“Our immigrant neighbors are really under attack,” Colleen Pearce said, as she welcomed about 35 people who had gathered Monday night at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Building to learn how they might support immigrants living nearby. Pearce is part of Harvard Resists, a group that has organized several protests on the Common. Among the attendees at the Monday meeting were Harvard’s representatives in the state Legislature, Rep. Danillo Sena and Sen. Jamie Eldridge.
After the welcome, Terry Symula updated the group on the immigration status of the two Afghan families who were resettled in Harvard in 2021. They came here under the Special Immigrant Visa program for men whose work with the U.S. Army in Afghanistan had placed them and their families in danger there. They now all have Permanent Resident Cards, also called green cards. But, Symula noted, many other immigrants who also arrived here legally “have had their status yanked” and lost legal protections.
State Rep. Dan Sena speaks about health care options for immigrants at a public forum on refugee support, Sept. 8 in the Fellowship Building at the Unitarian Universalist Church. From left, Lindsay Hunt, Kelene Blumstein, state Sen. Jamie Eldridge, Tom Daniells, Jon Green, Sena, Tom Aciukewicz, and Lori Daniells. (Photo by Lisa Aciukewicz)
Elizabeth Davis-Edwards, who spoke to the group next, is the founder and president of WelcomeNST, based in Marlborough. The acronym NST stands for “neighborhood support teams.” It was through such a team, along with the Worcester resettlement agency Ascentria Care Alliance, that Symula helped the Afghan families come to Harvard.
Davis-Edwards described the WelcomeNST program as a privately funded volunteer effort to “harness the power of community to provide refuge” for immigrants. The teams focus on housing, language support, job training, and more. Most recently, she said, the organization has founded an NST for Haitians in Boston. “No ground is safe in this country right now,” she said.
Piali De provided information on another area group that aids immigrants, the International Institute of New England. She said IINE helps immigrants find housing, learn English, and prepare for jobs. Another IINE program focuses on building a supportive community, with local walks, home suppers, and friendship. The group also delivers food for immigrants who fear venturing outside their homes because of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
For those who want to support immigrants, De said, IINE will help them set up a group and connect with an immigrant family. Pearce suggested that four or five people get together and form a “pod” that works together to help one family. A number of attendees appeared eager to volunteer. “I want a menu and phone numbers so I know how I can help,” one man said emphatically. Others suggested working through area churches, many of which are already involved.
In the course of the meeting, Sen. Eldridge asked how current federal cutbacks are affecting immigrant support groups. Davis-Edwards said Ascentria has been forced to lay off staff members. Eldridge also recounted the story of a 27-year-old Brazilian immigrant who was taken by masked ICE agents while he was working at Sorrento’s Pizzeria in Acton last month. He had a work permit, a Social Security number, and a driver’s license, but had not yet been able to get a court hearing for his asylum claim, according to a report in The Acton Exchange. Eldridge said a judge eventually ordered the man released after Eldridge and Sena wrote letters on his behalf and raised money for bail. “It’s happening every day in Marlborough,” said Eldridge, whose district includes that town.
