The Immigrant’s Journal - Vol. 183

Immigrant Workers Who Report Labor Violations

Will Be

Protected Under This New Policy

BY AARON REICHLIN-MELNICK

Immigrant workers who are the victims of labor exploitation are often faced with a difficult choice. They can either stay quiet out of fear of deportation or come forward to report coercive conduct. Looming over that choice is the possibility that the employer may retaliate by calling U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or take other adverse action, which could threaten the immigrant’s ability to remain in the United States.

Now, thanks to a new Department of

Homeland Security policy, immigrant workers have been given a shield: a promise by ICE that any worker who comes forward to report labor abuses will be protected from deportation.

Under the new policy, announced on January 13, immigrant workers who are either the victim of, or a witness to, any violation of labor rights can receive “deferred action,” temporary permission to remain in the United States legally. Deferred action also comes along with eligibility to apply for work authorization.

Visa Options for Nurses to Immigrate to the US ....12

Stay Home, Says White House to Prospective Immigrants: Title 42 Expansion Keeps Trump's Racist Immigration Agenda Alive; DACA Under Threat and Country Caps

BY JR HOLGUIN JOURNAL EXCLUSIVE

President Biden continues to uphold Title 42, which was exploited as a necessary measure during the Covid-19 pandemic by the Trump Administration but was merely used to ban asylum seekers.

A report released by a Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis details how the Trump Administration interfered with the CDC's public health positions to further their political objectives. This includes

closing the southern border by justifying Title 42, a central objective of the Trump administration.

The former administration positioned itself within the CDC to try and control any Covid-19 related broadcasts. CDC experts and doctors dealt with "bullyish behavior" and were snubbed whenever they attempted to advocate for "public health policies that went against the Trump Administration's perceived political interests."

The detailed report includes the statement of Dr. Martin Cetron, the director

DHS Extends and Redesignates Somalia for TPS for 18 Months ....15

President Biden Editorial credit: mark reinstein / Shutterstock.com

The Two-sided Nature of New York’s Immigration Policy and Politics

BY FISAYO OKARE, DOCUMENTED NY

Mayor Eric Adams positioned himself as a defender of immigrants’ rights on the campaign trail. Now he has a different message: don’t come to New York.

Over the past several months, Adams has faced one of the biggest challenges in his mayorship so far: the tens of thousands of migrants who have been bused to New York City. Adams said City resources and staff are overwhelmed due to the new arrivals, and he has sought assistance and solutions — including financial aid and policy changes — on both state and federal levels.

Adams says New York City has been stretched to its limits: at the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, he declared that "there is no room in New York" for more migrants — which, on a larger scale, reflects what the Biden administration has said. In June 2021, Vice President Kamala Harris addressed people in Guatemala who may potentially want to migrate saying: "Do not come."

But despite these warnings, it’s become increasingly clear that telling migrants not to come does not hinder them as they flee from poverty and violence, or to reunite with their families.

Historically, Adams’ public statements have shown strong support for immigrant communities: The month before he won the Mayoral election, he released a plan to “protect immigrant communities.” And he has, so far, supported efforts to ensure some noncitizens can vote and to let undocumented residents get driver's licenses.

But now in the face of pressure to better manage the City’s budget, he has changed his welcoming attitude.

New York City has a right to shelter law which requires it to provide shelter to anyone who seeks it; most U.S. jurisdictions do not have a similar law. In his trip this week to El Paso, Adams said that migrants are given a “false impression” of how this law works in New York, with a mistaken understanding that it’s a place where “resources are available.”

Advocates say Adams’ support for migrants has hit capacity: Murad Awawdeh, the executive director of the

New York Immigration Coalition, said “it's unfortunate that we're now seeing [Eric Adams] take this line excluding part of the immigrant community.” He called the rhetoric “deeply divisive” and said “This is not a moment that the city should be trying to hold asylum seekers accountable for its own failures.”

NYC Comptroller Brad Lander has similarly criticized the Mayor’s trip to Texas in a tweet, saying: “It does little to deliver the $$ NYC needs to provide shelter & services. Instead, it risks reinforcing a harmful narrative that new immigrants themselves are a problem.”

Awawdeh said the real issue and crisis the City is facing is not a migrant crisis but a housing crisis. The city is “utilizing the shelter system as a stopgap, but shelter systems are supposed to be temporary. We need the mayor to focus on getting people who are in shelter right now into permanent housing,” Awawdeh said. The shelter systems have gotten even more full since the city’s eviction moratorium ended a year ago.

Awawdeh also disputed Adams’ characterization of the migrant arrivals as an “emergency,” saying the city has been “receiving people since April,” but still “not moving forward.”

Adams and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul are meanwhile contradicting each other's stance on immigration in the state. While Hochul has been focusing on an outmigration crisis — stating a need to retain business and people in New

York— Adams' stance is that New York City is full, and Hochul hasn’t aligned with Adams' proposal to move migrants to other cities within the state.

Adams’ budget announcements about helping migrants have continued to change: Just before he made the El Paso trip, Adams said New York City will need up to $2 billion to manage the crisis. Last year, he said it would cost $1 billion. But based on the number of asylum seekers who had arrived as of early November 2022, the city’s Independent Budget Office estimated the city will spend just $596 million to care for migrants over the course of a year.

Much of the $800 million the federal government recently approved for states, local governments and nongovernmental organizations dealing with the increase in migrants, is expected to be allocated to New York City.

Awawdeh said the City’s math hasn’t been math -ing. “We can't keep saying there's a lack of funding from the federal government,” he said, “because the federal government just re-upped $800 million to support cities and states that are supporting asylum seekers. So there's money there.”

“It comes down to leadership and in this moment, we really need New York to lead as we always have on immigrants and supporting immigrants regardless of where they come from.” l

Reprinted with permission of Documented NY.

Publisher I.Q. INC.

Legal Advisor

Brian Figeroux,

Esq.

Managing Editor & Editor-in-Chief

Pearl Phillip

Senior Writer

Linda Nwoke

Contributing Writers

JR Holguin

Janet Howard

Chris Tobias

Mary Campbell

Graphic & Website Designers

Praim Samsoondar

Kendrick Williams

Email immjournal@aol.com

Visit www.ijlef.org

Volunteering at THE IMMIGRANT'S JOURNAL LEGAL & EDUCATIONAL FUND, INC. Internship positions available throughout the year.

The Immigrant's Journal Legal & Educational Fund, Inc. is an organization dedicated to the educational and economic empowerment of all immigrants and immigrant organizations here in the United States. We at the Journal recognize the enormous contribution of immigrants to this country economically, socially and politically. Since September 11, 2001, however, immigrants have increasingly been discriminated against and Congress has passed legislation curtailing the rights of immigrants here in the U.S., broadly claiming that immigrants are a threat to ''National Security.'' We at the Journal believe that these charges are unfounded, unsubstantiated and exaggerated.

The Immigrant's Journal Volunteer Intern Program was introduced to give our volunteers the opportunity to work in an immigrant friendly environment while developing the necessary skills for college or law school. They assist our staff in resolving immigration and other legal concerns through personal interviews, radio, email and telephone contact. They also assist the public with citizenship applications and in researching whether or not children of naturalized U.S. citizens have derived citizenship from their parents. Some of our volunteers assist our legal staff by engaging in legal research and writing letters on other legal issues. Volunteer interns are also assigned various other jobs in our Youth Programs. Hours are flexible. Email your cover letter and resume or any questions to immjournal@aol.com

Mayor Adams and Governor Hochul Editorial credit: lev radin / Shutterstock.com

City Announces Naming of Immigrant Heritage Plaza

NEW YORK, NY: The Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs

(MOIA) Commissioner Manuel Castro, NYC Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue, NYC Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez and diverse immigrant communities today announced the naming of the historic Immigrant Heritage Plaza located south of Bowling Green Park.

