Welcome to the United States

April 12, 2022 Melissa Frasco

*Disclaimer: Refugee Experiences May Vary Depending on Country of Origin, Skin Color, or Religion*

By: Melissa Frasco

Since the last article I wrote on Ukraine there have been more developments concerning the refugee situation. To the point where now Ukrainians and Russians are arriving to the U.S. - Mexico Border in increasing numbers, all fleeing Putin’s war on Ukraine. For the general public it is more than clear why Ukrainians are fleeing, but for Russians it is more complicated. For Russians at the border one women described how she fled with her family after she spent a week in jail for protesting the war on Ukraine. Europeans at the U.S. – Mexico Border is not a new phenomenon but, the numbers are surging now more than ever. What I would like to take a closer look at is the treatment of recent European arrivals versus prior arrivals from Latin American and other countries.

First, I must explain that this is a horrific situation at the border where all refugees are subject to numerous forms of dehumanization, lack of basic needs (shelter, food, water), and human rights violations. Second, all of those at the border are refugees, there should no hierarchy comparing one refugee experience to another. My third point is that the U.S. immigration system is inherently unequal and therefore treats refugees unequally. Lastly, I will be referring to all of those at the border as refugees, as often refugees are allotted certain assistance and status as opposed to migrants. For those referred to as migrants or, economic migrants as the United States often uses, little is done to protect them. For example, how many times have you heard a reporter on television refer to group as “Central American Refugees” or “Latin American Refugees”? These words simply do not roll off the tongue, because in mainstream media (aside from the occasional discussion of political refugees) does not present Latin Americans as refugees. (To learn more about the refugee and migrant binary I highly recommend Rebecca Hamlin’s book Crossing: How We Label and React to People on the Move.)

If we are going to discuss the presence of European refugees at the U.S. – Mexico border we must discuss the positionality between newly arrived Ukrainians, Russians, and the typically pre-existing Latin American migrants. There is not much data available at the moment on how many Ukrainians have been accepted, however it is obvious that Ukrainian refugees are entering the United States through the same border that has refused the majority of Latin Americans. One report stated that Ukrainians were waiting one day and then are being connected with volunteers until they cross into the United States. Many Ukrainian and Russian speaking U.S. citizens have gone to the border as volunteers to help communicate with the new refugees. As for Russians fleeing Putin’s reign, they have been told to find migrant shelters until their case can be considered for asylum. As for many Latin Americans who have been left for months waiting for their asylum cases to be heard there seems to be no urgency at all to process their papers. With this ongoing refugee crisis at the border there are going to be more opportunities for the U.S. to show how they welcome some refugees and exclude others. There should be no hierarchy of refugee experiences, but with the likelihood of the refugee experiences being played out unequally we must keep a critical eye on how refugees are treated when coming to the United States.

Duenes, J., Solomon, D. B., & Cooke, K. (2022, April 2). Camp of Ukrainians at the U.S.-Mexico border swells, as more refugees arrive. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/camp-ukrainians-us-mexico-border-swells-more-refugees-arrive-2022-04-01/

Hamlin, R. (2021). Crossing: How we label and react to people on the move. Stanford University Press.

Solomon, D. B. (2022, March 19). Stuck at Mexico border, anti-war Russians sweat their futures as Ukrainians enter U.S. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/stuck-mexico-border-anti-war-russians-sweat-their-futures-ukrainians-enter-us-2022-03-19/

US allows Ukrainians fleeing war into the country through Mexico. (n.d.). Retrieved April 12, 2022, from https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/3/17/us-allows-ukrainians-fleeing-war-into-country-through-mexico

How Do We Make Sense of Ukraine?

March 9, 2022 Nicholas Rodrigo

By: Melissa Frasco

If you’re like me, you have grown up your entire life in the United States. When I was in school we always talked about wars as if they were so far removed, even ones ongoing wars like Afghanistan and Iraq. This idea of being removed was beyond a geographical sense. Unless you were supporting the troops or a loved one had entered the armed services you were still far removed the war (aside from hearing about it on the evening news).

