Coming out of the Shadow
The events of this past week have cast a dark shadow over our country. We were troubled and for many of our clients what they saw was a reminder of why they fled their home countries, to seek a better life away from the type of violence we all observed. This will be a black eye on our country. We know that we must do better and work hard to be the agents of change our country is calling us to be.
As the Interim Executive Director of the Immigration Resource Center (IRC) of the San Gabriel Valley I have also been encouraged recently by the potential for change in our immigration system. In December we were excited to see that a court ruling forced the outgoing administration to reopen the DACA application process. This brought a renewed sense of energy for us at the IRC and many other organizations that provide legal services.
We are just a few days away from President Elect Joe Biden’s and Vice President Elect Kamala Harris inauguration. We at the Immigration Resource Center of San Gabriel Valley are excited for the potential change this will mean for the immigration system in our country. We believe that the new administration will bring with it changes that could lead to many of our current and potential clients to pursue obtaining legal status to remain in the country. This past week President Elect Biden stated the following: “I will introduce an immigration bill immediately.” I was happy to hear this come from him, but actions matter more than words.
We have heard firsthand from our clients that they feel as if a burden has been lifted off their shoulders after having lived with high amounts of anxiety during the past four years due to the volatility of the current administration’s approach to immigration. Our legal team also lived with high anxiety as every change the administration made to the system had repercussions for them and the work they do with our clients. This is why we are happy about the changes that have already started to occur and the changes that we anticipate are coming.
I would like to encourage you to think about how you can come along our side to support the work that we are doing to provide services to our clients. The mission of the IRC is to support the immigrant population by providing low-cost immigration services, educational events, and connections to community resources. If our mission resonates with you, I encourage you to join our growing list of monthly donors by becoming part of our Justice Circle. If you cannot commit to a monthly gift perhaps giving a one-time gift of your choosing.
-Joel Perez