"I am incredibly proud of the collaboration between city agencies, Bowling Green Association, and all our community partners for the naming of Immigrant Heritage Plaza,” said Manuel Castro, Commissioner of the NYC Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs. “This plaza will serve as a reminder of the countless contributions that immigrants have made to our city throughout its history, and as a source of inspiration to future generations of immigrants and New Yorkers.”

“We’re proud to rename this plaza “Immigrant Heritage Plaza” in collaboration with our great partners at our sister agencies, and the Bowling Green Association,” said NYC Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue. “The renaming of Immigrant Heritage Plaza sends a strong message about the impor-

tance of immigrants to our city’s past, present, and future.”

“Our streets and public plazas are sacred areas where we not only move about, but where we celebrate our city’s rich cultures. That is why I am proud to support Commissioner Castro of the Mayor’s office of Immigrant Affairs for the historic naming of Immigrant Heritage Plaza,” said NYC Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis

Rodriguez. “We will continue doing our part to ensure we’re protecting, honoring, and representing the immigrant communities of New York City.”

Originally known as “Public Place” within Bowling Green Park, Immigrant Heritage Plaza, will also receive a commemorative plaque.

In 2022, the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs hosted over 15 events at Bowling Green Park to celebrate the

heritage of immigrant communities in New York City, including the African Union countries, Mexico, Ecuador, Colombia, Haiti, Panama, Trinidad and Tobago, St. Vincent and Grenadines, Pakistan, The Philippines, The Dominican Republic, Peru, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and more.

Building from these events, Immigrant Heritage Plaza will honor all immigrants who built New York City, beginning with the first immigrant who arrived, Juan Rodriguez. Juan Rodriguez originally from the Spanish colony of La Española (today the Dominican Republic and the Republic of Haiti) arrived in the Hudson Harbor in 1613 on board a Dutch ship.

Nearly 40 percent of all current U.S. citizens can trace at least one of their ancestors back to New York City. Immigrant Heritage Plaza will serve as a place of celebration and reflection of immigrant roots for Americans across the country and recently arrived New Yorkers.l

Read more stories at www.theimmigrantsjournal.com

Check

Photo credit: Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA)

Labor Violations/

continued from page 1

This new process expands on other worker-friendly policies adopted by the Biden administration. In October 2021, Secretary Mayorkas issued a memorandum ordering DHS to halt large worksite raids and instead to focus its efforts on targeting unscrupulous employers.

Taken together, these policies represent some of the strongest efforts by any presidential administration to protect vulnerable immigrants from labor exploitation.

They also undermine a key argument from the anti-immigrant right, which has often accused liberals of supporting immigrants because they want an exploitable underclass of workers. By offering workers a clear benefit to report labor violations, the program will protect all workers while going after the employers who are committing far more serious legal violations. Rather than pitting immigrants and native workers, this policy aligns the interests of all workers together to fight off those who exploit labor.

How does this process work?

The process for obtaining deferred action for being the victim of a labor violation is similar to the process for seeking a U Visa for victims of a serious crime. To become eligible for deferred action, a worker will have to first report the violation to the Department of Labor (DOL),

National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), or any state or local labor agency.

Once the complaint has been filed, the worker must then submit a request to the labor agency for a “Statement of Interest” expressing that the agency believes the worker has been cooperating with the labor agency in investigating and prosecuting the labor violation and deserves prosecutorial discretion for their support.

DOL, which has already prepared an FAQ for individuals seeking statements of interest, indicates that it will “assess each request on a case-by-case basis,” considering five separate factors. Other agencies are likely to follow suit. The factors are as follows:

DOL’s need for witnesses to carry out investigation and enforcement of the violation.

Whether immigration prosecutorial dis-

cretion supports DOL’s interest in holding violators accountable.

Whether the workers are being retaliated against.

Whether immigration enforcement against the workers might impede DOL’s ability to enforce labor laws. The likelihood that employers might use immigration enforcement (or the threat of it) to undermine DOL’s ability to enforce the laws in a given area.

If the agency agrees with the worker’s request for a Statement of Interest, then it will prepare the Statement along the guidelines established in the new process and submit it to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), along with sending a copy to the worker.

After the worker receives this copy from the labor agency, they must then submit a written request for deferred action to USCIS, along with the Statement of Interest. The worker must also submit

evidence demonstrating that they satisfy the criteria for the program, biographic information, any additional evidence in support of a favorable exercise of discretion, and an application for employment authorization.

Finally, once USCIS has received all this information, it will determine whether to grant the worker deferred action. If granted, the worker would receive a work permit and permission to remain in the United States for a set period of time (typically two years).

Will this protect workers?

Many immigrant workers, both undocumented and those here on temporary work visas, decline to report labor violations out of fear of employer retaliation that will affect their immigration status. Corrupt employers have often evaded serious consequences for their malfeasance due to this fear.

Even when workers did come forward, ICE would sometimes deport them anyway, even mid-investigation. This happened infamously in 2019, when an undocumented worker injured in the Hard Rock Hotel collapse in New Orleans was deported weeks after the disaster, even though he was actively working with labor agency investigators.

The Biden administration is aiming to make sure that situations like that don’t

continued on page 7

Editorial credit: horyd yury / Shutterstock.com

Nurses at Montefiore and Mount Sinai Ratify Contracts with Historic and Precedent-Setting Safe Staffing Enforcement

New York, NY [Jan 24]: For the first time in their union contracts at Mount Sinai and Montefiore, nurses have won enforceable nurse-topatient staffing ratios with expedited arbitration and potential financial penalties that lessen the financial incentive for hospitals to understaff. Nurses won this unprecedented victory after a three-day strike. Both facilities improved upon existing staffing standards—in some areas exceeding California nurse-topatient ratios. Both contracts have stronger, precedent-setting staffing enforcement mechanisms, including expedited arbitration of staffing disputes and a new approach of including potential financial penalties payable to nurses when employers fail to uphold contractual safe staffing standards. NYSNA members at both hospitals voted to ratify their contracts by 98 percent last week. Voting concluded at Mount Sinai late Wednesday and at Montefiore on Friday.

The two hospitals that went on strike before reaching contract agreements are the latest in a series of NYC private-sector hospitals that campaigned together for new contracts. All of the facilities, including BronxCare Health System, Flushing Hospital Medical Center, Maimonides Medical Center, Montefiore Bronx, Mount Sinai Hospital, Mount Sinai Morningside and West, NewYorkPresbyterian, Richmond University Medical Center, The Brooklyn Hospital Center, and Wyckoff Heights Medical Center won better staffing standards and enforcement, protected healthcare benefits, and increased salaries by 7 percent, 6 percent and 5 percent during the threeyear contract period. Only One Brooklyn Health facilities Interfaith Medical Center and Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center continue to be at the bargaining table.

NYSNA President Nancy Hagans, RN released the following statement:

“With their historic victory, NYSNA members at Montefiore Bronx and Mount Sinai Hospital sparked a national movement to win wall-to-wall enforceable safe staffing ratios to make sure there are always enough nurses at the bedside of every patient at every hospital across the nation. Although it will take time for nurses and patients to fully implement this victory on the hospital floors, change begins now. The new staffing standards in our contracts must now go to the New York State Department of Health and will become the new staffing standards to be enforced by law, as well. These improved standards won’t just be on paper because nurses won concrete enforcement, including expedited arbitration and enhanced remedies, including potential financial penalties for the hospital if they fail to follow the staffing ratios.”l

Labor Violations/ continued from page 6

happen again. This may give new confidence to many people who have previously been too afraid to come forward, even where serious violations have occurred.