This leads me to Ukraine and how I am making sense of the current situation, as a student and as someone who is constantly learning. I will start with the second point, sometimes it feels like every time you turn on the news you are learning about a new human rights violation. There are so many stories that need your empathy, but who has enough of that to go around? On the other side of this we have people like myself, who are now entering or working in the fields of mental health, social services, immigration/migration, human rights, political science, and others. We are seeing what we have learned in history class happening right before our eyes. We are already in a global pandemic, we are seeing social movements gain speed, and we are teetering back and forth between waiting for the world to feel (somewhat) normal again and being terrified that it never will. This article cannot tell you what will happen or how things will go, but I hope it helps makes sense of some of our feelings.

Whether any of us were truly aware of the situation in Ukraine before Russia’s invasion we now no longer have a choice. We are now aware of not only the invasion but also the twisting narrative that has left Ukraine to defend itself. There are measures being taken for civilians to take up arms for their country and even those who cannot fight are changing road signs confuse invading Russian troops. These pro-Ukraine slogans are being found on physical and electronic signs, such as one reported by VICE that showed an electric car charging station that alternates between phrases such as “Glory to Ukraine” and “Putin is a dickhead.” In another amusing feat we see roadside billboards that have stopped relaying traffic information. One billboard found in an NPR article showed a roadside billboard that now says "Putin lost, the entire world is with Ukraine,". And even myself who was previously unfamiliar with Ukraine’s situation I find myself rooting for them harder than ever. Here Ukraine is the underdog standing up to Putin’s goliath of a country.

Something we must not lose sight of here is that Ukraine is not the first country to do this, and that the people of Russia are not all complicit with Putin’s invasion. It’s very easy to get riled up and dump out all the Russian sounding vodkas at the liquor store. The symbolism is real and tangible in these acts yes, but we need more direct aid. Take the example of Poland opening its borders to all Ukrainian refugees to come without documentation and paperwork. While people are fleeing for their lives it seems trivial to ask them for the required paper work. Although I say this with sarcasm there are similar situations where people who are preparing to flee are required to have their paperwork, documentation, passport, and any other important papers they may cross into another country for safety. In fact, refugees have been turned away, sent back to violent situations, and died while trying to cross without proper documents. You can look at any number of floating graveyards, such as the Rio Grande or the Mediterranean in Europe. Even for the migrants in boats who are hoping to be picked up and taken to safety (as typically they are sailing in rafts) these migrants have been left to drown and die at sea. In 2013 we saw this exact tragedy play out, where Syrian refugees were in danger and Italian authorities had been made aware, and yet 268 refugees died at sea, including 60 children. Instead of a prompt rescue response Italian authorities showed up hours later after the initial distress call, only able to save the small number of survivors. Read more about this incident in an article by the Washington post.

Just under a decade apart we have the difference of Ukrainian refugees being welcomed with open arms and no paperwork requirements versus Syrian refugees being left to drown in the open sea by Italian authorities. These examples are not meant to bash Italy or praise Poland, but rather for us to take a critical look at how countries interact with refugees and asylum seekers. No receiving country has perfected their refugee and immigrant policies. Just as we have seen Ukrainians welcomed with open arms, we have seen evidence online of Black and Brown Ukrainians being passed over for the “Ukrainians first” idea, which prioritizes typically White native born Ukrainians over their Black immigrant counterparts. As reported by NBC news African immigrants who are in Ukraine for work, schooling, or immigration related circumstances are being left behind. As one NBC article shared the experience of a student, named Alexander Somto Orah who tried to board multiple trains leaving Ukraine. First the passports of the those getting on the trains were only those of white Ukrainians who were allowed to board. When Orah and his friends got on a second train they were escorted off because of the “Ukrainians first” idea, which also asserts that non-Ukrainian people cannot leave before native Ukrainians. Orah and his other friends had to tell a conductor face to face “Open the door or we die” they fought their way to the Polish border for the rest of the trip. You can read more on Orah’s account in the original NBC articlehere.

Moving forward, the issues discussed here will not be reconciled overnight. Migration occurs within in unequal system, that will typically favor those who hold space at the top of the social hierarchy. Whether there are refugees and asylum seekers or students who are immigrants in the country they are studying in, they will all be exposed an immigration system that is inherently unequal. Of course, in the moment Ukraine and surrounding countries are still very much in crisis mode, but countries must consider in the future for the ways to potentially limit the effects of unjust and value laden policy. There is no law in Ukraine that prohibits certain non-native Ukrainians from fleeing and in what order but still we see this de facto sentiment upheld. This sentiment has made it notably more difficult for non-native Ukrainians to flee the same situation. We cannot be surprised when unequal systems reproduce inequalities, we must have proactive approaches to lessen the effects of these inequalities in crisis.

