Immigration Day

Immigration Day, Massachusetts Immigrants and Refugees Association, and the Center for Progressive Legislation.

Earlier this Spring of 2015 there was an event called Immigration Day in which people from Worcester and around the State met with their senators and representatives at the State House.  Massachusetts Immigration and Refugees Association (MIRA) initiated this annual event, Immigration Day, several years ago. It was intended as a way to have newly arrived residents to more fully participate in the political process. It never excluded anyone and now all Baystaters are welcomed. Given this inclusivity the Center for Progressive Legislation (CPL) helps MIRA organize a bus or two of people to go to the State House on Immigration Day.

                                                      The bus taking Worcester People to Boston

Both MIRA and CPL have political legislative agendas. The MIRA agenda is more associated with inequalities and disparities found in the immigrant communities. The CPL legislative agenda deals more with disparities in the working class communities and criminal justice matters.

                                                       Some of the People from Worcester. These ladies emigrated from nepal

The event took place in State House Auditorium which was packed with people at first listening to the conditions faced by the new arrivals and a call to action by MIRA organizers.

                                                      Auditorium at State House

As activities in the Auditorium wound down people went to see their respective representatives and senators.  The people from the Worcester area were organized by Ron Madnick who is now the executive director of CPL. He arranged to have all six senators and representatives for Worcester or their respective stand-ins come to the Auditorium.

                                                       Reps and stand-ins

Representative O’Day was the most personable and he seemed truly interested in the concerns raised by the people from Worcester.  Representative Donahue also showed interest, but not with the enthusiasm of Mr. O’Day. Representative Mary Keefe had recently broken her ankle and despite her obvious pain she came and answered the questions asked of her.  Although she seemed distracted, given her injury such distraction was understandable.

 

  CPL is concentration on reforms in the Health Care System and in Criminal justice.   This includes the reduction from felony to misdemeanor for specific cases, removal of the mandatory minimums sentences for certain offenses, and the removal of the five hundred dollar fee to have licenses reinstated.

There was a curious back and forth between Ron Madnick and Mary Keefe regarding Police doing the work of immigration enforcement.  Representative Keefe reminded Ron Madnick that the Worcester Police does not provide the immigration status of the people it arrests. Ron Madnick reminded Representative Keefe that the legislation was aimed at police departments statewide.  

MIRA supports legislation to have immigrant students charged the same tuition and fees as in state students at State colleges, improved access to driver licenses, improved access to local government for non citizen residents, as well as other programs.

                                                     Ron Madnick at State House

Ron Madnick spoke of revitalizing the Worcester Immigrants Coalition and setting up a citizen school. The citizenship test is now more difficult than before and it is likely many native born citizens might not pass it. He also talked about having a meeting of the Worcester legislators to lobby for the legislative goals of CPL and MIRA.

The organizer for MIRA is Christina Aguilera who with her fellow advocates has put forward legislation and programs that have helped people transition well into their new homes.