The Immigrant’s Journal - Vol. 169

The Immigrant’s Journal Vol. 169

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

July 14, 2022

Email: immjournal @aol.com

USCIS Restores Pathway to a Green Card for TPS Holders

BY KJERSTIN LEWIS

U

.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published a new policy memorandum on July 1 that eliminated a barrier for many Temporary Protected Status (TPS) recipients and restored a pathway many have used to obtain a green card. It also provides beneficiaries with a process for traveling outside of the United States and returning in TPS status, if still eligible.

The new memo rescinds an August 2020 policy adopting the decision, Matter of Z-R-Z-C-.

Matter of Z-R-Z-C- targeted the subset continued on page 12

Supreme Court Permits Biden to Terminate ‘Remain in Mexico’ Program ...8

Editorial credit: lev radin / Shutterstock.com

Extension of TPS for Venezuela ....12

Gov Hochul Signs Legislative Package to Empower Victims of Crime ....4

The Devastation of Immigration Services Fraud

BY MARY CAMPBELL

I

mmigrants who seek to adjust their immigration status can be at risk of being scammed by companies or individuals who provide unauthorized and fraudulent immigration services.

Unscrupulous individuals’ prey on immigrants knowing that they are vulnerable, and fear complaining to authorities.

The New York Attorney General protects immigrants who seek to adjust their status by enforcing federal, state, and local laws. The New York State

AG James fights to protect immigrants Editorial credit: a katz / Shutterstock.com

Immigrant Assistance Services Law is just one among a body of comprehensive state laws that mandates important requirements for non-attorneys providing limited immigration assistance to the public. Some of the key provisions of the law governing such Immigrant Assistance Service Providers include the following: •Providers cannot give legal advice or counsel a person on his or her eligibility for immigration status, including how to fill out answers on immigration forms; continued on page 5

New DOL Immigrant Whistleblower Policy ....2

Brian Figeroux, Esq.

It's Getting Easier to Get a Mortgage.

How You Can Take Advantage ....9

8-page Special. Your Health Matters: NYC Care and more! ....15

IN THE NEWS

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New DOL Immigrant Whistleblower Policy

T

he U.S. Department of Labor recentlyposted a Frequently Asked Questions document to provide workers experiencing a worksite labor dispute with guidance on how to seek the department’s support for their requests to the Department of Homeland Security for immigration-related prosecutorial discretion.

For the Department of Labor to carry out the laws its enforces, workers must feel free to participate in its investigations and proceedings without fear of retaliation or consequences related to their immigration status. The department has long supported DHS’ use of prosecutorial discretion – on a case-by-case basis – for certain workers subjected to abusive and exploitative labor practices.

For decades, the department has memorialized this relationship through agreements with immigration officials. The most recent 2011 Memorandum of Understanding between the departments of Labor and Homeland Security set forth ways in which the departments will work together to ensure that their respective civil worksite enforcement activities do not conflict, and ultimately advance each department’s mission. The MOU recognizes that effective enforcement of labor law is essential to ensure proper wages

and working conditions for all covered workers regardless of immigration status, and that effective enforcement of immigration law is essential to protect the employment rights of lawful U.S. workers.

In response to the announcement of a new workers rights policy by the US Department of Labor, groups from the Blue Ribbon Commission on Immigrant Work released the following statements below workers and members of the Blue Ribbon Commission: “For over a year, we have fought to win these protections for workers in Las Vegas. Today we lift up DOL’s announcement, that many more workers across the nation can access the same much-needed and long-awaited protections,” said Rosario Ortiz, worker and member of the Arriba Las Vegas Workers Center.

“We are grateful for the courage of workers across Mississippi who have helped make this possible, speaking out, denouncing workplace abuse. But today, our question remains, how and when will Mississippi workers benefit from this policy?” said Lorena Quiroz, Executive Director of the Immigrant Alliance for Justice & Equity of Mississippi.

“After losing six of our community members last year in a preventable nitro-

Editorial credit: Sundry Photography / Shutterstock.com

gen leak, we are happy DOL has listened to the advocacy of worker groups in the Blue Ribbon Commission. We will continue to push as formerly undocumented workers and their children in GAFU for the protection of workers who have made places like Gainesville, GA the poultry capitol of the world. I eagerly await President Biden to further this initiative so our hardworking manufacturing community can step out of the shadows,” said Maria del Rosario Palacios, Co-founder GA Familias Unidas.

On behalf of the full Blue Ribbon Commission: “If there is progress today it is because immigrant workers in Mississippi, Nevada, Georgia, Connecticut, New

Jersey, California, NY, and across the country have been ringing the alarm, and demanding respect and recognition for their labor. Today, our work has only just begun to turn the tide on the crisis of exploitation in the US. “This policy will only be effective if workers are aware that it exists and if they are able to understand and engage in the process that it lays out. We will evaluate this policy based on the results for the many day laborers, poultry workers, and others who face workplace abuse every day. We expect President Biden and his administration knows this, and we welcome DHS Secretary Mayorkas and Secretary Marty Walsh to meet directly with workers to tell them about this policy.”l

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3

TIME FOR ACTION

Even in Limbo, DACA Remains in Play

BY MARIBEL HASTINGS & DAVID TORRES AMERICA’S VOICE

Legal Advisor Brian Figeroux, Esq.

W

hile a New Orleans appeals court heard arguments about the legality of DACA—and Dreamers’ defenders extolled the contributions this group of young people make to the economy and fabric of this nation—county officials in the south of Texas were asking Governor Greg Abbott to declare an “invasion” of undocumented immigrants that merits, according to them, that the state direct its own resources to expel them.

This is an anti-immigrant litany that never ends and that has no logical support, not by demographics nor the economy, much less the immigration tradition of the United States. It is, principally, a reflection of the tired, old rhetoric that will surely shame future generations in this country, and the world.

We have to ask how many Dreamers crossed via the southern border and are considered “invaders” by this type of official, and that sector of the population that wants everyone to be expelled, even migrants as valiant as the Dreamers. This happens when undocumented people are criminalized and it’s assumed that everyone who doesn’t have papers is a “criminal.”

We repeat: this is a rhetorical device that only serves to show the intellectual and political poverty of those who prefer to act against positioning the United States as an inclusive and diverse country, rather than losing their class and, especially, racial privileges. In their parallel universe, minorities should not demand anything.

Of course we also cannot bury our heads in the sand and minimize the complaints of many border residents. But this is what happens when you have a broken migration system that responds neither to the needs of the labor market nor humanitarian factors. There is no distinction between a legitimate asylum-seeker and someone who wants to reunite with their family members or offer their labor. It all gets jumbled up in this human mass that unfortunately also includes drug traffickers, smugglers, and all those who, one way or another, exploit the needs and desperation of undocumented people.

But we also have to be clear that today’s migrations are not being analyzed fairly, especially by the most developed countries, who only respond with basic policies to regulate the migration flow or simply obstruct the passage

TEAM Publisher I.Q. INC.

Managing Editor & Editor-in-Chief Pearl Phillip Senior Writer Linda Nwoke Graphic & Website Designers Praim Samsoondar Kendrick Williams Anvar Sabirov Email immjournal@aol.com Editorial credit: lev radin / Shutterstock.com

of migrants through their borders, without taking into account economic inequality, internal conflicts, and even climate change. Those are three drivers that push millions of human beings to abandon everything and leave their countries of origin, with the goal of charting a new path for their and their families’ lives. Anyone who doesn’t understand this is lacking all context.

While the Dreamers have always enjoyed sympathy from politicians and the general populace, legislation to legalize them still has not been approved, such that they depend on programs like the one President Barack Obama created, under pressure, in 2012; we’re referring to Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), which gave work permits and protection from deportation to those who arrived in the United States before 2007. However, a judicial decision limits it to renewing permits, and not accepting new applications. This year, for example, 100,000 undocumented young people graduated from high school without the ability to apply for DACA. The case against DACA was led by Texas and joined by the governments of Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Nebraska, South Carolina, and West Virginia. They argue that the program imposes “costs” to state governments and even affirm that, if it did not exist, many of those Dreamers would end up leaving the United States, as if that were realistic or, in fact, beneficial for this country. It’s clear that the eternal complaint of anti-immigrant people has nothing to do with “legality,” and everything to do with a racist attitude that they can’t hide, especially after the most xenophobic president in the history of the United States, Donald Trump, came to power.

Multiple studies of the program conclude something very concrete: the Dreamers add more than $40 billion to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per year, which translates into six times more than the $7 billion DACA costs the United States. That is due to, among many other factors, the fact that this group of young people have also become part of the economy as purchasers and investors, whether it be in the automobile industry or housing. They have also opened businesses, and especially strengthened the international competitiveness of this country through their educational preparation.

Is anyone else carrying this load right now, especially with this anti-immigrant pushback always against them? No, to be realistic, those Dreamers contribute a lot more than many anti-immigrant people who just base their “superiority,” erroneously, on racial factors, turning into beings that emanate hate, prejudice, and division.

