The Immigrant’s Journal - Vol. 181

for a Better Life & Justice

Attorney and Counselor-at-Law Owolabi

Salis is Disbarred

BY LINDA NWOKE, JOURNAL EXCLUSIVE

ANew York City lawyer, 59-yearold, Owolabi Salis, a registered attorney and counselor-at-law since 2002, practicing immigration law in his firm, Salis Law P.C., or Salis and Associates, in Brooklyn and downtown Manhattan, has been disbarred. His name is now stricken from New York State's roll of attorneys and counselorsat-law with immediate effect until otherwise ruled by the same Court.

Henceforth, he cannot practice law in any form — as an agent, clerk, or employee of another firm. Furthermore, he cannot engage in any activities relating to advising or consulting on legal-

related issues.

for Defrauding Immigrant Clients Green Cards for Foreign

The ruling came from an indictment on an originally criminal charge he was acquitted of six years ago in 2016. The Court considered the disbarment the proper sanction. It was deemed an appropriate discipline for immigration-related misconduct without a criminal conviction, the defendant's false advertising of legal practices, and his failure to appear at the sanction hearing.

The Case against Counselor-at-Law Owolabi Salis

According to a filed document by the New York's Appellate District, the defendant was accused of filing over 1,000

Diplomats and Employees of International Organizations

BY 311IMMIGRATION.COM

Despite restrictions, representatives of other governments who’ve been posted in the U.S. may have opportunities to apply for lawful permanent residence.

Foreign officials and employees of embassies or consulates in the U.S. (“A visa” holders), and foreign officials and employees of international organizations in the U.S. (“G visa” holders) sometimes find themselves assigned to

the U.S. with their families for many years. As a result, they might develop ties to the country and wonder whether they could qualify for a Green Card despite their “diplomatic” status. (The U.S. government does not usually accept its nationals or permanent residents as diplomatic agents for other governments.)

Certain A and G visa holders may qualify for a Green Card (under both ordinary and special immigrant cate-

Owolabi Salis.

Photo: Facebook

TPS Extension Offers Only a Temporary Fix

BY GIANNA BORROTO

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced the extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for citizens of El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras, Nepal, Haiti, and Sudan in November. The extension lasts until June 30, 2024 and is the result of litigation filed after the Trump administration attempted to end TPS for those countries.

To provide even greater protections, USCIS also redesignated Haiti this week and Sudan in April 2022. Redesignation, rather than extension, allows for new TPS applications, whereas USCIS’s recent extension only applied to existing TPS holders.

But the extension provides a welcome reprieve for hundreds of thousands of TPS holders whose status was set to expire on December 31, 2022. Though the government extended TPS for countries subject to two ongoing lawsuits, those protections could end depending on the outcome of the pending litigation.

TPS is a form of humanitarian protection granted to people from designated countries who are living in the United States. To be designated for TPS, a country must be undergoing armed conflict, a natural disaster, or similar extraordinary and temporary conditions that make it difficult or unsafe to return. TPS provides work authorization and protection from deportation during the designated period, but its temporary nature often leaves TPS holders in limbo.

Though TPS is usually only authorized for a period of up to 18 months at a time, the government can and often does extend the designation. For example, the

TPS designation for El Salvador has been extended since its initial issuance in 2001 until the Trump administration attempted to terminate it in 2018, along with the designations for Nicaragua, Honduras, Nepal, Haiti, and Sudan.

That decision was blocked by a federal court in the Ramos v. Mayorkas case. TPS terminations for Honduras and Nepal were challenged in a separate lawsuit, Bhattarai v. Mayorkas, which was later linked to the Ramos case.

The government appealed the Ramos injunction and the Ninth Circuit sided with the Trump administration in September 2020. The Ninth Circuit ruled that the decision to designate, extend, or terminate TPS is not subject to judicial review. The court also failed to see a sufficient connection between evidence of racism or hostility by the Trump administration and the decision to terminate the TPS designations. The judges reached this decision despite then-President Trump’s reference to “shithole countries” and other evidence presented by plaintiffs.

But the terminations did not go into effect after the Ninth Circuit ruling. The ACLU, which is litigating the Ramos case, requested rehearing before the full court. The rehearing decision was put on hold while the parties engaged in settlement talks for over a year, but negotiations stalled in late October.

The fate of over 250,000 TPS holders hangs in the balance now. If the Ninth Circuit denies the request for rehearing, the Trump-era terminations will go into effect unless the case reaches the Supreme Court.

TPS holders and advocates have long fought for a path to citizenship to avoid the constant uncertainty of whether the government will renew protections or open TPS holders up to deportation. Congress has so far been unable to find a solution. The Dream and Promise Act of 2021 would have given TPS holders a path to citizenship, but it stalled after passing in the House.

The Biden administration could redesignate TPS for El Salvador, Nepal, Nicaragua, and Honduras, as it did this week for Haiti and in April for Sudan. Redesignation would not offer permanent status for TPS holders, but those who apply under a new designation would be protected if the Ninth Circuit rules against the TPS holders.

Over 80% of TPS holders have been living in the United States for more than 20 years, raising U.S. citizen children, making important contributions to the work force, and forming strong ties to their communities. The Biden administration and Congress must work to offer a permanent fix for TPS holders who have made the U.S. their home for decades.l

USCIS Extends Green Card Validity Extension to 24 Months for Green Card Renewals

On Sept. 26, 2022, USCIS automatically extended the validity of Permanent Resident Cards (also known as Green Cards) to 24 months for lawful permanent residents who file Form I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card (Green Card).

USCIS is in the process of sending out amended receipt notices for individuals with a pending Form I-90. You can present an amended receipt notice with an expired Green Card as evidence of con-

tinued status. By presenting your amended receipt notice with your expired Green

Card, you remain authorized to work and travel for 24 months from the expiration date on the front of your expired Green Card.

If you are in urgent need of evidence of status while you wait for your amended receipt notice or your replacement Green Card, or if you need another in-person service, you may call the USCIS Contact Center to request an appointment. We encourage you to wait for your amended receipt notice instead of scheduling an appointment that you may not need.l

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Email immjournal@aol.com Visit www.ijlef.org www.askthelawyer.us

Volunteering at THE IMMIGRANT'S JOURNAL LEGAL & EDUCATIONAL FUND, INC.

Internship positions available throughout the year.

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

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

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DHS and DOL Announce Availability of Additional H-2B Visas for Fiscal Year 2023

WASHINGTON:The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Labor (DOL) are issuing a temporary final rule that makes available 64,716 additional H-2B temporary nonagricultural worker visas for fiscal year (FY) 2023. These supplemental H-2B visas are for U.S. employers seeking to petition for additional workers at certain periods of the fiscal year before Sept. 15, 2023.

“The Department is making supplemental H-2B visas available earlier than ever, ensuring that American businesses can plan for their peak season labor needs,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “At a time of record job growth, these visas will also provide a safe and lawful pathway to the United States for noncitizens prepared to take jobs that are not filled by American workers.”

