NEWS

The Record article says community-based organizations assist immigrants

IMG_6996CoFiA provides lunch, conversation and education

1119826_354491004682420_206254421_oOSHA training

wage theft celebration 12.16.13And wage theft recovery assistance

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An article in The Record on Tuesday, February 4, 2014, (see link, above) says that most services for immigrants are provided by community organizations. The article is by Monsey Alvarado, who has followed CoFiA’s work and often calls us when she has questions related to this field.

The article cites a report titled “Meet the Neighbors: Organizational and Spatial Dynamics of Immigrant New Jersey,” which was issued by the Program on Immigration and Democracy at Rutgers University’s Eagleton Institute of Politics. It states that New Jersey has adopted few policies to help immigrants, and community-based organizations (like CoFIA) are providing most of the services. One of the authors states that there are many “quite scrappy but occasionally very institutionalized organizations” making really important connections for people to local government, to schools, to the hospital, etc. Advocacy and English language instruction are the most frequently offered services.

A growth in the use of ITINs (Individual Tax Identification Numbers) is cited. ITINs were created by the Federal Treasury Department to allow workers who do not qualify for Social Security numbers to pay taxes. Between 15 – 30% of NJ workers used these numbers in 2008 to pay taxes.

Nearly half of the 800,000 immigrants in New Jersey are naturalized, but there may be another 250,000 to 500,000 who live here without documents, which have become increasingly difficult–or impossible–to obtain. The article states that NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) dramatically increased migration to the U.S. from Spanish-speaking countries. Although the U.S. labor market “has greedily absorbed the new workers” federal immigration policy has not kept pace. It is estimated that 9.2% of workers in New Jersey are unable to obtain documents.

Among our friends, CoFiA finds that these abstract figures mean that a man who has been working here for 11 years has not been able to see his children in all that time; another has been here 18 years, and has seen his elderly relatives pass away and been unable to even attend their funerals; another had the heart-breaking experience of having his teen-aged daughter–against his and his wife’s wishes–try to come to the US to see him, only to be stopped at the border by ICE.

Deficit Worries? Fix Immigration

This memo is adapted from an article by the Center for American Progress.

On June 27, the Senate passed a comprehensive immigration bill, S. 744, and created an opportunity to dramatically improve the fiscal and economic health of our country. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, or CBO, has estimated that S. 744 would reduce our deficit by $135 billion over the first 10 years, generate millions of new jobs, and boost our economy. But while our economy stands to gain significantly from fixing our broken immigration system, each day the House fails to pass immigration reform is another day of missed economic opportunities.
In the four months since the Senate passed S. 744, we have already missed out on a net $4.9 billion in additional tax revenues.* With each additional day that passes, another $37 million in revenue is lost. There is no denying the powerful impact that immigration reform could have on our economy. But the clock is ticking. Each minute that the House waits to pass immigration reform is another minute we are losing out on the economic benefits of reform. The cost of inaction is too high for the House to postpone immigration reform any longer.
* Note: These are CAP’s estimates based on CBO’s score of S. 744 as passed by the Senate.

 

CoFiA author Maria Andreu’s book now available

Reverend Givens and Vice-Chair Maria Andreu catch up
Reverend Givens and Vice-Chair Maria Andreu catch up

Maria Andreu’s book, The Secret Side of Empty, is now available in a pre-publication edition from http://www.amazon.com/Secret-Side-Empty-Maria-Andreu/dp/0762451920. Ordering now not only gives the purchaser a bargain, it helps to promote the book.

This young adult novel is based on Maria’s own experiences as an undocumented young person growing up in Bergen County. Since gaining her citizenship in the 1980s, Maria has been active in working for immigration policy reform. She was formerly co-chair of the Community of Friends in Action, Inc., and continues to be a dedicated member.