Basically, those three anomalies that a large part of U.S. society suffers from cannot—must not—be prioritized in the historical path that any nation, strong or weak, must walk, in this 21st century, from which better things are expected on all fronts, especially human rights.

Now, the future of DACA is in the hands of the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. On the three-judge panel that heard the case this past Wednesday, two were nominated by ex-President Donald Trump.

What is not clear is whether this case will end up in the U.S. Supreme Court, dominated by conservatives, where good news for the most vulnerable sectors of this country has not recently emanated.l

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 Tel: 718-243-9431

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KNOW YOUR RIGHTS

4

Governor Hochul Signs Legislative Package to Empower Victims of Crime

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overnor Kathy Hochul recently signed a legislative package to empower victims of crime. This sweeping package of bills expands what qualifies as documentation of identity theft and expands the eligibility of victims of unlawful dissemination of intimate images, as well as reckless endangerment. These bills will help to lift up victims of these heinous acts and give them the opportunity to seek justice.

"In New York we believe strongly in protecting and uplifting all victims," Governor Hochul said. "This legislative package allows victims that have not been physically injured to still obtain compensation for other impacts of various crimes — taking an important step to help victims seek the justice they deserve."

Legislation (S.9359/A.7487) expands which documents can be used to show identity theft in certain circumstances relating to debt collection. These materials can now include Federal Trade Commission and Law enforcement reports, as well as criminal and family court documents. This increases protection for victims of identity theft by requiring creditors to cease collection activities until completion of their review of certain information. Under existing law, victims

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

of identity theft must have filed a police report for a creditor to cease collection, with there being no alternative if a police report was not filed. This will allow more victims of identity theft to put these heinous acts behind them.

State Senator Kevin Thomas said, "Identity theft impacts New Yorkers from all walks of life, and can happen to any of us. Under current law, creditors can only halt collection activities if identity theft victims file a police report documenting the alleged theft, with no acceptable alternatives. Certain victims

who may not feel safe turning to law enforcement to report such activity have a harder time proving the legitimacy of their claims. My legislation expands protections in New York by now including family court filings, Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ID Theft Victim form and more as acceptable documents needed for debtors to cease collection efforts until completion of their review.

Affording these alternate ways to properly report such victimization is the right thing to do — and I thank Governor Hochul for protecting consumers by making it easier to access financial relief."

Assemblymember Charles Fall said, "I along with many New Yorkers who have been impacted by identity theft, especially from someone they may know, thank Governor Hochul for signing my legislation today. Affording victims, especially of domestic violence and elder abuse an alternate way to report such victimization in order for debtors to pause collection efforts while other factors are considered is the right thing to do."

Legislation (S.8975/A.7489) expands the eligibility of victims of unlawful dissemination or publication of an intimate image as defined in section 245.15 of the Penal Law (Revenge Porn). Under cur-

rent law, to be eligible for reimbursement for certain crime-related expenses, one must be a physically injured victim of a crime. This bill allows uninjured victims of unlawful dissemination of intimate images to be reimbursed. This gives more power to victims of revenge porn acts and allows them to collect damages for what they endured.

State Senator Julia Salazar said, "These bills expand the list of offenses the crime victim can receive compensation for.

This helps fill the gaps the previous law has left wide open. We want to make sure victims of all offenses, regardless if there is physical injury or not, are protected and compensated accordingly."

Assemblymember Monica Wallace said, "The crime of revenge porn leaves emotional and psychological scars that are just as painful and enduring as the scars suffered from a physical assault. This legislation therefore allows victims who have had their intimate images unlawfully disseminated to receive the same services and compensation as victims of other crimes, including access to mental health counseling and relocation expenses. I thank Governor Hochul for her support of this legislation and for providing victims of revenge porn with the tools they need to heal."l

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KNOW YOUR RIGHTS

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Immigration Services Fraud/ continued from page 1 •Providers cannot state directly or indirectly that he or she has special influence with or can obtain special favors or guarantee an outcome from the United States Citizenship and Immigrations Services, the Department of Homeland Security, the Executive Office for Immigration Review, or any other governmental entity; •Providers cannot demand a fee in exchange for immigration forms or for a referral to a qualified legal service provider; •Providers must provide written contracts in the language understood by the immigrant customer; •Customers can cancel their contracts and get a refund and upon request have their original documents and immigration file returned to them, even if there is a fee dispute; and •Providers must post clear multi-lingual signage about the limited scope of their services.

The immigrant community is a fragile one.We spoke to Attorney Brian Figeroux of the Law Firm of Figeroux & Associates. Mr Figeroux has been practicing immigration law for almost 25 years and is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA). He shared the following: "When

people come to the office with immigration issues, it's a painful situation. If they have been taken advantage of and defrauded, they've been here for many years, undocumented, and exploited by their employers or fellow people from their own community. So, yes, pain is a common thing."

Pain and Arleigh Lousion There are many fraudulent immigration providers. There is a new one lurking in the community that we have eyes and ears on. One of the more recent immigration fraud service providers was Arleigh Louison.

Federal 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).

Figeroux spoke on the pain and the devastation from Louison's fraud: "So, one of the pains that people suffer, a lot of people in Kings County, especially from the Caribbean, is the pain that they have after Arleigh Louison, who is now deceased. He defrauded people by submitting fraudulent immigration applications on their behalf. There were lies in those applications that persons were abused by their spouses, children, or others, which did not qualify them for immigration benefits."

Figeroux continued, "So, Arleigh Louison knew that you had pain. He was a notary, not a lawyer. Louison preyed on that pain and filed those fraudulent applications because he knew you would make bad decisions. You would make immoral decisions or Christian life decisions to have the ability to work in America. He also knew that you got to feed your children, wife, husband, and family back home. You need to send those barrels. He's aware of it. And by being aware of your pain and your need economically to survive, he took advantage of you. It doesn't matter what he said. You would sign those forms even though you didn't know what was written on the documents, which is what many persons who Arleigh Louison defrauded said. And there are other notaries in the community that do the same. In fact, some bad lawyers do the same. So, when

you have pain, you also must be careful to who you disclose your pain, and you must get a second or third consultation if you think what the person is saying is either illegal, immoral or will get you into trouble.

Problems for Victims/Clients of Arleigh Lousion Yes, Louison has since passed. However, he has left a carnage of victims facing deportation and many 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.

Legal Assistance 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 case evaluation.

ASK THE LAWYER – call 855-7688845 or visit www.askthelawyer.us to schedule an appointment.l

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Lawsuits! Foreclosures!

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

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Call 718-222-3155 for a consultation today!

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LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

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Immigrant Rights Look Very Different After the Latest Supreme Court Term

BY AMERICAN IMMIGRATION COUNCIL STAFF

R

ecent decisions by the Supreme Court have roiled the immigrant rights community. Though many decisions weren’t surprising given the conservative majority on the Court, the decisions touch on a wide range of issues—from federal court review of detention to agency accountability for misconduct at the border.

Some of the Court’s decisions addressed immigration law directly, while the Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe v. Wade, for example, signaled a warning that other rights currently protected under the Constitution may be threatened in the future. One bright spot was the Court’s recent decision upholding the Biden administration’s right to end the Migrant Protection Protocols, or the “Remain in Mexico” program.

Decisions Regarding Immigration Detention and a Court’s Ability to Grant Relief Both the Garland v. Aleman Gonzalez and Johnson v. Arteaga-Martinez cases decided this term involved noncitizens who had been ordered removed from the United States. Each sought withholding of that removal because they feared persecution in their home country.

The Court decided in both cases to overturn lower court rulings that required

bond hearings if a person in removal proceedings had been detained for longer than six months. The Court found that the immigration statute did not require these bond hearings. As counsel in Aleman Gonzalez stated, however, the ruling does allow for a challenge to the federal policy on constitutional grounds.

In addition, in a blow to class action litigation, the Court ruled in Garland v.

Aleman Gonzalez that granting classwide relief on behalf of individuals challenging their detention was prohibited.

The Court ruled that lower courts may not enter an injunction that instructs federal immigration officials to act in a specific way with respect to decisions to enforce provisions of the law governing “inspection, apprehension, examination, and removal . . .” of immigrants. Despite the absence of injunctive relief, other types of relief—such as declaratory relief—may continue to be available.

Decision Limiting Review of Factual Error Patel v. Garland centers around Pankajkumar Patel, a native of India, who erroneously checked a box on a Georgia drivers’ license application labeled “U.S. citizen.” When the immigration court found Patel ineligible for relief, his attorneys asked for review of that decision by a federal court. They argued immigration statute permits review of eligibility for relief and only prohibits review of the

ultimate discretionary decision to grant relief.

The Court disagreed. It found that federal courts could not review factual findings related to certain discretionary relief, even when the facts are tied to eligibility and not the ultimate exercise of discretion.

With a case backlog of nearly 1.8 million cases and an over-stressed and understaffed court system, we expect immigration judges to sometimes make mistakes about individuals’ eligibility for relief from removal. With Patel, those mistakes will now be more difficult to review.

