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Recommended PagesRecent NewsPRESS STATEMENT: As New Decade Dawns, Census Drive Begins January 4, 2010, BOSTON —At barely 8:00 a.m. today, the first Monday of a new decade, the U.S. Census Bureau ceremonially launched its regular ten-year mission to count everyone living in the United States, as mandated by the first article of the Constitution. Fittingly, the launch in Boston took place in front of the U.S.S. Constitution docked in Charlestown, with the commander of “Old Ironsides” and the 1812 Marines colonial drum and fife core on hand, besides numerous government officials and area Census partners. Read More... PRESS STATEMENT: Massachusetts Backs Illinois Rep.’s Immigration Reform Bill December 15, 2009, BOSTON —Reflecting the diversity of our immigrant nation, a broad Massachusetts coalition of faith, labor and community leaders voiced their support for the immigration reform bill that Illinois Representative Luis Gutierrez introduces in the U.S. House of Representatives at noon today. The bill marks the first major legislative action honoring President Obama’s promise to fix our broken immigration system, and it achieves the goal of starting the process within the president’s first year in office. Read More... PRESS STATEMENT: Governor Patrick Unveils Immigrant-Integration Report November 17, 2009, BOSTON —Standing in the Great Hall at the State House before a packed audience this morning. Governor Deval Patrick spoke about the importance of the New Americans Agenda, a set of policy recommendations on integrating the commonwealth’s immigrants and refugees more fully into the civic and economic life of Massachusetts. The report is the product of a yearlong study by the Governor’s Advisory Council on Refugees and Immigrants (GAC), produced in collaboration with the state’s Office of Refugees and Immigrants (ORI) and the non-profit Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA). The fourth such study to be released in the nation, the NAA report is the product of the most extensive research yet undertaken, with input from 1200 members of the general public and almost 200 policy experts, state-agency staff and community workers. Read More... PRESS STATEMENT: State Launches $1.4 Million Workplace Education Fund November 4, 2009, WORCESTER- In a rare joint presentation, the secretaries of labor and education appeared at the UMass Medical School yesterday announce an even rarer accomplishment in these bleak economic times: the creation of a new education fund. In response to state budget cuts of nearly ten percent in adult education and almost 6o percent in workforce training, Secretary of Elementary and Secondary Education Paul Reville and Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development Suzanne Bump worked together to create a new dedicated fund for workplace classes in Adult Basic Education (ABE) and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL). Thanks to money from the Obama administration stimulus package, the two departments were able to combine $1 million from the Executive Office of Workforce and Labor Development (EWOLD) and an additional $400,000 from Elementary and Secondary Education (ESE) in the new “Learn at Work” program, which will distribute the $1.4 million in grants through the Commonwealth Corporation (RFPs will be available through their website, http://www.commcorp.org. Read More... PRESS STATEMENT: Immigrant Detainee Dies at Mass. Hospital October 21, 2009, BOSTON -- On Monday, October 19, Pedro Juan Tavarez, a 49-year-old native of the Dominican Republic in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody, died at Women and Bringham's Hospital in Boston. ICE was holding Tavarez on immigration violations at The Suffolk County House of Corrections, which transferred him to Brigham and Women's after the correction facility's medical staff suggested possible pneumonia. The hospital was treating Tavarez for heart and respiratory conditions when he died, but the official cause of death has not yet been determined by the medical examiner. Read More... English Works Campaign Turns One
On June 25, the English Works Campaign had its One Year Anniversary meeting. Over 25 members attended the meeting and celebration. This unique coalition, which focuses on English proficiency for immigrants as a tool for economic self-sufficiency, has been a great success so far.
With all the Success of the campaign, English Works now celebrates the creation of its new and remodeled web page.Please visit www.english-works.org to find out more about the campaign, or click here for a link to the page.
We look forward to its continued achievements in the years to come. You may also find more information about the Campaign here. Welcoming MA Welcoming MA is very avid to holding these principles; that Massachusetts residents are hospitable, welcoming and inclusive of diversity, uphold the basic principles upon which the United States was founded, believe that harsh immigration enforcement policies violate civil and human rights of immigrants , that workplace and home raids must end immediately and that our nation must implement a humane and just reform of our immigration laws, that immigrants are fellow human, commit to raising the level of public discourse concerning immigrants and immigration, so that public policies reflect our highest values, and to better understand the contributions immigrants make to our state. For more information on Welcoming MA visit their web site at www.welcomingma.org, or follow the link here. |
Support Haiti The MIRA Coalition extends its support to the Haitian community in Massachusetts, and to Haitians everywhere, who have suffered from the earthquake in their native land on January 12._______________________ As of Friday, January 18, the U.S. Government has extended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to all Haitian immigrants. The granting of TPS will allow undocumented Haitian immigrants without criminal records to live and work in the U.S. for the next 18 months, and perhaps longer if any extensions are granted.To find out more about TPS services and other contact information, please visit ourHaitian Relief Page.___________ MIRA and its membership thank Wainwright Bank for their support in helping with our outreach and coordination effort with the Haitian community in Boston.
Haitian Groups Meet with USCIS to Discuss Temporary Protected StatusOn Wednesday, January, 20, MIRA representatives along with 150 people from local nonprofit organizations, the Haitian community and government agencies met at the Haitian Multi-service Center with Denis Riordan, Director of the Boston District Office of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).Director Riordan explained how Temporary Protected Status for Haitians would work, and he answered questions and concerns for three hours. Please check back to learn of future meetings.
