a month in review

December 2022

Dear IRLC Community,

December 10th marks International Human Rights Day, commemorating the day in 1948 that the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) - the first international declaration recognizing that human rights and fundamental freedoms apply to everyone, everywhere. The UDHR proclaims the wide range of political, social, and economic rights that everyone is entitled to as a human being, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, language, political opionion, nationality, social group, property, birth, or other status. It is considered the global standard for human rights, and the basis for international human rights law, including refugee law. It is these principles that guide our work.

The UN’s theme for International Human Rights Day 2022 is Dignity, Freedom, and Justice for All, which echoes the values of IRLC. Every day we work with people from around the world whose human rights have been violated. Our work is based on a firm commitment to human rights, peace and security, and to ensuring justice for the immigrant and refugee community.

And our work is more important than ever. Human rights have been under a sustained assault in recent years, both at home and abroad. As the world faces challenges such as pandemics, conflicts, increasing extremism, inequalities and discrimination, and climate disasters, more and more people are forced to seek safety and prosperity in our community.

As the United Nation notes, “Whenever and wherever humanity’s values are abandoned, we are at greater risk. The solutions to today’s greatest crises are rooted in human rights.”

IRLC works for justice and empowerment for all people, no matter their gender, age, nationality, color, or identity. Now more than ever we must stand up for democracy and for human rights and for a just and secure society for all.

PLEASE CONSIDER MAKING A YEAR-END DONATION TO SUPPORT THIS CRITICAL WORK.

Thank you for your continued support and best wishes for a joyful holiday season.

With hopes for peace,

November 2022

Dear IRLC Community,

In this month of Thanksgiving, I want to express my gratitude for the IRLC community. I continue to be amazed on a regular basis by all that we are able to accomplish. In the last year we served well over 300 clients. We currently have 250 open cases, representing clients from more than 70 countries. Representation is critical; studies have shown that 95% of successful immigration court cases have representation. We leverage our small staff with a corps of volunteers. We have revitalized our volunteer attorney program, working closely with local law firms, and continue to rely on the amazing work of our student interns.

I give thanks for the amazing staff that does all of this work, and lets me rest easy knowing that our clients are in good hands; for a board that truly supports all of our endeavors; and for our students and volunteer attorneys who care so much about this work and devote precious time to serving our clients. And we are all incredibly thankful for our donors, without whom none of this would be possible.

I give such thanks to the individuals who trust us every day to provide legal services that can change their lives, and to our many community partners who work together with us to ensure that clients are empowered with all of the services they need to lead successful and productive lives here in the Greater Cincinnati area.

Lastly, I’m thankful for the honor of being able to make a difference in our community, and to work together for a more peaceful and secure world for all. I do this work in honor of my recently departed father, Howard Leftwich, to whom I’m grateful for for instilling in me the desire to do good in the world, and the ability to appreciate it.

Thank you for your continued support and please consider giving to IRLC this holiday season so that we can continue this critical work.

With hopes for peace,

October 2022

Dear IRLC Community,

I want to begin with something positive. We are celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month, which takes place September 15 - October 15 every year as a time to recognize and celebrate the many contributions, diverse cultures, and extensive histories of the Hispanic community. The Hispanic population is an important part of the Greater Cincinnati community. A recent report done for the Hispanic Chamber Cincinnati USA by the Alpaugh Family Economic Center at the University of Cincinnati highlights the most important contributions of Hispanics to our regional economy. In the past ten years, the Hispanic population grew 48.5%, and there are now more than 73,000 Hispanics in our community, representing 3.3% of the population. The purchasing power of the local Hispanic community is $1.2 billion dollars. Although Cincinnati’s Hispanic population is smaller than the national average, its education, income, and labor force participation rates are consistently higher than statewide and national rates, with lower unemployment rates. Additionally, the labor force participation rate in Greater Cincinnati is consistently higher than the total labor force participation rate - meaning Hispanics are working at higher rates than non-Hispanics. This is a major boon to our community.

But this doesn’t tell the full story. IRLC is fortunate to work with Hispanic clients from a wide range of countries in Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. Courageous individuals who have fled their countries and endured often perilous journeys to make it to the United States to build better futures for themselves and their families. Individuals who bring a rich diversity of skills, culture, and ideas to our community. According to the Department of Education, this year’s theme for Hispanic Heritage Month is Building Prosperous and Healthy Communities. Our Hispanic community is clearly helping to build a prosperous and healthy Greater Cincinnati, for all of us. And for that we are grateful.

Unfortunately, I would be remiss if I did not mention the appalling violations of human rights that are occurring with the governors of Texas, Arizona, and Florida sending migrants to other states as if they were chattel. This is a despicable display of political grandstanding that does nothing to promote peace and security in the United States - in fact quite the opposite. There are much more compassionate and effective ways to address the needs of refugees while ensuring security for all of us.

A commitment to human rights, peace and security means a commitment to making our world a safe and healthy place to live, and to embracing the diversity of culture and critical contributions that immigrants make to our communities.