The decision also leaves open questions about the scope of the decision. Following the majority’s logic, federal courts may no longer be able to review denial of adjustment of status applications issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, in which the immigration agency also makes factual determinations about eligibility for relief. This may be the next wave of litigation on this judicial review provision.

Decision in Favor of Ending “Remain in Mexico” Program In Biden v. Texas, the Supreme Court gave a decisive win to the Biden administration, rejecting arguments that the Biden administration could not end the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP). The Court ruled that immigration law does not require the Biden administration to send people to Mexico to wait for their asylum hearings in the United States; the ability to return asylum seekers to Mexico is discretionary.

Under the portions of the ruling addressing judicial review, questions now remain about whether a court now can “vacate” a policy under the Administrative Procedure Act and what it means for a court to hear a lawsuit in a case where it does not have the authority to issue a binding ruling. And though MPP now will end, many asylum seekers will remain outside of the United States because Title 42—the primary obstacle to seeking protection in the United States—remains intact.

Decision Finding Monetary Remedies Not Available to Hold Border Patrol Agent Accountable for Assault The Supreme Court decision in Egbert v.

Boule barred a civil rights lawsuit against a U.S. Border Patrol agent for reportedly entering the property of a U.S. citizen without a warrant and assaulting him.

Mr. Boule was the owner of a bed and breakfast near the U.S.-Canada border. In 2014, Border Patrol Agent Egbert entered the property to question one of Mr. Boule’s international guests. When Mr. Boule asked Agent Egbert to leave, Agent Egbert threw Mr. Boule to the ground.

After Mr. Boule filed a complaint with Border Patrol about his excessive use of force, Agent Egbert allegedly retaliated by initiating investigations into Mr. Boule’s business.

Mr. Boule filed a lawsuit relying on a 1971 Supreme Court case called Bivens v.

Six Unknown Named Agents of Federal Bureau of Narcotics. Congress has never passed a law that allows people to sue federal agents for money for violating the Constitution. However, a successful lawsuit based on the Bivens case allows an individual to hold a federal government official accountable for violating their constitutional rights and collect monetary damages for the harm they suffered.

In its opinion, the Supreme Court held that Mr. Boule could not bring Bivens claims because a lawsuit against a Border Patrol agent necessarily implicates national security concerns. Because of that, only Congress could allow such a lawsuit.

The Court also found a Bivens remedy inappropriate because U.S. Border Patrol has a grievance process. The Court said it did not matter that this process did not award Mr. Boule monetary damages, that it could not be appealed, or, as the dissent points out, that it offers “no meaningful protection of the constitutional interests at stake.”

The Supreme Court’s decision likely makes it virtually impossible to bring a Bivens action against Border Patrol agents in the future. This removes an important tool for holding that agency—one known for abuse and misconduct—accountable.

And Border Patrol has proven unwilling to police itself. According to a study, over 95% of disciplinary actions resulting from complaints result in no consequences against the agent. By ruling against a Bivens action, the Court leaves individuals like Mr. Boule without any options to seek damages for the violations against them.

Decision Overturning Roe v. Wade Justice Samuel Alito’s opinion in Dobbs v.

Jackson Women’s Health overturning Roe v. Wade was based on a legal concept known as “originalism,” which looks to the original text of the Constitution to discern fundamental rights. The Court determined Roe was wrongly decided because the right to an abortion is not mentioned in the Constitution and so, in the view of the majority, not protected as a “fundamental right.”

Other long-standing Supreme Court decisions implicating immigrants’ rights may now be at risk. An immigrant’s right to an education under Plyler v. Doe is one example. Plyler originated from an attempt by the state of Texas to prohibit the use of state funding to educate any students that were not “lawfully admitted” into the country. In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court held in Plyer that the right of these students to a public education was covered by the 14th Amendment Equal Protection Clause. An immigrant’s right to an education, for example—a right not explicitly spelled out in the Constitution but protected under the 1982 Supreme Court case Plyer v. Doe—might be in danger.l

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FAMILY MATTERS

7

Deferred Action for Special Immigrant Juveniles

U

.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on March 7, 2022, announced that it is updating the USCIS Policy Manual to consider deferred action and related employment authorization for noncitizens who have an approved Form I-360, Petition for Amerasian, Widow(er), or Special Immigrant, for Special Immigrant Juvenile (SIJ) classification but who cannot apply to adjust status to become a lawful permanent resident (LPR) because a visa number is not available.

Deferred action is an act of prosecutorial discretion that defers proceedings to remove a noncitizen from the United States for a certain period. Deferred action does not provide lawful status.

The program created in 1990 allows immigrants under 21 to apply for permanent residency in the United States if a state court determines that they need protection and that returning to their home countries would be unsafe. The SIJ classification is available to noncitizen children subject to state juvenile court proceedings related to abuse, neglect, abandonment, or a similar basis under state law. SIJ classification does not confer lawful status and does not result in eligi-

bility to apply for employment authorization. Deferred action and related employment authorization will help to protect noncitizens with SIJ classification who cannot apply for adjustment of status solely because they are waiting for a visa number to become available. This process furthers congressional intent to provide humanitarian protection for abused, neglected, or abandoned noncitizen children for whom a juvenile court has determined that it is in their best interest to remain in the United States.

USCIS will consider deferred action on a case-by-case basis and will grant it if the SIJ warrants a favorable exercise of discretion. USCIS will automatically conduct deferred action determinations for individuals with SIJ classification who cannot apply for LPR status because a visa number is not available. A separate request for deferred action is not required and will not be accepted by USCIS. SIJs who have moved since their Form I-360 was approved should update their address with USCIS as soon as possible

to ensure that they receive correspondence related to deferred action.

If USCIS grants deferred action, it will be for a period of four years. An SIJ who has been granted deferred action will be able to apply for employment authorization for their period of deferred action by filing Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, and indicating eligibility category (c)(14).

USCIS Director Ur Jaddou in a statement said the policies would help children who are abused or abandoned rebuild their lives in the United States.

"These policies will provide humanitarian protection to vulnerable young people for whom a juvenile court has determined that it is in their best interest to remain in the United States," she said.

This update contained in Volume 6 of the Policy Manual, is effective May 6, 2022, and applies to eligible noncitizens classified as SIJs before, on or after May 6, based on an approved Form I-360.

This guidance is controlling and supersedes any prior guidance on the topic. l

Read more stories at www.311immigration.com

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BIDEN ADMINISTRATION

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Supreme Court Permits Biden to Terminate ‘Remain in Mexico’ Program

BY AARON REICHLIN-MELNICK

A

lmost a year after the Supreme Court allowed a federal judge in Texas to order the Biden administration to restart the so-called “Migrant Protection Protocols” (MPP), the Supreme Court ruled in the Biden administration’s favor on June 30. The decision will not only permit President Biden to finally end MPP, also known as the “Remain in Mexico program, but it also holds that the original injunction ordering the administration to restore the program was procedurally invalid.

As a result, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas’s October 2021 memo terminating the program a second time will go into effect. The Biden administration can now end the program in the short term while challenges to that renewed memo work their way through the courts.

The decision was written by Justice Roberts, who was joined by Justices Kavanaugh, Breyer, Kagan, and Sotomayor. Justice Barrett wrote separately to say that she agreed with the merits of the decision, but she dissented because she believed the case should

have been dismissed on procedural grounds. Only Justices Alito, Thomas, and Gorsuch agreed with Texas that the Biden administration was required to maintain the program.

In the short term, the decision likely means an end to MPP at the border. With Secretary Mayorkas’ second termination memo likely to go into effect in the upcoming days, the Biden administration should be able to begin winding down the program and will hopefully permit the reentry of the over 5,000 individuals it had sent back to Mexico to await their day in immigration court. However, litigation over the program will continue in Texas as to whether Mayorkas’ memo was valid under the Administrative Procedure Act. In his decision, Justice Roberts squarely rejected all arguments that Texas had won in the lower courts. He ruled that the language of the immigration law, which says that any administration “may” send people to Mexico, does not require the Biden administration to send people to Mexico if it cannot detain all others who cross the border.

Roberts also rejected the 5th Circuit’s attempt to deny all legal effect to

Editorial credit: Ron Adar / Shutterstock.com

Secretary Mayorkas’ October 2021 memo. He also rejected the 5th Circuit’s implication that Mayorkas was not open to the possibility that MPP should remain in place. This makes it clear that a new presidential administration is allowed to make its own policy decisions based on its own point of view and priorities.

In the most debated aspect of the decision, Justice Roberts held that a section of the Immigration and Nationality Act stripped the lower courts of their authority to issue the type of injunction that required the Biden administration to reinstate the policy. However, he ruled that the lower court did have jurisdiction to hear the lawsuit in the first place, but it

REAL ESTATE AGENTS WANTED:

was not allowed to enter an injunction against the policy.

All four dissenters disagreed, saying that they thought this analysis was not ripe for decision and that they believed the lower court needed to consider more arguments on whether it should have been able to hear the lawsuit in the first place, in light of the Supreme Court’s recent decision in Aleman-Gonzalez.