From the U.S. embassy stating that those who are citizens of the United States and are stuck in Ukraine have the ability to flee to Poland without the need for documentation.

https://pl.usembassy.gov/message-to-u-s-citizens-poland-ukraine-border-open-to-u-s-citizens-february-12-2022/

Orah’s story leaving Ukraine

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/open-door-die-africans-report-racism-hostility-trying-flee-ukraine-rcna17953

VICE electric charging stations displaying pro-Ukrainian messages

https://www.vice.com/en/article/akvya5/russian-electric-vehicle-chargers-hacked-tell-users-putin-is-a-dickhead

NPR Ukrainians altering road signs

https://www.npr.org/2022/03/01/1083644721/ukraine-russian-soldiers-road-signs-billboards

Why are Migrants Sewing Their Lips Shut at the Border?

February 23, 2022 Nicholas Rodrigo

By: Melissa Frasco

There is a unique migrant led protest taking place on at the southern Mexican border. In the area of Tapachula migrants have sewn their mouths shut in protest due to the long wait times they are experiencing for their asylum applications. As an article by Vox reported from 2020 to 2021 the amount of asylum applications tripled leading to extended uncertainty for migrants confined to the camps in Tapachula. Although we usually see these issues overflowing at the U.S.– Mexico Border this most recent protest is at Mexico’s southern border shared with Guatemala. These asylum seekers are here because they submitted their applications to continue their journeys further into Mexico and on from there. One of the reasons they have not been able to move forward is that according to Mexican authorities it is illegal for them to proceed further without “legal immigration status” to do so.

The protest originated as a hunger strike. Most recently it turned into migrants sewing their mouths with plastic thread and needles. Despite the graphic nature of the protest there have been many like it before in different parts of the world (such as Nauru Island and in Greece). But what is the point of taking such drastic measures? The point is that people will listen, news outlets will report, and people will start to understand the direness of their situation. Even this blog has changed course temporarily to focus on the current situation rather than my experiences working with the local immigrant community.

Forming as a stem for the protest migrants describe their living situations as inhumane; being without proper access to food and shelter. It is obvious that the conditions here are ripe for resistance, so why haven’t people been listening? Most notably Mexico’s National Institute of Migration (INM) responded to the protest dismissing their acts, referring to them as “senseless”, and later claimed that the migrants’ needs were already being met. This reaction is another example of policy not reflecting true experiences or circumstances. Not to mention the fact it is implausible for any policy to predict the future, let alone those of migrants. I am not saying that I have a better solution or much experience in policy making, I am suggesting instead that the current situation is not working. Therefore, leading to the continuously graphic protests.

Lastly, I would also like to point out that the migrants at the border are not just from Central America. The Washington Post reported that aside from Central Americans there are migrants from as far as Venezuela, Haiti, Africa, and Asia. It is not only the situations we see at the U.S.-Mexico Border that are dire. We are seeing increasingly disturbing conditions at borders throughout the Americas and Europe (where many flee to for asylum purposes).

This blog is just a glance at the migrant experiences. There is a lot to unpack in discussing migrant resistance and protest. These acts remind us that migrants have agency, they have a voice, and that they will use their voice. Part of why I believe the mistreatment of migrants continues is that they are easy to exploit (whether they are asylum seekers or not). I do understand I have used the term “migrant” throughout this article, but the terminology of migrant versus refugee/asylee does matter. Asylum is a complicated process, and the U.S. has a very narrow definition who is considered a refugee. Migrant as a term can be a more expansive, however U.S. policy gives little if any recognition to “undocumented migrants” and “economic migrants” unless to penalize or exclude them in policy. I use migrant here in my own to include all of those stuck at the Tapachula site. I do so to try and consider the many reasons and ways that people migrate. I hope that this article begins to helps us think more critically of migrant and asylum narratives we see in the media.

I would like to thank Nicole Narrea whose Vox article I first saw concerning the protest.

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2022/2/17/22937405/migrant-sew-lips-tapachula-mexico-us-border

Parenting and Covid-19: Navigating School, Childcare, and a Lack of Resources.

February 8, 2022 Nicholas Rodrigo

By: Melissa Frasco

If there is one thing that most adults are missing during the pandemic: it is our separation of spaces. Prior to the pandemic we were all working at work, learning in school, and living in our homes. Due to the spread of new variants these lines of different spaces have become severely blurred. Not only have adults had to adapt, but also children. Jobs once done in person were now done from one’s living room, children’s homes became classrooms, and families became lost in the mix.

