Immigration Archives · New England News Collaborative

‘I Would Like To Be Free, Outside, Breathing Fresh Air’: Maria’s Year In ‘Sanctuary’

By Shannon DoolingApril 11, 2019

Maria Merida has been living in “sanctuary” in a Boston-area church for more than a year. She has a final order of removal back to her native Guatemala but is hoping to apply for asylum to stay in the U.S. She says she rarely leaves the confines of the church. Photo by Robin Lubbock for WBUR

It’s been more than a year since Maria Merida moved freely outside, more than a year since she’s gone to the grocery store or gone on a walk.

Vermont Officials, Businesses Concerned About Decline In Refugees

By Bayla MetzgerMarch 18, 2019

Bhuwan Sharma, co-owner of Burlington Employment Agency, at his Old North End office. He said his business has plateaued due in large part to Bhutanese-Nepali refugees moving from Vermont to Columbus, Ohio. Photo by Bayla Metzger for VPR

The Burlington area is a hub for refugees and immigrants in Vermont, but area officials and businesses are concerned about this population shrinking. Recent federal restrictions have limited the number of refugees coming to the state and there’s another problem too: some New Americans are choosing to leave Vermont.

Under Trump Administration, Some Vietnamese Immigrants Face Uncertain Fate

By Shannon DoolingFebruary 21, 2019

It’s a Saturday afternoon at a community center in Dorchester. More than a dozen people sit in metal folding chairs, organized in a circle and leaning forward, listening to the free legal advice being offered.

The Lure Of Luck: How Gambling Can Turn Addictive For Southeast Asian Refugees

By Vanessa de la TorreFebruary 6, 2019

Mui Mui Hin-McCormick (at left) recruited the Asian Ambassadors a few years ago. They are Laotian elder Howard Phengsomphone, Vietnamese refugee Quyen Truong (center), Laotian refugee Sou Thammavong and Japanese immigrant Mari Merwin (at right). Photo by Ryan Caron King for Connecticut Public Radio

Quyen Truong still gets a cozy feeling when she sees a hand of cards.

Shutdown In Immigration Court A Respite For Some, An Injustice For Others

By Simón RiosJanuary 4, 2019

John F. Kennedy Federal Building in Boston houses the Boston Immigration Court. Photo by Curt Nickisch for WBUR

As the federal government shutdown continues, the backlog of cases in immigration court continues to increase — drawing mixed reactions from immigration experts.

Migrant Activists Question Why Feds Were Called After Farmworker’s Arrest

By John DillonDecember 20, 2018

Will Lambek of Migrant Justice says a state police call to immigration agents after the arrest of a farmworker runs counter to the state's fair and impartial policing policy. Photo by John Dillon for VPR

A recent case shows that when undocumented immigrants encounter local law enforcement, they may still run the risk of being turned over to federal immigration authorities. This happened despite a fair and impartial policing policy that discourages authorities from doing so.

Families Separated By The Travel Ban Reunite In A Border Library

By John Dankosky and Lily TysonDecember 13, 2018

Flower pots and landscaping stones mark the international border between Stanstead, Quebec, and Derby Line, Vt. Inside the Haskell Free Library and Opera House, the border is marked by a line on the floor. Photo by Amy Kolb Noyes for VPR

A library that sits on the border between the United States and Canada is offering a solution for families separated by the travel ban. The Haskell Free Library and Opera House, in Derby Line, Vermont, and Stanstead, Quebec, is serving as a space where Iranian families can reunite.

Amid Increasing Immigration Tensions, Mexicans In Middlebury, Vermont Find Taste Of Home

By John DillonDecember 13, 2018

The Mexican government sets up a mobile consulate office twice a year in Vermont to help its citizens renew passports and to provide other services. Photo by John Dillon for VPR

A little bit of Mexico came to Middlebury, Vermont last weekend. Officials from the Mexican government were in town to help its citizens renew passports or obtain other documents.

Despite Protections, Rhode Island’s Lower-Income Utility Customers Risk Losing Power

By Avory BrookinsDecember 13, 2018

Kennekca Kindell (right) and her 14-year-old daughter, Kanija Kindell, visit the Dunkin' Donuts in Pawtucket where Kennekca works. Photo by Avory Brookins for The Public's Radio

Temperatures are dropping and for many people, that means higher gas bills to heat their homes. But not everyone can easily afford those bills, and missing payments puts some people at risk of getting their power shut off.

Native Dishes From Sudan And New Holiday Traditions in Connecticut

By Diane OrsonNovember 21, 2018

Fouad Dagoum, Kutti Dagoum, Bonnie Bayuk, Azhar Ahmed, and Lames Abdelrahman. Photo by Amar Batra for Connecticut Public Radio

Thanksgiving is a time to celebrate with family and friends and share a meal together. For many U.S. families, that means roast turkey, stuffing, cranberry, and pumpkin pie. But for some refugee families, the holiday can be a time to share native dishes and new holiday traditions.