volunteer newsletter july 2013
TRANSCRIPT
7/28/2019 Volunteer Newsletter July 2013
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MIRA Coalition
Citizenship Program Volunteer Opportunities
Upcoming Citizenship Clinics in the Boston Area:
Saturday, July 27
Saturday, August 24
Screening Call Volunteers: Flexible schedule. Must speak Spanish or Hai-
tian Creole and be comfortable with cold calls.
For more information on any of these opportunities please contact Julia at jschus-
[email protected] or 617.350.5480 x 229
Other MIRA Events
September 15-22: National Welcoming Week in Massachusetts. Get in-
volved and host a welcoming event in your community!
For more information, contact Cristina at 617-350-5480 Ext. 206
Upcoming Voter Registration Drives: Volunteers needed to help registernew citizens to vote at citizenship ceremonies. 6-8 volunteers needed foreach event.
July 18 & 25 September 5 & 19
August 8 & 22 September 27 (80 volunteers needed)
For more information, contact Renato at 617 350 5480 ext. 217
Upcoming Events
105 Chauncy St.
9th Floor
Boston, MA
Phone: (617) 350-5480
Fax: (617) 350-5499
www.miracoalition.org
Supported by
Campaign Highlight: Father’s Day Vigil
In partnership with its members, MIRA
works for the rights and opportunities of
immigrants and refugees through policy
analysis and advocacy, institutional orga-
nizing, training and leadership develop-
ment, and strategic communications.
MIRA’s Citizenship programming is
generously supported by:
On Saturday, June 25th, volunteers and protestors gathered in front of the
Suffolk County House of Correction as part of a nationwide effort to urge the
Obama administration to stop deportations, many of which separate immi-
grant fathers from their wives and children. Protestors carried signs and ban-
ners, watching as their loved ones waved to them from behind the barred win-
dows of the House of Correction.
The vigil was held through the coordination of dozens of organizations partici-
pating in “Fathers Day is for Families” actions across the country. These
groups were posting policies that separate immigrant families through depor-
tations and arrests.
Last year, over 5,000 immigrants were deported from New England, and a
large number of them were sent through the Suffolk County House of Correc-
tion. This facility holds around 250 de-
tainees every day, many of whom spend
weeks or months waiting for their cases
to be heard, without the right to a state-appointed attorney. MIRA Coalition
members continue to hold events to
raise awareness and draw attention to
the injustices of current immigration pol-
icy so that changes and reform will be
possible.Protestors at the Father’s Day Vigil
Volunteer Newsletter
July 10, 2013
Dear Volunteer,
Thank you for contributing to the MIRA Coalition’s work.
Though we’re the largest organization in New England fighting
for immigrant rights, we’re still a small nonprofit, and we r ely
on volunteers for many projects.
MIRA is an “umbrella organization,” meaning we represent the
policy interests of over a hundred Massachusetts coalition
member organizations, most of which provide direct service to
immigrants, including community schools, health centers, law
offices, and unions.
This year, our most visible work has been pushing Washington
to pass comprehensive immigration reform (CIR), which
would fix a long-broken system that has trapped 11 million
undocumented immigrants in a fearful underground existence.
Concurrent with CIR, we are also striving on three fronts to build immigrant power.
First, we are continuing with direct civic integration work, such as the citizenship clinics and
istration drives that rely on volunteers like you. Second, we are working with our allies on pro-i
bills and policies that compliment CIR, like the TRUST Act, which would limit the damage of the
Communities” enforcement program, and the Safe Driving Bill, which would allow state resident
for drivers’ licenses regardless of their immigration status. This work also includes participating in
anti-deportation campaigns like Keeping Families Together and Ni Uno Más.
Third, we are working on integration policies and projects that help all immigrants. This includ
for the English Language Learner’s Bill, which would stem a rising immigrant dropout rate in M
setts, and our continued expansion the New Americans Integration Institute, which works on
from bank lending to high-school counseling.
We’ve been greatly encouraged this year by major national events like
the progress of CIR in Congress and the Supreme Court’s invalidation of
the Defense of Marriage Act, which will help hundreds of international
same-sex spouses stay together in Massachusetts. Even so, a brighter
future for all immigrants is not yet secure. The Senate passed a CIR bill
with many great provisions, but it al so included severe measures for themilitarization of our border with Mexico. And a bill’s chances in the
House are still unclear at best. In short, we need your support as much
as ever, and we deeply appreciate your dedication to the cause.
Sincerely,
The MIRA Staff
Letter from MIRA Staff
Participant Profiles
Give Liberty a Han
Volunteer Profile
Immigration Refor
Upcoming Events
Citizenship Clinics
Campaign Highligh
Inside this
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VolumPage 2
The honorees included Deval
Patrick, Governor of Massachu-
setts, Paul Grogan, President
and Chief Executive Officer of
the Boston Foundation, Robert
Rivers, President and Chief Op-
erating Officer of Eastern Bank,and Kairos Shen, Director of
Planning at the Boston Redevel-
opment Authority.
The event included dinner, a
raffle, and speeches by the
honorees and other distin-
guished guests, including Mi-
guel Leal, a Cuban immigrant
and US armed forces veteran
whose wife faces the threat of
deportation.
The Give Liberty a Hand Gala is
MIRA’s largest fundraising
event of the year.