If this new process is successful, it will create an administrative equivalent of the U Visa, but for labor violations. However, Congress authorized the U Visa process, and it provides a long-term path to permanent legal status. By contrast, deferred action is only temporary, and it can be terminated by a future administration. As a result, many workers may still feel nervous about coming forward, in the knowledge that the Biden administration’s positive reforms may not last.

Despite this risk, there’s no doubt that this is a critical step in the right direction toward protecting immigrant workers and aligning their interests with native born workers.l

Biden Administration Announces Welcome Corps, a New Private Refugee Sponsorship Program

Washington, DC: The Biden administration on January 19 announced the Welcome Corps, a new pilot program that allows Americans to privately sponsor refugees from around the world. The purpose of the program is to increase and deepen the involvement of local communities in refugee resettlement, recognizing the impactful role that individuals have long played in supporting newcomers.

The program will require sponsoring individuals to form a group and provide initial resettlement assistance to newly arrived refugees. These groups will first be vetted, trained, and certified to confirm they have raised sufficient funds and completed a welcome plan outlining how they will ensure newcomers are supported. Once a sponsoring group is certified, they may be matched with a refugee individual or family of any nationality who has completed all application and vetting steps required by the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP). The Biden administration has suggested the program may later be expanded to allow private sponsors to identify specif-

ic refugee cases to refer to the USRAP.

The pilot program’s announcement comes amid years of historically low refugee admissions, including in the new fiscal year. In the first three months of FY 2023, only 6,750 refugees have been resettled towards a target of 125,000 according to State Department data.

In response to the announcement, Krish O’Mara Vignarajah, President and CEO of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, said:

“We commend the Biden administra-

tion on this forward-thinking approach to leveraging the generosity of the American spirit. The Welcome Corps complements the refugee resettlement system and boasts potential to strengthen ties between refugees and the communities they will come to call home. We are hopeful that this pilot will be thoughtfully implemented to make certain that sponsors are sufficiently equipped with the necessary resources and know-how to ensure the best possible outcomes for refugee families in their care.

It is worth stressing that the ability to resettle refugees domestically has not been the fundamental challenge of the last two years. The Biden administration must prioritize the streamlining of refugee admissions, which remain regrettably low this fiscal year. Without urgent action to increase efficiency, it risks letting the compassion of individual sponsors and the expertise of professional refugee resettlement organizations go to waste. At a time of unprecedented global displacement, there are far too many vulnerable children and families depending on the full restoration of our nation’s humanitarian leadership.”

Founded in 1939, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS) is the largest faith-based national nonprofit dedicated exclusively to serving refugees, asylum seekers, and other vulnerable immigrant communities in the United States. Through nearly 80 years of service and advocacy, LIRS has helped over 500,000 migrants and refugees rebuild their lives in America.

Editorial credit: Alexandre Rotenberg / Shutterstock.com

Struggling to Sell Your House in the Winter? Try These Staging Tips

BY EQUITY SMART REALTY INC

With all of the busyness of the winter months and most people settling in for the season, it can be hard to achieve a successful home sale at the end of the year. Fortunately, if you simply can't wait to put your home on the market, here are some staging tips that will engage potential buyers so you won't have to wait much longer for an offer.

Add Accents to Your Neutrals

It's often the case that a home with neutral colors will show better because potential buyers can envision themselves in it, but there are ways to dress up neutral tones that will add spark. Instead of leaving your place too ho-hum, try punching up the color palette with a few bright pieces that will catch the eye. Whether you add a throw, some pillows, a vase or a vivid painting, this can be a simple way to create a lasting impression.

Let The Light In

The winter months can be a more difficult time to let natural light in, but few things will have a more positive impact on how your home shows than the lighting. A warm, homey space that is lit in a

way that maximizes your home's best features will be sure to make potential homebuyers interested. In addition, good lighting will work to minimize any flaws that might be more visible in a less flattering light.

Don't Forget About the Senses

It's easy to get so involved in cleaning and de-cluttering your home that you forget about creating ambiance, but engaging the senses can have a very positive impact on potential homebuyers. Instead of leaving this aspect to chance, you may want to bake something to create a pleasant scent or play music so that people viewing your home will stick around a little longer. Potential homebuyers may not be aware of it, but engaging the senses can have an

unconscious effect on the impression your home leaves.

The winter months are not always the best time to put your home on the market, but it may just mean that you'll need to put in a little more effort to make the sale. By engaging the senses and adding color to a neutral palette, you may just snag an ideal offer.

Guidance

If you're currently preparing to put your home on the market, you may want to contact one of our real estate professionals for more information.

Our professional team is happy to share how we can assist you in selling your home. We are happy to help. Call Equity Smart Realty Inc at 888-670-6791 l

Three Key Points on the Latest Republican Anti-Immigrant Lawsuit

BY AMERICAS’ VOICE

Washington, DC: A lawsuit filed on January 24 by Texas and 19 other Republican-led states challenges the Biden Administration’s new parole program, which provides some Cuban, Haitian, Nicaraguan and Venezuelan asylum seekers a legal process to safely enter the United States, if they are pre-approved by the U.S. government. Stephen Miller’s organization, America First Legal, also helped file the new GOP lawsuit. Below are three of the key points about the newest Republican anti-immigrant lawsuit and its implication:

•The GOP’s Anti-Immigrant Judicial Pipeline Again Rears Its Ugly Head: As America’s Voice legal advisor David Leopold has described in detail, the Republican anti-immigrant judicial pipeline allows a small number of Republican-run states – most notably Texas under Attorney General Ken Paxton – to attempt to dictate and drive national immigration policy from GOP states they control. In concert with Republican-appointed judges in district courts, such as Texas Judges Andrew

Hanen and Drew Tipton, and the Republican-appointed justices on the U.S. Supreme Court, it creates a judiciary that is political, extreme and unaccountable –even to well-established immigration law.

•The Racial Animus Behind the Lawsuit is Laid Bare – and Not Just Because Stephen Miller’s Group is Involved: A tweet from Texas AG Ken Paxton announcing the new lawsuit asserted that the parole program was a Biden plot to “destroy our nation” because it offered Haitians an opportunity to claim asylum. As the Justice Action Center pointed out, “Though this lawsuit mentions the parole

program for Ukraine as a model for the one of Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuelans, the red states did not challenge that program or attack parole authority when used for Ukrainians.” It’s not a surprise that Stephen Miller, AG Paxton and others directly involved with the lawsuit have helped mainstream deadly white nationalist conspiracies around “invasion” and “replacement.”

•New Lawsuit Demonstrates that 2023 Republicans Oppose Even Legal Immigration Pathways – Even for People Fleeing Socialist/Communist Countries that Republicans Claim to Care For: Republican rhetoric used to claim that their opposition to immigration reform was based around the notion of illegality – they didn’t oppose legal immigration, so went the claim, just policies that rewarded those who illegally migrated. This lawsuit reveals a very different Republican Party, one opposed even to legal pathways for asylum seekers attempting to follow the law and seek preapproval from the U.S. government. Moreover, many in the Republican Party – and especially GOP officials in states such as Florida – still wax eloquently

about their commitment to individuals fleeing supposedly repressive socialist and communist regimes in countries such as Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela. Yet the parole program that would specifically expand asylum and legal channels for individuals fleeing these nations is now being targeted by Republicans, including by the State of Florida, which signed onto the new lawsuit.