This is the first time the Departments have issued a single rule making available H-2B supplemental visas for several allocations throughout the entire fiscal year, including an allocation for the late second half. The supplemental H-2B visa allocation consists of roughly 44,700 visas available to returning workers who

received an H-2B visa or were otherwise granted H-2B status during one of the last three fiscal years. The remaining 20,000 visas are reserved for nationals of El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Haiti, regardless of whether they are returning workers.

Allocation Dates

The Supplemental H-2B visas have been divided into the following allocations:

•For employers seeking nationals of El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Haiti: There are 20,000 visas reserved for the entirety of FY 2023. Employers requesting an employment start date in the first half of FY 2023 may file such petitions immediately after the publica-

tion of this TFR. Employers requesting an employment start date in the second half of FY 2023 must file such petitions no earlier than 15 days after the second half of the statutory cap authorized under the Immigration and Nationality Act is reached, a date that USCIS will identify in a public announcement.

•For the first half of FY 2023: There are 18,216 immediately available visas limited to returning workers regardless of country of nationality. These petitions must request employment start dates on or before March 31, 2023;

•For the early second half of FY 2023 (April 1 to May 14): There are 16,500 visas limited to returning workers regardless of country of nationality. These early

second half of FY 2023 petitions must request employment start dates from April 1, 2023, to May 14, 2023.

Furthermore, employers must file these petitions no earlier than 15 days after the second half statutory cap is reached, a date that USCIS will identify in a public announcement;

•For the late second half of FY 2023 (May 15 to Sept. 30): There are 10,000 visas limited to returning workers regardless of country of nationality. These late second half of FY 2023 petitions must request employment start dates from May 15, 2023, to Sept. 30, 2023.

Furthermore, employers must file these petitions no earlier than 45 days after the second half statutory cap is reached, a date that USCIS will identify in a public announcement.

Important Filing Information

Petitions requesting supplemental allocations under this rule must be filed at the California Service Center. Petitions filed under the supplemental allocations in this rule at any location other than the California Service Center will be rejected and the filing fees will be returned. In addition, for petitions requesting returncontinued on page 6

Mayor Adams Announces Mediation Program to Help Domestic Workers and Employers Resolve Workplace Disputes

NEW YORK, NY: New York City

Mayor Eric Adams, New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) Commissioner Vilda Vera Mayuga, and the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (OATH) Commissioner Asim Rehman on December 6 announced the launch of a new Domestic Worker Mediation Program, created to help the city’s approximately 18,000 domestic workers and their employers resolve workplace issues in a respectful, confidential, and free way without going to court. A previous report conducted by DCWP has found that more than half of the city’s domestic workers — the majority of whom are immigrants and women of color — have experienced wage theft, safe and sick leave violations, harassment, discrimination, and fear of retaliation from their employers if they report illegal behavior.

Mediation — which benefits both workers and employers — is voluntary and available to resolve workplace issues related to unpaid wages and overtime,

paid safe and sick leave violations, and retaliation. The program builds on Mayor Adams’ commitment to ensure that New York City’s domestic workers — those who work directly for a private household, like housecleaners, nannies, or other care providers — are offered the support and resources they need to thrive.

“Domestic workers do vital work each and every day to care for our loved ones, often for low wages and minimal workplace protections, and, as a blue-collar mayor, I am committed to uplifting all workers across our city, especially the

immigrants and women of color who power so many of our critical service industries.,” said Mayor Adams. “Through this new mediation program, we will empower these workers to resolve disputes with their employers and ensure they are afforded the same protections that workers in other industries enjoy. Thank you to the teams at DCWP and OATH for helping to launch this new program and support our city’s workers.”

“Domestic workers — who are predominantly immigrants and women of color — perform essential work to pro-

vide care and support for our loved ones, and they deserve to be treated fairly,” said Deputy Mayor for Economic and Workforce Development Maria TorresSpringer. “Through our new domestic worker mediation program, we will ensure care workers and their employers are able to resolve disputes without having to resort to costly litigation, ensuring access to basic workplace protections and supporting our city’s more equitable recovery.”

“Many New Yorkers rely on domestic workers to help care for our families and our homes, but too often they are denied the most basic workplace protections, with no HR to turn to and employers who may not know all of the obligations they owe their employees,” said DCWP Commissioner Vilda Vera Mayuga. “This new program marks a victory for domestic workers and will go far in strengthening their rights, as well as educating their employers on how best to follow the law. We thank the mayor and Commissioner

Domestic Workers / continued from page 5

Rehman for collaborating with us to find creative ways to protect some of our city’s most vulnerable and dedicated workers.”

“When city agencies and employees need a place to mediate their disputes, OATH’s Center for Creative Conflict Resolution is there to help,” said OATH Commissioner and Chief Administrative Law Judge Asim Rehman. “I’m so glad that the Center’s work will now include the Domestic Worker Mediation Program. Mediation is a win-win for employers and employees because it provides a faster resolution without the expense and adversarial nature of a formal court action.”

“The intimate nature of the services provided by domestic workers — care of family members and dependents within an employer’s home — requires healthy, respectful, and trusting relationships,” said Raymond Kramer, administrative law judge and executive director, Center for Creative Conflict Resolution, OATH. “When conflicts arise that threaten those relationships, employers and employees now have an opportunity to work them out directly with the help or our highly skilled mediators in a private, neutral, and supportive environment. We’re thrilled to be part of this innovative program.”

“Our experience at Hand in Hand: The Domestic Employers Network is that people who employ domestic workers want to do the right thing, but they just don’t have the resources or support they need,” said Tatiana Bejar, New York City lead organizer, Hand in Hand: The Domestic Employers Network. “This mediation program will assist employers in resolving conflict and creating a fair, equitable, and safe work environment for the nannies, house cleaners, and home care workers who work in their homes. We’re proud to be a part of this collaborative and innovative effort that recognizes the essential labor of domestic workers.”

“Domestic workers, who are often immigrant women of color, may be apprehensive about filing complaints and engaging in adversarial approaches with their employers,” said Leydis Munoz, enforcement program manager, National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA) – New York Chapter. “We are excited that the mediation program offers an alternative way for domestic workers to engage in the process of asserting rights and resolving issues in the workplace.”l

Additional H-2B Visas / continued from page 4

ing workers, or workers from Haiti, El Salvador, Guatemala, or Honduras, with a start date in the first half of the fiscal year, USCIS will not accept any requests for premium processing until Jan. 3, 2023. USCIS will reject the I-907 and return the premium processing filing fee, if the I-907 was received before Jan. 3, 2023.

Background

The H-2B program permits employers to temporarily hire noncitizens to perform nonagricultural labor or services in the United States. The

employment must be for a limited period of time, and the petitioner must have a temporary need for the labor or services to be performed such as a one-time occurrence, peakload, seasonal or intermittent need. Employers seeking to hire H-2B workers under the FY 2023 supplemental cap must attest that they are suffering or will suffer impending irreparable harm without the ability to employ all of the H-2B workers requested on the petition. Employers seeking to hire H-2B workers must take a series of steps to test the U.S. labor market. They must provide certification from DOL that proves there are not enough U.S. workers who are able, willing, qualified, and available to do the temporary work for which they seek a prospective foreign worker, and that employing the H-2B workers will not adversely affect the wages and working conditions of similarly employed U.S. workers.

