A tightening of U.S. immigration policies, deportations without standard court proceedings, public street arrests by masked federal agents and President Donald Trump’s anti-immigration rhetoric have instilled fear in immigrant communities and led to large protests across the country.
The news about immigration is constant.
To help foster understanding on the issue locally, on June 16, members of the new Social Justice Ministry of Blessed Trinity Parish of Westford and Littleton hosted a presentation, “Accompanying Immigrants in a Time of Uncertainty.”
Presenters for the International Institute of New England shared information about how their organization helps refugees and answered questions from the group of about 50 at St. Catherine of Alexandria Church.
What is refugee status?
Refugees are a different legal status than what President Trump is calling “illegal immigrants,” said Bill Gillett, director of public policy and advocacy for the institute.
According to the U.N. Refugee Agency, “Refugees are persons fleeing the risk of persecution or serious harm, including human rights violations, armed conflict or persecution. In the absence of protection in their countries of origin, which the State is unwilling or unable to provide, they are forced to cross an international border and seek safety in other countries.”
Often, refugees are housed in a refugee camp, where they must live until another country accepts them in. “A typical refuge who comes to this country has spent 16 years in a refugee camp,” Gillett said.
Gillet has visited refugee camps. During the presentation, he shared images of the tents and huts with no running water or electricity. He explained that refugees have varied life situations—some are physicians and professionals, while others are illiterate.
If an individual applies for refugee status to the United Nations (U.N.), then the U.N. will work with countries accepting refugees and that is when the institute becomes involved. It resettles refugees in Boston, Lowell and Manchester, New Hampshire.
Last year, the institute brought 9,449 refugees to Lowell, and the year prior, it brought about 6,000 refugees, said Kris Honeycutt, a volunteer coordinator with the institute.
Smaller cities, like Lowell and Manchester, are easier for refugees to live in as the cost of living is lower and they are more manageable to get around, Gillett said, adding, “Lowell is a wonderfully welcoming city for immigrants.”
But now the refugee program has been suspended by President Trump, Gillett said.
The U.S. president has the authority to set the number of refugees admitted. During former President Obama and former President Biden’s terms, the number of refugees admitted varied by year, but was around 100,000 annually.
The institute is continuing to provide apartment housing, food assistance, English classes, help with obtaining work and a green card for the refugees that have been resettled in the area, Honeycutt said.
About 70% of the funding from the institute is from the federal government with the rest coming from private donors, including individuals, corporations and foundations, Gillett said.
The U.S. federal government provides a refugee with a one-time payment per individual of about $1,200 to $1,500, but that is the only money that person receives for their refugee status, Gillett said. Refugees also need to eventually pay back their airfare, he added.
Once refugees are in the U.S., they are able to access services available to U.S. citizens, including health care, he said. Many businesses work with the institute and hire refugees, he said.
“The people who come here, this is their opportunity in life,” Gillett said. “We put people on a path for sustainability and stability.”
New Social Justice Ministry
The goal of the new Social Justice Ministry is to educate parishioners and the public on issues as well as provide opportunities for charitable work and calls to action, said Rachel Muller, an organizing team member for the ministry, which is part of the parish that encompasses the churches of St. Anne in Littleton and St. Catherine of Alexandria in Westford.
“One of the foundations of Catholicism is to go out into the world and do charitable works and change institutions and structural imbalances in our communities,” Muller said. “This is our calling to look out for each other.”
The ministry has the blessing of the church’s priests and also is following the example of the late Pope Francis, head of the Catholic Church, who spoke out often to advocate for immigrants, she said. There are references in the Bible, such as the story of the “Good Samaritan,” about showing mercy and compassion to others, regardless of their race, religion or social status, Muller said.
Three years ago, in her retirement, Muller began volunteering with the International Institute of New England. She started by packing boxes of food for refugees and now helps them practice their English. Refugees have so many challenges and I just hope in a small way, the things I do, can lift them up, Muller said.
Following the presentation, the institute had a table where the presenters answered questions and people could also sign up to volunteer.
Mary-Lou Fidrych, a member of the Social Justice Ministry, said the gathering was much larger than what they had expected from event RSVPs.
“It has to do with what’s going on nationally. (Immigration) is something people want to learn about…We really felt this fit with our Catholic faith,” she said.