According to Vanessa Cárdenas, Executive Director of America’s Voice:

“This latest Republican lawsuit further confirms that MAGA extremists have taken over the GOP. To put it simply, the GOP opposes even legal immigration, embraces ugly racial animus, and relies on the anti-immigrant pipeline and a partisan judiciary to do its dirty work. Once again, rather than work with the Biden Administration and Congress to achieve real solutions, they are seeking to constrain its ability to propose and implement policy change at the federal level. Clearly, politicizing immigration issues and using obstruction, division and fear are the main objectives of today’s GOP, rather than seeking solutions.”l

Mayor Adams and Chancellor Banks Push to Increase Equity in Fair Student Funding Formula

NEW YORK: New York City

Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Department of Education (DOE) Chancellor David C. Banks on January 23 announced proposed improvements to the Fair Student Funding (FSF) formula for the 20232024 school year in an effort to increase equity in the formula. The improvements being announced today are in direct response to the recommendations made by the Fair Student Funding Working Group in November 2022. The FSF formula funds approximately two-thirds of community district school budgets and specifically funds schools based on their students’ needs.

New York City public schools will propose the following changes:

•An additional weight for students in temporary housing to schools serving these students, including recent asylumseeking students.

•An additional weight for schools that have higher concentrations of students with needs, including students in poverty, students with disabilities, and English language learners.

“From day one of our administration, we put family voices front and center in our policy and programs. This has allowed us to make real change by working together to utilize different backgrounds and ideals,” said Mayor Adams. “Thanks to the work of our Fair Student Funding Working Group, we are prioritizing the needs and voices of students who have been long forgotten, and this is only the beginning of turning New York City public schools into a thoughtful institution for all.”

“These changes, made as a direct result of the thoughtful work of the Fair Student Funding Working Group, are representative of New York City public schools’ commitment to working directly with our communities and putting into place genuine change to support our schools and our kids,” said DOE Chancellor Banks. “This was complicated work they took on, and I am so appreciative of the work of the Fair Student Funding Working Group and co-chairs Dia Bryant and Jasmine Gripper and am thrilled to be moving these recommendations forward.”

Building on another one of the challenges the working group identified, New York City public schools will also be enhancing the budget appeals process to ensure it is responsive to schools’ special education staffing needs. Finally, New York City public schools will be focusing intentionally on increasing transparency and community engagement regarding the FSF formula and school budgets more broadly.

The proposed weight changes will go to the Panel for Educational Policy for review.

In July 2022, the working group convened in response to Chancellor Banks’ call for public engagement to examine the FSF formula. The working group — led by two co-chairs, Alliance for Quality Education Executive Director Jasmine Gripper and Ed Trust-New York Executive Director Dr. Dia Bryant — engaged in a robust process for three months, meeting with national experts, conducting community engagement sessions, and considering specific policy improvements and their impact on New York City schools and communities. In November 2022, the working group released their report for consideration by the chancellor.

More specifically, New York City public schools are recommending these changes:

•Adding a students in temporary housing weight to the FSF formula:

•Adding a concentration weight to the FSF formula:

•Ensuring the budget appeals process is responsive to special education programming needs:

PartyRentals for All Occasions

•Increasing budget transparency for families, students, and the public Responding to the proposed changes, Speaker Adrienne Adams and Education Chair Rita Joseph released the following statement:

“The Fair Student Funding (FSF) formula has long been in need of reform to better support our students and school communities. Today’s announcement that the Department of Education will adopt key recommendations from the Working Group to provide greater funding for stu-

dents living in temporary housing, as well as to schools with the greatest number of students with disabilities, specialized academic needs, and living in poverty is a welcome step. By allocating an estimated $90 million in new funding for this support, the department has listened to the advocates for our students who participated in the Working Group. We are also encouraged by changes to the budget appeal process and commitments to improve transparency around how DOE issues school budgets, so the public and government oversight entities are not left without basic information.

“Today’s announcement should be a start of efforts to ensure resources are invested in our system where they are most needed. It is critical that the voices and vital insights of parents, students, and educators guide the department to meet the needs of our school communities. We urge the DOE to continue convening this Working Group for evaluation of the funding formulas to ensure they position our schools and students to succeed.”

Chancellor Banks. Editorial credit: lev radin / Shutterstock.com

Visa Options for Nurses to Immigrate to the US

BY JR HOLGUIN

Across the country and in New York, hospitals and nursing homes face a nursing shortage, and while there are many efforts to address the deficit, one that could mitigate the situation might be overlooked, migrant nurses.

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing details some of the factors that are causing the shortage:

•The expected demand for R.N. and APRN services needs to be met by enrollment in nursing schools. In 2020, over 80,000 prospective nursing school candidates were denied admission to bachelor and graduate programs because of a lack of skilled professors, clinical study sites, classroom space, and financial restrictions, according to recent research.

•A sizable portion of the nursing staff is getting close to retirement. Nearly half of all registered nurses are now over 50.

•As most baby boomers, those born between 1946 and 1964, make up the nation's older-than-ever population of 65 and older, more nurses are required to

care for our aging population. This demography has grown from 41 million in 2011 to 71 million in 2019.

•Additionally, the pandemic and inadequate staffing increased nurses' stress levels, adversely affecting their job satisfaction and causing many to quit their careers.

For these reasons, many hospitals are considering employing international nurses. Those who desire to work as nurses in the U.S. must adhere to U.S. federal immigration law and fulfill basic requirements if they intend to apply for any visa.

Applicants need to meet the educational criteria, take and pass an English lan-

guage proficiency test, and obtain credential evaluation if required. Following that, applicants must pass the National Council Licensing ExaminationRegistered Nurse (NCLEX – RN). After Finding a nursing recruiting agency or a US-based firm, apply for an R.N. immigrant visa/green card, then ultimately interview and accept if a position is offered.

The most popular category for employment-based permanent residency is based on getting a green card. This process could take up to one year. The employer must complete a PERM Labor Certification from the Department of Labor, which certifies that no U.S. citi-

zens can fill the position offered. There are not enough Americans working in the "Schedule A" occupations of registered nurses and physical therapists; therefore, hiring a foreign nurse or physical therapist would not displace American employees who are already in demand.

H-1B is another common employment visa. This is a temporary work visa for foreign nationals with a job offer from a U.S. business to work in a "specialty occupation," such as nursing.

The procedure of immigrating was not designed to be simple. And lawmakers try to make it challenging every year despite the need for immigrants in this country. It is beneficial for those interested in migrating to the U.S. as nurses to hire an immigration expert to assist and make the process more manageable.

Legal Assistance

Share this information with a family member or friend. To schedule an appointment for a case evaluation, please call the Law Firm of Figeroux & Associates at 855-768-8845 or visit www.askthelawyer.us.The lawyer you hire does make a difference! l

DHS Extends and Redesignates Somalia for TPS for 18 Months

WASHINGTON: Secretary of the Dpartment of Homeland Security (DHS) Alejandro N. Mayorkas on January 12, announced the extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Somalia for an additional 18 months, from March 18, 2023, through September 17, 2024. He also redesignated Somalia for TPS, allowing Somali nationals residing in the United States as of January 11, 2023 to apply for TPS, so long as they meet all eligibility requirements. The extension and redesignation of Somalia for TPS are due to ongoing armed conflict and extraordinary and temporary conditions that prevent Somali nationals from safely returning.

“Through the extension and redesignation of Somalia for Temporary Protected Status, the United States will be able to offer safety and protection to Somalis who may not be able to return to their country, due to ongoing conflict and the continuing humanitarian crisis,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “We will continue to offer our support to Somali nationals through this temporary form of

humanitarian relief.”

