more than 25 years. I’ve encountered these situations thousands of times in my career.

While getting shots provokes anxiety in most children, the degree of anxiety can be lessened. As a parent, there are three things you can do to improve the vaccine experience for your child. I refer to them as “The Three P’s.”

Preparation It’s important to let your child know they will be receiving vaccines, unless you know your child will have a severe anxious response. You may think it’s best to keep upcoming shots hidden until your child gets to the doctor’s office, but this

approach can make them more anxious and less able to cope. Children need some time to process what is going to happen. Let them know on the day of the visit, but with enough time to discuss it with them beforehand.

It is essential that you ask your child how they are feeling about receiving a shot. Giving them the opportunity to express their feelings can decrease the amount of stress and anxiety they feel about it. Validate their feelings by telling them you know needles can be a bit scary, but then reassure them that they can handle it. Explain why they’re

receiving vaccines and emphasize it is for their overall good.

You should also describe specifically what will happen. For example, tell your child the nurse will clean their arm with an alcohol pad, count to three and then give the injection. It often helps if you have a plan for after the vaccines as well.

For example, let your child know they will get to visit a grandparent or go to the park. Try not to reward them with food, as this can inadvertently teach them to emotionally eat.

Giving your child basic information

Proximity When your child is preparing for the vaccine to be administered, stay physically close to them. Speak to your child in a calm voice and remind them of the things you discussed at home. Let your child hug you with the opposite arm while getting their shot. This is often all it takes to get them through it.

Such support teaches children you will be there for them when they need you, which builds security. This security, in turn, gives them confidence to try things they may otherwise avoid.

Praise After your child receives their injection, give them a moment to gather themselves – 30 seconds or so. Then tell them how well they did and that you’re proud of them. Point out that they did something they either didn’t want to do or didcontinued on page 10

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FAMILY MATTERS

10

End to Horrific Title 42 / continued from page 1 spread of COVID-19. From the start, experts asserted that this was a false premise. Even with Title 42 in place, millions of individuals crossed our borders and entered our airports each month, belying the argument that Title 42 was necessary.

In practice, many of those arrested under Title 42 were put in immigration detention centers inside the United States, sometimes for weeks at a time.

They were then expelled using so-called “lateral flights,” which involved putting the individuals on airplanes in one border area of the United States and flying them to another border area to be expelled there. These policies led to people being placed in the exact kind of congregate settings that the CDC said should be avoided to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Under Title 42, most migrants were expelled to Mexico, which agreed early in the pandemic to accept Mexicans, Guatemalans, Hondurans, and Salvadorans expelled from the United States. Many of these people, desperate to seek safety in the United States, then immediately crossed the border again. At the start of the pandemic, just 7% of people apprehended after crossing the border were on their second or higher attempt to cross. Under Title 42, that figure rose to 27%, the highest level in

Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico 03-20-2021 Migrants, mostly Hondurans, live in the Good Samaritan shelter in Ciudad Juárez, they were expelled from the United States under title 42. Editorial credit: David Peinado Romero / Shutterstock.com

decades.

One of the reasons that migrants have tried to cross so often is that they have not been able to safely wait in Mexico for Title 42 to end. Human rights organizations have reported that nearly 10,000 people were subjected to horrific abuses when they were turned back to Mexico, including kidnapping, torture rape, and other abuses. Title 42 also shuttered ports of entry to most asylum seekers. For many people, the only way to access the asylum process is to cross the border between ports of entry and hope they will not be expelled.

In conjunction with the CDC’s announcement about the end of Title 42, DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas also issued a statement, indicating that the government would use the next two months to prepare for the termination.

Mayorkas emphasized that the order and the decision to terminate it was the CDC’s—and not DHS or any other government agency.

Advocates have been calling on the Biden administration to end Title 42 since he entered office, with increasing support from congressional Democrats and other political leaders. While they largely applaud today’s announcements, some continue to advocate for the order to be lifted immediately, as DHS Secretary Mayorkas indicated in his statement that expulsions will continue between now and May 23, 2022.

As it prepares for the end of Title 42, DHS laid out its plans for an anticipated increase in people coming to the U.S. southern border. While these plans are independent of the CDC’s announcement, they are clearly intended to demonstrate the government’s ability to handle an increase in migration. DHS said it will increase the number of enforcement officers at the border, stand up “soft-sided” processing centers, and implement other policies to speed up processing of individuals seeking asylum.

Title 42 is and always was an inhumane policy that subjected an unknown number of individuals to violence and uncertainty. It should have been ended long ago, but its termination is a welcome step towards the restarting of the United States’ asylum process.l

Kids Afraid of Getting Shots?/ continued from page 10

n’t think they could do.

This teaches children they can do things even when they are afraid or anxious. You can remind children of this experience when they need to get shots again – or if they are afraid or worried about something else, like public speaking or a school project.

Children are not little adults. They don’t always have the capacity to know what they are feeling or to express themselves when needed. It’s up to you to give them the opportunity and space to identify their feelings – and then help validate those feelings.

Preparing your child for vaccines, staying in close proximity to them during the process and praising them for a job well done will help them navigate this often challenging process with more confidence, courage and assurance.l Lynn Gardner is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Director of Pediatric Residency Program, Morehouse School of Medicine

Be a

Vaccine Hero.

Get Vaccinated!

Vaccinated!

Heroes are protectors.

Vaccination is the best way to protect against COVID-19 and save lives.

