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Dear Friends and Allies--
After years of attack upon attack on immigrant and refugee communities, we were thankful that 2019 ended on a note of hope. On December 20, 2019, the President signed the National Defense Authorization Act, which included the Liberian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act (LRIFA). This law offers Liberians in Minnesota and across the United States a pathway to citizenship. ILCM is proud to already be assisting Liberians in our community to stabilize their status under this law.
But as Attorney General Keith Ellison said at a celebration honoring the community members, grassroots activists, and elected officials who made LRIFA a reality, we cannot be content until our immigration system is fair for all:
- for refugees who are trying to escape war and persecution but cannot even reach the gates of the United States;
- for asylum seekers who are being denied basic due process and human rights at and within our borders;
- for low- and moderate-income immigrants who now face the possibility of exorbitant fee increase and elimination of virtually all fee waivers; and
for all the hardworking immigrants--the DREAMers, their parents, and others--whose present and future is that of the United States, but who have a circuitous pathway--or none at all--to citizenship in a country that is their own.
This is why ILCM is committed to challenging the administration's punitive actions against immigrants and refugees and advocating for low- and moderate-income immigrants and refugees to enable them to fully participate in their communities, including:
- A young man who came to the United States at the age of three, with his one-year-old brother, his father, and his five-month-pregnant mother. He struggled with school and learning English, but persevered. After DACA was established, ILCM assisted him with obtaining DACA, which enabled him to attend college. In December, he graduated from the University of Minnesota with a degree in economics.
- A woman who left a refugee camp in Thailand on November 4, 2008 - Election Day for the US. When the plane landed in Chicago, passengers got word that Barack Obama had been elected president and the plane erupted in chants of "OBAMA OBAMA OBAMA." She says that this was so special to her because she realized how much Americans loved their country and she felt so lucky to be "home." With ILCM's help, she became a permanent legal resident and now a citizen and will now be able to vote in the next presidential election.
- An ILCM client in Northwest Minnesota adjusted her status to become a permanent resident. She has been separated from her mother for 15 years. Now that she has a green card, she can travel to see her mother again.
The grit, perseverance, and hope of our clients inspires us, and your dedication, commitment, and generosity keeps us going. Together, we are committed to being a catalyst for more moments of hope, optimism, and celebration for immigrants and refugees, individually and collectively. In this environment, it will not be easy to uphold the rule of law, the promise of human rights guaranteed by our constitution, and the promise of human kindness and decency. But with your support, we know we can.
THANK YOU for being with us, day after day, year after year, in this important work.
Sincerely,
Veena Iyer
Executive Director
Saying "YES!" to refugees:
On January 15, U.S. District Judge Peter J. Messitte suspended the executive order restricting refugee resettlement. Minnesota, along with at least 42 other states, had already responded to the president's anti-immigrant stance by saying yes to refugee resettlement. Across the country, most states and counties that considered refugee resettlement said yes. Only two counties (Beltrami in Minnesota and Appomattox in Virginia) and the state of Texas have said no to refugee resettlement. Two notable decisions came from Clay County, where ILCM's Martha Castanon was among those testifying before the county board, and from Mower County, where ILCM's Maylary Apolo asked them to "continue opening their hearts," and they did!
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Liberian path to citizenship:
After years of uncertainty and waiting, Liberians who have lived in the United States since November 20, 2014 can now apply for green cards for themselves and family members. ILCM recommends that all Liberians who believe they are eligible for a green card under LRIFA to consult with a qualified attorney before submitting an application. ILCM is handling cases of Liberians in Minnesota who are eligible for our services. Please call our priority intake line, 651-641-1011, to schedule an appointment on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays from 9-11 a.m. and 2-4 p.m. or Thursdays from 1-4 p.m.
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Our own Top Woman in Finance:
Melissa Pfeiffer was honored as a Top Woman in Finance at a wonderful event at the Hyatt. Like the other honorees, Melissa was recognized for her unparalleled financial acumen and her financial leadership. But Melissa stood out for having devoted her career, not to increasing the wealth of the privileged, but instead to unlocking opportunity for historically marginalized communities. We are so fortunate to have someone with Melissa's warmth, compassion, generosity--and yes, her obsession with numbers and spreadsheets too--as the Associate Director of ILCM.
Besides her work at ILCM, Melissa volunteers as a board member of the Rondo Community Land Trust (and its newest project at Selby, Milton, and Victoria)! At home, she enjoys gardening and her "pottery studio."
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ILCM Staff Updates:
ILCM is excited to welcome 12 new interns and volunteers this month. We also continue our search for two new full-time staff attorneys to join our team.
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José's story:
An ILCM client and DACA recipient, José was only three years old when he arrived in Minnesota. Now he shares his story, and his gratitude:
"The media is currently focusing on the achievements of immigrants. What have they done here? How are they extraordinary? I think it's more important to share how I got where I am, what others have done for me."
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Sara Karki Named Attorney of the Year by Minnesota Lawyer:
Sara has worked at ILCM for five years and is currently the staff attorney at our Austin office, and chair of the Austin Human Rights Commission. Of her work, she said, "You can't necessarily change federal policy, but you can make sure that your city is doing everything it can be to be welcoming. It has been really cool to see how Austin, Winona, and St Charles are doing that important work on the local level."
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