Secretary Mayorkas decided to extend and redesignate Somalia for TPS after consulting with interagency partners and carefully considering the ongoing conditions in Somalia. Longstanding conflict, along with natural disasters and disease outbreaks, has worsened an already severe humanitarian crisis. Somalia continues to be affected by terrorism, violent crime, civil unrest, and fighting among clan militias. These conditions prevent

Somali nationals and habitual residents from returning safely. The Secretary also determined that permitting eligible individuals to remain in the United States under a TPS designation for Somalia was not contrary to the interests of the United States.

The extension of TPS for Somalia allows approximately 430 current beneficiaries to retain TPS through September 17, 2024, if they continue to meet TPS

eligibility requirements. The redesignation of Somalia for TPS allows an estimated 2,200 additional Somali nationals (or individuals having no nationality who last habitually resided in Somalia) who have been continuously residing in the United States since January 11, 2023 to file initial applications to obtain TPS, if they are otherwise eligible.

A soon-to-be-published Federal Register notice will explain the eligibility criteria, timelines, and procedures necessary for current beneficiaries to re-register and renew Employment Authorization Documents (EADs), and for new applicants to submit an initial application under the redesignation and apply for an EAD.

Legal Assistance

Share this information with a family member or friend. To schedule an appointment for a case evaluation, please call the Law Firm of Figeroux & Associates at 855-768-8845 or visit www.askthelawyer.us.The lawyer you hire does make a difference! l

Baidoa, Somalia May 15, 2019: Women and children who are prepared to carry water and carry water on their heads Editorial credit: sntes / Shutterstock.com

IMMIGRANTS’ CONCERNS 14

Stay Home/

continued from page 1

of CDC's Division of Global Migration and Quarantine. Cetron states that Title 42 was not proposed by himself or anyone on his team but was "handed" to them by someone in Trump's administration.

In March 2020, the CDC issued the order for Title 42 of the Public Health Services Act, forcing specific individuals seeking asylum protections at the USMexico borders to be deported and wait in Mexico. The reason was that it was "necessary to protect the public health from an increase in the serious danger of the introduction of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)."

CDC experts disagreed that the ruling had a strong enough public health foundation. Experts said there was no evidence the motion would slow the coronavirus. The move triggered close to 150,000 children and adults to be expelled from the country.

"We gathered data on the reported incidents of the disease in these populations. We scoured available international data. My team that works physically on the border, including the U.S.-Mexico unit and others with a lot of experience, we could not substantiate that the threat was, quote/unquote, being addressed by this," said Cetron.

Despite all this, Biden and his administration continue to whitewash Title 42 and use it as an excuse to block asylum

seekers from entering the country. The same policy that this administration promised to end.

During a briefing on January 5, Biden stated, "Under the United States Supreme Court decision, a case on Title 42 later this year, my administration will — and they will make a decision, finally, what to do about Title 42. In the meantime, my administration will continue to use that authority as the Supreme Court has required."

The administration says those seeking asylum should follow the CB1 app application process. They must wait before coming to the United States, forcing those who want to leave their country for many reasons to remain there, putting their lives at risk. The administration threatens that migrants will not be allowed entry if they attempt to cross the border while waiting.

"If [migrants] attempt to cross into the

United States unlawfully, they will be returned to Mexico and will not be eligible for this program after that."

DACA Under Threat

Additionally, to lessen the possibility of DACA recipients or past recipients of DACA being deported, the Biden Administration should rework its discretionary enforcement agenda, policies, and objectives.

There are currently 590,000 DACA holders as of September 2022, down 700,000 in May 2018.

The decline is the result of some DACA recipients changing their status through marriage to a citizen of the United States or acquiring a visa; other recipients may have lost their status due to criminal activity; still, others may not have had time to reapply. Some may have also passed away, and others may have fled the nation.

According to current estimates, 1.2 million immigrants would be eligible for DACA. Mexican immigrants have applied to the program at far higher rates than Asian immigrants, particularly South Korean immigrants, who have used it at significantly lower rates.

Judge Hannon might reject DACA, as many commentators have predicted. The program might expire during the following two years if there is no congressional action.

The Biden administration must file an appeal if that occurs.

The most crucial aspect of this situation would be that these migrants or immigrants could gradually lose their status. As a result, the economic and social advantages they have attained would fade, and men and many or even some of them might consider returning to their country of origin, specifically Mexico.

Per-country Caps

Moreover, Congress must create an equal per-country cap, as many skilled workers need help with the backlog. A CATO institute study shows that if they could remain in the queue forever, skilled migrant workers from India would delay the backlog for up to 90 years and 44 years for Chinese migrants.

Therefore, the Equal Access to Green Cards for Legal Employment (EAGLE) Act of 2021 (H.R. 3648) is vital. The bill eliminates the per-country cap on

continued on page 15

Editorial credit: Vic Hinterlang / Shutterstock.com

Certain Asylum Applicants Seeking Employment Authorization Can Now File Form I-765 Online

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on January 23 announced that certain asylum applicants can now file Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, online. This is an important step in USCIS’ efforts to employ technical solutions to streamline and improve processing efficiency and reduce wait times.

Effective immediately, applicants for employment authorization under category (c)(8), Pending Asylum and Withholding of Removal Applicants and Applicants for Pending Asylum under the ABC Settlement Agreement, may file Form I-765 online.

To apply for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) based on your pending asylum application under the (c)(8) eligibility category, you may file Form I-765 150 days after you file your asylum application.

USCIS is currently experiencing delays in issuing receipts for Form I-589, Application for Asylum and for

Withholding of Removal. Due to these delays, you may not receive a receipt notice in a timely manner after you properly file your Form I-589. For purposes of EAD eligibility based on a pending asylum application, your filing date will be the date that we received your properly filed Form I-589.

To file Form I-765 online, you must

first visit my.uscis.gov and create a USCIS online account. There is no cost to create an account. A USCIS account offers a variety of features, including the ability to communicate with USCIS about your application, through a secure inbox. If you have previously filed a USCIS form online, you may use an existing USCIS online account.

Only certain categories of applicants may file Form I-765 online. If you submit Form I-765 online, but you are not filing under an eligible employment authorization category, USCIS may deny your application without refunding the fee.

Online filing allows applicants to submit forms electronically, check the status of their case online, and receive online notices from USCIS. We will continue to expand online filing of Form I-765 to additional categories to make the process of applying for immigration benefits more efficient, secure, and convenient for more applicants and to increase our operational efficiencies.l

Stay Home/

continued from page 14

employment-based immigrant visas while increasing the per-country cap on family-based immigrant visas from seven to 15 percent of total available visas per year.

As a candidate, Biden pledged to double the number of immigration judges to hasten the processing of those cases. Although it has expanded, the administration has not doubled its numbers as promised. There were approximately 517 immigration judges in 2020, the year before Biden was elected president; there have been 634, a 23% rise since that time.

The decision to expand Title 42 is a sordid move from the Biden administration, especially since they criticized the previous administration, who undoubtedly used a racist immigration agenda masked as a public health issue to deny asylum to those that need it most.l

NYC Asylum Seekers Returning to Port Authority for Help

BY GABRIEL POBLETE, THE CITY

Around three dozen migrants stood inside a barricaded area in the north wing of the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan, aided by a host of volunteers and National Guard members on Wednesday afternoon.