With hopes for peace,

August/ September 2022

Dear IRLC Community,

As we round out the summer and enjoy an unusually pleasant August here in Cincinnati, while parts of the world including Europe and China are experiencing their worst heat waves on record, I can’t help but reflect on the effect of climate change on our work.

Climate is a cross-cutting issue that affects peace and security and is increasingly a driver of displacement and migration. IRLC has worked with more than 50 Syrian families in the Greater Cincinnati community. Many people don’t know that climate change played a role in the start of the long-running conflict from which they were forced to flee. Before the uprising that began in 2011, Syria experienced its most severe drought ever recorded. Because of the drought many people were forced to move from rural to urban areas, which caused instability. The country’s poor governance and unsustainable agricultural and environmental policies had a very detrimental effect on people’s lives, which further contributed to political unrest.

Recently IRLC has seen an increase in cases related to climate change. For instance, indigenous Guatemalan families that practice subsistence farming in the highlands watch their crops fail due to the extremes in weather caused by climate change and are forced to borrow money to buy new seeds. As their crops fail yet again, their land is seized by the money-lenders. Any attempt to negotiate with them is met with threats or worse. Opportunities to find work in farming in other parts of Guatemala, Central America or Mexico, dwindle each year due to climate change, and people are forced to leave their homes to seek safety and security in the U.S. Entire swaths of the African Continent are now facing drought and famine, leading to less food and water for the citizens of those nations and practically nothing for refugees from neighboring countries. This in turn leads to desperation and decisions to seek refuge in Europe or the U.S., even if the journey is likely to end in disaster.

A commitment to human rights, peace and security means a commitment to making our world a safe and healthy place to live, and to understanding and combating climate change.

With hopes for peace,

july 2022

Dear IRLC Community,

As a human rights, women’s rights, and immigrant advocate I cannot help but be outraged by the events of the past week. Following a decision expanding gun rights - despite the epidemic of gun violence in this country - the Supreme Court in Dobbs overturned 50 years of precedent protecting women’s reproductive health rights, upending our country, and violating our legal obligations under international human rights law.

The fundamental right in question is not just a right to abortion, it is to reproductive choice and, in fact, to access to the human right of healthcare for women. Forced birth has wide-ranging implications, especially on the communities that IRLC serves. Making life-saving healthcare illegal will force already marginalized communities into even more insecure situations. Limiting reproductive choice perpetuates oppression, racism, and sexism by controlling women’s bodies, autonomy, and lives.

Furthermore, the Court’s opinion brings into question other fundamental rights, such as the rights to contraception, marriage equality, and LGBTQ rights. We fight this type of systematic persecution in our asylum cases and now we have to fight it in our own country. Curtailment of these rights will drastically affect our communities.

In discussing our “nation’s history and tradition,” the Court’s majority opinion cites treatises from the 13th and 17th centuries, before the United States even existed, and discusses the state of laws in 1868 when the 14th Amendment was passed, to rationalize its decision. Should we then consider all the other ways that women were treated in those centuries, or the enslavement of people of color, or how other minorities were considered, as guiding the principles of our country today? I think not. We must be so much better than that.

IRLC works for justice and empowerment for all people, no matter their gender, age, nationality, color, or identity. Now more than ever we must stand up for democracy and for human rights and for a just and secure society for all.

With hopes for peace and health,

june 2022

Dear IRLC Community,

I’ll never forget December 2012 when I was in Uganda and heard about the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.  Or April 2013 when I was in Juba, South Sudan and saw the news of the Boston Marathon bombing.  Ironically, I felt safer in those countries at the time than in the U.S. My work with women, peace and security has taken me around the world to at times questionable places.  However, sometimes the dangers and insecurities are closest to home.

Words cannot express the anger, frustration, and heartbreak that I feel for the gun violence in this country.  And while the war in Ukraine and the human rights atrocities that are being committed there and in so many other places in the world are always on my mind, what’s at the forefront right now are the acts of domestic terrorism that we have witnessed in the past month.  Last week’s shooting at an elementary school in Texas is a horror that defies words.  The racist massacre at a Buffalo grocery store earlier in May was committed by an individual spewing hate through the repulsive “replacement theory” that unfortunately has become all too commonplace amongst certain news outlets, politicians, and citizens.  It is a conspiracy theory that claims that nonwhite individuals are being brought into the U.S. to "replace" white voters to achieve a political agenda. It is often touted by anti-immigration groups and white supremacists.  According to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), white supremacists blame Jewish people for nonwhite immigration to the U.S., and the "replacement" theory is now associated with antisemitism.  The white nationalists who rallied in Charlottesville chanted, "The Jews will not replace us."

I stand at the intersection of both communities. Being a part of the Jewish community, I unfortunately am used to the fact that police officers are posted at all events in order to keep us safe from hatred and violence.  Now, as immigration advocates, we increasingly have to be concerned for our security as well.  