For more information on COVID-19 vaccine, visit nyc.gov/covidvaccine or call 212-COVID19.

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BE EQUITY SMART

11

Make Wealth! Stay Wealthy!

BY CHEREEN JAMES

W

e have often seen in the media, celebrities’ rags to riches—to rags stories. It is unfortunate that some people can earn an adequate amount of money, more than the average American, only to squander it on commodities, or sometimes they, unfortunately, fall on hard times. Real estate is a great way to grow your wealth because that asset tends to appreciate over time. What you do with that asset, and what financial decisions you subsequently make, will determine whether you get to keep your wealth.

The wealth you earn from your real estate purchase is known as equity, although fond family memories are a great wealth too. Equity is the difference between the home’s value and what is owed on the property. Once you purchase your home, you can begin to increase equity, starting with the down payment you put on the house. Location is important because an increasing demand for homes exponentially increases its value.

Areas that see a decline in population would often face a slowdown in the growth of the value of their property, but you can still increase your equity by paying down on your mortgage. Another way to improve your home’s value is by making in-demand upgrades. A home that is

well-cared for will attract more buyers, thus increasing its value.

Now that your home is increasing in value, allowing you to build your equity, you are now able to make huge financial decisions. Equity has cash value but is not readily available. Some owners use their equity towards personal loans, like business or student loans. Those loans are taken out with the expectation that you would obtain a higher return in the future.

A business loan, if put towards a stable and flourishing business, will allow you to repay that loan, keep your home, and will let you make more money as a business owner. That is one way owning a home can enable you to acquire even more wealth. Keep in mind, that if that

business fails, you are still responsible for paying that loan. So, make wise decisions.

Another way homeowners use their equity is by cashing it out. You can sell your home, pay off your mortgage and walk away with your equity in cash. You may also request a home equity line of credit from the bank and keep your home.

That way your cash is readily available.

Keep in mind that you will pay interest on a line of credit. You may use your cash to purchase a smaller home or condo and earn more equity on that property.

An essential part of keeping your wealth is the concept of posterity. With posterity, you pass on your wealth to others, like your children after you are gone. By con-

ducting estate planning with a wills and estate attorney, you will make sound decisions so that your wealth continues to grow after you are gone. A key aspect of continuing wealth is in teaching your children or your beneficiaries these gems in building and keeping wealth so that they don’t squander your money and lose the assets they inherited. They can use the assets you leave behind for future wealth to be earned in your family and your community.

We are happy to help and share our insight and experience to help you with the real estate investing process.

Schedule an appointment today. Call 888670-6791.l

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Win for Immigrants/ continued from page 1 What is TPS? The United State Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) describes the TPS as a temporary benefit that does not result in a lawful permanent resident status. Also, it does not grant the applicant any other immigration status.

However, individuals who are eligible and become beneficiaries are qualified to work in the United States and granted authorization to travel. Most importantly, they cannot be removed from the United States.

Thus, once an individual has a TPS, they cannot be detained by the Department for Home Services (DHS) based on their immigration status.

Those with a TPS can apply for nonimmigrant status, file for a status adjustment based on an immigrant petition, and use it for any other eligible immigration benefit or protection.

For a given period, TPS is granted to eligible nationals of certain countries or, in some cases, parts of countries who already reside in the United States. The USCIS can also give TPS to qualified individuals without nationality who last lived in the designated country.

The Secretary of Homeland Security & TPS The Secretary of Homeland Security can approve the qualification of a foreign country for TPS based on certain conditions in the applicant's country of origin.

Editorial credit: Phil Pasquini / Shutterstock.com

HOW TO GET A GREEN CARD

These conditions can briefly prevent the individual from returning safely or adequately to their home country.

The varying conditions include - the case of an epidemic or environmental disaster, ongoing armed conflict, or any other temporary or extraordinary situation.

There are over twelve countries designated for TPS in the United States - El Salvador, Burma, Haiti, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, Somalia, South Sudan, Syria, Sudan, Yemen, and Venezuela, among others.

The Lawsuit In response to the previous administration's discriminatory efforts to quell the program and deport its beneficiaries, in August 2020, a lawsuit was filed by a combination of individual plaintiffs and Pro-Immigration groups - Democracy Forward Foundation, Debevoise & Plimpton LLP, the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC), Montagut & Sobral P.C., the Central American Resource Center (CARECEN)

12 and Seven Temporary Protected Status (TPS) beneficiaries in protest of the new changes.

They sued the Trump administration for unlawfully denying several TPS beneficiaries the chance to take measures to change their immigration status and become permanent residents.

The groups' lawsuit alleged the change violated specific Acts such as the Administrative Procedure Act and the Immigration and Nationality Act and was motivated by an anti-immigrant and racial bias characteristic of Trump's administration.

Secondly, the lawsuit claimed it was an unlawful authorization by an illegally appointed Director, Ken Cuccinelli. The acting Director's appointment was deemed illegal by a federal court in March 2020 in response to another separate lawsuit filed by Democracy Forward Foundation, Debevoise & Plimpton LLP, CLINIC, and RAICES. Victory for Immigrants In a recent development, the CARECEN v. Cuccinelli lawsuit was settled on March 21st.

Under the leadership of USCIS Director Ur Jaddou, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has agreed to restore a path to permanent residency for over tens of thousands of beneficiaries under Temporary Protected Status.

