June 12, 2007

Chestertown, MD

The Immigration Study Committee of the League of Women Voters Kent County held a meeting at the Kent Family Center on Hispanic Immigration in Kent County with persons who work with immigrants.

The LWVKC Immigration Committee present were

Jeanette Sherbondy, chair

Dinah DeMoss

Betty Kerr

The meeting was organized for us by Karin Anderson, immigration lawyer.

Theresa Fauteux, Kent Family Center, Program Manager, included as many people in the meeting as possible. Lydia Schut, volunteer and Carol Droge, Life Skills Educator of Kent Family Center provided a delicious lunch “Almuerzo Español.”

Other panel members present were:

Mary Etta Reedy, Kent County Public Schools, Assistant Superintendent

Allison Burleson-Gibson, from a non-profit organization that represent children’s medical needs/no insurance

Jean F. Austin, Maryland Cooperative Extension, Science Educator for Kent County and Queen Anne County, Educator in Finance and Nutrition, Board member of Kent Family Center

Judy Linn, Shared Opportunities Service, Executive Director.

Katie Hearn, Kent Family Center, In Home Interventionist

Elizabeth Montagu, Kent Family Center, Adult Education Instructor of ESL, Kent Family Center

Jean Sucharewicz, Kent County Public Schools, Program Coordinator, Adult Basic Education and Literacy/ESL

Priscilla Dawes, Kent Family Center, Development Manager, grant writer, web page master

Diana Aristizabal, Mid-Shore Council on Family Violence, Inc., Bilingual Outreach Services Coordinator

Karin Anderson, immigration lawyer

Agenda:

We presented as background what the League of Women Voters (US) is studying about immigration:

1. Reasons for migration from other countries, including but not limited to effects of global interdependence on migration, motivation of refugees and asylees, motivation of other immigrants.
2. Current federal immigration policy, including but not limited to effectiveness in uniting families, effectiveness in meeting needs of businesses, effectiveness of enforcement and human rights concerns.
3. Impacts of immigration, including but not limited to economic effects of authorized and unauthorized immigration, diversity, and inclusion of immigrants in American society.

Then we asked them for what they knew about each of these points, especially as concerned Kent County. We also wanted to know what their recommendation would be for improvements.

Panel Discussion:

Re: Reasons for migration from other countries (point #1)

• Recent immigration to Kent County and Queen Anne County is mostly for agricultural work, construction, painting, yard work, and horticulture. In Caroline County it is also for chicken factories. Immigrant workers have a major impact of the success of the seafood industries in Cambridge and Crisfield. Women and children also do housekeeping, cleaning, child care and make tamales to sell.
• The immigration here is not seasonal in general.
• Most of the immigrants are Hispanic and Latinos although there are also Asians: Koreans, Chinese and Viet immigrants.
• One important point is that Hispanic and Latino immigrants form a community with other Hispanics and Latinos.
• The motives for immigration stem from natural disasters at home primarily. Violence at home stemming from religious and political persecution is also an important factor and often these factors are compounded with natural disasters. Currently there is a major problem of violence in Guatemala.
• Another major motive for immigration is to send remittances to families back home. Some immigrants work, save money and return home.
• Families form informal networks to let people know what jobs are available. Family members will defy all kinds of risks such as loneliness and fear in order to find a better life for their families.
• Employers and employees also form networks to find more workers.
• Hispanic professionals also come. Women come to join their spouses. Professional women join their husbands and want to work or study. They take all kinds of jobs, professional or not. They may take low income work whether they are professional or not.
• Diana Aristizabal spoke of the “feminization” of immigration: women push for opportunities for themselves and for their households and families.

Re: points #2 and #3

• Karin Anderson commented that meeting the needs of families to reunite, it is not easy, under the current federal system.
  Legally there are temporary visas available for immigrants escaping natural disasters, but the renewals are a problem. Many overstay their visas. There is a problem of families being disrupted and desiring to reunite. Requests for visas for migrants escaping wars and seeking political asylum are often denied or delayed. There is no visa program to protect the escapees from new situations, such as the violence in Guatemala. As a result many families have mixed status.
• Cilla Dawes commented that the barriers to the immigrants for moving forward are primarily

1. Language: need English skills and need interpreters
2. Transportation: no public transportation so need cars and drivers education and licenses
3. Child care.

