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Election Day: Tuesday November 4th
Where do I vote in MA?Find out hereThe MIRA Bulletin
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Recent NewsPRESS ADVISORY: Unity Rally: Making History TogetherBroad Coalition Brings Together Diverse Communities of Color for "Making History Together," to Celebrate, Engage, & Defeat Question 1 Read More... Wiley: Stop breaking families apart, leaders say While most talks lately have been about politics and the economy, support for undocumented immigrants made its way Wednesday to Boston's City Hall Plaza, where more than 300 people rallied against the raids that keep breaking families apart. Read More... Settlement reached in Bianco case, Company agrees to pay $850,000 in unpaid wages BOSTON — In its second major settlement in two weeks, Michael Bianco Inc. has agreed to pay $850,000 in unpaid overtime and wages to more than 750 workers, including some who were arrested and deported following a massive immigration raid at the former New Bedford military gear factory. Read More... PRESS STATEMENT: PRESS STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Friday, October 24, 2008 Boston, MA - The Dept of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a final administrative rule to notify employers that failure to take action upon receipt of the Social Security Administration's "no-match" letters will serve as constructive notice that an employer had knowingly hired an employee who was an undocumented immigrant. The Social Security Administration issues these "no-match" letters to identify possible record-keeping errors and other problems associated with matching wages to Social Security numbers. The following is a statement from Eva A. Millona, Executive Director of the MIRA Coalition: Read More... Skirting of state hiring laws focus of forum WORCESTER— Employers who skirt the law by paying workers under the table or improperly treating them as contractors make up a significant part of the construction and trades industry, making it harder and more costly for law-abiding union and nonunion businesses to survive, worker and business representatives said yesterday. Read More... Obama faces pressure on immigration reform Before a huge crowd in San Diego last summer, Barack Obama vowed to make fixing illegal immigration a top priority as president, and Latinos nationwide responded with massive support for him on Election Day. Now, they are pressing him to keep his promise. Read More... PRESS STATEMENT: Fear and Doubt Hang Over Immigrant Community On Sunday, July 27th, Andre L. Martins, 25, a Brazilian immigrant and the young father of a 5-year-old daughter and a 2-year-old son, was killed by the first of three gunshots by Officer Christopher Van Ness in Yarmouth, MA. Last Friday, after eight weeks of investigations, the District Attorney's Office produced a report that concludes, "no reasonable fact finder could conclude that the officer in discharging his weapon after issuing commands to the operator, after observing the operator accelerate toward him as he occupied a four to five foot space between his cruiser and the path of the vehicle, had an unreasonable apprehension of great bodily harm. In fact, it must be proven that the officer's apprehension of great bodily harm was unreasonable beyond a reasonable doubt in order to sustain legal proceedings against him. Therefore, there will be no further official action by this office with respect to the case." The following is a statement by Eva A. Millona, Acting Executive Director of the MIRA Coalition: Read More... Immigration is focus of Standard-Times forum NEW BEDFORD — The many sides and complexities of the immigration issue — from the separation of families after deportation to the rising number of undocumented workers — were aired Wednesday night at a lively forum sponsored by The Standard-Times' editorial board. Read More... A Killing in a Town Where Latinos Sense Hate PATCHOGUE, N.Y. — It was an occasional diversion among a certain crowd at Patchogue-Medford High School, students said: Drink a few beers, then go looking for people to mug, whether for money or just for kicks. Read More... PRESS ADVISORY: Mayor Menino Joins Diverse Immigrant Community Leaders to Kick-Off Ya Es Hora!/Now is The Time! Voter Registration Campaign When: Tomorrow, Wednesday, 6th at 11:30 am Where: In front of Faneuil Hall, Boston, MA Read More...  New Workes, New Voters ReportFeb 14, 2008 - Today MIRA released its new report, New Workers, New Voters: Why Massachusetts Should Recruit, Retain, and Train Newcomers. The report highlights the economic and workforce challenges that face the Commonwealth, and the importance of immigrant workers in meeting those challenges.
New Report on English Skills Requirement in Greater Boston Labor MarketNovember 21 - The Boston Redevelopment Authority and the Center for Urban and Regional Policy at Northeastern University is releasing a new report on the growing need for English language proficiency in the changing labor market. The report finds that the workforce in Greater Boston is increasingly diverse ethnically and racially, and the foreign-born population has low levels of English proficiency. The study also found that the majority of jobs in the labor market to require at least medium-low English skills. Occupations requiring more language skills pay significantly more than occupations requiring less language skills, and this relationship among English skills, job availability, and wages will likely become more pronounced between now and 2014. Find out more about English language programs as an investment in the MA workforce. New Report - Impact of Immigration Raids on ChildrenWed Oct 31 - The National Council of La Raza and the Urban Institute released a new report on the impact of immigration raids on children. Featured prominently in the report is the March 6th raid at the Michael Bianco factory in New Bedford. The report, Paying the Price: The Impact of Immigration Raids on America's Children, details the consequences of raids on the children's psychological, educational, economic, and social wellbeing. MIRA and the National Association of Social Workers, MA Chapter (NASWMA) hosted a press conference on Wednesday to release this national report locally. Organizations represented included NASWMA, the MA Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, UMASS Boston, the Gaston Institute, Community Economic Development Center, the MA School of Professional Psychology, and Greater Boston Legal Services. Download full report here.