This decision on jurisdiction will have significant ramifications for immigration enforcement lawsuits, further limiting the authority of courts in cases not brought by individual immigrants. There will be more court battles about what this limit means, and whether a court can “vacate” a policy under the Administrative Procedure Act without running afoul of the limitations. It is also unclear what it means for a court to hear a lawsuit in a case where it doesn’t have the authority to issue a binding ruling.

There will be years of litigation going forward establishing the bounds of this decision.

Despite the long-term implications on immigration civil rights litigation, Thursday’s decision was an unmitigated victory for the Biden administration. It will be able to end the Remain in Mexico program for now. But for asylum seekers, Title 42 remains the number one obstacle to seeking protection in the United States, so the decision will have a much more muted effect. For those who are waiting at the border for a chance to seek protection, some will benefit, but most will be unaffected.l

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AMERICAN DREAM

9

It's Getting Easier to Get a Mortgage.

How You Can Take Advantage.

I

t can be hard to stay on top of a changing real estate market from dayto-day, but it's a matter of fact that there are more available mortgage products out there than ever before for many kinds of homebuyers. If you're wondering how you can take advantage of easier lending opportunities and strike while the iron is hot, here are some things to consider: Take Care of Your Credit While many regulations on mortgage applications may have been loosened in recent years, it is understood that having a better credit score will still enable you to qualify for a mortgage more readily.

Instead of risking it, ensure that you've obtained a copy of your credit score and are aware of where you stand as a financial risk. By working on your credit and correcting any errors on your report, it will be that much more likely to have your mortgage application approved.

Saving for a Down Payment It's often said that 20% is the ideal amount to put down to avoid private mortgage insurance, but it's not the required amount to invest in a home.

While it may save money overall to put

more money down, for those who want to get into the housing market, there are many opportunities for putting a lot less down and still being able to purchase. It's possible you may want to hold off until you can save up for your down payment, but possibilities exist for mortgages with as little as 3.5% down.

Dealing with Closing Costs Saving up for a down payment and deciding to invest in a monthly mortgage payment is a significant commitment, but adding mortgage closing costs to that can be a bridge too far for many potential homebuyers. Fortunately, many lenders

nowadays are offering the opportunity for closing costs like origination and attorney fees to be included in the total cost of the loan. While this will bump up the amount of your monthly payment, it can make a mortgage more feasible from the start.

For many people, there's a lot of stress that goes along with applying for a mortgage, but with lower down payments required and closing costs included in the total price, getting approved has become a lot easier in recent years. If you're currently on the market for a new home, you may want to contact one of our mortgage professionals for more information at 888-670-6791.l

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

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IMMIGRANTS’ CONCERNS

10

Ukrainian Refugee Groups Decry Trickle of U.S. Help

BY REUVEN BLAU, THE CITY

S

ocial service groups assisting Ukrainian immigrants say they are overwhelmed with thousands of calls and walk-ins from people seeking refuge from the war-torn country — and that limited government funds haven’t come close to covering basic needs.

The Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs has given a total of $2 million to five nonprofits supporting newly arrived Ukrainian refugees since Russian forces invaded in late February.

“The need is overwhelming,” said Sue Fox, executive director of the Shorefront YM-YWHA of Brighton-Manhattan Beach.

The group was given $200,000 from the city’s “Ukrainian Response Initiative” to pay for staff dedicated to helping people fleeing from Ukraine.

“We have all of these phone calls coming in for help but there are limited dollars,” she said, noting that none of the money her organization got is being used to pay for housing or legal assistance.

Some 9,803 “supporters” have applied to sponsor Ukrainian immigrants in New York since April, the highest total of any state, according to the U.S. Department

of Health and Human Services’ Office of Refugee Resettlement.

Illinois is the next closest state with 8,056 sponsor applications.

The number of Ukrainian refugees in New York is around 15,000, because each sponsor can assist multiple people, immigrant advocates note. The true total is unclear because it could also include people who have come to New York or other parts of the country on tourist visas but are now staying because of the war.

‘There’s Not Really Robust Support’ In New York, many are struggling to pay for basic necessities like food and housing, according to advocacy groups. The challenge is particularly difficult for people living in New York City where the price of housing has spiked to record highs since the pandemic.

And the issue isn’t unique to Ukrainians: immigration advocates point out. Social service groups have for decades been stretched to the seams trying to help immigrants from Afghanistan, Haiti and various other countries.

“This is not a new phenomenon,” said Kelly Agnew-Barajas, director of refugee resettlement at Catholic Charities.

Start date: Thursday, August 4 from 6pm. Register at www.nacc.nyc/esr FREE to Chamber Coalition Members. Non-members: $150!

“Asylum seekers have been coming to the United States, people in very similar circumstances for generations, and there’s not really robust support to help.”

Some of the slow rollouts are due to bureaucratic red-tape holding up federal funds and how that money will be distributed, according to social service groups.

“Part of the problem is that the [federal] assistance is piecemeal,” said Alex Caudill, assistant director at HIAS NY, a nonprofit that’s been helping refugees for 140 years.

She noted that about a month ago the feeral Office of Refugee Settlement got $5 billion from Congress to help Ukrainian immigrants.

Ukrainian immigrants are eligible for some financial assistance for employment help and case management. But that doesn’t cover housing or furniture costs.

“That’s been a struggle for refugee resettlement agencies because we’ve had to adjust how we provide assistance,” Caudill said.

‘All the Resources Are Spread Out’ Many are primarily just left to seek help from friends and family.

Inna Malamura, 36, and her daughter, Polina, 10, came to New York City after fleeing from Vinnytsia, a city in westcentral Ukraine near Kiev.

Now they live in a one-bedroom apartment with three other people in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, where they share the tight living space with another Ukrainian immigrant. Everyone — aside from the unit’s owner — sleep on makeshift beds.

It’s a far cry from Malamura’s cozy apartment back home — located near a military base that has been shelled — which is now being watched by a neighbor.

Before fleeing, the 36-year-old worked as a top manager in charge of the country’s ambitious street repaving and expansion plan.

Now, she spends her days trying to navigate a maze of bureaucracy.

“The main problem is the paperwork,” she said through a Russian interpreter.

“There’s no manual on how to legalize our status. There’s no step-by-step instructions. All the resources are spread out.”

Shortly after Russia invaded, Malamura, her daughter and 17-year-old son spent days racing to a nearby bomb shelter. The sirens seemed to go off all the time, she said via a Russian interpreter.

To get away from the onslaught she

drove to her parent’s home in the countryside along with her kids and parents.

They thought it would just be for a weekend so only took a few items.

From there, she and the two children eventually drove to the Polish town Ostrów Wielkopolski, where they found shelter with a family in the area that was taking in refugees.

Her son is staying in Poland to get an affordable college education while her parents and brother — who is now in the army — remain in Ukraine.

In Brooklyn since June 10, she’s received $1,000 from Catholic Charities, which is also partially funded by the city’s new initiative for Ukrainian refugees.

She’s also looking to begin taking classes in English and trying to enroll her daughter in some summer camp.

“I like living in big cities,” she said, noting she’d like to continue to live in New York despite all the challenges.

They’ve also gotten some financial help from other Ukrainian immigrants who have lived in New York City for years.

Meanwhile, a call to amend a federal law to make it easier for Ukrainains to come to the United States remains in limbo: The Lautenberg Amendment — legislation first enacted by Congress in 1990 to make it easier for Jews from the former Soviet Union to resettle with family in the states — has not been touched since the start of the war.

There are currently at least several thousand Ukrainians in the Lautenberg pipeline whose applications have been submitted or they’re at some stage being processed, according to HIAS NY’s Caudill.

As for the broader influx of Ukrainian immigrants, some activists are worried that their plight will be forgotten or garner less attention as the war drags on.

“It’s been over four months since the war started and it seems like many people in the West moved on with their lives and forgot about the existential threat that Russia is causing to the rest of the world,” said Violette Matevosian, development coordinator for RUSA LGBTQ+, a group assisting Malamura.

“We should keep trying to do as much as we can and remember that even small efforts can impact lives of those who are suffering from this war right now,” they added. “Routinization leads to dehumanization. We cannot afford to routinize this war on humanity.”l This story was published on July 8, 2022

by THE CITY.

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JOBS & RECESSION

11

5 Reasons to Become a Paralegal 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

Orientation is Monday, July 18, 2022

Join us via Zoom at 6pm

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HOW TO GET A GREEN CARD

Extension of TPS for Venezuela

Pathway to a Green Card for TPS Holders/continued from page 1 of TPS recipients who entered the United States through the border without inspection. The Immigration and Nationality Act requires applicants wishing to adjust their status to obtain a green card to show they were “inspected and admitted or paroled” into the United States by an immigration officer.

Under USCIS’ previous policy memo, returning to the United States on advance parole—one type of USCIS authorization to travel outside the country—did not count as an entry with inspection and admission. The policy made it much more difficult for TPS recipients who initially entered without inspection to successfully apply for a green card without having to leave the country.

