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Resources for Immigrants, Refugees, and Asylees
By Shanti Nair  From the left, workshop moderator Megan O’Neil, panelists Maria Garza, Dawn Blankenship (speaking) and Michael Feldenkrais. |
The panelists in this presentation focused on the issues facing immigrants, refugees and asylees. Members of these groups are considered minorities; they are often marginalized and neglected in society, and are under constant pressure just to survive. Individuals are often exploited as they attempt to support themselves and their families. Maria Garza, Director of the South Dade Skills Center (SDSC) at the Miami-Dade County Department of Human Services, stated that the number of migrant workers who are high school dropouts has increased over the years. They often do not take advantage of available services for fear of drawing attention to their status and risking deportation, but Garza says they need to be assertive and fight for their rights to education and jobs. Although Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) has an array of services to assist them in these areas, information on these services rarely reaches consumers who could benefit from them. Garza is a mediator between VR and consumers. SDSC does extensive publicity in malls and stores to make people aware of their outreach services. To learn more about these services, visit www.rehabworks.org. Dawn Blankenship is a Program Officer with the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrant Research, which supplies rehabilitative services to immigrant populations. Blankenship stated that organizations need to be aware of diversity and cultural outlooks in order to create a smooth transition as refugees adapt to life in their adopted country. Refugees from developing countries may have never seen or used something as simple as a toilet in their lives, and can be overwhelmed by the acculturation process. All this is made even more difficult when they have a disability. Rehabilitation services become confusing, and refugees may not know how to access these services, especially to seek employment. For refugees with disabilities needing assistance, contact Blankenship at dblankenship@uscridc.org. Michael Feldenkrais, a managing partner in the law firm Feldenkrais Query LLP, specializes in immigration issues. He feels that the immigration process hinders people with disabilities. By law, it is illegal to have a picture on a social security card, which is discrimination. The immigration process gets work through exploitation of undocumented immigrants. These immigrants need an incentive to come out and be identified. What protects them? Family Act gives certain undocumented aliens eligibility to adjust to the status of lawful permanent resident having resided continuously in the United States during the five-year period ending on January 29, 2003, and through the date of application. We need to network with local senators to collectively support changes in immigration laws that cause obstacles for immigrants. |
