immigration

Posts

“Welcome to America,” to belong once again

,

On the nation’s 250th birthday, a member of our Leelanau community—albeit one who remains anonymous to protect her immigration status—shares her story of arriving in this land of immigrants. “Welcome to America,” an immigration officer told us at the Fort Lauderdale-Miami Airport. With those words, he stamped our papers, confirming that everything was in order with our process and that, finally, we could enter the country. He had no way of knowing the profound commotion his words had caused within me. That “Welcome to America” lingered, echoing in my ears as we walked down a narrow hallway toward the exit of the crowded airport. With one hand I pulled a small suitcase, and with the other, I held my daughter, who looked just as disoriented as I felt. A few steps ahead walked my husband, quickening his pace alongside our youngest son. I felt a whirlwind of emotions: peace, disbelief, confusion, fear, joy, solace, gratitude, and nostalgia.

Read more
/by

Old Art Building talk examines “Immigration in America: What the Data Really Shows”

Immigration is one of the most talked-about and divisive issues in America. Separating headlines from facts can feel overwhelming. On Thursday, April 9, from 5:30-7:30 pm at the Old Art Building in Leland, community members are invited to a free discussion that uses data to cut through confusion and show what the numbers actually say. The program is presented in partnership with Mobile Pathways, an award-winning technology nonprofit whose immigration analysis has been featured by major outlets in the United States and abroad and recognized internationally for its impact.

Read more
/by

Bay Books event promotes cultural acceptance in trying times

,

“The world is held together by tiny friendships.” So explains the wise grandmother character in local author Lynne Rae Perkins’ latest novel “At Home in a Faraway Place.” On March 29, Perkins will be one of two authors featured at an event at Bay Books in Suttons Bay highlighting literary selections for young readers on the opportune topics of immigration and cultural acceptance. The program will open at 10:30 a.m. with Bay Books owner Tina Greene-Bevington reading Thrity Umrigar’s children’s book, “Sugar in Milk.” Described by Running Press as “a timely and timeless picture book about immigration that demonstrates the power of diversity, acceptance and tolerance from a very gifted storyteller” Sugar in Milk made several best book lists and garnered two awards when it was published in 2020.

Read more
/by

Trump’s mass deportation threat worries Leelanau’s tight-knit Latino community

,

They pick our cherries in the summer and our apples in the fall. They care for our vineyards and clean our rental houses. They raise children here, enroll them in public schools and celebrate quinceañeras in local parks. Many have lived in Leelanau County for decades. Out of 22,000 residents—according to the latest Census—as many as 1,000 of our neighbors identify as Hispanic or Latino. Many have an undocumented parent or family member living here in northern Michigan, now as rooted here as the pine trees, though they crossed illegally into the United States years ago. The local Latino community is acutely aware that the subject of immigration is tossed around like a political football during this presidential election season. They hear Republican candidate Donald Trump’s threats to carry out the “largest deportation in American history” and his maligning of non-white immigrant communities—and it frustrates and concerns them. Some worry about being racially profiled; some have grown more cautious about sharing their legal status with fellow community members; some worry about an environment of anxiety surrounding their kids, most of whom were born here and have U.S. citizenship.

Read more
/by

Traveling to the border; the border travels home

The concept of “the border” is often thought of in regard to the southwestern United States’ southern border with Mexico. When people speak of “the border,” prominent news sources and politicians have made it quite easy to picture the Arizona desert, Rio Grande River, or La Bestia (“The Beast”) train traveling through Mexico with caravans of people. While these are all dangerous realities for people seeking entry into the United States, the border we often don’t think about is the ever-present border which pervades everyday lives even after crossing the physical border. The U.S.-Mexico border may be a significant Port of Entry for many migrants entering the United States, but “the border” often does not end there.

Read more
/by

Marcelo Betti to deliver Belko Peace Lecture

Marcelo Betti, attorney for Justice For Our Neighbors, will be the keynote speaker for the 14th annual Belko Peace Lecture on Oct. 13 at 7 p.m. He will speak on “Immigration: How It Works, How It Doesn’t” at Trinity UCC Church, 103 N. Warren St. in Northport. The Donaji dancers, a Mexican dance group will perform cultural dances which depict their heritage at 6:15 p.m.

Read more
/by

Employing Migrant Workers

,

Attacks on immigration make headlines nationwide, but here in Leelanau County our farmers enjoy a healthy, symbiotic relationship with their migrant laborers—without whom the cherries would not be picked this summer.

Read more
/by

Look in the Mirror, Uncle Sam

These days, the leaders of the United States talk about building a wall to keep people out. Perhaps instead of a wall, we should construct a giant mirror this Fourth of July, and take a look at ourselves, who we are, what choices we’re making, and where we are headed as a nation, as a community.

Read more
/by

Iranian Arya Khoshnegah recalls his escape to the Leelanau School

,

The Leelanau School featured a special graduation speaker during its commencement ceremony on June 3. Alum Arya Khoshnegah, together with his sister Laila, left Iran as teenagers and enrolled at the private boarding school north of Glen Arbor, just before the 1979 revolution that changed the fortunes of their family and their country. Leelanau, which specializes in experiential learning and small class sizes in a beautiful setting, graduated 19 seniors who hail from 11 states. Distinguished alumni have included survivors of wars and natural disasters, children of statesmen and accomplished actors.

Read more
/by

Immigration Challenges in Leelanau: Who Will Harvest Our Produce?

, ,

On Wednesday, April 5, at noon at the Leelanau County Government Center the Farm Labor Task Force of the League of Women Voters Leelanau County will highlight the impact current immigration policy has on area agricultural employers and their workforce. The forum is titled “Immigration Challenges in Leelanau: Who Will Harvest Our Produce?”

Read more
/by