They weren’t disembarking from a chartered bus at the terminal, according to volunteers at the site who help the migrants by giving them clothes and meals, helping them coordinate their next steps for their lives in the city. They gathered in the cordoned-off area, a kind of resource space, to exchange requests and information with each other and aid workers.

Rather, they were a mix of people who had already arrived in the city and people who had just made it to New York on commercial buses, or from entry points other than the bus terminal — all of them there seeking help at what’s become a sort of unofficial resource center for migrants.

While the number of chartered buses has dwindled in recent months as a result of federal policies, the importance of the Port Authority, the world’s busiest bus terminal, remains.

It’s become a landmark location for migrants, mentioned in WhatsApp groups and other social media hubs as a place to get answers and a helping hand. “It only makes sense to actually have services at the port of entry, or near the port of entry,” said immigration activist Adama Bah, who is volunteering at the site most days. “Those are where the migrants are coming, right? So it only makes sense to have a walk-in policy at any time, at any moment.”

The migrants at the terminal on Wednesday afternoon included Alexander Febres Gonzalez, a 21-yearold Venezuelan, who arrived in the city five days earlier.

Febres Gonzalez said after crossing the border and paying for a bus from El Paso to Denver, he got on a free bus that went straight to Port Authority, where he was greeted with an offer of a free bus ticket if he had a place to stay elsewhere in the country. Now, he’d returned to the bus hub after a hunt for work that yielded only one offer for a job that would start in February and pay $10 an hour, off the books.

He came back to Port Authority to see if the offer of a free ticket still stood. It did. Febres Gonzalez, a cousin and two friends who were making the trip with him all smoked cigarettes in the January cold just outside of the bus terminal, snapping pictures and taking in the views of the soaring Midtown buildings. Next they would be off to try their luck in another American city.

“The process isn’t too difficult,” Gonzalez said in Spanish, about getting a ticket to another city. “You get here and

they attend to you. You talk to them and if they have the availability, they give it to you. If not, you have to wait.”

A City Hall spokesperson did not answer a direct question about who provides and pays for those tickets. She suggested consulting a November press release in which an administration official says, “In New York City, asylum seekers will continue to be greeted with the compassionate care and dedicated support needed to meet them where they are and help them get where they want to go.”

Changes Ahead?

The unofficial hub at Port Authority, where migrants can find people in an ever-growing network of volunteers to help new arrivals, exists in addition to an Asylum Seeker Resource Navigation Center at the American Red Cross of Greater New York headquarters a few blocks north, on West 49th Street. Mayor Eric Adams announced its creation in August. Nine satellite locations across the five boroughs have opened since then.

Bah, the activist and volunteer, said that migrants who arrived in New York City started returning to the Port Authority site about a month after the first buses chartered by the Texas government started coming to the city last summer, but that those return visits have ramped up in recent weeks.

She said that 100 to 200 migrants, not including those just coming off chartered buses, are visiting Port Authority each day.

Bah said many come with “shelter issues” they need the city to address, and end up back at the bus terminal after unsuccessful attempts to navigate the city’s bureaucracy and find help elsewhere. Other migrants come, she said, to get bus tickets to other locations, obtain help enrolling their children in school, or find legal aid.

Natalia Astudillo — who is staying with her husband and 6-year-old daughter at the Stewart Hotel near Penn Station, one of several Manhattan hotels the city is using to provide housing for migrants — visited the Red Cross navigation center on Wednesday to get help related to the city’s municipal identification card, legal services and OSHA certi-

fication programs.

The Ecuadorian family has been in New York City for about two weeks, following a short stay with relatives in New Jersey who told them to visit the Port Authority to get help finding shelter. That’s the case for many, who are shuttled daily from the bus terminal to city intake shelters in MTA buses.

Things have changed at Port Authority since the first chartered buses carrying migrants began arriving this past summer. Initially, the city played a major role at the site, particularly the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA).

But after Adams declared a state of emergency about the influx of migrants back in October, Gov. Kathy Hochul responded by sending in the National Guard to help at several locations, including Port Authority.

Bah and Ilze Thielmann, the director of TEAM TLC, a volunteer organization that’s been at Port Authority since migrants began arriving on chartered buses last summer, said the Guard is now the main government agency helping with the day-to-day operations of the site.

They lauded the National Guard’s presence at the barricaded area, saying the troops ran a smooth operation to support migrants, and noted that the city recently set up a re-ticketing operation at the bus terminal, so that migrants looking for transport to other places wouldn’t have to traverse the city to obtain a bus ticket before coming back to Port Authority.

Bah also spoke highly of Port Authority itself, saying it could have simply closed down the space that they’ve been provid ing.

“If you ask me, Port Authority has been the foundation that has actually been important to migrants by just giving them a space to be there and for us to welcome them,” Bah said.

With fewer buses arriving these days, Thielmann said she hears talk about shrinking the cordoned-off space for greeting migrants, or even doing away with it altogether.

But, she said, as Team TLC is actively discussing setting up its own satellite sites, it’s vital to have a presence near the buses.

“They’re going to come to the Port Authority looking for assistance, and we

don’t want to have to send them terribly far away,” Thielmann said.

Port Authority spokesperson Amanda Kwan told THE CITY that the agency, which is jointly controlled by the states of New York and New Jersey, “continues to provide support, including space, to the city and the state as they arrange for the intake of immigrants at the Midtown Bus Terminal.”

Kwan directed to city government any questions about whether the migrants’ space at the terminal could be reduced or removed to another location.

Ines Bebea, a deputy press secretary at the NYC Office of Emergency Management, did not directly answer those questions in a statement to THE CITY. “At this point, we are receiving asylum seekers from multiple ports of entry into New York City,” Bebea said.

“As the number of asylum seekers arriving in our city has continued, our Port Authority operations remain in place, but, as we have said, we’re in serious need of additional federal and state assistance to handle this crisis.”

‘On Our Own Account’

The Port Authority operation closes at 5 p.m., Bah said, even as volunteers remain to offer help after that, as was the case on Wednesday. The National Guard departed before 6 p.m., while volunteers gave sandwiches and bananas to a group of about half a dozen men who told THE CITY they’d just arrived from Denver.

Standing outside the barricaded area was Katherine Quiroga, 29, and her young son. She had just crossed paths on West 31 Street with a friend from her hometown of Quito, Ecuador who had arrived in the city that day.

Quiroga walked with her friend to the bus terminal because “here they help,” she said in Spanish. She visited Port Authority for the first time a week ago, after a humanitarian organization provided her, her husband and their two children with transportation from Washington D.C.

Her friend stepped outside of the barricaded area and gave her a hug before rushing back inside to board an MTA bus that would take her to an intake shelter.

“Here they give us direction and help us with a shelter while we find work, get situated and then are able to pay for rent on our own account,” Quiroga said. l

This story was published on January 16, 2023 by THE CITY.

Venezuelan migrant Alexander Febres Gonzalez, waited at Port Authority for a bus to Chicago where he had lined up a job.Ben Fractenberg/THE CITY

Immigration activist Adama Bah has been helping migrants arriving at Port Authority. Ben Fractenberg/THE CITY

Does COVID Really Damage Your Immune System and Make You More Vulnerable to Infections? The Evidence is Lacking

BY SHEENA CRUICKSHANK THE CONVERSATION

Over the past month or two, many northern hemisphere countries including the US and the UK have seen a large wave of respiratory viral infections. These include RSV (respiratory syncytial virus), flu and COVID in all ages, as well as bacterial infections such as strep A in children.

Sometimes these infections can be very serious. The UK has seen a huge surge in hospital admissions during winter, putting the health service under further stress.

This had led some to question whether COVID damages our immune systems, leaving those who have been infected more vulnerable to other infectious diseases like the flu.

