February 26, 2017 Immigration/ Refugee Meeting at Newman
PRESENTERS:
- Prof. Deborah Weissman (Law School, overview of immigration law and EO status)
- Dr. Elizabeth Barnum (UNC Global Services: working with students and profs re: EO)
- Dr. Rumay Alexander (Interim Chief Diversity Officer)
- Wendy Kadens (Clinical Social Worker/ Counselor UNC CAPS: Dealing with trauma)
OVERVIEW OF THE LAW (DEBORAH WEISSMAN)
Immigration law = who is allowed in/kept out
Alienage law = who gets drivers licenses. Up to states
Citizenship in USA via:
- Birth in USA
- Birth to US Citizen abroad
- Naturalizing (3-5 years legally in country with green card)
History of Immigration:
- 1952: INA
- 1962: Elimination of Quotas (race and national origin), but hemispheric caps
- 1982: Amendments re: amnesty and greater restrictions
Immigrant status
- Immigrant: get a green card, come here to become a citizen
- How to become an immigrant:
- Family: (1) high priority = immediate relative – married to US Citizen (2) family preference – much more difficult and changing contstantly
- Employment: (1) talented professionals; (2) unskilled workers
- Humanitarian: political asylum refugee
- Non-immigrant: here for a specific purpose and time period
- Undocumented: overstay your visa or come in without papers
- DACA: People brought to USA at an early age. Not a path to citizenship.
- Cancellation of removal of undocumented person via:
- Waiver if show removal will cause extreme hardship
- Ask for Political Asylum
- Prosecutorial discretion
Executive Order
“Muslim Ban” since revised. Likely new version still unconstitutional because Due Process under the US Constitution is not limited to US Citizens.
Border Security:
ICE
Department of Homeland Security contracts with local police to deport people. Thus empowering police to work as immigration officers. Voluntary in each state and county. North Carolina has the most agreements in the US (and South overwhelming supports agreements). Up to each county. Orange does not have agreement. Wake and Allamance DO.
Encourages racial profiling
People afraid so do not report crimes or show up in court as witnesses
Wall: In fact, drugs go North and guns go South
NAFTA – Allows us to sell subsidized corn to Mexico, but Mexico cannot sell subsidized corn in Mexico. Thus crop system collapsed and drug crops rise up.
Sanctuary Cities
Unclear re: ongoing federal and state bills to punish. HB318 Threatens sanctuary locales in NC. However, the law is on your side. Request to turn people over is just a request.
Recommendation re: UNC Campus: Use private funds to hire outside counsel to address concerns of students, staff and faculty as campus did re: athletics scandal.
COMMENT BY PROF. JOE KENNEDY (Criminal law prof., UNC) – Important to let undocumented community know that they need not offer information to police. They need not let them in home without a valid search warrant.
DR. ELIZABETH BARNUM (UNC Global Services: working with students and profs re: EO)
- DACA students pay out of state tuition to attend UNC campuses.
- Foreign Students and Profs impacted EO travel ban re: Spring and Summer travel home and abroad.
- She advises carrying travel documents as proof of status when traveling around town.
- Be kind to one another, especially foreigners.
DR. RUMAY ALEXANDER (Interim Chief Diversity Officer: importance of diversity on campus, special advisor to Chancellor Folt)
- Discussion of intersectionality and the multiple identities we each have
- Diversity of culture is critical to UNC mission.
WENDY KADENS (Clinical Social Worker/ Counselor UNC CAPS: Dealing with trauma)
- Trauma – what it looks like and how to help
- People are grieving the loss of security. Helps to talk with and be with other people who are willing to listen. Relief goes both ways – volunteering to help allows you to do something when you otherwise feel powerless.
- Listen to people. You need not give advice or fix them, just be kind and listen: “Tell me more.” I can sit with you and be here for you.
- Be kind to yourself. “You cannot pour from an empty cup.”
ACTION IDEAS
- Showing a movie + discussion: Safe space to have a difficult discussion by talking about characters
Joe Kennedy and OJ Salinas will create skit in Spanish to discuss immigrant rights in police situation
- Simulations: Put yourself in someone elses shoes. For example, nursing school has students go through 3-hour poverty simulation to better understand patients.
- One on one interactions – be kind
- Volunteer with Refugee resettlement project. Provide supplies
- Offer to host international students coming to UNC Chapel Hill
- Listen and learn how to respectfully disagree. Have a dialogue.
- Speak out – stand with the UNC community
- Interpreters and translators needed
- Make a donation. For example, to Justice Matters or the North Carolina Justice Center.
Fr. Justin: Connect with Alamance, Siler City and STM parishes
John OSullivan – connections with farmers in Warsaw
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