Jeh Johnson, new Secretary of Dept. of Homeland Security, is from New Jersey

 

A native of Montclair, New Jersey, Jeh Johnson was recently sworn in as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. The former top lawyer of the Defense Department, who worked on U.S. drone policies and the Pentagon’s ban on gays in the military, said offering a path to citizenship would encourage the 11 million immigrants living in the U.S. without documentation to “come out of the shadows, be accountable, and participate in the American experience.” He said the majority of these immigrants have been here more than 10 years, and that offering them a path to citizenship is “a matter of who we are as Americans.”

He also indicated, in a letter responding to questions from Senator Richard Durbin, that “immigration enforcement resources must first be focused on those who pose a threat to our national security, public safety, and the integrity of our borders.” He has pledged to visit immigrant detention centers and review whether current practice on matters such the use of solitary confinement, access to lawyers and social services, and access to affordable phone calls follow current DHS and ICE standards.

New OSHA class begins March 1

Elias shows OSHA cardDon Elias shows OSHA card to interested workers

Participants in the Monday lunch program at Grace Evangelical Lutheran church are signing up to be part of the next OSHA class, to be held on March 1 and 8 at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Prospect and Slocum Avenues, in Ridgefield. CoFiA Board member Rev. Janet Blair is pastor. Staff member Elias Garcia is organizing the class, which will be taught by an OSHA trainer. Successful graduates will receive OSHA certificates; both the training and the certificates are extremely valuable in providing protection against injury at the work cite.

The course is offered twice a year. Space is limited so people who want to participate need to sign up soon.

“Leafblowers” — a Poem

CoFiA member Ellie Spiegel recently sent this poem. She says:

Fred Stern, a Leonian who is well known to many of us died this past week. Rachel, his wife, phoned us immediately to give us Fred’s warm clothes because she thought the men could use them.
Fred was also a poet, often reading at “Leonia Reads.” Following is one of his poems that I am sure you all will appreciate. It is entitled, “Leafblowers”

The whine of the motor follows us throughout our day.
When there are no leaves to blow
They blow tired gravel,
Oblivious, their thoughts in Salvador
Seeing wives and children
Helpless in their huts waiting for checks
To buy salt, sugar, the pungent smell of goats.

Leaves float on senseless trucks
Condemned to endless shredding.
When the snows come
Where will the men shiver
What will they eat?

More Generous Donations Received

The Community of Friends in Action, Inc., is honored to have received large donations from the Social Concerns program of St. John’s Roman Catholic Church in Leonia, and from the Sisters of St. Francis of Peace of Haverstraw, New York. Both of these organizations have been steadfast in their support of CoFiA’s efforts over many years.

In addition to the very welcome financial support, members of St. John’s serve in leadership roles and as active volunteers in our efforts. We owe a special debt of gratitude to Carolyn Sobering, one of the CoFiA chairs, and to Mary Rausch, who is a leader in the lunch program and in many other CoFiA activities. Our warmest thanks!

More Warm Clothes Needed

With temperatures still hovering in the single digits, workers’ needs for warm clothes continue. CoFiA is encouraging our friends to donate new (or very lightly used) long underwear, sizes Medium or Large, both pants and tops, in addition to warm jackets, hats and gloves suitable for outdoor work. Donations can be left in the box at the Leonia Public Library and will be distributed on Mondays at the CoFiA lunch at Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church, Broad Avenue at Homestead Street in Palisades Park.

If you want to make a large donation and receive an acknowledgement for tax purposes, send the receipt to us at CoFiA, PO Box 448, 181 Fort Lee Road, Leonia, NJ 07605.

CoFiA in the news

IMG_6994 The lunch program had a full house on Monday

On December 8, 2014, the Bergen RECORD reported on the situation of the day workers in the recent bitter cold weather. Ellie Spiegel was quoted in one article on the more than 75 people who came to lunch on Monday, and both she and Margaret White were cited in an appeal for more warm winter clothing.

Thanks to reporter Monsy Alvarado for keeping our friends in mind! The articles are on pages L1 and L2 of the Wednesday, January 8, edition of the RECORD.