Based on the agreement, the victims of the policy will now be able to have their removal order cases reopened and dis-

missed. Also, eligible beneficiaries will be able to apply for a 'status adjustment' that will enable them to become permanent residents.

Overall, the danger of future deportation no longer exists even if TPS protections are revoked. It is a significant concern for many who have lived in the country for a long time and established a new life in various communities.

The Reaction of Key Players In a press release, the Executive Director of CARECEN expressed satisfaction with the lawsuit's outcome. According to Abel Nuñez, "This victory will change the lives of those individuals impacted."

He also took pride in CARECEN's continued efforts to defend and support the integration of immigrants into new homes within their communities in the country.

He explained that his organization (CARECEN) would work with eligible TPS members that qualify under the settlement. And will keep fighting for the Temporary Protection Status beneficiaries who have lived for over 20 years, have complied with everything asked, and can apply for legal permanent residence.

Anna Gallagher is the Executive Director of one of the Pro Immigration groups, Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc., (CLINIC). She expressed satisfaction with the outcome, especially overcoming a policy that created family disunity. She emphasized celebrating a settlement that will prevent family separation and provide pathways to citizenship for thousands of TPS beneficiaries, similar to the views of other stakeholders.

In line with the sentiments of other leaders, she took pride in the role her organization played, "We are proud to have stood among those who fought against this policy. We celebrate alongside our immigrant brothers and sisters whose lives will now be profoundly changed."

Some of the individual plaintiffs' representatives shared their views: "They are proud to have been part of a team that fought for the change. Both their clients (six clients) and thousands of TPS beneficiaries can reopen and dismiss their deportation cases and proceed with their permanent residence applications to remain in the U.S. with their families and turn their dreams into reality."

The settlement of this lawsuit under President Joe Biden's administration has restored some peace of mind among the beneficiaries. At the same time, the TPS remains a powerful, humanitarian, and necessary way to protect vulnerable people from unforeseen circumstances that are often beyond the recipient's control.

It's a means that helps immigrants start all over in the long journey of rebuilding a life from the shattered pieces they were lucky to have left.

Legal Assistance To find out if you qualify for this new change in TPS, call 855-768-8845 or visit www.askthelawyer.us to schedule an appointment. The lawyer you hire does make a difference!l

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HOW TO GET A GREEN CARD

13

Getting a Visa (K-1) For Your Fiancé to Come to the US to Marry You

I

f you are a U.S. citizen who wants to bring your foreign fiancé(e) to the United States in order to get married, you will need to file a Form I-129F, Petition For Alien Fiancé(e). This is the first step to obtaining a K-1 nonimmigrant visa for your fiancé(e). The K-1 nonimmigrant visa is also known as a fiancé(e) visa.

What You Need to Know About the K-1 Visa •A fiancé visa might be your only option if your U.S. citizen fiancé is unable to travel to your home country to marry you.

•K-1 status lasts for 90 days, which should, if you act reasonably quickly, give you enough time to get married and prepare your green card application.

However, K-1 status cannot be renewed or extended.

•Immediately upon arriving in the United States, you may apply for permission to work. It’s probably not worth doing that, however, because by the time USCIS makes a decision on your work permit application, your K-1 status will have expired, and your application will be rejected. It’s usually wiser to wait until

(CBP). At each stage in the process, background and security checks may be conducted on both you and your fiancé(e). This may include checks in various databases for national security, criminal history, and other information about you and your fiancé(e). These checks are conducted using fingerprints, names, or other biographic or biometric information.

you apply for a Green Card to apply for work authorization.

•After using a fiancé visa to go to the United States and get married, you have a choice of either returning to your home country or staying and applying for a U.S. green card.

•Your unmarried children under the age of 21 are eligible to accompany you on your fiancé visa (as K-2 visa holders).

•The immigrant has a genuine intention to marry the U.S. citizen petitioner after arriving in the U.S. •The two of you have met and seen each other in person within the past two years.

The marriage is not for the sole purpose of obtaining an immigration benefit. In most cases, USCIS will accept a signed statement from each spouse simply stating they intend to marry the other within 90 days of the foreign spouse’s arrival in the U.S. If USCIS gets suspicious for some reason, you’ll need to show proof that you truly plan to get married, such as letters to each other discussing your plans and wedding announcements to friends. One of the most convincing ways to prove this is by showing that you’ve actually set a date for the wedding, and made arrangements like hiring a photographer, or booking a venue. (But leave room for flexibility—you can’t necessarily count on getting the visa!

Requirements •The immigrant’s intended spouse is a U.S. citizen (not a permanent resident or green card holder).

•Both members of the couple are legally able to marry (single and of legal age).

Process for Bringing your Fiancé(e) to the United States The process for bringing your fiancé(e) to the United States involves USCIS, the U.S. Department of State (DOS), and U.S. Customs and Border Protection

Legal Assistance Immigration law is complex. Get the assistance of a qualified and experienced attorney. Call 855-768-8845 or visit www.askthelawyer.us to schedule an appointment.l

Failure to Marry Within 90 Days K-1 and K-2 nonimmigrant status automatically expires after 90 days and cannot be extended. Generally, your fiancé(e) and his or her children must leave the United States at the end of the 90 days if you do not marry. If they do not depart, they will be in violation of U.S. immigration law. This may result in removal (deportation) and could affect their future eligibility for U.S. immigration benefits.

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BIDEN ADMINISTRATION

14

Congress Ends Months of Uncertainty for Immigrant Investors in Regional Centers

BY LESLIE DELLON

F

or more than 8 months, noncitizens with approved immigrant petitions for investments in regional centers have been in limbo.