Now, TPS recipients may apply for a “TPS travel authorization” document. An entry into the United States with this document will be considered an entry with “inspection and admission.” Those who have been inspected and admitted into the country using TPS travel authorization will have been “inspected and admitted” and are “present in the United States pursuant to a lawful admission,” for purposes of green card eligibility.

This is true even if the TPS recipient was present without admission or parole when initially granted TPS. These changes will retroactively apply to TPS recipients who traveled with

12

Editorial credit: Rena Schild / Shutterstock.com

advance parole between August 20, 2020 and July 1, 2022, if their cases are within the jurisdiction of the federal court of appeals for the Fifth Circuit. For TPS recipients with cases in other parts of the United States, USCIS will make a caseby-case determination. For instance, the agency will consider factors like whether the TPS recipient relied on USCIS’ prior interpretation, and whether the TPS recipient will be harmed or helped if the prior entry is now considered to be an admission.

The reversal of this Trump-era policy is long overdue for TPS recipients, many of whom have lived and worked in the United States for years. Providing a pathway for a green card can give peace of mind to people who have lived in the United States with uncertainty for years and risk facing dangerous conditions in their home countries.l

T

he Department of Homeland Security announced the extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Venezuela for 18 months, from Sept. 10, 2022, through March 10, 2024.

Venezuela’s 18-month extension will go into effect Sept. 10, 2022. DHS intends to publish a Federal Register notice which will explain how to re-register under Venezuela’s designation and to apply for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD).

Approximately 343,000 individuals are estimated to be eligible for TPS under the existing designation of Venezuela.

USCIS will continue to process pending applications. Applicants with a pending Form I-821, Application for Temporary Protected Status, or Form I765, Application for Employment Authorization, do not need to file either application again. If USCIS approves a pending Form I-821 that was filed during the initial designation of TPS for Venezuela, USCIS will grant the applicant TPS through March 10, 2024.

Similarly, if USCIS approves a pending TPS-related Form I-765 for an initial applicant, USCIS will issue a new EAD valid through March 10, 2024. l

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HOW TO GET A GREEN CARD

13

Taking the Next Steps With An Asylum Denial a credible fear of persecution or torture by an asylum officer.

If you have applied and been denied, here are a few steps to try and reverse the decision.

BY JANET HOWARD

F

or those subjected to persecution in their native land, there is hope for you. The United States' asylum process provides protections for those who fear persecution on religious or political grounds. However, the applicant must qualify for asylum in the States.

The two ways of obtaining asylum in the United States are through the affirmative process and defensive process.

Affirmative Asylum Processing with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) To obtain asylum through the affirmative asylum process you must be physically present in the United States. You may apply for asylum regardless of how you arrived in the United States or your current immigration status.

You must apply for asylum within one year of the date of your last arrival in the United States, unless you can show: •Changed circumstances that materially affect your eligibility for asylum or extraordinary circumstances relating to the delay in filing; and

•You filed within a reasonable amount of time given those circumstances.

Defensive Asylum Processing with EOIR A defensive application for asylum occurs when you request asylum as a defense against removal from the United States. For asylum processing to be defensive, you must be in removal proceedings in immigration court with the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR).

Individuals are generally placed into defensive asylum processing in one of two ways:

•They are referred to an immigration judge by USCIS after they have been determined to be ineligible for asylum at the end of the affirmative asylum process, or •They are placed in removal proceedings because they: -Were apprehended in the United States or at a U.S. port of entry without proper legal documents or in violation of their immigration status; or -Were apprehended by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) trying to enter the United States without proper documentation, were placed in the expedited removal process, and were found to have

Qualifications for Asylum An asylum application must show that the fear of persecution is "well-founded."

In the immigration court system, there must be more proof than pure speculation. If the applicant does not meet the standard definition of asylum, then the application will be denied.

The asylum process also requires the applicant to be in the United States or at a port of entry. The process for asylum is complicated and lengthy. The asylum officers and immigration judges deny over two-thirds of the cases.

Next Steps for Denied Asylum Applicants If your asylum application is denied, there is still hope for your case. There are many opportunities to appeal the decision and remain in the United States. In any case, you will want to hire an expericontinued on page 14

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HOW TO GET A GREEN CARD Asylum Denial/ continued from page 13 enced immigration attorney to guide you through the process.

Asylum Office Denial If your application for asylum was submitted voluntarily to the USCIS office, an asylum officer reviews your case. You will be interviewed at the office and will receive a letter whether you were approved or denied. With any denial, an asylum case goes to the Immigration Court. At this time, an immigration judge will review the evidence and issue a decision at the end of the hearing.

Immigration Court Denial After the immigration judge denies your request, you can appeal to the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA). However, you need to file your appeal by mail within 30 days of the immigration judge's decision. The BIA reviews the transcript of the hearing, along with your written evidence to the court.

Your attorney will help you fill out the paperwork and draft a brief for your appeal. If the BIA believes the immigration judge made a mistake, they will grant your asylum. However, you should not expect a fast process. The average wait for a decision is about a year.

BIA Denial If the BIA denies your request, you will have to file an appeal through the federal U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Your

attorney is a vital part of the process, and you will need a legal brief explaining why the BIA made the wrong decision.

After the oral arguments, the court can reverse the denial or send the case back to the immigration judge.

Denial by the U.S. Court of Appeals After all the processes, you have one last court of appeal. The U.S. Supreme Court may hear your case after your lawyer sends a petition for a writ of certiorari.

You must keep in mind that the U.S. Supreme Court has no obligation to take the case. They only hear a limited number of cases throughout the year.

Hire an Experienced Attorney for Your Asylum Appeal As you can tell, the asylum appeal process is quite complicated. If you need help with your case, you need an experienced attorney on your side. Call 855768-8845 or visit www.askthelawyer.us to schedule an appointment.

The lawyer you hire does make a difference!l

14

Time Frame Extended for Uniting for Ukraine Parolees to Comply with Medical Screening and Attestation

T

he U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has extended the time beneficiaries paroled into the United States under Uniting for Ukraine have to attest to their compliance with the medical screening for tuberculosis and additional vaccinations, if required.

Effective immediately, beneficiaries paroled into the United States under Uniting for Ukraine must complete their medical attestation within 90 days of arrival in the United States. Previously, beneficiaries paroled into the United States under Uniting for Ukraine were required to complete the medical screening and attestation within 14 days of arrival to the United States.

The attestation is a condition of parole and must be completed in the beneficiary’s USCIS online account. Beneficiaries are responsible for arranging their vaccinations and medical screening for tuberculosis, including an Interferon-Gamma Release Assay (IGRA) blood test.

Beneficiaries who test positive for tuberculosis must take the appropriate measures, including additional screening, such as a chest radiograph, isolation, and treatment. Beneficiaries must also complete the tuberculosis screening attestation for their minor children within 90 days of arrival to the United States, even if the child is under the age of 2 years old and qualifies for an exception to the tuberculosis test screening.

Uniting for Ukraine was announced on April 21, 2022, to provide a pathway for Ukrainian citizens and their immediate family members who are outside the United States to come to the United States and stay temporarily in a two-year period of parole. Individuals participating in Uniting for Ukraine must have a supporter in the United States who agrees to provide them with financial support for the duration of their stay in the United States.l

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A Fundamental Human Right: NYC Care health care is less expensive than medical or emergency treatments. More than 100,000 people have already enrolled in NYC Care.

BY JR HOLGUIN

A

Census National Interview Survey indicated that 30 million people in the United States of all ages were uninsured during the time the survey was conducted in 2021. In New York, nearly 5% of residents live without insurance. Though one could say those numbers are low, health care is not only a service but also a fundamental human right, and York City recognizes that.

Recently, the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) Commissioner Manuel Castro and NYC Health + Hospitals (H+H) Executive Director of NYC Care Dr. Jonathan Jiménez hosted an in-person Ethnic and Community Media Roundtable at City Hall. The roundtable also included testimony by NYC Care patient Wendell Wells.

NYC Care is an excellent program to decrease that percentage closer to nil. A health care access program, not insurance, NYC Care guarantees low-cost and even no-cost health services to New Yorkers who may not qualify for healthcare for whatever reasons or cannot afford it. It promises health care for all New Yorkers regardless of their current immigration status.

New Yorker from Day One For years newly arrived immigrants of New York City abided a 6-month waiting period before becoming eligible for residency and the many benefits New Yorkers receive. But that concluded on April 20, 2022, when it was removed across all five boroughs. "You're a New Yorker from the first day you move here," said Mayor Eric Adams. "Diabetes doesn't wait for six months; why should you wait to get health care."

The change allows immigrants to get the necessary health services they need

Meeting with the Ethnic Press. Editorial credit: PP/IQInc

as soon as they arrive. Many will be ineligible to receive health care through their employers or cannot pay out of pocket.

"New York City is at the forefront of providing health care and treatment to its immigrants, whether they are fleeing war in Ukraine, poverty in Haiti, or Central America," emphasized Commissioner Castro.