Another idea put forward to explain the surge in respiratory viruses is that children “missed out” on common childhood infections during the height of the pan-

demic, and that this has left them more vulnerable to these infections now owing to an “immunity debt”. But how credible are these explanations?

COVID and our immune systems

The human immune system has evolved to deal with a host of different infections. It has a variety of weapons it can deploy which work together not only to eradicate infectious agents, but also to remember

them for a more rapid and tailored response upon any subsequent encounter. Likewise, many infectious agents have developed tricks to try to evade our immune system. For example, a parasite called Schistosoma mansoni disguises itself to avoid the immune system detecting it.

SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, similarly has tricks up its sleeve. Like many other viruses, it’s been shown to evade host immunity, particu-

larly newer variants. Recent studies showed it can interfere with immune cells’ ability to detect it within cells. This is concerning, but it’s not clear that such changes impact immunity to other infections.

Short-lived changes in a person’s immune defences are normal when they’ve been exposed to an infection. Several studies have now shown that, in response to SARS-CoV-2, specialised white blood cells called lymphocytes grow in number. These lymphocytes also display changes in their features typical of cell activation, such as changes in surface proteins.

Such changes may sound dramatic to the non-expert if taken out of context (called “ascertainment bias”). But they’re normal and merely indicate that the immune system is working as it should. Research has confirmed that, for most people, the immune system regains balance following recovery.

continued on page 18

The northern hemisphere has seen a surge in winter viruses.

Your Immune System/ continued from page 17

Some exceptions

SARS-CoV-2, like many viruses, doesn’t affect everyone equally. We’ve known for some time that certain groups, including older people and those with underlying health complications such as diabetes or obesity, can be more susceptible to severe disease when they contract COVID.

This vulnerability is associated with an irregular immune response to SARSCoV-2 that results in inflammation. Here we see, for instance, reduced numbers of lymphocytes and changes to immune cells known as phagocytes.

Still, for most of these vulnerable people, the immune system returns to normal over the next two to four months. However, a small subset of patients, particularly those who had severe COVID or have underlying medical issues, retain some changes beyond six months after infection.

The significance of these findings isn’t clear, and longer-term studies considering the impact of underlying health conditions on immune function will be needed. But for most people, there’s no evidence to suggest immune damage following a COVID infection.

What about long COVID?

Emerging evidence suggests the most marked and persistent differences in

immune cells after a COVID infection occur in people who have developed long COVID.

So far, no data points to immune deficiency in long COVID patients. But an overactive immune response can actually cause harm, and the immune cell changes seen in long COVID patients seem consistent with a vigorous immune response. This may explain the variety of postinfection consequences and symptoms that people with long COVID face.

Immunity debt

The “immunity debt” hypothesis suggests the immune system is like a muscle requiring near-constant exposure to infectious agents to keep it functioning. So, the argument goes, a lack of exposure

due to lockdowns damaged immune development, especially in children, by making our immune systems “forget” earlier knowledge. This supposedly left them more vulnerable to infections when social mixing returned to normal.

Though this idea has gained traction, there’s no immunological evidence to support it. It’s not true to say we require a constant background of infection for our immune system to work. Our immune systems are immensely robust and powerful. For example, immune memory to the 1918 influenza pandemic was still evident after 90 years.

It’s also not strictly true to say children weren’t exposed to viruses during the early pandemic. Lockdowns didn’t commence until after waves of the usual win-

ter respiratory infections in 2019/2020, and schools in the UK reopened in autumn 2020 with variable preventive measures, so children were still exposed to infections, including COVID-19.

The cold-causing viruses didn’t completely vanish by any means. For example, there was a significant RSV outbreak in the UK in 2021.

Nonetheless, lockdowns and other protective measures probably did reduce exposure to viruses, and for some children this shifted when and at what age they were first exposed to viruses such as RSV. This, taken alongside a high background of COVID, and relatively poor COVID and flu vaccine uptake, could all be making this season particularly bad. However, a change in the timing of when people are exposed leading to a surge of infections doesn’t necessarily mean that individual immunity has been damaged.

Our knowledge of the immune response to COVID is rapidly expanding. The most consistent findings show how well vaccines are protecting us from the very worst effects of SARS-CoV-2 and that, post-vaccination, our immune system is working exactly as it should.

However, findings of altered immune signatures in some recovered patients and those with long COVID require further investigation. l

Sheena Cruickshank is a Professor in Biomedical Sciences, University of Manchester

For some people with underlying health conditions, immune changes appear to last longer.

USCIS Extends COVID-19related Flexibilities

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is extending certain COVID-19-related flexibilities through March 23, 2023. Under these flexibilities, USCIS considers a response received within 60 calendar days after the due date set forth in the following requests or notices before taking any action, if the request or notice was issued between March 1, 2020, and March 23, 2023, inclusive:

•Requests for Evidence;

•Continuations to Request Evidence (N14);

•Notices of Intent to Deny;

•Notices of Intent to Revoke;

•Notices of Intent to Rescind;

•Notices of Intent to Terminate regional centers;

•Notices of Intent to Withdraw

Temporary Protected Status; and

•Motions to Reopen an N-400 Pursuant to 8 CFR 335.5, Receipt of Derogatory Information After Grant.

In addition, USCIS will consider a Form I-290B, Notice of Appeal or Motion, or a Form N-336, Request for a Hearing on a Decision in Naturalization Proceedings (Under Section 336 of the

INA), if:

•The form was filed up to 90 calendar days from the issuance of a decision we made; and

The decision between Nov. 1, 2021, and March 23, 2023, inclusive.

USCIS anticipates that, barring changes presented by the pandemic, this will be the final extension of these accommodations, and requesters must comply with the response requirements set forth in any request or notice dated after March 23, 2023, and consistent with permanent

flexibility offered due to unforeseen circumstances.

As a reminder, the reproduced signature flexibility announced in March 2020 became a permanent policy on July 25, 2022.

Please visit uscis.gov/coronavirus for USCIS updates related to COVID-19. support in recent months. For more information on permanent flexibilities offered to petitioners, please visit the Immigration Relief in Emergencies or Unforeseen Circumstances page.l

PFA 101: How a Protection from Abuse Order Can Help You

BY JANET HOWARD

When you are trapped in an abusive relationship or trying to escape a potentially dangerous intimate partner, it can seem like you are all alone. Those suffering from this kind of abuse often feel like the situation is of their own making, and they may suffer from guilt as well as violence.

While domestic violence is a horrible experience for anyone, it is excruciating and damaging for immigrants. Imagine coming to America for a chance at a better life, only to find yourself in an abusive relationship, made worse when there are children involved, and you depend on your abuser (U.S. citizen or Green Cardholder) for your legal status.

If this sounds like the situation you are in, rest assured that you are far from alone. No matter how hopeless and lonely you feel, there is help available, and that help can take the form of a PFA.

A protection from abuse, or PFA, the order can be your first line of defense, a legal shield between you and the individual who has been threatening or abusing you. And if you still feel alone, consider this sad fact — every year, there are more than 10 million reports of domestic vio-

lence and other forms of intimate partner abuse.

For those stuck in the hell of domestic violence and partner abuse, a PFA can literally be a lifesaver, but what is a protection from abuse order, how does it work, and how can you get one? Here are some key things you need to know about the PFA process and what you can expect when you file.

Depending on who you talk to and where you live, the protection from abuse (PFA) order may be referred to by many different names. You may hear it referred to as a restraining order, a protective order, or simply a PFA, but no matter what it is called, its purpose remains the same.