Congress has now ended that limbo, by reauthorizing the EB-5 regional center program.

At midnight on June 30, 2021, the congressional authorization for the EB-5 regional center program investor category expired. U.S. Immigration and Citizenship Services (USCIS) stopped approving green cards for people in the expired category who had applied to adjust their status to permanent resident in the United States. Consular officers also stopped issuing immigrant visas for people who were processing at U.S. embassies or consulates abroad.

Processing resumed on March 15, 2022, when the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022 became law as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022. Visa numbers can be allocated now because Congress preserved the eligibility (“grandfathered”) people who filed an immigrant investor petition before President Biden signed the new law.

Congress authorized the regional center program through September 30, 2027, although the program provisions do not take effect until May 14, 2022.

Immigrant investors are the fifth employment-based preference category (EB-5) that Congress established in the Immigration Act of 1990. Generally, an immigrant investor applicant must invest at least $1,050,000 in a “new commercial enterprise,” which will create at least 10 full-time jobs that meet certain requirements.

The new law requires that the applicant expect their capital to remain invested for at least two years. A lower minimum amount, now $800,000, applies for investments in targeted rural and high unemployment areas, and in a new category of infrastructure projects.

After USCIS approves an immigrant investor petition, the immigrant investor has not finished the process. The next step is to become a “conditional” U.S. permanent resident, either by immigrant visa processing abroad and then being admitted to the United States or by adjusting status in the United States. The length of this process depends on whether an immigrant visa number is

available and the processing time at the consular post or USCIS. An investor’s spouse and children may also become permanent residents, if eligible, but each requires a separate immigrant visa number.

“Conditional” permanent resident status is limited to two years. To end the “conditional” status, the immigrant investor must file a petition with USCIS within the 90-day period before the two years end, showing that they meet investment and job creation requirements (with some provisions for changed circumstances during the conditional period).

The investor may include the spouse and children in their petition; otherwise each person must file a separate petition.

USCIS must approve the petition for the person to become a permanent resident without conditions. This can be a lengthy and stressful process since it is tied to the investment.

The EB-5 regional center program began as part of a pilot program in 1993.

An EB-5 regional center is a public or private unit designated by USCIS for participation in the Immigrant Investor Program. A regional center investment provides certain advantages to noncitizens seeking approval as immigrant investors.

For example, noncitizens may pool their capital only in a regional center investment. Another example is that noncitizen investors in a regional center may establish that they meet the job creation requirements by relying on “economically and statistically valid methodologies” to determine how many jobs the program created.

The annual numerical limit for employment-based immigrant visas is 140,000.

The EB-5 category has an annual limit of 9,940 (7.1%). Under prior law, Congress set aside 3,000 of the 9,940 annual limit for regional center investors and also required at least 3,000 visa numbers be available for investors in targeted “rural” or “high unemployment” areas.

In FY 2019, consular officers issued 7,659 EB-5 visas to regional center investors, their spouses, and children (of which only seven were not based on investments in targeted areas). In FY 2020, when visa issuance was curtailed

by COVID-19-related restrictions, consular officers issued only 2,266 EB-5

visas to regional center investors, their spouses, and children (of which 13 were not based on investments in targeted areas). Far fewer noncitizens applied to adjust their status to permanent resident in the United States. USCIS did not provide separate statistics for regional center investors but identified only 1,613 adjustments of status in the EB-5 category as a whole for FY 2019 and only 1,213 for FY 2020.

Under the 2022 law, Congress did not preserve a set-aside of visa numbers for regional center investors. But as reflected in FY 2019-20 visa number use, regional center investors were not limited to the 3,000 visa numbers set aside and most had invested in regional centers within targeted areas. In the 2022 law, Congress instead reserved 20% for investors in targeted rural areas, 10% for investors in targeted high unemployment areas, and 2% for investors in infrastructure projects. Any unused visa numbers in these categories in a fiscal year would roll over to the same category in the next year, and any numbers still unused would roll over to the next fiscal year for EB-5 investors generally.

Because family-based immigrant visa numbers unused in a fiscal year are allocated (rolled over) to employment-based categories in the very next fiscal year, an estimated 19,850 visa numbers will be available in the EB-5 category in fiscal year 2022 (October 1, 2021 through September 30, 2022). The unusually high number of visas presents a significant opportunity for people whose application process was halted by the termination of the regional center program.

However, processing backlogs at consular posts and at UCSIS raise serious concerns about whether the additional visa numbers will all be allocated by September 30. But the new visa number rollover provisions may preserve some numbers in targeted areas and infrastructure projects—visa numbers which otherwise would have been lost as of October 1, 2022. We also do not know at this time whether citizens born in certain countries will face backlogs because of visa demand exceeding per-country supply. In June 2021, the last month regional center visa numbers were made available, noncitizens born in China faced a continued on page 15

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BIDEN ADMINISTRATION Immigrant Investors/ continued from page 14 backlog.

Other important changes to the EB-5 program include: •A regional center must submit its application to USCIS for approval of a “specific capital investment project” before investors may file their petitions for immigrant investor status with USCIS. The lead-time required to prepare an application likely means a significant delay before investors begin filing petitions under the new law. USCIS must give priority to regional center applications for targeted rural areas.

•USCIS is now required to conduct a site visit of each project. Congress also provided USCIS with strong sanction mechanisms if regional centers do not comply with reporting and other requirements.