NYC Care advises members, regardless of immigration status, to get the care they need without fear. Policies and procedures are applied to help remove many immigrants' fears. Members have the right to treatment without discrimination, explanations of all charges, respectful care in a safe and clean environment, and the policy to safeguard immigration status and other confidential information is protected.

Before You Get Sick Preventive care services, such as routine health screenings and vaccinations, can save years of life, keep people healthy, and save money. Unfortunately, only about 50% of all age groups use these services. NYC Care will help members choose their primary care provider at enrollment. Members are encouraged to

select a primary care provider they trust to ensure a comfortable relationship that allows members to share medical and lifestyle information confidently.

The primary care provider, who can be a doctor, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant, will be able to refer members to all other necessary services like medication prescriptions, vision, and support services for mental and behavioral health. Women's health services are also available for members; this includes Gynecology, Obstetrics, family planning, and more.

Wells, an immigrant from Trinidad and Tobago, came to New York two years ago. He suffered from diabetes and hypertension and explained how the program "puts the human factor back into medicine." Thanks to NYC Care, his health issues have been improved.

"Whatever is available to NYC Heath will also be available to NYC Care members," Dr. Jimenez said when asked if there were restrictions. "I don't want someone to feel afraid to come in for care because they don't have documents.

Also, there are no limits on medical care, whatever the patient needs."

The concept of this program is that

Billing and Fees NYC Care has no membership fees, monthly fees, or premiums. The cost of any health service is based on a "sliding scare fee per service." This is calculated by household size and yearly income.

Membership will be screened every 12 months to determine if renewal is available.

NYC Care encourages members to pay any fees the day they receive services.

Pay options are cash, debit, or credit card. A bill will be mailed to the member's home if a member cannot pay during the visit. And if members are having issues paying fees, they can contact NYC Care Contact Center to discuss options, such as payment plans, if eligible.

Members will receive a membership card they must carry at all times, especially when visiting primary care providers and getting health care services. The card is unique to each member and shows their personalized service fees.

All services are provided through NYC Health + Hospitals, the most extensive public health care system in the US. With a vast network of hospitals and care centers, NYC Health + Hospitals has 11 hospitals and hundreds of care facilities across all five boroughs.

Lifting the 6-month waiting period for immigrants is made only possible because of an administration that reflects its community. Many representatives holding essential roles in the current administration mirror the citizenry of New York City immigrants because they came to this city as immigrants or children of immigrants and are now serving immigrants and children of immigrants.l

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YOUR HEALTH MATTERS

16

Access to Reproductive Health Care has Been Harder for Black and Brown Women – Overturning Roe Made it Harder

BY KIMALA PRICE THE CONVERSATION

I

n a mere few days after the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, at least seven states banned abortion.

And even though judges blocked the enforcement of “trigger” abortion bans in three states, more bans in other states are expected in the coming weeks. It is believed that 26 states are likely to ban abortions.

Abortion will likely remain legal in 20 states – and the District of Columbia – with 14 of these states having recently enacted legislation that has enhanced access to abortion.

What will be the impact of these bans, especially on women of color and other marginalized communities?

As a scholar who studies reproductive policy and politics, reproductive justice and social movements, I have always been aware that even when Roe was in

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Stacy Young Board Certified Holistic Health Coach Tel: 917-459-8431

place, women of color, women in rural areas and women in poverty have had difficulty obtaining reproductive health services, including abortion.

Additionally, the debate over abortion often overshadows the other reproductive health inequities, such as high pregnancy-related complications and deaths, that women of color face.

This recent decision will only widen these gaps.

Reproductive health inequities Since the early 1980s, there has been a general decline in the abortion rate in the United States, despite claims to the contrary by anti-abortion advocates.

The rate went from 29.3 abortions per 1,000 women ages 15-44 in 1981 to 13.5 per 1,000 women in 2017.

However, African American and Latina women do have disproportionately higher rates of abortion than their white counterparts.

The abortion rate for white women is 6.6 abortions per 1,000, while the rates for African American women – 23.8 per 1,000 – and Latinas – 11.6 per 1,000 – are three times and twice that rate, respectively.

Additionally, low-income women account for 75% of all abortion procedures.

According to public health researchers Christine Dehlendorf, Lisa H. Harris and Tracy A. Weitz, these higher rates are attributed to the higher rates of unintended pregnancies among these groups, which itself is attributed to limited access to health services.

Poor people and people of color are more likely to live in contraceptive “deserts,” places where the number of health centers offering the full range of contraceptive methods is not enough to meet the contraceptive needs of the people who live in those places.

The proliferation of these deserts was worsened by policies enacted by the Trump-Pence administration that limited family planning funding to clinics.

Reproductive health inequities go beyond abortion.

The infant mortality rates among African Americans, Native Americans and Native Alaskans are very high.

The mortality rate for white infants is 4.5 deaths per 100,000 live births, compared with 10.6 for African American infants and 7.9 for Native Americans/Native Alaskan infants.

Additionally, African American, Native American and Native Alaskan women are the most likely to die from pregnancy-related complications.

As a study by Lynn Paltrow and Jeanne Flavin has shown, poor women of color are the most likely to be arrested and prosecuted for homicide, manslaughter and child endangerment while pregnant.

These charges are often made after a woman has terminated a pregnancy, refused to consent to a medically unnecessary cesarean section, endured a miscarriage or stillbirth or tested positive for illegal drug use.

There is also the troubling history of the systematic, coercive sterilization of women of color in the U.S. Women of color and other social groups have had to fight just as hard for the right to have children as for the right to not have them.

By 1937, 32 states had enacted laws that authorized the sterilization of people who were deemed “unfit” to reproduce, including immigrants, racial and ethnic minorities, poor people, unmarried women, people with disabilities, people with mental health issues and people with criminal records.

As historian Alexandra Stern explains, this practice was viewed as “a necessary public health intervention that would protect society from deleterious genes and the social and economic costs of managing ‘degenerate stock.’”

Scholars have documented the history of sterilization abuse among women of color in the 20th century, including women of Mexican and Mexican American heritage in Southern California, African American women in the South, Native American women using Indian Health Services and women in Puerto Rico.

Many were sterilized without their full, informed consent.

Although most of these formal sterilization laws were abolished by the mid1980s, this practice, unfortunately, is still happening, as reports about sterilization abuse in detention centers run by Immigration and Customs Enforcement have surfaced.

A post-Roe, post-Dobbs world In the coming months and years, we will see more women traveling to terminate their pregnancies – to states such as California, Colorado and New York, where abortion is likely to remain legal.

But long-distance travel may not be a viable option for those who cannot afford

the costs or time off from work or who may not be able to secure child care for their children.

Studies have shown that travel distance is a major barrier to obtaining abortions, as women will forgo an abortion if they must travel more than 50 miles to the nearest clinic.

As with their pre-Roe predecessors, many women may decide to self-induce abortions out of necessity and desperation.

This can make them even more vulnerable to charges of fetal homicide if they are discovered.

Studies have also shown that unsafe abortions can lead to serious health risks, including hemorrhage, infection, infertility and death.

Anti-abortion advocates have pushed adoption as a solution for unintended pregnancy, but this is not a realistic option for people of color.

Among the more than 400,000 children in the foster care system, children of color are the least likely to be adopted.

These children linger in the foster care system.

Erosion of rights In his concurring opinion in Dobbs, Justice Clarence Thomas argued that the court should reconsider reversing other related landmark rulings, including access to contraception in Griswold v.

Connecticut, LGBTQ+ sexual behavior and sodomy laws in Lawrence v. Texas and same-sex marriage in Obergefell v.

Hodges.

Thomas’ sentiments reveal a broader ultraconservative agenda to roll back the social and political gains that marginalized communities have won since the 1960s.

In my view, if Thomas gets his wish, women of color will see further erosion of their personal autonomy and right to make the fundamental decisions about the most intimate aspects of their lives.l Kimala Price is a Professor of Women’s Studies, San Diego State University

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YOUR HEALTH MATTERS

17

Vaccines Are Available for Monkeypox

T

he Health Department announced that more JYNNEOS™ monkeypox vaccine doses are coming to New York City. The next allocation of vaccine, totaling more than 14,500 doses, is expected to arrive later this week from the federal government. The Health Department will announce in the coming days how this allocation will be distributed, prioritizing fast and equitable delivery to New Yorkers. Appointments can be scheduled at nyc.gov/health/monkeypox.

“I commend New Yorkers for taking charge of their health and getting vaccinated,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan. “We know that vaccine supply continues to be scarce, and appointments may be difficult to get. But we’re working with community-based organizations to ensure an equitable approach and we’re working with federal partners to secure even more vaccine soon. As we scale up vaccination, we encourage New Yorkers to exercise some caution. Stay home if you feel sick, and especially if you develop a rash or sores that may be monkeypox, and follow some basic preventive measures.”