This past month, MIRA held its
annual Give Liberty a Hand
Gala at the Fairmount Copley
Plaza in Boston. The gala hon-
ored leaders in government,
city planning and business for
their leadership and achieve-ments in the movement to pro-
tect and promote the rights of
immigrants and refugees. Over
300 people attended the event,
including politicians, business
owners, volunteers, and the
night’s honorees.
Marcus Santos, a musician and
performer from Brazil, just be-
came an American citizen after
receiving help with his application
at a MIRA Citizenship Clinic a few
months ago. “I heard about MIRA
through the non-profit world,
probably,” he said. “As a musi-
cian, I have the chance to meet a
lot of activists.” Marcus volun-
teers for the Brazilian Women’s
Group, and plans to volunteer for
MIRA in the future.
He describes his experience at
the clinic as “...great, everyone
was super nice, and I’m super
thankful. It’s great to have help
with such a long form. I wanted to
make sure that I didn’t make a
mistake and put my residency in
jeopardy.”
Marcus is currently enjoying his
new status as an American citizen.
He said that the biggest change iseasier international travel for his
business, Grooversity
(grooversity.com). “Now I don’t
need to apply for as many visas”,
he said. “But it also feels great,
you know. I have everything here.
Citizenship Clinic in Boston, she
decided to attend the event to
get help with her citizenship ap-
plication. “I received a lot of as-
sistance at the clinic,” she said.
“Most of the help was with theapplication. I don’t speak much
English, but the woman explained
everything to me in Spanish and
answered all of my questions.”
Luzmila said she was grateful for
the help she received, and that it
allowed her to successfully com-
plete her application. “I got help
When Luzmila Yrene Landa saw
an ad on TV in Spanish for a
with studying for the citizenship
exam as well,” she explained. “I
got flash cards and a book to
study, and I was able to pass the
test.”
Now, Luzmila said she is much
more calm and relaxed, and proud
to call herself a citizen rather than
a permanent resident. Also impor-
tant to Luzmila is her new involve-
ment and voice in politics. “I can
vote, I can be considered,” she
said.
Give Liberty a Hand
Participant Profile: Marcus Santos
Participant Profile: Luzmila Yrene Landa
I own my own business. It’s
great to be able to say that I’m
a citizen of this country which
has given me so many opportu-
nities.”
Volunteer Newsletter Page
Maude Laroche St. Fleur is an attor-
ney and legal volunteer at MIRA’s
Citizenship Clinics, where she as-
sists applicants in all aspects of the
citizenship process, from intake to
processing.
“I heard about MIRA through a
friend,” she said. “I decided to vol-
unteer because I like helping peo-
ple. What better way to give back
to your community than to help
people for free?
Maude’s desire to volunteer started
at an early age, watching her father
help other people in their commu-
nity with their problems free of
charge. “I tried my best to stay
away from the law profession but it
just kept following me. I had an
Proposed Immigration Reform Bill
Volunteer Profile: Maude Laroche St. Fleururge to do it—and I’m so gla
did. It puts me in the best p
tion to help as many people
possible,” she said. Maude
graduated from the Massach
setts School of Law in Andov
and has recently started her
own law firm, Laroche Law O
fice LLC in Roxbury. She con
ues to dedicate her free time
volunteering with MIRA. “I h
to be creative and work long
hours, sometimes seven day
week,” she said. “But I love
volunteer work so much, I ju
have to do both. I’d love a fu
ture where I can volunteer f
time.”
The Border Security, Economic
Opportunity and Immigration
Modernization Act, passed in the
Senate on June 27th, and has
moved on to the House of Repre-
sentatives. The bill, drafted by the
Senate’s bipartisan Gang of Eight,
passed by a 68-to-32 vote.
The bill must be approved by theHouse of Representatives and
signed by the President before it
becomes a law.
Here are some of the highlights of
the proposed bill, at the time of
the publication of this newsletter.
Requirement for employers
across the country to use a fed-
eral electronic system, called E-
Verify, to confirm the employ-
ment authorization of every new
person they hire. All employers,
including agricultural employers,
must adopt this system within 4
years.
Increased border security, in-
cluding 700 miles of fence along
the Mexican border and up to
$46 billion in additional funding
for increased border personnel
and equipment. This equipment
includes mobile surveillance sys-
tems, ground sensors, and secu-
rity cameras.
A 13-year path to citizenship for
undocumented immigrants. Un-
documented people who meet
strict eligibility criteria can re-
ceive a temporary status called
Registered Provisional Immigrant
(RPI), and then are able to apply
for legal residency after 10
years, and for citizenship after
three years.
Most applicants will need to pay
$2,000 in fines in addition to ap-
plication fees for registration, re-
registration after 6 years, adjust-
ment of status, and naturaliza-
tion.
Certain immigrants who came to
the US under the age of 16—
known as DREAMers—would have
a shortened 5-year path to cit
zenship
8-year path to citizenship for
workers who have worked in
culture for 100 days or 575 ho
during 2011-2012, or those w
are the spouse, child or family
member of a farm worker who
meets this requirement.
Merit-based system for work v
sas, with higher preference gi
for those with higher levels of
education, knowledge of Engl
special skills, or family ties to
United States
Elimination of sibling visas, vi
for married sons or daughters
over 31 years old, and divers
visas.
Join MIRA’s e-mail bulletin for
dates on immigration reform a
www.miracoalition.org. For mo
information, go to National Imm
grant Resource Center
(www.nilc.org).