•Because Congress repealed the prior regional center program law, there is concern that regional centers with prior approval from USCIS will have to apply again, or as some attorneys have theorized, submit an amendment, in order to meet new requirements concerning the “bona fides of persons involved with regional centers” and safeguards to protect the integrity of a regional center’s operations.

•Consistent with USCIS’ efforts in past years to make sure that an applicant’s investment is at risk of loss, the law contains various restrictions on financing arrangements, such as an investment in exchange for a note from, or other debt arrangement with, the new commercial enterprise.

•Beginning January 1, 2027, and then every five years, the minimum investment amounts will be adjusted, based on a specified consumer price index, and apply to petitions filed on or after the change becomes effective.

•Investors, their spouses, and children who are in a lawful immigration status in the United States can now file applications to adjust their status to permanent resident at the same time the investor files the immigrant investor petition, if visa numbers would be available to them.

This change treats the EB-5 category like the other employment-based immigrant visa categories. Applicants for adjustment of status also may apply for and receive authorization to work in the United States.

Reauthorizing the EB-5 regional center program is a step in the right direction for immigrant investors, though it remains to be seen how some of the changes will play out in the coming year.l

15

Social Security Administration to Resume In-Person Services at Local Social Security

T

he following is a statement from Kilolo Kijakazi, Acting Commissioner: “I am pleased to announce that local Social Security offices will restore in-person services, including for people without an appointment, on April 7, 2022.

To avoid waiting in line, I strongly encourage people, who can, to use our online services at www.socialsecurity.gov, call us, and schedule appointments in advance rather than walking in without an appointment.

Phone appointments can save you a trip to a busy office. I thank the public for your patience as we work to increase service.

Customers who walk in without appointments may encounter delays and longer waits at our offices. Be aware that our offices tend to be the busiest first thing in the morning, early in the week, and during the early part of the month, so people may want to plan to visit at other times.

Given that many of the people we serve have health vulnerabilities, and consistent with our union agreements, we are continuing to require certain safety measures including masking, physical distancing, and self-health checks for COVID19 symptoms. We will provide masks to the public and employees if they need them.

Thoughtful planning and preparation have shaped our process to restore in-person services. Social Security employees are dedicated to serving the public, and we are ready to welcome the public back to our offices. Our local managers understand and can address the needs of their communities. We have also implemented office-to-office support as well as brought recently retired employees back to assist the public. We thank the many interested stakeholders including the Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Community Living and national advocate organizations for your help.”l

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MONEY MATTERS

16

Statement by President Biden Extending the Pause on Student Loan Repayment Through Aug 31

I

n January 2021, on my first day in office, I directed the Department of Education to pause federal student loan repayments through September of that year. At the time, our economy was barely growing. Fewer than 1 percent of Americans were fully vaccinated.

Millions of Americans were struggling to stay afloat. Because of that pause in repayments, 41 million Americans were able to breathe a little easier during some of the toughest days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Today, America is stronger than we were a year ago—and we will be stronger a year from now than we are today. Thanks to our plan to build the economy from the bottom up and the middle out, the economy has created 7.9 million jobs since I took office—the greatest year of job growth on record.

We’ve seen the fastest economic growth in nearly 40 years. More than 217 million Americans are now fully vaccinated, and 2 out of 3 eligible adults are boosted.

We have the tools we need to move forward safely and return to more normal

routines.

However, as I recognized in recently extending the COVID-19 national emergency, we are still recovering from the pandemic and the unprecedented economic disruption it caused. If loan payments were to resume on schedule in May, analysis of recent data from the Federal Reserve suggests that millions of student loan borrowers would face significant economic hardship, and delin-

quencies and defaults could threaten Americans’ financial stability.

Accordingly, to enable Americans to continue to get back on their feet after two of the hardest years this nation has ever faced, my Administration is extending the pause on federal student loan repayments through August 31st, 2022.

That additional time will assist borrowers in achieving greater financial security and support the Department of Education’s efforts to continue improving student loan programs. As part of this transition, the Department of Education will offer additional flexibilities and support for all borrowers.

I’m asking all student loan borrowers to work with the Department of Education to prepare for a return to repayment, look into Public Service Loan Forgiveness, and explore other options to lower their payments. Vice President Harris and I are focused on supporting borrowers in need, and believe that this pause will provide a continued lifeline as we recover and rebuild from the pandemic.l

REAL ESTATE AGENTS WANTED: APPLY NOW! It's time to make a career choice that you will LOVE. Send your resume to info@equitysmartrealty.com

Creditors’ Harassments!

Lawsuits! Foreclosures!

Get the legal help you need NOW! Call 718-222-3155!

GET YOUR BANKRUPTCY CONSULTATION Documents Required: Save Your: *Home *Business *Car

*Health *Peace of Mind/Health *Marriage/Relationship

*List of debts *Your most recent tax returns *Correspondence from creditors *Lawsuit documents *Social Security and ID *List of assets

Filing a Chapter 7, 11 or 13 bankruptcy may be your only choice!!!

Call 718-222-3155 for a consultation today!

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LOVE & RELATIONSHIPS

17

A 4-step Maintenance Plan to Help Keep Your Relationship Going Strong It turns out that study participants preferred growth-enhancing activities when they were bored, and when given a chance to plan a date, they incorporated more novelty into those outings. Rather than resigning yourself to boredom’s inevitability – “This is just how relationships are” – use boredom as a call to action.