Employers filing an H-2B petition 30 or more days after the certified start date on the temporary labor certification must also take certain additional steps to recruit U.S. workers.

DHS will subject employers that have committed certain labor law violations in the H-2B program to additional scrutiny in the supplemental cap petition process. This additional scrutiny is aimed at ensuring compliance with H-2B program requirements and obligations.l

Automatic Extension of Green Cards for Naturalization Applicants

Effective Dec. 12, 2022, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is updating the USCIS Policy Manual to allow USCIS to automatically extend the validity of Permanent Resident Cards (commonly called Green Cards) for lawful permanent residents who have applied for naturalization.

This update is expected to help naturalization applicants who experience longer processing times, because they will receive an extension of lawful permanent resident (LPR) status and may not need to file Form I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card (Green Card). LPRs who properly file Form N-400, Application for Naturalization, may receive this extension without regard to whether they filed Form I-90. USCIS will update the language on Form N-400 receipt notices to extend Green Cards for up to 24 months for these applicants. The receipt notice can be presented with the expired Green Card as evidence of continued status as well as identity and employment authorization under List A of Employment Eligibility Verification (Form I-9), if presented before the expiration of the 24-month extension period

provided in the notice.

Prior to this change, under USCIS policy, naturalization applicants who did not apply for naturalization at least six months before their Green Card expiration date needed to file Form I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card (Green Card), to maintain proper documentation of their lawfulstatus. Applicants who applied for naturalization at least six months prior to their Green Card expiration were eligible to receive an Alien Documentation, Identification, and Telecommunications (ADIT) stamp in their passport, which served as temporary evidence of their LPR status. This policy was based on the processing goal of 180 days or six months for Form N-400s, which would make fil-

ing Form I-90 unnecessary for applicants who filed at least six months before their Green Card expiration date. This policy update recognizes USCIS’ current processing times, while improving flexibility and efficiency by reducing the number of ADIT stamp appointments in field offices and the number of Form I-90s filed, which allows for these resources to be focused on other immigration benefit adjudications.

The extension will apply to all applicants who file Form N-400 on or after Dec. 12, 2022. LPRs who filed for naturalization prior to Dec. 12 will not receive a Form N-400 receipt notice with the extension. If their Green Card expires, they generally must still file Form I-90 or receive an ADIT stamp in their passport, in order to maintain valid evidence of their lawful permanent resident status. Lawful permanent residents who lose their Green Card generally must still file Form I-90, even if they have applied for naturalization and received the automatic extension under this updated policy. This is because noncitizens must carry within their personal possession proof of registration, such as the Green Card and any evidence of extensions or may be subject

to criminal prosecution under INA 264(e).

Should You Apply for Citizenship?

Citizenship is the common thread that connects all Americans. We are a nation bound not by race or religion but by the shared values of freedom, liberty, and equality.

Throughout history, the United States has welcomed newcomers from all over the world. Immigrants have helped shape and define the country we know today. Their contributions help preserve our legacy as a land of freedom and opportunity. More than 200 years after our founding, naturalized citizens are still an important part of our democracy. By becoming a U.S. citizen, you, too, will have a voice in how our nation is governed.

The decision to apply is a significant one. Citizenship offers many benefits and equally important responsibilities. By applying, you are demonstrating your commitment to this country and our form of government. Your children 17 years and under would derive citizenship from you. Also, as a U.S. citizen, you cannot be deported. l

Time Is Running Out for Congress to Act on Immigration This Year

BY AARON REICHLIN-MELNICK

Can immigration avoid a cold winter in Congress? That’s the question immigrants and their advocates are asking as time runs out on the current Congress.

The fate of Afghan evacuees, Dreamers, farmworkers and others who are stuck in our outdated immigration system hinges in the short term on whether crucial legislation can be passed before the new Congress takes over in January, with a split House and Senate making progress even more difficult.

Several major immigration proposals are currently being debated in the final weeks of the year. This includes the Afghan Adjustment Act, protections for so-called “documented Dreamers,” and the possibility of a bipartisan compromise that would protect undocumented youth while cracking down at the border.

Passing the Afghan Adjustment Act

The Afghan Adjustment Act would ensure that the 70,000 people evacuated during the fall of Kabul in 2021 have a permanent chance to remain in the United States. Right now, people evacuated during Operation Allies Welcome

remain in the United States with “humanitarian parole,” a temporary legal status which does not offer a path to permanently remaining in the country.

Veterans groups from around the country have called for the passage of the Act as a way to fulfill the promises the United States made to those who fought the Taliban and assisted U.S. armed forces over the last 20 years. And the bill is co-sponsored by multiple Republicans, including Senator Lindsey Graham (SC). However, despite strong bipartisan support, it’s unclear whether there are 10 GOP senators who are willing to support the bill, and there is enough opposition among the House GOP that its chance of passage is far lower in the next Congress.

Protecting “Documented Dreamers”

Congress is also running out of time to pass protections for children of parents here in the United States on nonimmigrant visas. When those children turn age 21, they age out of eligibility to maintain status through their parents and they are required to leave the United States unless they can find another way to remain legally, such as a student or employment visa. Many have been living here nearly their entire lives, yet due to immigrant visa backlogs, they risk losing their status long before they would become eligible for a green card through their parents. A previous legislative fix for this issue was included in an early compromise in the must-pass National Defense Authorization Act. However, when a final compromise was released on Tuesday, December 6, this fix had been stripped out. That leaves the Fiscal Year 2023 omnibus budget bill as the last chance for inclusion this winter.

Farm Workforce Modernization Act Negotiations also continue on the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, which passed the House in 2021 with strong bipartisan support in a 247-174 vote. The

bill would provide a path to permanent legal status for more than a million farmworkers and their spouses and children, requiring them to pay a fine and satisfy several other conditions. The bill would also revise the current system for seasonal agricultural labor by expanding the H2A visa process.

If the bill is not passed by the end of the year, then it would first have to be passed again by the House next year, an unlikely prospect given the statements made by House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) that he will not bring any bills to the floor which provide “amnesty.”

The Sinema-Tillis Immigration Negotiations

Finally, on December 5, reports emerged of ongoing negotiations between Senators Sinema (D-AZ) and Tillis (RNC) about producing a compromise to provide permanent status to some Dreamers in exchange for changes to border policies.

According to public reports, the deal could include protections for roughly two million undocumented youth, in exchange for tens of billions in border infrastructure and personnel funding, an extension of Title 42 for at least another year until new “regional processing centers” come online, and new limits on asylum. There would also reportedly be significant new funding for asylum officers and immigration judges.

If adopted, this deal could be the most significant compromise on immigration in 25 years, and the first time since 1986 that Congress passed a law legalizing more than 2 million people. Polling shows strong support for providing a path to status for people brought to this country as children, among all political parties. Despite that, since the DREAM Act was first introduced over 20 years ago, Congress has failed to act.

However, after years of neglect, and deliberate damage done to the asylum system under the Trump administration, the U.S. asylum system is in tatters. Extending Title 42 even further, while making it harder for people to seek asylum in the first place, could do even more damage to the United States’ promise to offer protection to those who are vulnerable and facing persecution. Bipartisan negotiations may still produce a deal that streamlines the asylum process without undermining fundamental due process, but there is a serious risk that any deal will end up pitting asylum seekers against undocumented youth.

