You are on page 1of 4

FIRN NOVEMBER NEWSLETTER

FOREIGN BORN INFORMATION REFERRAL NETWORK

BENEATH THE SURFACE: AN INTERVIEW FIRN’S IMPACT


WITH ALEXIS DOWNS
Alexis Downs, at the time can take six months or even FIRN serves over
a college student, began years before the case is 20,000 clients
working for FIRN in 2006. Though decided." annually, clients that
she started off at FIRN working as However, while the
represent 75 different
a receptionist and office application process may be
countries. Thus, the
manager, after several years of frustrating and long, it can't
majority of FIRN's staff
intensive training Alexis became compare to the stress of court.
an immigration counselor. As an Some of FIRN's clients, as members are fluent
immigration counselor Alexis undocumented immigrants face in another language
meets with clients, lays out their deportation by immigration (most commonly
options for courts.
Spanish). FIRN is also
them in terms "IMMIGRANTS ARE OUR Immigration
Howard County's
of immigration COWORKERS, OUR NEIGHBORS, court is by
status, helps nature strict.
official welcome
THEY GO TO SCHOOL WITH OUR
them apply "You have center for the foreign
for various
KIDS, SO MAKING SURE THEY HAVE to show up born. Founded on
statuses, and, ALL THE TOOLS THEY NEED IS on time for the simple principle
if needed, REALLY IMPORTANT." court, both
that immigrants need
also client and
a place where they
represents attorney, or
them in a court of law. Each year else you get a deportation order. can ask questions,

she helps nearly 500 clients on a If you're late they don't care," FIRN provides a
variety of issues. Her job is not an Alexis clarified. This fact is made plethora of
easy one. Applying for citizenship more complicated by the fact information on topics
or even a Green Card can that many of Alexis' clients are
like applying for
sometimes require hours of legal children under the age of 21 who
health insurance,
research, dozens of pages of came to the US fleeing violence
supporting documents, and even in Central America. These clients English language

psychological evaluations. For are the ones that Alexis tutoring, enrolling in
Alexis and her clients, these remembers best. She is struck by school, and
applications are a lesson in how strange it is to see these obtaining
patience. Alexis explained that "cute little kids" in court. "They're
government social
after an application is sent off, "it just going about their normal
services. The
lives. They just want to go to
organization also
November 2017, Volume 1
FOREIGN BORN INFORMATION REFERRAL NETWORK

school, and hang out with their friends. and El Salvador to remain in the US after fleeing
Honestly, when you talk to them they have no idea violence or natural disaster. Many of FIRN's clients
what deportation even is." Alexis also clearly are from El Salvador and Alexis explains that FIRN will
remembers clients who were victims of a darker likely "start to feel the pressure" as individuals reach
aspect of immigration: domestic violence. She out asking for advice and help. Despite the difficult
explained that oftentimes immigrants who are nature of her job, Alexis sees her work as incredibly
married to US citizens or permanent residents meaningful. "My work at FIRN lets me be a part of
become victims of domestic violence. "Their partners people's journeys. I get to see growth. I get to see
use their lack of immigration status to control them. what getting status does for people. I've seen
Spouses may threaten them with deportation to people transition from coming in homeless to all of
prevent them from contacting the police or trying to sudden having a job and supporting their families."
get help. Unfortunately, there are people who prey Alexis emphasized that immigration status is vital. It's
upon individuals who don't have status because essential to finding work, enrolling in social services,
they know they can get away with a lot more." and maintaining a home. FIRN gives people the
Through FIRN, Alexis helps many such women and level of personalized help that they require, ensuring
men apply for status without their abusers knowing. that they can become productive community
FIRN is a nonpartisan organization, but the members. Alexis observed that it's important to
policies of the federal, state, and local governments remember that immigrants are all around us.
affect many FIRN clients. Alexis expressed concern "Immigrants are our coworkers, our neighbors, they
over the evolving issue of the possible expiration of go to school with our kids, so making sure they have
the Temporary Protected Status program that allows all the tools they need is really important."
immigrants from countries like Honduras, Nicaragua,