Immigration Reform URGENT CALL TO ACTION! It is time to Act in Washington D.C. WE MARCH IN MARCH! On March 21st, we're taking the movement to Reform Immigration FOR America directly to the decision-makers. We're going to march in Washington, DC, to show the country just how strong our movement is. From all across America, people will gather to let Congress and the White House know that we're going to fight, and they're going to have to lead. It is time to fight! Join us on the Fight for CIR! With the introduction of H.R. 4321 "CIR A.S.A.P.", Representative Luis Gutierrez, and the 92 supporters of the bill, were able to bring forward once again the important issue of immigration reform. MIRA extends a
thank you to all those who attended the event. A special thanks goes to
City Councilors At-Large Felix Arroyo and Ayanna Pressley for their support and motivational words.   New Americans Agenda Report Released
MIRA is pleased to announce that at our Thanksgiving event on Tuesday, November 17, 2009, Governor Patrick released the New Americans Agenda (NAA). The NAA is a comprehensive set of recommendations on how to better integrate immigrants and refugees into the civic and economic life of the Commonwealth. The report was prepared over the past year by the Governor’s Advisory Council in partnership with MIRA and the state Office for Refugees and Immigrants. Contributors to the report include MIRA members Alliance to Develop Power, Center for New Americans, Chelsea Collaborative, Community Economic Development Center, Immigrants Assistance Center, Irish Immigration Center, ONE Lowell, ROCA, The Massachusetts Mutual Assistance Association Coalition, and Cleghorn Neighborhood Center. All these organizations worked hard to co-host six public meetings across the state to ensure the input of the immigrant community into the process. MIRA extends thanks to each of these organizations for their hard work and dedication, and to each of the over 1200 community members who attended these public meetings. We are very excited about the 131 recommendations in the report, covering Civil Rights, Adult English Language Proficiency, Economic Development, Education, Public Safety, Employment and Workforce Development, Access to State Services, Citizenship Assistance, Health, Refugees, Youth, and Housing and Community Development. We look forward to working with our members to implement these important recommendations. Follow Health Care at the State and National LevelMIRA is working on both the State and Federal level to ensure the best possible outcomes for immigrant access to health care. Click here to visit MIRA's state health care webpage for updates and information on immigrant access to health care in Massachusetts. Click here to visit MIRA's federal access to benefits webpage for updates from the national level. |
Events
MASS LEGAL SERVICES EVENT CALENDAR (Includes TPS information sessions)
Become a MIRA MemberJoin the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition! MIRA is the only statewide organization that unites community organizations, human service providers, civic and religious leaders, state and local agencies, and legal and labor groups to work together to uphold the rights and opportunities of newcomers. We also work to connect local activists with national policy debates that impact immigrants' lives. Click here for a membership form. If you have any questions about MIRA or becoming a MIRA member, please contact Marcony Almeida at 617.350.5480 Ext. 205. Subscribe to MIRA BulletinClick here to subscribe to MIRA's bi-weekly Bulletin Civic Engagement It is Census YEAR, time to be counted!MIRA Coalition is a partner with the Census and is ready to promote all their efforts in counting the immigrant and refugee population living in areas of Massachusetts!For more information on the work MIRA is organizing around the 2010 Census visit our census page!De-bunking Immigration Myths"They Take Our Jobs!": And 20 Other Myths about Immigration is a timely guide that debunks the twenty-one biggest myths and stereotypes in today's immigration debate. Order your book here. Enter "MIRA" as the discount code, and receive a 10% discount! Beacon Press, the local progressive non-profit publisher is donating part of the proceeds to MIRA when you use the discount code! Please get informed while helping to support our work. Desmintiendo Mitos sobre la Inmigración "They Take Our Jobs!": And 20 Other Myths about Immigration/ "Toman nuestros trabajos!: 20 mitos acerca de la inmigracion. Es una guía actualizada que desmiente 21 mitos grandes y estereotipos en el debate actual migratorio. Order your book here/ Ordena tu libro aquí. Entracon la palabra"MIRA" para acceder al código de descuento y recibirás un 10% de descuento! en Beacon Press, la editorial local progresista sin fines de lucro que estara donando una parte proporcional a MIRA cuando uses el codigo de descuento! Por favor este informado mientras apoya nuestro trabajo! Fair Opportunity for Immigrant StudentsImmigrant students have in the past much sought MIRA Coalition and our allies in order to find the path to higher education and support for their issues. MIRA Coalition would like to commend the many people who so avidly support these students, parents, teachers, councilors and the many organization that aid them so often! Following is a list informational factsheets & material to your aid and support: 1. In-State Tuition Basic Facts 2. Education Parity for Immigrant Students in MA (FACT SHEET) |
Video: A Dream DeferredWhat happens to a dream deferred? MIRA collaborated with Brave New Films to bring you this video and blog, A Dream Deferred. Every year, dedicated high-school students are denied the chance to attend college, based solely on their undocumented status. This website is a place for these students to tell their story anonymously, and an opportunity for you to do something. Video: Immigration RaidOn February 7, 2008 Immigrations Customs Enforcement (ICE) called the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA) to announce that there would be a raid "somewhere in Van Nuys, California." Asserting that the call was an effort to follow "humanitarian" protocol, what followed was hardly humanitarian in nature. Produced by Anike Tourse, directed by Alberto Barboza, edited by Ian Mayberry. Check out more videos at CHIRLAVIDEOS. Check out videos on the immigration raid in New Bedford by Jenny Alexander. |
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CIR-ASAP-Summary-Long.pdf
CIR-ASAP-Summary-Short.pdf