Congress has just a few weeks to figure resolve these issues, at the risk of potentially years more delay—and significant human cost. Our immigration laws are outdated and inhumane, and lives are at stake every day Congress fails to act. In the last waning days of 2022, Congress may finally come through. But the clock is ticking.l

Make 2023 the Year You Escape the 'Rental Trap' by Buying Your Own Home

BY EQUITY SMART REALTY INC

Are you growing tired of paying rent each month and not building your net worth? Being stuck in the 'rental trap' isn't much fun, but if you are determined, you can break out. Let's explore some of the steps that you can take to make 2023 the year that you become a homeowner.

Rent Money Is Lost Money

First – why homeownership? As you may already understand, money spent on rent is 'lost' money. Each month you pay your rent, but you do not build any equity, own any property or get any other benefits in return. When you own a house, the money you spend each month is being invested in the home. You are building value in the home over time which you can then realize if and when you decide to sell.

Choose Your Home And Location Wisely

Do you know where in the local area you want to live? And what kind of home you

want to live in? If you are a single young professional, a condo or apartment might be the perfect starter home. However, if you are married and have a family, there will be other factors such as schools and amenities to take into consideration. Invest some time in going through local real estate listings and making a short list of communities that seem like a good fit.

Polish Up That Credit Score

Ask yourself: how is your credit score looking? Is it perfectly spotless? Or do you have some past issues that need

cleaning up? It is worth checking in with one of the major credit reporting agencies to find out your credit score and if there are any blemishes that need to be taken care of. You can request a free credit report once per year, so take advantage today.

Get Your Down Payment Saved Up

Finally, if buying a home in 2023 is going to be realistic, you will need to ensure that you have your down payment saved up. Although it is possible to buy a house or condo with no down payment, there are pros and cons to this approach. If you can save 10 or 20 percent of the cost of the home, it will go a long way in helping to get your mortgage approved and the sale closed.

Guidance

If you are ready to break out of the rental trap and start down the path to homeownership in 2023, contact us today. Our professional team is happy to share how we can assist you in becoming a homeowner. We are happy to help. Call Equity Smart Realty Inc at 888-670-6791 l

Buying Gifts? Why ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ Could be a Dangerous Option for Many Holiday Shoppers

BY JAY L. ZAGORSKY

Gift-givers hoping to splurge this holiday season despite the pinch of high inflation have an easy option: buy now, pay later.

An ever-growing number of financial companies and apps are offering consumers what are essentially small, shortterm loans that combine instant gratification with interest- and fee-free payments spread out in the new year.

As an economist who studies holiday spending, I became intrigued with buy now, pay later plans while researching a book on the transition to a cashless society. I only heard about them in the past two or so years, but now many of my students are considering using the plans to buy holiday gifts. I wondered, are these offers too good to be true?

‘Tis the season

Consumer spending surges around the holidays as many people buy gifts for

their loved ones, often to put under a Christmas tree.

This year, U.S. consumers are expected to spend nearly US$1 trillion – which would be a record amount – in November and December. That typically amounts to about 25% of all retail sales during the year as consumers increase their spending. Per person, that averages to about $830.

In the old days, before credit cards, consumers had few options to account for this surge in holiday spending – beyond

simply setting aside personal savings. Some banks offered so-called Christmas savings clubs, in which customers could make automatic deposits throughout the year that they could use for gifts at the end. To ensure accounts were not raided early, there were financial penalties for early withdrawals. These penalties were then distributed to people who waited longer for their savings.

Retailers, for their part, created the layaway plan, which allowed consumers to reserve a product in return for a down

payment, with further payments made throughout the year.

Credit cards came about in the 1950s, with Diners Club being the first multipurpose card. They allowed consumers to buy stuff and worry about paying for it later. The catch, of course, is that you have to pay the balance within a very short window to avoid high interest charges.

Buy now …

Buy now, pay later plans would seem to offer the best of both worlds: the ability to buy something immediately but without any cost – as long as you make payments on time.

Even better, many companies say they don’t check credit bureaus to decide who gets to participate in these plans, instead using their own algorithms to determine who might be a credit risk. This means people without any credit history like teenagers or new immigrants may be able to take advantage of these plans. It

also means people who have maxed out their credit cards can also participate. About three-quarters of all applicants are approved almost immediately. The general idea is simple: When you see something to purchase, you pay 25% immediately, then make three more payments every two weeks. In six weeks, the purchase is paid off.

The market for these types of loans is growing fast. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau recently surveyed five lenders, including PayPal and Afterpay, that offer buy now, pay later plans and found that the total volume of such loans they offered surged from $2 billion in 2019 to $24 billion in 2021. One estimate suggests the total market will hit $1 trillion by 2025.

A 2021 survey found that electronics are the most popular item to purchase using buy now, pay later, followed by clothing and fashion items.

Given these companies charge no interest and no fees, how do they make money?

Two ways: They typically charge merchants a percentage of every purchase, and customers who are unable to complete their payments on time pay late fees.

Pay more later?

There are several downsides to buy now,

Gift-giving can be a joyful part of the holiday – unless it leads to a raft of late fees.

pay later schemes.

One is that they can cause consumers to become overextended and spend more than they can fundamentally afford. One reason is the ease of signing up for these loans, which may take only a few clicks. A second is that the price may seem lower than it actually is because users may only see the per-payment rather than the total cost of the item.

The CFPB found that about 11% of borrowers were charged at least one late fee in 2021, which suggests they overspent. Late fees are typically around $7, which is about 5% of the average loan size of $135.

Another problem is these payment plans are not very forgiving when people get into financial trouble. About 90% of these loans are tied to a debit card, which means the payments are automatically deducted from the borrower’s bank

account. So when someone misses a payment, it’s likely because there were insufficient funds in their account. Besides the late fee, these borrowers will also end up getting charged an overdraft fee. As a result, research has found that new users of buy now, pay later loans experience a rapid increase in overdraft charges.

While gift-giving over the holidays is an important part of the season, my advice is to be careful when taking advantage of these buy now, pay later loans. Don’t overextend yourself financially. If you are thinking about taking one of these loans, make sure you can really afford the payments.

Giving a gift that makes someone else happy but ruins your financial life is not a great trade-off.l

Jay L. Zagorsky is a Clinical associate professor, Boston University.

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Salis Disbarred/

continued from page 1

frivolous and fraudulent immigration applications in 2014. The former attorney, Owolabi Salis, was charged by the agency investigating lawyers' professional conduct, called New York's Attorney Grievance Committee. They accused him of deliberately, in more than eight years, fraudulently filing more than 1180 green card applications, which had only one approval therein.

The criminal case was seemingly resolved in 2016 when the charges were dropped. However, in 2019, the same Court assigned a referee to investigate the case focusing mainly on liability and sanction hearing. Unfortunately, delays were caused by the COVID pandemic and led to the hearing taking place in May 2021.