This blog will move forward with reflections of my experiences working with mixed status families who were managing school and pandemic life. A mixed status family refers to people in a family unit who have different immigration statuses. For example, a family can have any combination of immigration status but, often parents will be undocumented, and their children will be a citizen as they were born in the United States. Mixed status families present a unique experience because of how immigration laws allocate certain rights to U.S. citizens while denying rights to others.

Moving on from lockdowns, online schooling was no easy task. I worked mostly with single moms and elementary age children. Most of these families followed the pattern of undocumented parents, and children who were U.S. citizens. I had parents who were sent home with school issued ipads or laptops that kids were unable to use because their family was unable to afford internet services at the time. Aside from the important decision of issuing the same technology for each student to take home, signs of inequality would still arise. Other issues that arose included not having fast enough internet for siblings to participate in online classes, children not having their own spaces for classes, and parents were required to supervise their children in online school. This issue came up for many parents of young children, who had jobs without benefits or flexible schedules. Although parents were not in control of their own work schedules at times, leaving a child unattended for online school could present certain repercussions. For younger children in online school who need adult supervision if anything were to go wrong (a freak accident, emergency etc.) and an adult could not respond, a call to ACS (The Administration for Children's Services) would have to placed. A teacher in New York State is a mandated reporter and must report any suspicion of child endangerment. This can lead to families who can be penalized for being in poor positions where they cannot take off work without the risk of losing their job, or they cannot be present for all of their child’s online schooling with the risk of an ACS report being made.

My example here is not to state whether parents should choose between their jobs and kid’s online schooling but rather to present the extreme difficulties mixed status families face. For after online school parents may need to go to work a nightshift or attempt to help children with their homework in a language they do not yet understand. Working with individuals who only spoke Spanish they often felt they did not have a way to communicate with their child’s school. Although their children were often bilingual parents became easily isolated when schools did not have a Spanish option on the phone, the child teacher did not speak Spanish or have a translator present, or inform parents of their right to a translator. Much of my work became advocating with parents and their children for their difficulties with online school and translation services. Most of these parents were navigating their own undocumented status while also their children’s in trying to figure out how to get their child special education services or trying to determine if a free lunch program in school would be seen as a public charge. However, all students have rights to their services in public schools. Undocumented children have only been guaranteed K-12 schooling/resources since 1982 thanks to the Plyer v. Doe case. For many parents they maneuver through different resources with fear that it will one day be used against their immigration status.

Lastly, I would like to focus on the lack of external resources for families. For the 2020 and 2021 school year while most NYC schools took place on online learning due to concerns over Covid-19. In the 2022 school year the option of online learning has not been given to students and families. While some had begun to adapt to online learning this is no longer an option. For the families still figuring out work schedules and school schedules finding a daycare or afterschool program is not simple. The increasingly expensive cost of childcare makes a formal childcare program out of reach for most families. This leads to families having to rely on neighborhood babysitters or family members. Kids who could usually participate in low-cost afterschool programs now no longer have these community-based options. There is so much that schools, parents, and teachers are still learning and experiencing during the Covid-19 pandemic. Still for families I have discussed here the inequalities they experience are amplified by the pandemic causing these families being left in the lurch.

More information on Plyer v. Doe (1982)

https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/research/plyler-v-doe-public-education-immigrant-students

A Look at the Intersections of Domestic Violence and Undocumented Status

February 2, 2022 Nicholas Rodrigo

By: Melissa Frasco

It is not hard to agree that domestic violence is a horrendous crime. Just like it is not hard to wear purple for domestic violence awareness month (October) or share the number of a domestic violence hotline on social media. The reality of domestic violence is that it is much more nuanced. In the traditional depictions of domestic violence we imagine men committing violent acts against women. This is usually where the public’s imagination stops. However, people of all genders, all sexual orientations, ethnicities, and racial groups experience domestic violence. While my previous point is important to keep in mind, I would like to focus particularly on the undocumented women I have worked with in the past, and who are survivors of domestic violence.

