Services to Asylum Seekers, Immigrant Detainees, Seafarers, and Medical Clients

1. Services to Asylum Seekers, Immigrant Detainees, Seafarers, and Medical Clients Maryam Zoma Social Work Intern Seafarers and International House Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College

2. Asylum Seeker and Immigrant Detainee Projects • What is an asylum seeker? • An individual outside their country of origin and must prove that he or she has suffered past persecution and/or has a well-founded fear of future persecution based on one of five grounds or a combination of grounds: • Race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, and political opinion • Number of asylum seekers accepted in the US: Approximately 48,000 per year • Number of asylum applications in 2011 to the US: Approximately 74,000

3. Asylum Seeker and Immigrant Detainee Projects • What is an immigrant detainee? • Every day, 34,000 immigrants are held in detention centers throughout the country because of a bed mandate law requiring at least 34,000 immigrants be held in detention. In 2011, more than 429,000 immigrants were held in detention facilities. • The people in immigration detention are detained (imprisoned)because: • Some have crossed a U.S. border without the required documentation • Apprehended at the border or in a raid and are waiting for deportation • Overstayed a temporary visa • Some have committed a crime, served their time, and are detained waiting for deportation • Lawful permanent residents subject to deportation for minor offenses, which are misdemeanors for U.S. citizens but deportable offenses for lawful permanent residents • Other immigrants cannot return to the United States if they have traveled outside the United States in violation of a temporary visa or asylum status, and are thus detained upon re-entry

4. Asylum Seeker and Immigrant Detainee Projects

5. Asylum Seeker and Immigrant Detainee Projects • How to apply for asylum status • When to apply for asylum status • Does one receive public benefits? • When to apply for work authorization • When to apply for a Green Card (Permanent Residency) • When to apply for US Citizenship

6. Asylum Seeker and Immigrant Detainee Projects • Number of asylum seekers and immigrant detainees staying at SIH: • 2013: 20 people, 381 nights • 2014: 7 people, 113 nights • Agencies we work with and accepted clients from: • First Friends • Bellevue/NYU Program for Survivors of Torture • Immigration Equality • Weil Cornell Medical Center • Catholic Charities • Urban Justice Center

7. Asylum Seeker and Immigrant Detainee Projects • Case Study: • Hector*, unaccompanied minor from Mexico and was released to First Friends and Urban Justice Center on his 18th birthday. He was previously staying at Children’s Village in Dobbs Ferry, NY prior to coming to SIH. He stayed with SIH for 1 ½ months and is now living with a First Friends detention center volunteer in New Jersey and is planning on working on his GED.

8. Asylum Seeker and Immigrant Detainee Projects • Detention Center Visitation Program • Creating a robust and cohesive volunteer program with a training component and manual • Started in October 2013 • Total number of volunteers: 28 volunteers • Total number of detainees visited: 15 detainees • Total number of facilities visited: 3

9. Asylum Seeker and Immigrant Detainee Projects • Asylum events: • December 2013: Right of Asylum Reception • December 2013: Manhattan Ministerium • Future Plans: • 03/31/2014: Feminists at Work Roundtable at Fordham University • 04/02/2014: Presentation at Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College, in coordination with the Global Social Work Students Group • 04/05/2014: Fordham Inequality Conference • 05/05/2014: Forced Migration Review • Election year in NY State: Voter registration drive, host a candidate to come to speak about their stance on immigration

10. Assistance to Seafarers • Seafarers International Union Hall • At the hall every Monday from 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm to provide services to seafarers • Common issues and concerns: • Unemployment • Maintaining and managing finances while unemployed • Applying for all of the documents required to ship in a timely manner • Retirement • Marital/spousal issues • Budgeting workshop

11. Assistance to Seafarers • Case Studies • Mr. Johnson*, retired seafarer, hospitalized for health issues and sent to a nursing home in September 2013. When he recovered, he no longer needed the nursing home and looked for a more independent living facility. I worked with him and the YMCA in Brooklyn. The client was able to move into a studio apartment in the YMCA in November 2013. • David* faced issues applying for TWIC Card in August 2013, requiring him to submit additional documents to TSA. Dr. Dan Molly and I assisted him submitting letters, one signed by Dan and one signed by SIU. I assisted him in submitting all the required documents to TSA and helping him register for the Coast Guard stamp.

12. Assistance to Medical Clients • Referral from Columbia University Medical Center • 2 clients, 21 days, mother and son • Ms. Taylor* and her son were referred to us by Columbia University Medical Center. They were previously staying at Hope Lodge, a hotel run by the American Cancer Society. They stayed at Hope Lodge for 4 months while he was undergoing treatment. Because he had long stays in the hospital, they had to leave Hope Lodge because his long hospital stays violated their policies. The coordinator at Columbia worked with Miracle House, another cancer treatment hotel program, to get them a reservation there. The client is currently staying at Miracle House.