In March 2022, the N.Y. Supreme Court assigned Referee in a report that found him violating professional conduct rules. By August 2022, the Referee recommended disbarring the respondent and his license withdrawn. Later in the year, the Court granted the committee's motion and accepted the Referee's sanction leading to the loss of his license to practice law.

The Story So Far

According to a 2014 press release from the office of the District Attorney of New York County, the Manhattan District

Attorney, Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., announced the indictment of the said immigration law attorney, Owolabi Salis, for duping more than 30 victims. These were predominantly immigrants from South America, the Caribbean Islands, Central America, and African countries, who sought his legal services for guidance through the various immigration processes. The district attorney claimed that rather than provide the services truthfully, the defendant took advantage of his clients and fleeced them by manipulating the system and his victims.

He was charged on multiple counts charges including:

• One count charge on attempted grand larceny in the third degree

• Two counts charge of scheme to defraud in the first degree

• Eight counts charge of falsifying business records in the first degree Nine counts charge of grand larceny in the third degree

How It Begun

According to their investigative report, the defendant, who charged each victim $4500, misled them into believing they qualified for green cards and other immigration benefits.

He further charged each victim an additional fee of $4,500 for obtaining their temporary work permits and delivery services that were subject to pending status adjustments. He withheld that the work permits were provisional and subject to termination upon denying any adjustment of the status petition. The attorney also ensured that the work permits were delivered to his office rather than his client's homes, which enabled him to demand additional payment.

Manipulating the System Unknowing to his immigrant clients, the defendant filed their application using the federal I360 form. This document is reserved mainly for the immigration peti-

tion for permanent residence of special immigrants like victims of domestic violence and Iraqi and Afghani translators.

On the form, he presented them as a SelfPetitioning Parent of a U.S. Citizen Child or used another title that was not a recognized and eligible category. For the clients with U.S.-born children, he included their child's name under the category with the U.S. citizen abuser's name and information, despite the non-existence of any elder abuse allegations against the petitioner. Interestingly, most of the children were toddlers.

He also filed both the I485 form and I765 form for the adjustment of status and employment authorization, respectively. Thus, temporary work permits were issued because of the I360s and I485 conditions. However, they would eventually be denied, and the letters were sent to his law firm.

Prosecution of Case

The above findings were the basis of the prosecution in 2014 led by Assistant D.A Rosemary Yu, Co-Director of the Immigrant Affairs Program, under the supervision of other top officials and support for the investigation. They made the additional case that the respondent intentionally hid his identity from immigration authorities. He did not sign his name on the document as the one who prepared them and didn't include the required Gcontinued on page 13

DHS Announces Registration Process for TPS for Ethiopia

WASHINGTON: The Department of Homeland Security posted a Federal Register notice on Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Ethiopia. This notice provides information about how to register for TPS under Ethiopia’s designation. In October, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas announced the 18-month designation of Ethiopia for TPS.

The registration process begins on Dec. 12, 2022. All individuals who want to request TPS under the designation of Ethiopia must file an application.

To be eligible for TPS under Ethiopia’s designation, individuals must demonstrate their continuous residence in the United States since Oct. 20, 2022, and continuous physical presence in the United States since Dec. 12, 2022. Individuals arriving in the United States after Oct. 20, 2022, are not eligible for TPS under this desig-

nation and may be subject to removal if they have no other authorization to be in the United States. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) estimates that about 26,700 individuals may be eligible for TPS under Ethiopia’s designation.

Individuals applying for TPS under Ethiopia’s designation must submit Form I-821, Application for Temporary Protected Status, during the 18-month initial registration period that runs from Dec. 12, 2022, through June 12, 2024. Ethiopia TPS applicants are eligible to file Form I821 online. When filing a TPS application, applicants can also request an Employment Authorization Document by submitting a completed Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, with their Form I-821. Applicants may also submit Form I-765 online.l

Salis Disbarred/ continued from page 12 28 notice of appearance form in the filings. He was also accused of falsely advertising his services and not including the correct label.

He was acquitted of criminal charges against his immigration practice and grand theft. In 2017, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) sent his conduct case to the Attorney Grievance Committee for more consideration on the charges associated with the fraudulent filing of several visa petitions and adjustment of status applications.

The defendant considered their action unlawful and a constant witch hunt despite his acquittal in criminal Court. He also pleaded not guilty to the issues and requested that the Court ignore the recommendations. His lawsuit in the Federal Court against DHS was denied in October 2021, and he received further rejection at the U.S. Supreme Court.

The Department of Homeland Security Investigations considered the case very serious because it was committed by an authorized officer of the Court. They firmly believe that such schemes that defraud immigrants must be adequately addressed.

Other related agencies, like the United States Customs and Immigration

Services, also consider issues relating to immigration services scams as a high priority.

Consumers Note

Many immigrants have fallen victim to immigration scams because immigration procedures and laws are complicated. Falling victim to a dishonest or incompetent attorney can result in the unnecessary removal of the victim from the United States. Thus, some helpful protective tips are:

• Only engage the services of attorneys and experts in immigration – never hire a notary or an immigration consultant

• Confirm that the immigration attorney you want to hire is licensed to practice law. To see if an attorney is licensed in New York, check the New York State Bar website

• Obtain immigration information from appropriate government agency websites

• Always read a paper copy of any contract you are asked to sign and seek clarification if in doubt or confused. If you are not fluent in English, you can review a translated copy of your contract before you sign it. The contract should state the services to be rendered and the amount charged. You have a right to keep a copy of the agreement. Always get a receipt for any payment made to an immigration attorney. l

Know Your Rights with ICE

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

What can I do if ICE is at my door?

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

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

• You can ask if they have a judicial warrant:

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

“I do not want to speak with you.”

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

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

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

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

What can I do if ICE is inside my home?

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

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

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

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

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

If they say Yes: you can say, “I don’t want to answer your questions”

If they say No: you can say, “I want to remain silent.”

If ICE agents try to search your pockets or belongings, you can say,

“I do not consent to a search.”

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

This fact sheet gives only general information. It is not legal advice. Consult an attorney for legal advice. English

Call 855-768-8845 for an Immigration Consultation

gories) if they waive (give up) their diplomatic rights, privileges, and immunities.

Waiver of Rights Always Required Before Diplomats Receive U.S. Green Card

A and G visa holders may be eligible for a Green Card in any immigrant visa category available to other foreign citizens, but only if they waive their diplomatic rights, privileges, and immunities.

For example, if you are an employee on the administrative staff of a foreign embassy in the U.S., you probably enjoy some immunity from criminal prosecution. However, if you would like to apply for a Green Card based on your marriage to a U.S. citizen, you may do so only if you agree to give up your immunity and accept liability for U.S. taxes. You are not required to abandon your position with the foreign mission.

To waive your diplomatic rights, privileges, and immunities, you would file a Form I-508, Waiver of Rights, Privileges, Exemptions and Immunities with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services or USCIS at the same time as you apply for your Green Card.

The rest of your Green Card application package should include (in addition to your immigrant petition, visa, or adjustment of status application, and supporting documents) a Form I-566, Interagency Record of Request.