The monkeypox outbreak is growing in New York City, and the risk of exposure

through sex and other close physical contact is increasing. Anyone can get and spread monkeypox. The current cases are primarily spreading among social networks of gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men, so this community is currently at greater risk of exposure. Due to limited supply of the JYNNEOS™ vaccine nationally, eligibility during this phase is restricted to those at highest risk of a recent exposure based on national and local cases. Currently, this is gay, bisexual, or other men who have sex with men and transgender, gender non-conforming, or gender non-binary persons ages 18 and older who have had multiple or anonymous sex partners in the last 14 days. More appointments will go online when more vaccine is allotted to New York City by the federal government.

About monkeypox The monkeypox virus is most often spread through direct contact with a rash or sores of someone who has the virus. It can also spread through contact with clothing, bedding, and other items used by a person with monkeypox, or from respiratory droplets that can be passed in prolonged close contact. Transmission

can occur during sex or other close physical contact. It is not yet known if monkeypox can spread through saliva, semen or vaginal fluids.

Symptoms The most common symptom is a rash or sores that can look like pimples or blisters. These may be all over the body or just in certain parts, such as the face, hands, or feet, or around or inside the mouth, genitals or anus. Before or at the same time the rash or sores appear, some people have flu-like symptoms, such as fever, swollen lymph nodes, headache, and tiredness. In some cases, monkeypox can cause severe illness. A person is contagious until all sores have healed, and a new layer of skin has formed, which can take two to four weeks.

Prevention and care To reduce the chance of getting or spreading monkeypox, do not engage in sex or other close physical contact (such as touching, massage, or kissing) if you or your partners are sick and especially if you or they have a new or unexpected rash or sores anywhere on the body.

Avoid gatherings and direct contact with others if you are unwell or have a rash or

sores. Wash your hands, sex toys and bedding before and after sex or other intimate activities. As more New Yorkers are diagnosed with monkeypox, it is crucial to seek care as soon as you notice a rash or sores. If you don’t have a health care provider, visit the NYC Health Map or call 311 to be connected to care. People who receive the vaccine should continue to take these precautions to prevent transmission of monkeypox.

The JYNNEOSTM vaccine has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the prevention of monkeypox in people ages 18 and older.

The vaccine is given as two doses, at least four weeks apart.l

Big protection for little New Yorkers.

COVID-19 vaccines now available for kids 6 months and older.

To learn more, visit nyc.gov/vaccine昀nder or call 877-VAX-4NYC.

Eric Adams Mayor Ashwin Vasan, MD, PhD Commissioner

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18

Mental Health Support NYC Advises Indoor for All New Yorkers Masking Again as COVID Cases Climb

J

uly is Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) Mental Health Awareness Month, formerly recognized as Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. In our city of 8.5 million inhabitants where over 800 different languages are spoken, it’s estimated that 1-in-5 New Yorkers are dealing with a mental health issue. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMSHA), in 2019, 17% (5.2 million) of adult African Americans reported having a mental health illness, but only 34% of African American young adults (aged 18-25) and 59% of adult African Americans (aged 26-49) reported receiving treatment.

Systemic and historical inequities and barriers can negatively impact access to mental health services, mental health diagnoses and sustained mental health care for BIPOC individuals.

Additionally, the cultural stigma associated with mental illness can prevent individuals from seeking vital resources and support for themselves or loved ones.

The city is committed to helping New Yorkers access mental health resources in their communities and in their preferred languages. If you or someone you know needs help, please refer to the below information and share with your

BYRALPH ELLIS WEBMD NEWS networks. Together, we can spread awareness and help to improve the mental health wellness of New Yorkers.

Mental health support for all New Yorkers •Call 1-888-NYC-Well (1-888-6929355) for mental health and substance misuse support available in New York City or go to the Mayor’s Office of Community Mental Health website at https://mentalhealth.cityofnewyork.us/.

You can also visit https://mentalhealthforall.nyc.gov/ a new comprehensive hub with helplines and services that offer a range of free, direct support to meet the needs of all New Yorkers, including young people, communities of color, and people with serious mental illness.l

W

ith the new BA.5 subvariant fueling another increase in COVID-19 cases, the New York City Department of Health is advising residents and visitors to wear highquality masks in indoor public settings and outside crowds.

“We're currently seeing high levels of COVID-19 in NYC. To help slow the spread, all New Yorkers should wear a high-quality mask, such as an N95, KN95 or KF94 in all public indoor settings and around crowds outside,” the NYCDOH tweeted.

All of New York County has now moved from the CDC’s medium-risk category, which doesn’t carry an indoor masking advisory, to its high-risk category, which does. New York is not alone.

The CDC classified 667 counties – 20.73% of the United States – as highrisk as of Friday.

New York City now has an overall positivity rate of 15.4% over the last seven days, according to the city DOH, though parts of Manhattan and Queens are reporting 25% positivity rates. COVIDrelated hospitalizations and deaths have not risen lately, city DOH data shows.

Mayor Eric Adams acknowledged a rise in COVID cases but said nobody needs to panic, according to The New York Post.

“When we look at our numbers, we are at a good, stable place,” the mayor said Thursday. “The numbers are ticking up, according to our healthcare professionals this morning, but we’re not at the place where our hospitals have been overimpacted, and we’re not at a place where it’s stopping our growth in the city. So we are continuing to monitor so we can make the right decisions.”

The highly transmissible BA.5 subvariant is responsible for the rise in COVID cases in New York City, as well as in the rest of the United States. The NYCDOH said 45% of all positive tested cases were linked to BA.5 as of June 25, with BA.4 responsible for 16% of the tested cases.l

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19

Waiting For What? Appreciate Life and Live for a Living

BY JAMAL JIVANJEE

I

magine that you’ve been feeling a bit off for the past few months. So, you decide to make an appointment with the doctor just to cover your bases and make sure everything is kosher. One appointment turns into two, and then a referral. You answer all the questions and take the tests they order for you. A couple of weeks later, the phone rings: “You need to come in right away.”

As you sit down and face the physician who is sitting comfortably behind the desk, the words “I’m so sorry” and “… about six months” are all that echo in the chasm of your being.

“This has to be a mistake. I still have five years until I can retire. I’ve done my time. I’ve worked hard. We’ve been saving everything we can to be able to relax and travel to all the places we’ve always said we wanted to go. I just need ten more years at the least. Five to finish out my career, and the other five to enjoy the decades of hard work. I’ve been waiting for this season of life where I can finally live. What do you mean only six more months?”

By this point, you are probably realiz-

ing that you haven’t been present enough in life to be the parent or spouse that you truly desired to be. As a parent, you’ve been saving the creating of memories for the upcoming vacations. As a spouse, you figured you would have time in retirement, when you’d be able to be together without any distractions. That’s why you sacrificed so much of your life over the years. You just need a few more years to make it all worthwhile. If you would have known your life would be over in six months, you would never have agreed to postpone your life to the future. How can you get the years back?

For far too many of us, a brief awareness of our mortality or a brush with death, is the only time when we consider the rareness and tremendous value of everyday life. The more rare something is, the greater the perception of its value.

Of all the living beings on this planet, human beings possess something that no other being has; conscious awareness of our own impending death. It is for this very reason that humans have the ability to be conscious of the rarity and value of this thing that we call life. It is only when we value something that we treat it with utmost care and precision. Most of us,

however, only give mental assent to our mortality. As a result, we live life as if our death was not a present tense possibility.

If you had six months to live, how would your day today change? How much time and energy would you spend on drama and arguing with others?

Would you slow down and enjoy your meals and engage in meaningful conversations with your loved ones? Would you worry about the future less? Would you take that trip you’ve always wanted to take, and would you put the phone down a bit more? How about your work?

Would you quit your job feeling that it is a waste of your valuable and limited time, or would you work even more diligently and with more focus knowing

there is something of value the world needs you to leave behind? I think you already know the answers to those questions.

If there is one thing that I am passionate about, it is living. I am passionate about helping people live for a living, not simply for survival. There is nothing better than a life well lived to its full potential. In order to do this, I am convinced that we cannot wait any longer to live.

We cannot wait for retirement, for heaven, for the weekend, or for the vacation.

Living must begin today because we are not guaranteed that we have six months left to live. As a matter of fact, no one is guaranteed that they have the rest of the day. What is guaranteed, however, is that you have this moment. Learning to live in alignment and harmony with this moment is an inside job that the majority of people on this planet have not learned how to do. My wish and blessing for you is that you will learn the art of living for a living. l Jamal Jivanjee is an Amazon best-selling author, podcaster, and full-time life coach. His latest book is Living for a Living.

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20

How to Escape Abusive Relationships: Helpful Tips

BY MARY CAMPBELL

I

f you're in an abusive relationship, it can be difficult to know what to do.

You may feel like you're trapped and don't have anywhere to turn. The good news is that there are resources available to help you escape an abusive relationship. This guide will provide you with information on how to identify abuse, find help, and protect yourself from future abuse.

Signs of Abuse The first step in escaping an abusive relationship is to recognize the signs of abuse. Many people stay in abusive relationships because they don't realize that what they're experiencing is abuse. Let's take a closer look at some signs you may be in an abusive relationship.