There can be no place for such hatred in our country.  While we work for human rights around the world, we must also ensure their protection at home.  Immigrants are a vital part of our community and our economy, and they are what our nation was built on. We are all equal as human beings, no matter where we come from, the color of our skin, or the language we speak. At IRLC we witness every day the perseverance, strength, and prosperity of those who have fled persecution to build a new and better life in our country.  Let’s work together to make sure that the journey was worthwhile and that we can all live together in a just and secure society. 

With hopes for peace,

MAY 2022

Dear IRLC Community,

If there’s any silver lining in a crisis, it’s that it brings us together and makes us stronger.  While the war in Ukraine rages and we continue to see massive atrocities and destruction, not to mention an unprecedented wave of refugees in Europe, IRLC continues to work with the Greater Cincinnati community to respond.

On April 10th IRLC participated in a Jewish community gathering for Ukraine relief.  This cultural and informational event focused not only on raising funds for direct relief in Ukraine, it was also a show of much-needed emotional support to Cincinnati’s Russian Speaking Jewish population. It was heartwarming to see over 200 people come out in support, and the event raised over $4,000 in relief.  In April we also held a second informational session with Jewish Family Service to discuss legal options for Ukrainian refugees. 

This past week the Biden administration announced Uniting for Ukraine, the program under which the U.S. will allow up to 100,000 Ukrainian refugees to enter the U.S.  This simplified program provides a pathway for displaced Ukrainians to come to the United States and stay temporarily in a two-year period of parole. While we are heartened by this expansion of options for Ukrainians, as with any immigration policy, it is important to understand the requirements and implications, and we will be working with partners this month to hold informational sessions and distribute details about the program.   

We continue our work assisting Afghan evacuees.  This month we trained volunteer attorneys from Taft and P&G in preparation for an upcoming Asylum and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) clinic for our Afghan clients that we are holding in May in partnership with Kentucky Refugee Ministries.  Many people don’t realize that most Afghan evacuees don’t just get to stay here; they have other legal requirements that they must meet and applications that need to be filed, and we are happy to be able to assist them.  

Last, but most certainly not least, this month we were honored to receive the Ally of the Year award from the English Language Learning (ELL) Foundation. Awards were presented at the ELL Foundation’s annual recognition breakfast, where the Foundation also recognized the accomplishments of ELL students.  What an inspiration it was to see these young people who have accomplished so much despite their challenges. There is no greater satisfaction than seeing how our work helps empower people of all ages to become valuable contributors to our community.  These youth are a reminder that, despite all of the current challenges in the world, the future is still bright, and we must continue our fight for human rights, peace and security in our world and in our community. 

With hopes for peace,

April 2022

Dear IRLC Community,

I am thrilled to be launching our first newsletter.  I am so proud of the Immigrant and Refugee Law Center (IRLC) team and the work that we do. I look forward to being able to share our work with you each month.  

We created IRLC to fill a critical need for affordable immigration legal services.  That need couldn’t be greater than it is today.  When we opened our doors in the Roberts Academy Welcome Center in February 2018, we were facing a border crisis and the separation of families.  Today we are increasingly needing to respond quickly to global crises that are affecting our local families. 

IRLC has a firm commitment to human rights, peace and security in the world and in our community. In August we watched in horror as the Taliban took control of Afghanistan and the U.S. evacuated thousands of Afghans, while leaving many more behind.  We are working with Kentucky Refugee Ministries and other local partners to provide legal services to evacuees being resettled in the Greater Cincinnati area, and to advise those in our community with loved ones still in Afghanistan.

On top of that crisis, the world now seems to teeter on the brink of World War III with the Russian invasion of Ukraine.  Russia’s aggression is a serious violation of human rights, peace and security, and global leaders are calling for investigations of Russia’s war crimes including the targeting of civilians, use of outlawed weapons, the bombing of evacuation routes, and the recent horrific bombing of a maternity and children’s hospital and theater in Mariupol. It is heartbreaking.

These events are not just happening on the other side of the ocean; they have a profound effect on our local community of Ukrainian and Russian families who are desperate to help loved ones abroad.   We are partnering with Jewish Family Service and other local agencies to provide much-needed guidance and support to local families as they navigate the crisis. 

The refugee system is complicated and there is generally no quick and easy way for people to get here, despite what we might think would make sense. The Biden administration recently announced that it will welcome up to 100,000 refugees in various expedited ways, and we are happy about that.  However, we are still awaiting guidance as to what that means; and at any rate, each and every one of those people will have to go through a legal process.   In addition,  arriving Afghans, Ukrainians, and other refugees need ongoing assistance and representation.  People need to understand and access the immigration legal system, and that is why IRLC’s services are so important to our community.

I have spent much of my career working around the world to advance human rights and gender equality.  But perhaps my greatest satisfaction so far is seeing the impact that IRLC has on our Greater Cincinnati community.  I am so grateful to our team and to our supporters, and to the individuals who trust us every day to assist them in their courageous journeys. 

With hopes for peace,