S pecial Green Card for Foreign Diplomats (Section 13)

Foreign government representatives whose duties could be described as diplomatic or semi-diplomatic in nature (whether they were granted an A-1 or A2 visa and assigned to an embassy or consulate or were granted a G-1 or G-2 visa and assigned to an international organization) may also qualify for a special type of Green Card (“Section 13”) if they failed to maintain their diplomatic status, are unable to return to their home country due to compelling reasons, are otherwise admissible to the U.S., and can demonstrate good moral character.

Family members of such persons may also qualify for this benefit as dependents.

For example, a foreign ambassador could have a credible fear of returning to their home country after a coup or civil war. The Section 13 option would allow the diplomat to obtain a Green Card without going through the laborious process of requesting asylum. They would not even need to file an immigrant petition (the usual first step in applying for most types of Green Cards). Instead, they would file an I-485 adjustment of status form and other forms required in this category.

By contrast, a foreign embassy employee with no formal decision-making role (or a foreign official with less compelling reasons not to return home) would be unlikely to be permitted this benefit.

Even for qualifying officials, Section 13 Green Cards remain extremely rare (a maximum of 50 per year). They may be granted only if it is in the national interest of the United States.

Special Green Card for International Organization Employees

Retired officers and employees of international organizations (such as the United Nations and the World Bank) are eligible for a special type of Green Card if they lived in the U.S. on a G-4 or NATO-6 visa for at least 15 years (combined) before their retirement, including for at least half of the last seven years before applying for a Green Card. (This application must be filed on Form I-360, Petition for Amerasian, Widow(er), or Special Immigrant no later than six months after the officer or employee’s retirement.)

The spouses of such international organization retirees and the spouses of deceased former international organization officers or employees may also independently qualify for a Green Card. In the latter case, the application must be filed no later than six months after the death of the former officer or employee. Lastly, the unmarried sons and daughters of current or former international organization officers or employees are inde-

pendently eligible for a Green Card if they have lived in the U.S. on a G-4 or NATO-6 visa for at least seven years (combined) between ages 5 and 21, and for at least half of the seven years before their application for the Green Card. (The application must be filed before they turn 25.)

Special Green

Card for Children of Foreign Diplomats

Children born in the U.S. to accredited foreign diplomatic officers do not acquire U.S. citizenship at birth. Still, these children can get a Green Card under a special regulation, 8 C.F.R. § 101.3.

This process does not require an immigrant visa petition, but instead, the I-485 adjustment of status application must be filed, along with the I-508 and I-566 as discussed above.

Various types of supporting evidence must accompany the application. Many people working in foreign embassies in the U.S. are not accredited foreign diplomatic officers on what the Department of State calls the “Blue List,” ‘Blue List’ Cases – Children of Foreign Diplomats,” U.S. Department of State Foreign Affairs Manual, 7 FAM 1111(d) so before you or your child file a Green Card application through this process, be sure to verify that the parent was definitely on this list. If the parent was not on this list, then the child is already a U.S. citizen.

Questions?

Call 855-768-845 or schedule an appointment at www.askthelawyer.usl

United Way of NYC: An Organization That Helps Immigrants

BY LINDA NWOKE

There are over 90,000 nonprofit organizations in New York. The majority work to deliver incredible support and impact on varying communities and economies. One organization is working to assist New Yorkers who are low-income earners. The organization that is helping them to meet their needs and lead self-sufficient life is the United Way of New York City (UWNYC). They run programs to support people from marginalized communities, especially blacks and other immigrant groups.

Our Editor-in-Chief, Pearl Phillip, interviewed the Senior Vice President of Community Impact, Chief Impact & Strategy Officer, Ms. Amy Sananman, about the nonprofit and various programs they are implementing. She shared information on how they support the poorest families and communities. It includes ensuring that their children are not limited but can aspire to dream and build a future for themselves. She also talked about the role of collaborating with other partners to provide the infrastructure and resources to support community needs.

Key Objective of UWNYC

The central goal of the nonprofit is supporting communities. The United Way of New York City imagines the creation of caring communities where all individuals and families have access to the necessities of life. Such as quality education, the opportunity to lead healthy lives, and financial independence.

They aim to achieve this by changing the thinking pattern, practices, and policies based on learnings, specifically in impoverished neighborhoods and generally across the city. They render services in seven key areas — Education, Health, Small Business & Workforce Development, Criminal Justice Reform, and Food and Benefits Advocacy.

Community Programs

The organization is implementing over seven programs in partnership with other nonprofits and supporting entities. However, three significant programs directly benefit the marginalized black

and brown communities — Choose Healthy Life, ReadNYC, and WorkNYC.

Choose Health Life

The COVID pandemic highlighted the age-long health disparities among various communities within the United States, providing additional evidence of its disproportionate impact on Black and Brown communities. Many people with underlying chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension, coupled with a lack of proper health services, led to the traumatic devastation following the virus. The Choose Healthy Life Program is one intervention by the organization aimed at fighting some disparities and effecting real change.

According to Ms. Sananman, it is an awareness and advocacy campaign designed to increase vaccination rates in Black communities. She explained that through Choose Healthy Life, they work with over 100 churches nationwide to combat COVID.

Impact Over the Years

In 2021, some of the program's impact included reaching over 800,000 community members through CHL outreach and engagement efforts. Secondly, conducting more than 270 testing events and administering more than 9,800 and 38,000 Covid-19 tests and vaccines, respectively, at Choose Healthy Life sites. Progressively, the organization, through the program, intends to concentrate efforts towards combating various health disparities throughout the NYC metropolitan area.

"We believe that knowledge is power. And the more accurate and up-to-date information available within communities and brought to them via trusted sources – the farther we will go toward establishing greater trust in the medical community and ultimately improving health outcomes," says Ms. Sananman.

One of the success stories from UWNYC's Choose Healthy Life (CHL) program involves the case of Pastor Crawford, First Corinthian Baptist Church leader. He and his doctor believes that Choose Healthy Life and the Blueprint for Wellness Screening provide an invaluable resource for

patient well-being and information. In this case study, Pastor Fredrick Crawford attended the Blueprint for Wellness Screening pilot program launched in early June 2022. He learned more about the program and took part in the screening experience.

At the end of the short and straightforward screening, he was given a printed health report that he shared with his doctor at his next appointment. Interestingly, the Blueprint for Wellness Screening identified health issues that his doctor still needed to check in previous visits. It prompted ordering more tests and proactive conversations about his health with his doctor than ever.

In another case, one family, the Hernández family, attended church service after the pandemic. They heard about UWNYC and the Choose Healthy Life initiative, whose pastor attended one of the initial meetings with the Choose Healthy Life team. They decided to enroll his congregation to receive additional support.

The Hernández family worked with a Health Navigator and learned about safe vaccines. They received their first round of shots at a CHL event hosted at their church. Maria, the grandmother of the household, also brought the Blueprint for Wellness Screening tool to her next appointment with her practitioner. She was surprised that the report identified health issues that her doctor had not yet checked in previous visits, prompting a similar reaction to Pastor Crawford's.

ReadNYC Program

One of the significant problems within

NYC is the segregated school system that has resulted in less literate students who become disadvantaged in life.

