Friday, January 7
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NOORANI'S NOTES

 

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A total of 36,682 Mexicans were displaced by violence in 2o21 - nearly
a fivefold increase from 2020, reports Julian Resendiz of Border Report
.
At least some are heading to the U.S.-Mexico border. 

The Mexican Commission for Defense and Promotion of Human Rights
reported the numbers. "Most of the displaced are from the states of
Guerrero and Michoacan - where the Jalisco New Generation Cartel is
involved in a bloody war against several local criminal organizations,"
Resendiz explains. 

Numbers peaked in July and August, when more than 15,000 people were
displaced. 

More on Mexico: On Thursday, the Mexican government formally announced
new visa requirements for visitors from Venezuela as part of an
initiative to stymie "a sharp increase in unlawful immigration at the
U.S.-Mexico border," per Reuters
.
The visa, which wasn't previously required for Venezuelan visitors to
enter the country, will go into effect on Jan. 21. 

Welcome to Friday's edition of Noorani's Notes. I'm Dan
Gordon, the Forum's strategic communications VP, filling in for Ali
today. If you have a story to share from your own community, please
send it to me at [email protected]
.   

[link removed]

IMMIGRATION PROVISIONS - Democratic senators continue to seek a way to
include immigration provisions in the Build Back Better bill, "even as
key proposals face enormous obstacles and the overall package teeters on
collapse," reports Ellen M. Gilmer of Bloomberg Government
.
On the table is providing immigrants parole status with temporary work
authorization and protection from deportation for some undocumented
immigrants, which the House has already passed, Gilmer notes. While the
potential steps to move forward aren't finalized yet, "[w]e're all
committed to fighting to get immigration reform included, and we're
not going to stop pushing for that," said Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-New
Mexico). "The House-passed provisions of immigration reform are still
where we are, being thoughtful and moving forward and continuing to show
we can work together to get it done." 

ALTERNATIVES - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is
monitoring 150,755 migrant individuals and families under the
Alternatives to Detention (ATD) program, according to data from TRAC at
Syracuse University ,
reports Sandra Sanchez of Border Report
.
TRAC researcher Austin Kocher told Border Report the number is the
highest since the beginning of the program in 2004. "Alternatives to
Detention is often considered preferable for immigrants, because being
held in detention creates barriers to procedural justice, such as making
it more difficult to obtain legal counsel," Kocher said. "... However,
immigration attorneys and advocates have also described negative
consequences to clients on ATD, such as leading to frequent and
disruptive virtual check-ins and feeling constantly watched by the
government." 

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EDU

**CATION FIRST** - To further support and welcome Afghan refugees, we
must build up our education system to help young refugees fully
integrate into American society and thrive, writes Marcelo M.
Suárez-Orozco, Chancellor at the University of Massachusetts, Boston,
in an op-ed for GBH News
.
He suggests being open-minded about English as a new and second
language, providing professional development to school staff serving
this population of immigrants and refugees, teaching great migration
journeys in the classroom, and more. A full integration "leads to
stable, thriving permanent immigrant communities where there is equity,
a keen sense of belonging, civility and systemic dignity for all. And it
arrives at a place people can once again call home," Suárez-Orozco
concludes. 

**'MORE THAN A TEAM'** - Some of Afghanistan's most talented
young female soccer players escaped the country over the summer, leaving
family members and friends behind, and eventually landed in Portugal. In
an NPR

piece this week, team members share details of their escape with Joanna
Kakissis. "We were together during the hardest moments of our lives,"
said Fatema Erfani, 16. "We are much more than a team." Afghan Canadian
Farkhunda Muhtaj, who formerly served as captain of the Afghan women's
national team, spearheaded the team's evacuation efforts. "I always
looked at any Afghan girl and would think, 'that could be me,'" she
said. "When the Taliban took over, everyone was devastated. But you know
what? You can cry all day or you can immediately take action." Says
Joaquim Evangelista, president of Portugal's pro soccer players'
union, "We want refugees to have hope here. We want them to feel like
they can start their lives again." 

Today's stories of local welcome include: 

* With help from other volunteers, including 12-year-old Olivia Muffler,
Renee Cunningham has helped furnish about 25 homes for Afghan refugees
in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Bayley Bischof, KOLN-TV
) 

* Catholic Charities in Dallas, Texas, recently partnered with Break
Bread, Break Borders to offer
authentic Afghan meals to newly arriving Afghan refugees. (Michelle
Aslam, NPR
)  

* The Trinity Episcopal Church in Houghton, Michigan, will host "A
Concert for Afghanistan" on Jan. 15, with proceeds going to Episcopal
Migration Ministries, one of six nonprofits helping to resettle Afghan
refugees. (The Daily Mining Gazette
) 

* To help with Afghan resettlement in Prince William County, the Muslim
Association of Virginia continues to work alongside resettlement
agencies, "providing meals, basic living necessities, new mattresses and
donated furniture." (Kristen Powers, WJLA
) 

Thanks for reading, 

Dan 

 

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