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!  |
Congratulations on getting out to vote and defeating Question 1 by an overwhelming 69 to 31%! Fair Opportunity for Immigrant StudentsDownload these handy informational factsheets: 1. In-State Tuition Basic Facts 2. Education Parity for Immigrant Students in MA (FACT SHEET) Read more about Oppotunities for Higher Education Governor's Budget CutsBoston, MA - Oct 16th. Governor Deval Patrick announced $1 Billion in cuts to the state’s budget and the loss of 1000 state jobs as a result of lower revenue projections for the Commonwealth. The cuts will significantly affect the human services and education sectors and unfortunately, will also have an impact on immigrant communities in the Commonwealth.Two budget items deserve special note. The Adult Basic Education line item (7000-0352) was cut by $1M dollars erasing the increase that had been allocated by the FY 09 budget. Additionally, the Citizenship for New Americans program was cut by $4000. The Refugee and Immigrant Safety and Empowerment Program (RISE- Line item 4513-1130) was spared any cuts, leaving intact the funding to provide culturally competent and linguistically appropriate services for immigrant victims of violence. Likewise, the funding for Outreach and Education about healthcare is also out of danger for the moment. Though the Governor cut $2.5M from the line item, funds from the line item (4000-0352), the balance of the funding will come from the Massachusetts Health and Educational Facilities Authority (HEFA) and the Health Connector Authority. Know Your RightsWhat should you do if stopped or questioned about your immigration status on the street, subway or bus? Even if you're not a citizen, you have rights under the US Constitution.What are your rights under the law? Click here to see a video produced by the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles. CASA of Maryland, Inc., Detention Watch Network and the National Lawyers Guild have developed the following materials:
MIRA, the ACLU and the National Lawyer's Guild have prepared the following pamphlets: If you have been stopped in public and asked for your status or social secuity #, call MIRA at 617-350-5480 ext.205, or the National Lawyers Guild at 617-227-7335. Conoce tus Derechos Que debo hacer si soy cuestionado en relación a mi estatus migratorio en la calle, el tren o el autobus? Aún sí no eres un ciudadano, tu tienes derechos de acuerdo a la Constitución de los Estados Unidos de Norteamérica. Cuales son tus derechos bajo la ley? La Unión de Libertades Civícas de America en Massachusetts (ACLU) y la Barra Nacional de Abogados (The National Lawyer's Guild) han preparado estos panfletos: Si eres detenido en público y cuestionado sobre tú estatus migratorio o número de Seguridad Social llama a MIRA al teléfono: 617-350-5480 ext.205 o en su caso también a la barra de abogados (National Lawyers Guild) al teléfono: 617-227-7335. Know Your Rights! Educational VideoVideo produced and distributed by the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of LA (CHIRLA) First New Americans Agenda Public MeetingThe first public meeting for the New Americans Agenda was held in Chelsea on Monday Oct. 20. The crowd of over two hundred represented the diversity of the greater Boston immigrant community with individuals from the Latino, Brazilian, Haitian, Somali, Somali Bantu, Chinese, Russian, Bosnian, and Irish communities. Members of the Governor's Advisory Council for Refugees and Immigrants heard testimony from a panel of community members and then from individuals in the in audience. The topics covered ranged from better access to state services, to successful youth and employment programs, to better funding for ESOL and job training classes, and many other important topics. For more information on the New Americans Agenda please visit - www.newamericansma.orgNational Commission on ICE Misconduct and Violations of 4th Amendment RightsBoston, MA - Monday, April 7th The National Commission on ICE Misconduct and Violation of 4th Amendment Rights held an informative and well-attended hearing at the State House on Monday. Commissioners, including Joe Hanson, President of the United Food and Commercial Workers, Former-Governor Tom Vilsack of Iowa, civil rights, and economic experts, heard testimonies from immigrant families, community leaders, clergy, business representatives, and elected officials, New Haven Mayor John DeStefano Jr., Lt Governor of MA, Tim Murray, and US Senator John Kerry. The Commission is gathering independent information and analysis through a series of regional public hearings that will explore the execution, implications, and ramifications of ICE enforcement actions. The Commission will look into claims that ICE has engaged in Constitutional violations of the 4th Amendment.After throrough investigation, the Commission will produce a public report that highlights its findings and make recommendations to ensure Constitutional protection for everyone.  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. |
Quick Links
Upcoming EventsBecome 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 Fatima Lopez at 617.350.5480 Ext. 218. Give Liberty A Hand 2008June 11, 2008 - MIRA's annual fundraising event, Give Liberty A Hand, was a great success. Thank you fo all the donors and guests who attended, and to all the sponsors and volunteers who made the event possible. Every year, Give Liberty A Hand honors those in the Commonwealth who day in, day out, work to Give Liberty A Hand – working at multiple levels to protect and promote the rights and opportunities of immigrants and refugees. This year, the award recipients were:
Your generosity and support make all that MIRA does possible. Click here to view pictures from the event.  |
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New-Workers-New-Voters-031008.pdf