The Read NYC is a critical program that helps improve New York City's schoolchildren's literacy skills, contributing to the nation-leading test scores.

Impact Over the Years

In 2021, some of the program's impact included providing more than 820 students with programmatic support to increase their reading proficiency during summertime. They mailed over 69,000 books through Books from Birth and reached over 600 students engaged through literacy and career readiness opportunities and events. Over 3,300 students also received learning kits, technology, PPE, and books through corporate partners to support learning.

WorkNYC Program

Generally, Black and Brown communities have the highest rate of unemployment. Therefore, there is a need for supporting programs that will contribute to balancing the scales and creating opportunities for people to live the American Dream—owning a home and venturing into businesses to build generational wealth. It is a known fact that people of color comprise less than two-thirds of NYC's households. Yet, they account for nearly four out of five families with inadequate income to cover their basic needs. The senior vice president explained that the UWNYC workforce development program creates career pathways, develops training curricula, and provides

New York City, NY USA August 26, 2022. NY

Immigration Coalition held a press conference at City Hall demanding the city do more to help asylum seekers arriving in NYC.

Editorial credit: Steve Sanchez Photos/ Shutterstock.com

COVID: What We Know About New Omicron Variant BF.7

BY MANAL MOHAMMED THE CONVERSATION

Since the COVID variant omicron emerged in late 2021, it has rapidly evolved into multiple subvariants. One subvariant, BF.7, has recently been identified as the main variant spreading in Beijing, and is contributing to a wider surge of COVID infections in China.

But what is this new variant, and should we be worried? Although reports from China about this variant’s characteristics are concerning, it doesn’t appear to be growing too much elsewhere in the world. Here’s what we know.

BF.7, short for BA.5.2.1.7, is a sub-lineage of the omicron variant BA.5.

Reports from China indicate BF.7 has the strongest infection ability out of the omicron subvariants in the country, being quicker to transmit than other variants, having a shorter incubation period, and with greater capacity to infect people who have had a previous COVID infection, or been vaccinated, or both.

To put this into context, BF.7 is believed

to have an R0, or basic reproduction number, of 10 to 18.6. This means an infected person will transmit the virus to an average of 10 to 18.6 other people. Research has shown omicron has an average R0 of 5.08.

The high transmission rate of BF.7, taken with the risk of hidden spread due to the many asymptomatic carriers, is understood to be causing significant difficulty in controlling the epidemic in China.

The symptoms of an infection with BF.7 are similar to those associated with

other omicron subvariants, primarily upper respiratory symptoms. Patients may have a fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose and fatigue, among other symptoms. A minority of people can also experience gastrointestinal symptoms like vomiting and diarrhoea.

BF.7 may well cause more serious illness in people with weaker immune systems.

BF.7’s mutations

As omicron has evolved, we’ve seen the emergence of new subvariants better able

to escape immunity from vaccination or prior infection. BF.7 is no different.

BF.7 carries a specific mutation, R346T, in the spike protein of SARSCoV-2 (a protein on the surface of the virus that allows it to attach to and infect our cells). This mutation, which we also see in BF.7’s “parent” variant BA.5, has been linked with enhancing the capacity of the virus to escape neutralising antibodies generated by vaccines or previous infection.

A recent study examined the neutralisation of BF.7 in sera (a component of blood that should contain antibodies) from triple-vaccinated healthcare workers, as well as patients infected during the omicron BA.1 and BA.5 waves of the pandemic. BF.7 was resistant to neutralisation, driven partly by the R346T mutation.

BF.7 around the world

BF.7 has been detected in several other countries around the world including India, the US, the UK and several European countries such as Belgium,

New Omicron Variant BF.7/ continued from page 17

Germany, France and Denmark.

Despite BF.7’s immune-evasive characteristics, and worrying signs about its growth in China, the variant seems to be remaining fairly steady elsewhere. For example, in the US it was estimated to account for 5.7% of infections up to December 10, down from 6.6% the week prior.

While the UK Health Security Agency identified BF.7 as one of the most concerning variants in terms of both growth and neutralisation data in a technical briefing published in October (it accounted for over 7% of cases at that time), the most recent briefing says BF.7 has been de-escalated due to reduced incidence and low growth rates in the UK. We don’t know exactly why the situation looks different in China. BF.7’s high R0 might be due in part to a low level of immunity in the Chinese population from previous infection, and possibly vaccination too. We should, of course, be cautious about the data from China as it’s based on reports, not peer-reviewed evidence yet.

An evolving virus

Since the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 three years ago, the virus has continued to evolve, acquiring genetic mutations more rapidly than expected.

The emergence of BF.7 and other new variants is concerning. But vaccination is still the best weapon we have to fight COVID. And the recent approval by the UK drugs regulator of bivalent boosters, which target omicron alongside the original strain of SARS-CoV-2, is very promising.l

Read more stories like this and more at www.theimmigrantsjournal.com

United Way/ continued from page 16 social services for sustainable career success.

She explained that in 2021, they launched the 'Together We Thrive: Black Business Network,' an initiative that offers help in accessing financial resources, coaching, digital marketing, technical assistance, and more. Some businesses include restaurants, salons, wellness centers, and goods and services providers. They also have entrepreneurial start-ups aligned to become the city's next generation of Black businesses.

Immigration

The senior vice president explained that UWNYC had worked closely with other nonprofits and community-based organizations across New York to support the new immigrants. She explained that they work closely to bridge the gaps in resources and funding. Some of their achievements include working with the New York Immigration Coalition to get Lyft tickets to help transport asylum seekers to family members across the region.

Furthermore, over the year, the organization has funded soup kitchens and pantries in various communities across the city as emergency food providers continue to address higher demand.

She explained that they created the

United Way of New York City Emergency Assistance and Community Needs (EACN) Fund due to the overwhelming demand for more assistance.

"The EACN Fund was designed to meet emergencies that arise in New York City. It allows UWNYC to grant organizations at the community level to ensure they have the resources they need to serve clients effectively," Ms. Sananmam.

Furthermore, the EACN fund has raised over $660,000 thus far. It has also funded four organizations working to respond to the migrant crisis directly. Some of the teams include TLC NYC, ArtistsAthletes-Activists, Gambian Youth Organization, and El Puente. For more information on United Way of New York, please visit www. unitedwaynyc.org.l

Listen to the full interview at www.theimmigrantsjournal.com

Manal Mohammed is a Senior Lecturer, Medical Microbiology, University of Westminster

A young immigrant. Editorial credit: Joseph Sorrentino / Shutterstock.com

Social Media Always Remembers – Which Makes Moving on From a Breakup That Much Harder

BY KATE G. BLACKBURN, LEAH E. LEFEBVRE & NICK BRODY THE CONVERSATION

Before the internet, people commonly burned Polaroids and love letters in a fire as an act of closure following a breakup.

Nowadays, it isn’t so simple. People produce and consume massive amounts of digital stuff – 33 trillion gigabytes of online data in 2018 alone, a number that has surely grown.

Even as more and more of daily life is experienced and documented online, there’s no playbook for how to navigate breakups in the digital age. In the past, if bonfires weren’t your thing, you could simply throw out love letters, gifts and photographs, or put them in a box and store them in the attic – out of sight and out of mind.

