PORTSMOUTH On Friday night, Seacoast area residents came out to hear how immigration affects them and the rest of the country, with a series of speakers covering many aspects of immigration.
Immigration Seacoast: Supporting Immigrants in an Anti-Immigration Era was held at St. John’s Church, organized by Sarah Brown of The Resistance Seacoast, with help from people like an immigration lawyer, a UNH student who is an immigrant and the first African born Muslim elected to Portland, Maine’s City Council.
“How many people know there is an ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) detention center in Dover,” asked Brown, surprising more than a few of the attendees. If you think this is not happening here, let me tell you – it is.”
The main focus of the talks was discussion of the current Trump administration’s policies on immigration and how fearful people are, even if they have lived in the US for decades as undocumented. Immigration lawyer Meg Moran, who is a parishioner of St. John’s spoke passionately about her work, but also about how cumbersome the process is for immigrants seeking legal status. Now, she said, it’s worse.
Since the focus of the current administration is on people of the Muslim faith, with the proposed travel ban, still in court, aimed at seven Muslim nations, a most powerful statement came from Pious Ali, the Portland city councilor. He spent many years working with the youth of Portland, many who are immigrants, and Muslim.
“When these youth wonder if they belong here, I tell them they do,” said Ali. “I tell them the history of Islam in America. I tell them it is as old as the African slaves, many of whom were Muslim. Many came here before the country was incorporated and they are part of the people whose blood and sweat built this county.”
Moran works with adults and children seeking asylum or permanent status.
“I work with the undocumented people our president refers to as illegal,” said Moran. “These people are not criminals yet ICE agents are showing up with terrifying force, at their homes, churches, jobs and schools. They are being arrested and told they have to go back to countries many have never known. These are people living productive lives, raising families and paying taxes. They are terrified and now people are looking for ways to get out of the country and seek asylum elsewhere. These incidents are unprecedented and break my heart.”
Lucy Salyer, a Portsmouth resident and professor of history said it is not unprecedented, not new. It has happened in this country before. She said historians are seeing patterns and hearing echoes of past incidents that were equally destructive.
Salyer gave concrete examples, speaking of various groups who faced discrimination, the Irish Catholics, the Chinese railroad workers, and Japanese Americans who were interred in relocation camps.
“Are the Muslim the new Chinese,” asked Salyer.
University of New Hampshire student Joey Singhavong is from Laos, the first in his family to attend college. He spoke of arriving in America at age six, joining a mother who spoke no English.
“I struggled in school in early grades because I didn’t have the words to ask for help,” said Singhavong. “I wanted help. My mom could not help because she spoke no English. I was bullied, because I didn’t have the words.”
Singhavong persevered and now majors in communications and economics at UNH.
“Two weeks ago, I became a US citizen,” said Singhavong. “I am proud of my mother but like many immigrants, she is afraid to try, to take the test. I am proud of her, but I understand her fear.”
Still scheduled to speak by press time was Maggie Fogarty, co-director of the NH Program for American Friends Service, which among other causes, advocates for immigration rights. Also scheduled were Maine State Representative Deanne Rykerson and New Hampshire State Representative Mindy Mesmer. Both planned to speak on current or upcoming bills in their respective state houses concerning immigration.
To learn more visit www.facebook.com/theresistanceseacoast.
, http://www.seacoastonline.com/news/20180504/forum-spotlights-struggles-of-local-immigrants
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