BY GARY W. LEWANDOWSKI JR. THE CONVERSATION

E

arly on, relationships are easy.

Everything is new and exciting.

You go on dates, take trips, spend time together and intentionally cultivate experiences that allow your relationship to grow.

Then, somewhere along the way, life happens.

One study on married couples in their 30s and 40s found that their marital quality declined over the course of a year, in terms of love, passion, satisfaction, intimacy and commitment. Too often, people shrug their shoulders and convince themselves this is just how it goes.

Switching to relationship autopilot feels justifiable when you’re short on time, low on energy and must focus on other priorities like careers and kids.

This is when doubt can creep in and tempt you to hit the reset button.

But maybe you’re being too hard on a perfectly good relationship. Every couple experiences ups and downs, and even the very best relationships take effort.

Rather than getting out, it’s time to get to work. Whether your relationship is

already stuck in a rut, or you’re trying to avoid ending up in one, most people need to focus more on what happens between “I do” and “I don’t want to be with you anymore.” As a relationship scientist, I suggest the following four psychology research-based strategies to kickoff your relationship maintenance plan.

1. Use boredom as a pivot point No one raises their hand and says, “Sign me up for a boring relationship.” But boredom serves a purpose. Like your phone indicating your battery is low,

boredom is an early warning system that your relationship needs a recharge.

At different times, all relationships experience boredom.

Psychology researcher Cheryl Harasymchuk and colleagues have explored how people react.

For example, to turn things around when you’re bored, do you fall back on things that are familiar and make you feel selfassured, like taking a walk around the neighborhood? Or do you choose growth-enhancing activities – like going for a hike on a new trail in an unfamiliar park – to mix things up?

2. Keep dating Rather than wait for boredom to strike, couples would be wise to be more proactive. It’s a simple as continuing to date.

Early in relationships, couples prioritize these one-on-one outings, but eventually begin to coast, just when the relationship could use an extra boost.

To recapture that early relationship magic, research shows that couples should engage in new, challenging and interesting activities. Rather than sitting at staring at your phones, couples should break their routine and try something different. It could be as simple as trying a new restaurant, or even a new dish at a favorite place.

Not only does branching out counteract boredom, but trying new things helps continued on page 18

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LOVE & RELATIONSHIPS

18 Few people enjoy cleaning,

4-step Maintenance Plan/ continued from page 17 you grow as a person. All of this spills over into the relationship, increasing levels of passion, satisfaction and commitment.

In one study, researchers asked married couples either to play games like Jenga, Monopoly, Scrabble and UNO, or take an art class together. All couples increased their levels of oxytocin – the so-called “cuddle hormone” which helps partners bond. But the art class couples had larger oxytocin increases and touched each other more, perhaps because the activity was newer and further outside their comfort zone. That novelty may encourage them to rely on each other for assurance.

3. Movie nights Not looking to dig out your oil paints?

Here’s a lower key option: Grab a spot on the couch and have a couples movie night. Over the course of a month, researchers asked some couples to watch and discuss a romantic comedy such as “When Harry Met Sally,” while others did an intense relationship workshop.

Fast forward three years, and the movie watchers were less likely to have broken up.

It probably isn’t just taking in any film, but rather that watching a romantic story gives couples a less threatening way to discuss relationship issues. It may also help them see their relationship different-

doing laundry or mowing the lawn. Yet, if you neglect those tasks, life quickly falls into disrepair.

Your relationship is just the same. ly. That’s important, because research from psychologist Eli Finkel and others shows that viewing your own relationship through completely neutral eyes helps couples hold off declines in marital quality.

4. Finding the bright spots Activities are great, but you also need to do daily maintenance.

There’s an old adage in psychology research that “bad is stronger than good.”

For relationships, that often means focusing on what’s wrong, while overlooking what’s right. Talk about self-defeating.

Of course, you can just as easily find the ways your relationship is thriving. Be more intentional about noticing your relationship’s bright spots. Not only will you appreciate your partner more, but you can use what’s going well to help improve less bright areas.

Too often, people wait for something to

break before trying to fix it. Adopting a maintenance mentality can more proactively help your relationship.

One new study tested a way to help couples in already healthy relationships.

The researchers’ intervention had couples complete research-based positive psychology activities over four weeks such as: •Write the story of their relationship, focusing on the positives, then share with their partner •Write a letter of gratitude to their partner •Identify their partner’s strengths and their strengths as a couple •Create a list of positive moments or activities partners want to share with each other. Pick one, and plan a time to do it •Create a desired happiness chart and discuss what small relationship tweaks can help make it a reality.

At the end of the month, compared to couples on the study’s waitlist, participants reported more positive emotions, better relationship functioning and improved communication. Another month later, their average relationship functioning remained better than that of the comparison group.

Few people enjoy cleaning, doing laundry or mowing the lawn. Yet, if you neglect those tasks, life quickly falls into disrepair. Your relationship is just the same.

Rather than thinking about replacements when your relationship shows signs of wear, invest the time and energy into a little maintenance. Using any or all of these easy-to-implement strategies should not only help a relationship survive, but hopefully even thrive.l Gary W. Lewandowski Jr. is a Professor of Psychology, Monmouth University

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GENERATIONS

19

Seven Tips for Managing Caregiver Stress During April - National Stress Awareness Month

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tress can damage your health if you do not manage it properly—especially if you are caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease or another dementia-related illness. As part of National Stress Awareness Month this April, the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) is providing seven tips to help caregivers manage their stress.