REDISTRICTING: AN ESOL PERSPECTIVE


By Polly Moser

The Howard County Public School System is Most recently, however, Interim Superintendent
one of the most diverse school systems in the state of Michael Martirano has called for HCPSS's high
Maryland. HCPSS's English Learners' program is schools to be excluded from the upcoming
representative of this diversity with ESOL (English for redistricting. His plan would prevent high school
Speakers of Other Languages) students in Howard redistricting until 2022, but would move
County representing 100 countries and 82 different approximately middle school and elementary
languages. As of 2016, there were 2535 ESOL school students.
students enrolled in HCPSS's elementary, middle, and In all the debate surrounding the proposed
high schools. By now, most residents of Howard redistricting there has been little said about the
County with school-aged children have heard plan's impact on ESOL students. Many of the schools
about various school redistricting plans. As of 2016, that would face redistricting have substantial ESOL
15 of Howard County's 76 schools are overcapacity. student populations. The six most overcrowded
The planned redistricting is meant to alleviate elementary and middle schools that would likely be
overcrowding in schools. These changes are slated the focus of redistricting are Dunloggin, Ellicott Mills,
to take place before the 2018-2019 school year. Harper’s Choice, Centennial Lane, Manor Woods,
Foreign Born Information Referral Network

and Longfellow. All of these but Ellicott Mills have a community it is important to take into account the
substantial number of ESOL students. ESOL students voice of all groups, especially those who are often
are a particularly vulnerable immigrant population, ignored or treated as an afterthought. That being
since communication difficulties provide barriers to said, there are both positive and negative outcomes
success in many areas. In such a diverse, progressive for ESOL students associated with redistricting.

A NEGATIVE OUTLOOK: THE HARMS OF REDISTRICTING


Many ESOL students are recent immigrants. have higher engagement in a school
In Howard County, 54% of the school system's environment, and thus greater academic
English language learners were not born in the US. achievement. By moving young English language
Some of these individuals are even refugees, learners to a new school in the middle of their
fleeing disaster or conflict. All children, but education, you risk severely disrupting their
especially those that have experienced trauma academic progress. Furthermore, ESOL students
and disruption early in life, require consistency in are also very likely to make connections with
their education in order to truly learn. ESOL particular teachers who may have provided them
students often arrive at new schools with traumatic with instruction for multiple years at a specific
pasts that predispose them to having difficulties school. Forcing children to adjust to yet another
learning. ESOL students can best improve new school and new teachers presents further
academically if teachers and the school’s difficulties for individuals who are already at a
administration encourage a sense of classroom disadvantage in comparison to their native-English
and school belonging. Students who feel like they speaking peers.
belong in a particular school are more likely to

A POSITIVE OUTLOOK: THE BENEFITS OF REDISTRICTING


Over many years, and several changes in income. Thus, the planned redistricting may
school districts, Howard County schools have provide an opportunity to integrate and diversify
become increasingly segregated, both by race HCPSS schools to a greater degree. For immigrant
and socioeconomic status. The schools with the students and English language learners, an
highest percent of students from low-income integrated school is very beneficial. Studies show
households (Dunloggin, Harper's Choice, and that stratifying school districts based on race and
Longfellow) are also the schools with the highest class leads to unequal quality of
percent of Latino students. These trends reveal education/resources and thus disparities in
that poverty in Howard County is often achievement. In this sense, redistricting may be a
concentrated in a few schools. A 2017 analysis of benefit to ESOL students, allowing them to learn in
HCPSS data revealed that many school district more integrated classrooms, next to peers of a
borders have been drawn between low-income variety of income levels and races.
and high-income neighborhoods. They find that Whatever the costs and benefits of
low-income students are primarily concentrated in redistricting, it is certain that schools play an
southeastern Howard County and that bordering important role in shaping the path that immigrant
school districts vary greatly in students' households' students will take in life. Children in America,
Foreign Born Information Referral Network

regardless of their immigration status or English It is vital that we, as a county, continue to support
language proficiency, have a right to a public ESOL students, ensuring that they receive the help,
education. They also have a right to have a voice equality, and consistency that they need. Weigh
in public policy decisions. We cannot ignore the the pros and the cons before you speak out about
opinions of anyone within the Howard County this issue, take the time to learn and read about all
Public School System; even though those opinions the factors that go into deciding on a redistricting
may be spoken in Spanish, or Mandarin, or Korean. plan.

CONTACT FIRN
Email: info@firnonline.org
Telephone: 410-992-1923

You might also like