· Hispanics’ fears of police officers are a problem. Compounding those fears are a few individuals who are police officers who use racial profiling and make mistakes. Karin commented that normally state and local police do not share information with Homeland Security, or formerly INS, but as of a 1996 law, individuals can report though they are not required to do so. There is a female police officer in Easton who does this. The “Patriot” Act encourages an increasing trend to involve state and local police in immigration matters, though they can refuse to do so. Banks can become local “policemen” too by voluntarily reporting on holders of bank accounts.

· There seems to be no clear understanding on the part of immigrant employees of their rights and responsibilities. They need some education, especially about their tax forms. Not knowing leads to increased fear. There are two problems: lack of information and lack of education.

· Also information needs to be accurate. People in rural communities in general, not just immigrants, are taken advantage of.

· There was a large discussion of the need for good interpreters and translators who have expertise in the fields they are translating, such as banking, finances, legal affairs, etc. They need to have cultural competence, in other words.

· Another factor is that some immigrants are illiterate in their own native languages. Many immigrants who come from Latin America may not be competent in Spanish.

· Language differences between children and their parents lead to lack of communication.

Recommendations:

• This group would be a good core group to discuss problems and find solutions.
• There is a need to improve training for interpreters.
• There is need for more interpreters.
• There needs to be an attitude change towards immigrants: more openness and awareness of their problems and situations.
• The panelists who are providers would like to get a better perspective on immigrants
• The community as a whole needs a better perspective. For example the hospital frequently record wrong the names of newborn babies. The procedure to change the record is costly, $250.
• There is a problem of expanding gang activity to the Eastern Shore that affects immigrants and natives. In general children and parents have poor communication and gangs take advantage of that by terrorizing children and threatening their siblings.
• How to reach children and parents together?
• How to reach parents of children?
• How to help parents use available ESL (English as a Second Language) classes?
• How to get financial help for using the hospital?
• How to get cooperation from the hospital?
• How to eliminate racial profiling? People often assume a person is “illegal” if they speak with an accent. Phone conversations for information or applications: Providers often hang up on callers who have an accent and assume erroneously that they are ineligible or “illegal.”
• There is a need to help immigrants use banks. By keeping their money at home they are victims of assault.

In conclusion the discussion was very useful and informative for all present and there is a desire to continue collaboration.

Jeanette Sherbondy, Chair

Immigration Study LWVKC

Meeting of the Committee after the meeting:

June 12, 2007

Meeting of the LWVKC Immigration Study Committee

Suggestions for further action:

Report on today’s activities to the Board meeting.

Talk to more members of the community such as the owner of Angelica Nurseries, the Chamber of Commerce, the Hospital, the police and sheriff’s offices.

Find out more about non-Hispanic immigrants in Kent County.

Hold informational and discussion events for the League and the community.

• We talked about having an In League with Your Neighbors event (or two) with films on immigration and several discussants. It would be good to get an immigrant who would be willing to be a discussant.

• Dinah promised to set up a page on the LWVKC website for the Immigration Committee to post information. Members of the Committee will contribute their comments and suggestions.

After the consensus questions on this issue arrive in September, we may hold another informational meeting for League members and then hold another meeting for consensus before the February 2008 deadline.

EXTRA! EXTRA! EXTRA!

Immigration Meeting 6/12/07 at Kent Family Center

Comments by Betty Kerr

No attempt is made to classify the immigrant population in Kent County as to legality.

They have come as construction workers, yard workers, dairy workers and some clerical

because of political persecution, economic problems, education or have been displaced by natural disasters.

When a man comes, he normally will try to gain entry for his spouse and children. This process is complicated and lengthy. Each child is assessed for language skills before entering the school system and classes are given accordingly. Adult English as a Second Language (ESL) programs for adults are offered but are optional. Transportation and work demands keep many from participating in ESL classes as well as Parent-Teacher and school involvement.

It has recently been noted in Kent County that immigrants are subject to "gang" activities. Unless an immigrant has a criminal background, they cannot be charged for minor driving violations, but the Patriot Act still allows law enforment officers to question them. Immigrants have an inbuilt distrust and fear of authorities because of the language barrier. This barrier also excludes many from obtaining bank accounts and the understanding of basic services.

The major problems of immigrants is the fact that most have lack of information and education.

Translators and interpretors are scarce and are not the same as advocates.

Another problem grows from the fact that when children of immigrants learn English, they disassociate with their parents, so that role models are frequently negative.

Services that are available to larger and more affluent counties are not yet implemented in Kent County.

Our hosts asked for study feedback, especially as to what the perspective of the community, social services, schools and hospital is toward the myriad issues facing immigrants in Kent County.