“Stress management and self-care are essential for every Alzheimer’s caregiver.

Untreated stress increases the risk of caregiver burnout and can cause high blood pressure, heart problems, anxiety, depression, and numerous other health issues,” said Jennifer Reeder, LCSW, AFA’s Director of Educational and Social Services. “Being proactive in dealing with stress has both short-term and longterm benefits for caregivers’ physical, mental, and emotional health, which is why it’s something that they should prioritize.”

AFA suggests the following tips for Alzheimer’s caregivers to prevent and manage their stress: Flexibility helps. A caregiver’s attitude plays a huge role in stress levels—if the caregiver is calm and relaxed, it helps the individual living with Alzheimer’s to be

Your mental health is a priority, and reaching out for help is ALWAYS okay. Don’t let your stress consume you. Keep these tips in mind to take care of yourself during National Stress Awareness Month.

Prioritize, set practical goals, do your best to achieve them, and take things one day at a time. as well. Conversely, an angry, agitated caregiver increases the chances that the person for whom they are caring will be angry and agitated too. Be adaptable, be positive, and aim for constructive solutions to changing situations.

Deal with what you can control. You cannot control every stress-causing factor, but you can control how you react to them. Focusing on finding solutions to the problem can help reduce the stress it’s causing.

Mind your health. Inadequate rest, poor diet and lack of exercise can all exacerbate stress (and create other health prob-

lems as well). As best you can, prioritize getting sleep, eating right, drinking plenty of water and being active. You cannot provide quality care to a loved one if you don’t take care of yourself.

Clear and refresh your mind. Exercise, yoga, meditating, listening to music, walking, or even taking a few deep breaths can all help relax the mind and reduce stress. Find something that works for you and do it regularly!

Take things one day at a time.

Resolving everything at once is both impossible and unrealistic—don’t hold yourself to that unreasonable expectation.

Stay in touch. There are so many ways to stay socially connected with family and friends—visits, FaceTime, phone calls, text messages, and emails, just to name a few. Disconnecting from your support structure and staying bottled-up increases stress.

Be open with your feelings. Sometimes just talking about your stress can help relieve it. Whether it’s with someone in your support structure, a professional or even a stranger, don’t be reluctant to open up. AFA’s Helpline has licensed social workers available for caregivers seven days to provide support or even just listen.l

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Health Commissioner Alerts Providers About Covid-19 Treatment

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pril 5, 2022: Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan today alerted New York City health care providers about available treatments for COVID-19, including the oral antiviral Paxlovid, which can reduce the risk of hospitalization and death by up to 88% when taken within 5 days of symptoms starting.

“The tools we have available to prevent the worst outcomes of COVID-19 are better than they have been at any other point in the pandemic, but they’re only effective if providers know to use them, and how to access them for their patients,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan. “We are raising awareness in the medical community that treatments save lives, and there are ready options for you and your patients who test positive for COVID-19.”

The advisory states that every patient 12 and older, weighing at least 88 pounds, experiencing mild to moderate symptoms, and with at least one factor placing them at high risk for progression to severe disease should be offered treatment.

Commissioner Dr Vasan Photo credit: NYC Health Dept

People at increased risk for severe COVID-19 should be informed about the availability of treatments. They should also get tested immediately if they develop symptoms or were recently exposed to someone with COVID-19 and seek treatment immediately if they test positive – including on a home-based test.

Treatments can improve symptoms and lower the risk of hospitalization and death. They work best when given as soon as possible after symptom onset.

The advisory also informs providers of the availability of Evusheld preventative treatment for patients who are immunocompromised and may not sufficiently respond to the vaccines and for patients allergic to the vaccines. Evusheld is not a substitute for vaccination in people who

can be vaccinated.

Oral antivirals Paxlovid and molnupiravir should be administered within five days of symptom onset. Paxlovid is the preferred treatment option for most highrisk patients with mild to moderate COVID-19, based on National Institutes of Health COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines. Oral antivirals are available by prescription at several pharmacies in New York City, including Test to Treat locations that can test and prescribe treatment in one location.

The Health Department has partnered with Alto Pharmacy to enable same day or next day delivery to patients at no cost.

Alto Pharmacy will also deliver Evusheld to providers offices for administration to their patients.

Monoclonal antibody treatment can be provided intravenously within seven days of symptom onset. Treatment locations can be found at hitesite.org/monoclonalantibody.

If you have symptoms or test positive for COVID-19, talk to your health care provider or call 212-COVID19 (212268-4319).l

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WORKERS’ RIGHTS

21

Home Care Workers to Governor Hochul: “We Deserve Fair Pay”

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ew York is facing an extreme shortage of home care workers due to low wages. Home care workers are essential. It’s time for fair pay. On Monday, April 4, home care workers held a candlelight vigil to demand that Governor Hochul provide permanent raise for home care workers.

They were joined by advocates, supporters, clergy, and elected officials.

“Governor Hochul, we need a boost,” says Geraldine Wright, Home Health Aide. “How are we supposed to live with this little bit of money they pay us? It doesn’t meet our needs. It’s not enough!

We can’t meet the obligations for ourselves because we don’t have the funds to do it. It’s not about living in luxury, we just want to live comfortably and not paycheck to paycheck. I get out every day because I want to help my clients – and they need us because they can’t do for themselves. We must be able to help where needed, but we need more money to do that,” says Wright.