Simply put, a protection from abuse order (PFA) is put in place to protect an individual from further abuse or harassment. The PFA can be sparked by several different situations, including repeated incidents of spousal abuse, intimate partner abuse, child abuse, stalking, or harassment.

Once the protection from abuse (PFA) has been put in place, the abusive partner, parent or other individual is prohibited from interacting with the person who filed the order. Any violation of the PFA will subject that individual to immediate arrest, providing addiction protection and peace of mind for the victim.

If you are tired of the abuse and ready to get the help you need, it is a good idea

to contact an attorney before you file. You can file a PFA action on your own but having the expert help and guidance of an experienced attorney will make the process easier while providing you with an additional level of support.

Just as importantly, filing your PFA through an attorney will help you avoid mistakes — errors that could cause your PFA to be denied and put you in further danger. When you are already in an abusive relationship or dealing with an unpredictable intimate partner, you cannot afford to leave anything to chance. So do yourself and your safety, a favor by contacting an experienced attorney right away.

Immigrants and Domestic Violence

Immigrants are particularly vulnerable because many may not speak English, are often separated from family and friends, and may not understand the laws of the United States. For these reasons, immigrants are often afraid to report acts of domestic violence to the police or to seek other forms of assistance. Such fear causes many immigrants to remain in abusive relationships.

Immigrants in the US. have the right to live a life free of abuse. Due to the victim’s immigration status, abusive partners have additional ways to exert power and control over their victims. If you are an immigrant or refugee in an abusive relationship, you may face unique issues that make it hard to reach out for help.

The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) is a landmark piece of legislation seeking to improve criminal legal, and community-based responses to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking in the United States. This federal law provides numerous forms of protection for noncitizen women—and men—who are the victims of domestic violence or other qualifying crimes. There are three forms of protection: “U” visas for victims of crime, “T” visas for victims of severe forms of trafficking, and “self-petitions” under the VAWA.

Any victim of domestic violence — regardless of immigration or citizenship status — can seek help. An immigrant victim of domestic violence may also be eligible for immigration-related protections. If you are experiencing domestic violence in your home, you are not alone.

A specialized immigration attorney should always be your first point of contact regarding immigration questions and concerns. You can also listen to Ask the Lawyer Radio Program on WVIP 93.5FM on Thursdays, 10pm-11pm, and Sundays, 11pm to 12am. The program provides excellent information and also an opportunity for a no-obligation legal consultation. The number to call is 855768- 8845. You can also visit www.askthelawyer.us to schedule an appointment.

Domestic violence is against the law regardless of one’s immigration status. l

How Valentine’s Day Can Strain Your Relationship

BY MARY CAMPBELL

Valentine's Day is almost here— the Day we celebrate love and our romantic relationships with elegant dinners, romantic cards, flowers, and chocolates. There's enough reason to believe that getting romantic and focusing on your partner suits your relationship. Yes, many people consider Valentine's Day an opportunity to celebrate love. This is hardly a problem for solid couples, where each person is on the same page about the relationship. Is that the case for everyone? Some couples, though, are less in sync. They may not know exactly where their relationship stands. Since the holiday has been popularized as a time to display affection through thoughtful gifts and romantic gestures, Valentine's Day can be an incredibly anxious time for a significant other who thinks their relationship may be on the rocks. At the same time, it can provide a boost for some for others and may even hasten a breakup.

When you're constantly inundated with images — on commercials, TV shows, movies, and even social media — of lovey-dovey couples going on intimate

dates and exchanging fancy gifts, it's easy to get intimidated by the idea of making Valentine's Day plans with your significant other. So many unrealistic expectations are placed on Valentine's Day, which can lead to disappointment if couples aren't careful about getting on the same page before the holiday.

All this stress can have devastating consequences on your relationship. A recent survey revealed that 40 percent of young Americans decided to end their relationship on or around Valentine's Day. Another report cited that divorces on February 14 have increased 40 percent over the past two years. So, what is it

about the holiday that makes couples want to split?

Sometimes couples have conflicting views on being romantic. One partner may consider flowers and candy frivolous gestures not representative of love, while their significant other may think those acts show love and care. In other cases, one person may expect holiday plans that the other person still needs to prepare. A sweet but low-key date for one partner might disappoint the other half.

Just as Valentine's Day can magnify conflicting opinions about what expressions of care should look like, it can also

draw attention to how little some significant others compromise. After all, time spent on this holiday should help sustain the union between two people, not one person's desires. Couples that glide through the holiday either hold similar views about what to do on the Day or are willing to compromise. On the contrary, there is a good chance that people who end up miserable and argumentative on this holiday are in relationships where there is not much give and take most days of the year.

Like with most relationship issues, strong communication is vital. Some people may sweep potential problems under the rug and hope for the best. A better approach is to acknowledge that you may not see eye to eye with your partner about romantic expectations. Rather than skirting the issue, use Valentine's Day as a chance to communicate. It's a good idea to explain what you would like to have happen on the holiday and ask your partner what they expect. Remember, the Day should help celebrate the love you share; communication and compromise can help you continue to share it. l

855-768-8845

Been In a Car Accident? You Need to Contact a Lawyer Immediately

BY CHRIS TOBIAS

After being injured in a car accident that was caused by the carelessness and negligence of somebody else, you might ask whether it's in your best interests to retain a car accident lawyer to represent you. In most cases, the answer is yes, you should.

That's because it's inevitable that disagreements will arise with the opposing insurance company during the processing of your claim. They're likely to involve issues on liability, damages, or how much money the insurer should pay to compensate you for your injuries and damages fully. An experienced and effective car accident lawyer at the Law Firm of Figeroux & Associates will know how to respond to any such disagreements while preserving and protecting your rights during the claim or litigation process.

The Opposing Insurer Will Try to Devalue Your Case

Auto Insurance companies make money by depositing premium payments made by their customers and investing that

their customers, they search for ways to minimize the sums they'll need to pay accident victims or even not pay them anything. An accomplished car accident lawyer can help prevent such tactics while protecting their client's right to full compensation.

You're Likely to Make Mistakes When Representing Yourself

Every car insurance company has its teams of trained adjusters and defense lawyers who seem threatening and intimidating to victims who are continuing to recover from their injuries. The last thing you want to do during your recovery is to argue with an opposing adjuster and chase around for records, bills, and reports from your healthcare providers or other entities. You might even be on prescription medication when the opposing insurer's adjuster phones you and requests more information. Your attorney can attend to any calls or chasing for you. They know when to put an end to it, too.

Don't Give a Statement of Any Kind

It's not uncommon for a car accident victim to be contacted by an insurance com-

The adjuster might ask for a recorded statement from the victim for purported purposes of wrapping up the claim and getting rid of it.

Giving such a statement is often the biggest mistake an unrepresented accident victim can make. The law doesn't require the victim to do that without an attorney being present on their behalf. No matter how pressured you might feel, never give any written or recorded statement to an opposing insurance company without an attorney being present on your behalf. That adjuster already knows what happened. They have already spoken with the person who caused your accident and even have a copy of the

when phoning you.

Even the most successful car accident lawyers offer prospective new clients free consultations and case reviews. They also take cases on a contingency fee basis, so no out-of-pocket money must be paid for them to represent you. Consulting with and retaining such an attorney as soon as possible after a car accident caused by somebody else will assure that your right to compensation for the injuries and damages you suffered will be preserved, protected, and asserted. Contact the Law Firm of Figeroux & Associates at 855-768-8845 or www.askthelawyer.us before the opposing insurer contacts you.l

The lawyer you hire, does make a difference!

Brian Figeroux, Esq.