September 2015 immigration news at a glance

Written by Kara DeDonato

This month’s news digest takes a look at the US Border Patrol and at new developments in the number of refugees, Syrians in particular, that will be resettled in the United States. We’ll also discuss some of the obstacles facing women immigrants before turning to Pope Francis’ visit to New York and other New York immigration news.

US Border Patrol

In the final days of September, US Border Patrol agent Lonnie Schwartz was indicted for the murder of a Mexican teenager, Jose Antonio Elena Rodríguez, in 2012. Schwartz is also facing civil lawsuits for the same incident, in which he fatally shot Jose Rodriguez several times across the Texas-Mexico border.

A New York Times opinion piece called for a more accountable border patrol, commenting that the risk of danger Elena Rodríguez posed to agent Schwartz — even if he was throwing rocks — was not enough to warrant opening fire.

The opinion piece references a 2013 study by the Police Executive Research Forum that raised serious questions about the use of force by the US Border Patrol. A 2014 Politico article discussed these same concerns and commented on the size of the US Customs and Border Protection agency, stressing that its air contingent is the largest law enforcement air force in the world. In total, the US spends more on immigration and border control than it does on “the FBI, ATF, DEA, Secret Service, and US Marshals” and the budget of the NYPD, combined.

The indictment has become part of a larger conversation on US border control, fueled in part by immigration and border security’s dominance as topics of discussion in recent GOP primary debates.

The Syrian refugee crisis and the US

With the huge increase in the number of migrants pouring into Europe over the summer, many of them fleeing the violence in Syria, the United States faced growing criticism over having resettled only 1,500 Syrian refugees, a very small number in comparison to the thousands admitted in such European countries as Germany and Norway. However, on September 10 the Obama administration announced that it would “accept at least 10,000 Syrian refugees in the next fiscal year.” Ten days later, following a meeting with the German foreign minister, Secretary of State John Kerry said that the US would raise the number of worldwide refugees it accepts annually from 70,000 to 100,000 by 2017. A New York Times article reported that, though a step in the right direction, this increase would still not be enough to keep up with demand for new homes for people displaced by the conflict in Syria. To date, 4 million Syrians have fled their home country in order to escape the conflict.

Of the GOP candidates, Ohio’s Governor Kasich was the only one to voice support for allowing more refugees from Syria to come to the US.

Obstacles facing women immigrants

In September, New Women New Yorkers reported on a nonprofit, Women’s World Banking, which is helping more women open bank accounts globally. Young women immigrants, in particular, face a number of obstacles in opening and keeping bank accounts. This is partially due to a lack of educational resources, as well as the fact that many young women immigrants work off jobs and get paid “under the table,” making regular deposits difficult.

Not having a bank account also makes it harder for women to grow and manage their savings, and to start a business. This is especially troubling when women already face a harder time securing capital for business endeavors. Without a bank account, immigrant women may also have a harder time documenting their income for immigration authorities when they apply for visas or citizenship.

Zooming in on New York immigration news

The end of September saw the highly anticipated first US visit of Pope Francis. Stopping in New York City for 36 hours on the second leg of his trip, he addressed the United Nations General Assembly, held a multi-religious service at the 9/11 memorial, and celebrated Mass at Madison Square Garden for over 20,000 people. The visit he paid to Our Lady Queen of Angels School, an educational institution in East Harlem serving predominantly Latino and African American children, was another highlight of his stay in New York. In his remarks at the school, Pope Francis praised the diversity of backgrounds of students and, referring to Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., encouraged all present to “keep dreaming,” and to “celebrate all the opportunities which enable [us] … not to lose the hope of a better world with greater possibilities.” After this address, Pope Francis also met with a group of immigrants and refugees coming from various areas of the world, among them day laborers, unaccompanied minors from Central America, and immigrant mothers.

At the UN Sustainable Development Summit and at the General Debate of the UN General Assembly, which began last week, several world leaders, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Barack Obama, addressed the growing migrant crisis faced around the world as individuals flee conflict zones in Africa and the Middle East. A special Security Council meeting was convened on the topic.

On a lighter note, September saw the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month, celebrated in New York with city-wide cultural events, including exhibits, music, poetry, and discussions on issues facing Latino communities. Hispanic Heritage Month began September 15 and runs through October 15 — so there’s still time to celebrate! Check here some upcoming events at The City College of New York.

In September, New Women New Yorkers also launched its first LEAD series hosted by The New York Public Library. LEAD is a skills training and leadership development program open to young women immigrants in the New York City area.