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Biden Breaks Promise to Refugees

April 16, 2021— President Biden today reversed his promise, made publicly and in a message to Congress, to increase refugee admissions this year to 62,500. This action closes the door to refugees who have been waiting for years to come to safety in the United States.

“President Biden just slammed the door on refugees,” said Veena Iyer, Executive Director of the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota. “By saying he will abide by the historically and incredibly low limit for refugee admissions set by Trump, he has betrayed his promise.”

Refugee resettlement organizations, while gutted by the Trump administration, remain ready and willing to ramp up resettlement. They have repeatedly called on President Biden to keep his promise and begin admitting refugees. Just last week, John Slocum, interim executive director of Refugee Council USA, said that refugee admissions of 62,500 this year would be “fully within our capacity to manage, both in terms of the relevant government agencies, as well as the nonprofit and faith-based entities that serve refugees through a nationwide public-private partnership.”

Biden’s broken promise means refugees who have already been through the arduous three-year process of vetting and approval, who have already disposed of their possessions, and who have visas and airline tickets in hand, will not be admitted.

Biden’s policy reversal will cost lives, like the life of the Afghan man assassinated by the Taliban in January because of his assistance to the U.S. military. His visa had been approved, but he and his family were kept waiting in Afghanistan. His family is still there, and still in danger.

“Today’s announcement is a sore disappointment to refugees worldwide and to refugee communities in Minnesota and the United States,” said Iyer. “We can and should be welcoming refugees in light of humanitarian crises, such as the one in Myanmar, not keeping unjust, xenophobic policies in place.”

 

Spring 2021 Staff Updates

A big ILCM welcome to our newest staff, Jon Lipp, Arleth Pulido-Nava and James Rasmussen!

Arleth

Jon is our new development associate. Jon hails from North Dakota and has experience working in diverse roles in nonprofits. He was a Volunteer Coordinator, Center Director, and then Finance Coordinator for three summers at the Appalachia Service Project, a fellow with the Barry Foundation in Fargo, and a grant making consultant.

Arleth is our part-time receptionist with Paola. She is a recent graduate from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities and will be attending Mitchell Hamline School of Law this fall semester!

James

James is our second Archbishop John Ireland Justice Fellow sponsored by Ramsey County and the University of St. Thomas. James will be working in the Pro Bono unit, including on naturalization and DACA cases out of Ramsey County.  James is a 2020 University of St. Thomas School of Law graduate. He has worked with Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid in their federally sponsored Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic where he assisted Minnesota’s most vulnerable taxpayers secure COVID-19 relief. James has also worked with Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services on general poverty law matters and volunteered with the Wisconsin Public Defender.

The ILCM Board also elected a new board member.  

Chang

Chang Lau is himself an immigrant from Taiwan and has devoted his career to criminal defense. He is an appellate public defender at the Minnesota Public Defender’s Office and has become familiar with the issues facing immigrants both as a result of his own personal experience, as well as his professional experience in criminal defense. He has had the opportunity to work on criminal/immigration issues on appeal and post-conviction for criminal defendants who are not U.S. citizens and, over the years, has consulted with ILCM’s public defender advisor regarding criminal/immigration matters. Chang began his career in California, working first at a private firm before moving to a county Public Defender’s Office. In 2010, he moved to Minnesota. He joined ILCM’s Board because, “often, immigrants, like criminal defendants, are viewed and treated by society in ways that render them voiceless. I myself have been made to feel small and unable to speak because of how I was treated as someone from another country. I would hope that representation, advocacy, and education not only provide immigrants with a voice, but also with the opportunity to change certain perceptions of the immigrant population.”

We also continue our search for a Director of Finance and Operations and two Lutheran Volunteer Corps positions. For more information or to apply, please visit our Careers page. 

ILCM Supports the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021

Most undocumented immigrants in the United States have lived here for more than 10 years. Some are young Dreamers, others have lived here for decades with Temporary Protected Status. Millions are essential workers, who have protected and supported the entire country during the pandemic. Current law gives them no path to citizenship, no “line” to wait in, no way to ever “become legal.” The U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021 would protect their lives, families, homes, and jobs by creating a path to citizenship. These protections are not only long overdue but are also critical to our country’s economic recovery.

The proposed law would also encourage family reunification by allowing spouses and children of Legal Permanent Residents to apply for visas immediately, without waiting for years for a quota number. The law would abolish punitive three-year and ten-year bars which have prevented many family members from getting green cards.

Other family members with approved petitions would be allowed to remain in the United States while waiting for a quota number.

Just about three-quarters of the U.S. public supports a path to legal status and citizenship for undocumented immigrants. America wants to formally recognize undocumented immigrants as the Americans they already are.

We urge Congress to listen to their constituents and pass the U.S. Citizenship Act together with the New Way Forward Act to address criminalization of immigrants.

COVID-19 Vaccines Now at the Minnesota State Fair Grounds

Governor Tim Walz and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced this week that Minnesota will receive a federal Community Vaccination Clinic, following the Governor’s request for a fully-supplied mass vaccination site to strengthen the state’s vaccination efforts. The site will be located at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds and will receive 168,000 doses over eight weeks. Vaccinations will begin at the Fairgrounds on April 14 and will serve Minnesotans living in the highest Social Vulnerability Index zip codes near the Fairgrounds. Please follow this link to track the zip codes. The vaccinations will be by appointment only, and Minnesotans living in the specified zip codes can sign up for the Vaccine Connector to be selected for an appointment. Minnesotans can call the Minnesota Department of Health COVID-19 Public Hotline at 1-833-431-2053 for language assistance and any questions about signing up for the Connector. There will be no cost and Minnesotans will not need to provide an ID or medical insurance to be vaccinated.

state-fair-vaccine-flyer

Justice for Daunte Wright

We are devastated and outraged by the murder of Daunte Wright. Our thoughts are with Daunte’s family, friends, and community. 

We continue to work every day for justice for all – regardless of skin color, immigration status, ethnicity, gender identity, religion, or ability. All people have a right to feel safe going about their day to day activities, but we know that so many do not feel safe. None of us are safe until all of us are safe. None of us are free until all of us are free. We all have so very far to go in the name of justice. 

 

Art by @daezedoodlez on Instagram