Many of the women I worked with had experienced years domestic violence at the hands of an intimate partner. Some had even started experiencing the domestic violence in their country of origin, which then followed them to the United States. Working as a case manager I met these women some years out of their abusive relationships. Some moved in with family to get away from the abuse, others moved states, some were able to financially free themselves and no longer be dependent on their abusers. Like many other domestic violence survivors there is no right time to leave, in fact many women have an increased risk of homicide when they choose to physically leave a violent relationship. This is also why the idea of telling someone to “just leave an abusive relationship” can be a damaging.

Instead factors such as financial control/abuse, physical violence, emotional abuse, spiritual abuse, sexual abuse, and immigration status all play a role. For the women I worked with they had been threatened with having immigration called on them by their abusive partners. The threat of calling immigration or ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) typically is intertwined with the fear of deportation. With ever tightening restrictions that criminalize the everyday activities of undocumented folks coupled with brutality of domestic violence women in these situations can feel beyond helpless. These threats become so powerful to the point where these undocumented women are being threatened by their (sometimes) undocumented partners to have ICE called on them. I have seen examples of this in cases where women try to leave the abusive relationship or if they try to report the abuse they are experiencing. Women and especially immigrants become particularly vulnerable when they do not speak English and therefore have trouble understanding their own rights despite their immigration status.

Even though a relationship between two people who are undocumented may seem somewhat equal, power imbalances can still occur. Power imbalances typically occur when abuse, control, or power is unfairly exerted over someone for their gender, immigration status, financial situation, and their education (or lack thereof). These are just some of the common categories that women in domestic violence situations find themselves being exploited by.

Now that we have discussed the situations where some are unable to speak up due to fear, I would like to explore what happens when some women are able to report domestic violence. For the most part I worked with women who were undocumented and usually Spanish speaking only. For the most part domestic violence service providers have greatly increased their ability to cater to the experiences of undocumented and non-English speaking survivors. In the case of reporting domestic violence to the police the process becomes more complex. Despite some misinformation that exists, by law in New York City anyone has the right to call 911 in the case of emergency or if they feel that their life is in danger. Although, it is not easy to explain to someone who is undocumented that they can call 911 whenever they need to. This is true even though their immigration status is typically vilified by many public policies. For example, I worked with a woman who did at one point make a police report of the physical abuse she was experiencing. Despite being able to make the report, she was never informed properly on how to move forward with the case. Therefore, her charges never went forward, and years later when she was trying to file for a divorce she was looked down upon for not pursuing the charges years earlier when she tried to get a copy of her police report. Though following through with charges may seem like common sense to some, for someone who is not in the country they grew up in and does not speak the language following up with charges appears out of reach.

At the end of the day the woman who was unable follow through with charges after her police report does not signify that her abuse did not happen. Instead, it signified a lack of transparency and collaboration that our justice system is not capable of aiding survivors and immigrants.

Below I will list resources for domestic violence survivors and advocates:

Domestic violence and abuse can include:

Hitting, slapping, kicking or using any other kind of physical violence against you

Forcing you to have sex when you don't want to, or to do sexual things you don't want to do
Threatening to hurt you, your children, or someone else you care about or your pet
Constantly insulting and criticizing you
Stalking, obsessively checking up on or otherwise trying to control your behavior

If you or someone you know is experiencing this kind of behavior from a partner, please call New York City's 24 hour Domestic Violence Hotline, 1-800- 621-4673

NYC’s 24-hour Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-212-227-3000; TTY 1-866-604-5350

NYC Gay and Lesbian Anti-Violence Project: 212-714-1141

En Español

Nuestras tres líneas directas están disponibles las 24 horas, los 7 días de la semana, durante todo el año. El personal te puede brindar ayuda en español y en cualquier otro idioma. Contamos con consejeros listos para ayudarte en este momento.

Para violencia doméstica, llama al: 800-621–(4673).
Para víctimas de cualquier delito, que incluye apoyo a familiares de víctimas de homicidio, llama al: 866-689-HELP (4357)
Para sobrevivientes de violación y agresión sexual, llama al: 212-227-3000.

Llama al 311 para pedir información de la Ciudad de Nueva York y servicios que no sean urgentes.
En situaciones de emergencia, llama al 911.

More information and Service providers

Urban Justice Center  - Domestic Violence Project (718) 875-5062 
Sanctuary for Families (212) 349-6009

Safe Horizon (800) 621-4673

Find your Domestic Violence Service Provider based on your county (NY State)

https://www.nyscadv.org/find-help/program-directory.html