Now, as you scroll through your accounts, you might find yourself returning to your own memories – including reminders of your former partners, which live on long after the dissolution of a relationship.

As communication researchers, we’ve conducted a series of studies investigating how people decide whether to keep or delete something following the end of a romantic relationship – and how these decisions affect their ability to move on.

Relationship ‘cleansing’

In some of our earlier research – all the way back in 2013 – we studied how people used social media after a breakup.

We found that they often carried out what we call “relational cleansing” by hiding their relational status, deleting photos or scrubbing old social media posts.

In another study, we found that people who spent a good deal of time looking at old digital photos of their relationships and those who monitored their previous partners on social media following a breakup had a harder time moving on.

To explore these findings in more depth, we conducted a follow-up study that looked at whether keeping or deleting virtual objects following a breakup helped people move on and emotionally recover following the end of their relationship.

We found that people who were more nostalgic – that is, those who tended to have a sentimental longing for the past –

were more likely to keep digital objects from their previous relationship, and that preserving those objects tended to make it harder to adjust to the relationship’s end.

In the analysis of the results, we speculated that when people continually revisit these digital memories, they’re unable to fully detach from the relationship.

Based on this research we came up with a model called Virtual Relational Memory. Specifically, we suggest that individuals going through a breakup consider three components of their digital lives: objects, stories and networks.

To purge or not to purge?

In relationships, people produce a trove of digital objects, such as messages and photos, that represent and document their relationships.

Those happy and joyous photos of past anniversaries and trips linger in online photo albums long after the relationship ends.

Social Media Always Remembers/ continued from page 20

Because many of these digital objects are distributed across platforms and accounts – many of which people don’t have access to – they’re more likely to persist. Old photos memories can algorithmically appear at inopportune times, too, spurring unanticipated thoughts about your partner.

Still, you can exert some control over whether to delete or keep the memories you have access to.

By keeping the objects, maybe you can continue to reflect on the relationship, prompting personal growth. By deleting them, perhaps you can more quickly move on from your previous partner and prepare for your next relationship.

Losing control of the narrative

Beyond considering how to manage things like photos and old messages, people going through a breakup should also think about the narrative, or story, of the breakup.

The stories people tell about their breakups are powerful reminders of their relationships. But they also help people reconcile and move on to new ones.

When a relationship ends, people often construct a story, and that story varies for different audiences. When your parents ask why you broke up, you might tell a story about your differing life goals.

When your friends ask why you broke up, you might tell a story about your inability to manage conflict.

Social media complicates the story-creation process, because it is more difficult to construct distinct stories for different audiences. For instance, some people have both a main Instagram account and a “Finsta” that presents their more authentic identity. Someone who shares the gritty details of their breakup on their finsta would have a difficult time reconciling that version of the narrative with the one they present on their more curated main profile.

Also, people tend to change the story they tell about breakups over time as they move on from a relationship. Their story might evolve to be less hostile to their partner, or more accepting of the need for the end of the relationship. When people

are exposed to virtual objects such as old photos or texts, their narratives can quickly revert back to the stories they created shortly after the relationship ended.

Adapting

your network

Next, it’s important to think about your network, which refers to the connections in which our relationships are embedded.

When you’re in a relationship, you often connect with your partner’s family members and friends on Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat. Those networks often linger following the end of the relationship unless you make an active effort to disconnect.

You may ask yourself whether you really care what your previous boyfriend’s childhood best friend is doing on vacation. Even worse, your previous partner

could appear in those very vacation photos.

The persistence of these networks makes ending relationships harder. In a sense, these networks act as a brain, archiving virtual memories through social connections that can be reactivated by the social network.

Although research into the effects of these factors is ongoing, especially as technology continues to evolve, we suggest that people think carefully about which objects, stories and networks they want to retain, and which they want to jettison. Though tentative, the findings across our studies suggest that people who selectively keep some objects and delete others fare better following a breakup than those who obsessively keep or delete. In other words, everything in moderation.

Perhaps, as country singer Sam Hunt put it, breaking up was easier in the 1990s. But that doesn’t mean you can’t reassert control over how you want to move on – and decide which digital relics of your relationships to preserve and which to purge for good.l

Kate G. Blackburn is a Post-Doctoral Researcher, The University of Texas at Austin College of Liberal Arts. Leah E. LeFebvre is an Associate Professor of Communication, University of Alabama Nick Brody is an Associate Professor of Communication Studies, University of Puget Sound.

There’s no playbook for how to navigate breakups in the digital age.

Is Your Personal Injury Compensation Enough? (The Insurance Company and the Hospital Get a Slice)

BY CHRIS TOBIAS

If you're injured in an accident and receive compensation from the defendant or their insurance company, it's important to understand that the compensation isn't all yours to keep. Certainly, your personal injury lawyer's fees come out of it, but there are other interested parties, as well. When you consider a settlement or other offer by the defendants and think about whether it's adequate, you need to take into account what these other interested parties might take out of it.

Your health insurance company may want some

If your health insurance company paid for your medical bills while you were injured, and then the defendant pays you compensation that includes money for your medical bills, it will be like you received money for your medical care twice over. The health insurance company, then, is entitled to be reimbursed for what it spent on you -- out of your compensation payout. This is governed by

The laws of your state of residence can place restrictions on the money that the health insurance company can take. The fine print on your health insurance policy also determines how much of your personal injury payout the provider can claim.

It's important to have a personal injury lawyer on your side to make sense of these laws and make sure that the health insurance company doesn't take too big a slice out of your compensation.

The hospital may take some of it

Depending on who's paying, hospitals charge differently for the same kind of treatment. If you go and pay out-of-pocket for a chest X-ray, they might charge you $200. If a PPO health insurance provider pays for it, the hospital might charge them $100; and if a hard-bargaining HMO pays, the hospital might charge them $75. They have you contribute something, as well -- perhaps $50. Putting together what the insurance pays and what you pay, however, still doesn't make $200; the hospital is supposed to write off the loss.

comes after you for the remaining sum. It's a practice called balance billing and it's illegal in some states: The hospital agrees to the discounted pricing contract with the health insurance company because they get a greater volume of business in return; the volume makes up for the cut-rate pricing. The hospital can't suddenly ask for volume, and more money, on top.

Balance billing is illegal in states, including California, Connecticut,

Hampshire, Oregon, and New York, among others. Nevertheless, hospitals often ignore the law and illegally balance-bill their patients anyway.

If the defendant is paying you compensation in a personal injury lawsuit, the hospital is especially motivated to come after you for the money they've lost, in view of the large sum of money you now sit on.

Unfortunately, it's up to you to study your medical bills and determine if you've been balance-billed. You also need to determine what the law has to say about it in your state. If balance billing is against state laws, you'll have to contact a lawyer to sue the hospital and remove any lien or holds that they may have placed on your personal injury compensation.

There are a number of challenges that you need to get past to ensure that you lose as little of your personal injury compensation as possible. It usually takes an experienced lawyer to help you find fair treatment.

Finally, if you were involved in any type of accident, know your rights. Ask

Speeding ruins lives. Slow down.

Brian Figeroux, Esq.