-
Refugee resettlement agency releases proposal for Biden to end 'Remain in Mexico' program
A refugee resettlement agency published a logistical outline Friday morning for the Biden administration to end President Donald Trump's "Remain in Mexico" program. The heavily criticized program, known officially as Migrant Protection Protocols, or MPP, requires asylum seekers from Latin American countries other than Mexico to wait in Mexico while their immigration court cases progress in the United States. There have been more than 1,300 documented attacks against asylum seekers waiting in the program, whose circumstances have grown even more precarious under the pandemic. Incoming president...
The San Diego Union-Tribune
-
Life after refuge: Dreams of joining US military
SAN DIEGO — Patrick is no stranger to waiting. After fleeing with his younger brother from the Democratic Republic of Congo when he was 13, Patrick waited for five years in Uganda to be processed for resettlement in the United States. Now 20, he's living in National City, California, and waiting again — this time to convert his refugee visa to a full green card so that he can join the U.S. military. "I had two dreams in my life," said Patrick, who asked not to have his last name published. "I wanted to be a flight attendant. That was my dream. The other was becoming a software engineer." He th...
The San Diego Union-Tribune
-
Commentary: Immigration is the story of our families
President-elect Joe Biden is expected to restore protection to “Dreamers,” provide a pathway to citizenship for other immigrants, rescind his predecessor’s travel bans and allow in more refugees. It is a welcome break from the cruelty of his predecessor, who separated children from their parents and put them in cages.Immigration is often discussed as an abstract political concept. But for so many of us, it’s the story of our family.My mother, Violetta Tironi, born in Milan, Italy, in 1931, was a studious girl who liked sports. Her father, Sergio, was a police officer. Her mother, Giuseppina, w...
Tribune News Service
-
Michael Smolens: Biden plans big changes in immigration system — some won't be easy
Nearly 15 years ago, then-Sen. Joe Biden voted to fund hundreds of miles of new fencing along the border with Mexico.He was joined by Sens. Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and other Democrats.One of the first things President-elect Biden said he will do after being sworn in on Jan. 20 is halt the construction of President Donald Trump’s border wall, though he doesn’t plan on tearing down what has been built so far.About $15 billion has been spent on the project and 450 miles of wall have been constructed, all but 12 miles of it replacing some kind of existing barrier.Biden has pledged to quickly...
The San Diego Union-Tribune
-
These Southeast Asian snack boxes use food to share refugee and migrant stories
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — For those who have ever hankered for durian paste and want it delivered right to their doorsteps, Tuk Tuk Box is at their service — with a twist that uplifts Southeast Asian refugees and migrant stories.Founded by Christy Innouvong and Sacramento State alumna Beatriz Aurelio-Saguin, Tuk Tuk Box is a monthly subscription snack box that delivers Southeast Asian snacks and ingredients like hot and sour seaweed and banana chili chips.But for Tuk Tuk Box, food is also a vehicle to raise awareness about ongoing issues in the Southeast Asian community, such as racism, colorism an...
The Sacramento Bee
-
A 63-year-old. An Iranian refugee. Teenagers. Mexican immigrants. All voted in their first presidential election. Here's what they had to say.
Just 1% of Illinois voters said the 2020 election marked their first time casting a ballot, according to the Associated Press and exit poll surveys. The Tribune spoke with a dozen first-time voters about why they felt it was important to cast their ballots, and how they are feeling a day later with results still pending. Some voted because they became eligible, including newly naturalized U.S. citizens, others felt more strongly than they had in the past about the issues and the candidates. Here’s what they had to say.Ali Tarokh, 35As a refugee who came to Chicago in 2012 from Iran, Ali Sharif...
Chicago Tribune
-
Bishop urges Congress to consider immigrants, refugees for coronavirus stimulus checks
The first round of stimulus checks helped millions of people meet their financial needs. Although the CARES Act offered stimulus checks to most Americans, it missed a few groups as well. Two such groups are immigrant and refugee families. To ensure that immigrant and refugee families are not left out again, the chairman of the U.S. bishops’ migration committee has asked Congress to include them the next time they send coronavirus stimulus checks.Q2 2020 hedge fund letters, conferences and moreCoronavirus stimulus checks for immigrant, refugee familiesAuxiliary Bishop Mario E. Dorsonville of Wa...
ValueWalk