“Fair Pay for home care is critical for our very freedom,” says Jennifer Morretto, Consumer Directed Personal Attendant. “Without a competitive wage, we won’t be able to hire the people we want and need to support our ability to

Editorial credit: John Gomez / Shutterstock.com

stay in the community. Not only that, aides won’t stay if they can get a job with better pay somewhere else. They need a wage that respects the important work they do for us,” says Moretto.

Home Care Workers want Gov. Hochul to include a permanent raise in new state budget, to secure their livelihoods and bolster a workforce in crisis. New York faces the greatest shortage of homecare workers in the nation, who make minimum wage to care for homebound individuals who cannot care for themselves.1 These workers — 90% women and 60% immigrants — need a raise to $22.50 an hour to care for this extremely vulnerable population. A recent CUNY report says some 26,510 new aides must be hired

annually just to keep up with the growing demand for care—and advocates say low wages make it difficult to attract and retain home care workers. It’s time to treat these essential workers with the dignity and respect they deserve.

Advocates say a permanent wage boost would also be a major step forward in addressing the state’s longstanding history of income inequality. New York’s home care workforce is comprised primarily of women of color and immigrants. 1199SEIU leaders say the poverty level wages only perpetuate the racial and gender wage gap.

“New York simply cannot neglect a permanent raise for New York’s home care workers in our state budget,” said

George Gresham, President of 1199SEIU. “These ‘healthcare heroes’ have given everything to protect our state’s most vulnerable people during the greatest public health crisis in generations. We cannot solve the growing home care shortage and provide services for those who desperately need them without investing in the individuals who provide care. For too long, the essential work of caregiving—carried out principally by women of color and immigrants—has been ignored and undervalued. We call on Governor Hochul to do right by New York’s homecare workers and give them the raise they need.”

Despite being paid through the state’s Medicaid program, many workers earn less than $15 an hour. As a result of these low wages and annual earnings, 57% of the state’s home care workers rely upon public assistance.

Livable wages would not only help increase their economic self-sufficiency but also end the state’s massive home care shortage by attracting new workers.

A recent CUNY report says some 26,510 new aides must be hired annually just to keep up with the growing demand for care. The 2022-23 state budget was due April 1.l

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CONVERSATIONS

22

President Biden, You Have the Power to Fight Discrimination. Use It.

BY VANESSA CARDENAS

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merican law is — or ought to be — based on equal treatment. The law applies the same to one person as it does to another, regardless of class, color, or creed. That is part of the American ideal. Americans ought to stand for equal treatment under law and for the truth, especially when facing a post-factual Republican Party. Yet, with the continued expulsion of migrants using Donald Trump’s trumped up COVID-19 excuse to expel all asylum seekers, both the principles of equal treatment and adherence to the truth are being challenged.

Since the pandemic started, the United States has ejected most every migrant seeking asylum at the U.S. border because of something called Title 42, an obscure public health law that allows the Executive Branch to exclude migrants during a public health emergency. White nationalist Trump aide Stephen Miller thought up the use of Title 42 to keep asylum seekers from being able to petition for asylum under U.S. law. This has resulted in thousands of migrants being sent back, in many cases straight back to the countries they fled from in fear in the first place.

The Biden-Harris Administration has chosen to maintain this rule even though medical groups such as Doctors Without Borders and other public health experts have clearly stated that this rule disregards public health practices. There is no medical basis for this policy which is ejecting immigrants quickly and without oversight or legal proceedings and preventing them from asking for asylum under U.S. law. Moreover, the public health conditions have changed, we now know how to safeguard against this virus and we have vaccines to help us minimize transmission. Yet this cruel and discriminatory rule still stands.

World conditions have also changed, the invasion of Ukraine by Vladimir Putin has displaced millions of people and created new refugees. The United States is now seeing the impact of having a border shut off to almost all those who

seek safety at our borders. To accommodate this new refugee reality, the Department of Homeland Security recently announced that they would allow some Ukrainians — and some unaccompanied minors — to be exempt from the blanket expulsion of asylum seekers under Title 42. The Biden administration also announced they intend to help 100,000 Ukrainian refugees reach safety in the U.S. while granting Temporary Protective Status protections to Ukrainians already in the U.S. But now we are witnessing a doublestandard of U.S. immigration policies up close: white European refugees being treated one way while thousands of refugees from other countries are treated differently. Haitians and other asylum seekers fleeing violence no less grave or life-threatening than those fleeing Putin’s violence are summarily rejected and

deported right back to the countries they fled. The same is true for our Afghan allies, Cameroonians and Ethiopians and others who are fleeing armed conflict as deadly as Putin’s invasion. Yet, for these asylum seekers and many others from the Americas and beyond, they are sent away without the chance to ask for or be granted a hearing due to the continued use of Title 42.

This stark inequality is a violation of equal treatment that Americans expect from our laws and demand from a Democratic administration that said it would reject the discrimination and overt racism of the previous president. It also violates international law.

President Biden is fond of saying “America leads not by the example of our power, but by the power of our example.”

In continuing to use Title 42, America is setting up an unjustifiable, arbitrary, and discriminatory example. The BidenHarris Administration has the power to end this policy and reinstitute fairness and equality in how asylum seekers are treated. Upholding our values is the right thing to do and it is up to the President to end Title 42. l Vanessa Cardenas, Deputy Director of America’s Voice. This Op-ed was published in the Medium on March 30, 2022

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