Sign #1: Your Partner is Excessively Jealous or Possessive One of the most common signs of an abusive relationship is jealousy or possessiveness on the part of your partner. If your partner is constantly asking you who you're talking to or where you're going, this is a red flag. Your partner may

also try to control who you see and what you do. For example, they may tell you that you can't go out with your friends or insist that you work late every night.

Sign #2: Your Partner Uses Verbal Abuse Another sign of an abusive relationship is verbal abuse. This can include namecalling, put-downs, and berating comments. Your partner may also yell at you or threaten violence. If your partner regularly uses verbal abuse, this is a serious problem.

Sign #3: Your Partner Uses Physical Abuse Physical abuse is another sign of an abusive relationship. This can include hitting, kicking, or pushing. Your partner may also throw things at you or use a weapon to threaten you. If your partner physically abuses you, it's important to get help immediately.

Sign #4: Your Partner Isolates You from Friends and Family One of the most dangerous signs of an abusive relationship is isolation. Your partner may try to keep you away from

friends and family members. They may do this by telling you that they don't like them or that they're bad for you. If your partner isolates you, it's important to reach out to trusted friends and family members for support.

3 Ways to Escape an Abusive Relationship If you're in an abusive relationship, it's important to know that there is help available. Here are three ways to escape an abusive relationship: Method #1: Get Help from a Domestic Violence Shelter If you're in an abusive relationship, one of the best things you can do is get help from a domestic violence shelter. These shelters provide safe places for victims of domestic violence to stay. They also offer support and resources to help people escape abusive relationships.

Many domestic violence shelters also have 24-hour hotlines that you can call for help.

Method #2: Reach Out to a Friend or Family Member If you're in an abusive relationship, another way to get help is to reach out to a friend or family member. These people can provide you with support and resources. They may also be able to help you escape the abusive situation.

Method #3: Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline If you're in an abusive relationship, you can also call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-SAFE (800799-7233). This hotline provides 24/7 support for victims of domestic violence.

Operators can help you find resources in your area, such as shelters and support groups.

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The Bottom Line If you're in an abusive relationship, it's important to get help immediately. This guide provides information on how to identify abuse, find help, and protect yourself from future abuse. If you or someone you know is in an abusive relationship, please reach out for help.

Immigrants and Domestic Violence 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 numerous 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. Legal Assistance 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 an opportunity for a confidential, legal consultation. The number to call is 855-7688845. 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

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21

How to Have a Stress-Free Morning and opt for home deliveries. If morning house cleaning stresses you, consider hiring a cleaner for a few hours a week.

Family members could do more chores, too, if you delegate. Also, you can put off unimportant tasks when you're under pressure.

BY CHRIS TOBIAS

L

ife is stressful as it is. For many immigrants, the stress is ten-fold.

Immigration has been a hot-button, politized topic for the past few years.

And, with the recent Trump administration demonizing and terrorizing immigrants, all immigrants have felt the stress, especially undocumented immigrants. Immigrants come to the United States for many reasons beyond economics. Many are fleeing violence, corruption, crime, political and religious persecution, and war. Of course, moving to a new country where one must adjust to the language, and traditions, for example, would stress anyone out, even legally. Imagine the undocumented immigrant. Immigration-related stressors can increase suicidal concepts and risk due to the distress associated with cultural stress, social marginalization, intergenerational conflicts, PTSD, and other psychological disorders. One way to ease your stress is by starting your day as right as possible. This article provides some suggestions.

Starting the morning under pressure sets the mood for the day, leaving you anxious and tense. Although people know it's unhelpful to begin the day bogged down by tension, they continue regardless. But they can end the morning

Get organized One key to a stress-free morning is organization. Identify what you must do at the start of the day, and you won't dither and waste time. If you face multiple tasks, list priorities before you begin them. feeling terrific with a few simple tweaks.

Morning stress comes from many sources. Identifying triggers will help you change and inject positivity into each day. When you are stressed, note what is happening. Maybe you're anxious because you need to hurry, or you're worried about things you need to do. Or you may find distractions hard to handle and are disorganized.

When you recognize what stresses you, you can make positive lifestyle changes.

They might involve altering your morning routine to match your schedule and planning how best to approach the day.

Adapt your schedule Most people engage in a strict schedule

in the morning. If completing one task takes longer than expected, they have insufficient time for another. Poor time management creates frustration and stress.

Steal back lost time in the morning by doing as many tasks as possible in the evenings. Make packed lunches for the next day before you go to bed, for instance, and lay out your work clothes in advance. Gather anything you need to take when you leave the house in the morning, too.

Create less stress If stressful chores need doing before work, carry them out differently. Rather than dashing to the shop, order online

Enjoy me-time Get up 15 minutes earlier than usual and enjoy some precious time with yourself.

You'll have time to gather your wits, meditate, journal about your feelings, or take longer in the shower. Your morning mindset creates ripples that infect the hours to follow, and a few minutes more first thing could be all you need to instill calm.

Remember Your mornings will be stress-free if you rise earlier and plan what you need to do.

Use time well and create calmness rather than getting strung out and frazzled. l

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WELCOME TO AMERICA

22

Charms and Challenges of Ethnic Communities Made Plain on Our Plates

BY MARK HEDIN ETHNIC MEDIA SERVICES

A

merica’s economic success is built on the world’s best and brightest coming to our shores bringing ingenuity, creativity, and determination. From Wall Street to Main Street, businesses started by immigrants have helped the U.S. economy enormously.

Whatever our differences, we all have to eat. In the United States, where we can choose foods from all over the world, ethnic cuisine has become American as apple pie.

Journalists and chefs explored how the U.S. has welcomed and changed diverse eating traditions, and why, at a press briefing hosted July 1 by Ethnic Media Services and John Rudolph, of Feet in Two Worlds.

The speakers described the powerful connections that come from the heritage, sharing and innovations ethnic and immigrant communities have provided our expanding “food ways.”

They also noted positive and problematic aspects in their adoption into America’s capitalist society. Besides providing new twists and wider appreciation, the dominant culture also appropri-

Nationally acclaimed Mexican chef and a self-proclaimed “Chingona,” Chef Silvana Salcido Esparza has dedicated her culinary career to the forward movement and promotion of Mexican cuisine and culture. Photo courtesy: Ethnic Media Services. ates and dilutes what ethnic communities introduce.

Culture begins with cuisine Quincy Surasmith, an editor at Feet in Two Worlds, and host of the podcast Asian Americana described his work sorting out the differences between “traditional” and “authentic” Asian American dishes, from chop suey to Korean barbecue, fortune cookies, adobo, Indian curry pizza, California rolls, tofu tater tots and more.

“Things change and shift here because of cultural influence and what is available,” Surasmith said. “It’s all authentic.

Authentic is different than traditional.”

“It’s authentic to a different set of cooks, different set of restaurants, different regions. And these get to grow and evolve in the U.S.,” Surasmith said.

He cited the Boiling Crab restaurant chain borne of Vietnamese American communities on the Gulf Coast, to Korean barbecue styles developed in Los Angeles and more.

“I want to encourage people to think about food as signposts to all the intersecting roads it’s crossed, the specificity of the region or people, whether in the U.S. or where their families or they themselves are from.”

“I used to be very against fusion cuisine, until I realized that most cuisines ARE fusion,” said food and travel writer Kayla Stewart, native of the “rich and complex” American South.

“African American cuisine in many ways is a mixing of indigenous food and traditions. Black, African, West African food and traditions and of course even European,” she said.

“You see this particularly in New Orleans,” she laughed, admitting to a particular affection for the cuisine of that melting pot Southern city from which “jambalaya” and “gumbo” have become

English-language synonyms for a healthy mix of anything.

There, she said, the mix of ingredients, food and traditions draw from Black, African, West African, indigenous and European influences, including traditions brought from Africa such as sweet potato pie, okra and black-eyed peas.

“So many times in my work,” Stewart said, “people assume that African American food is macaroni and cheese, collard greens and fried chicken.”

“While those are wonderful, wonderful meals and absolutely part of our food ways,” she said, they’ve also been used to insult, stereotype and minimize Black contributions to American cuisine.

“For so long, black Americans and black culinary figures have been left out of the narrative of American food. It’s blatantly unfair, but it also impacts economics.”

“Food can be such a joyful and wonderful thing, but it also is an opportunity to talk about the very real issues – history, and politics, and race, and gender, and women’s rights – that have existed in our country since its founding and continue to exist.”

‘An endless source of inspiration’ Silvana Salcido Esparza, raised in bakeries in “the cornucopia of the world,” California’s San Joaquin Valley, described a lifetime of lessons learned on the way to her wide renown for her Mexican fare and innovative Arizona establishments – renown that includes repeated recognition from the prestigious James Beard awards.

“There is a lot of politics in food,” she said. “I don’t do food for me. One thing they say in my culture is: They want the taco but didn’t want the taco maker.”l Reprinted with the kind permission of Ethnic Media Services.

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