Partial Citizenship Fee Waiver Announced!

Partial Citizenship Fee Waiver Announced!

Boston, MA- This morning USCIS announced a proposed rule to adjust their fee schedule. The proposal states that the Department of Homeland Security will increase the overall fee from $595 to $640, and will charge a reduced fee of $320 for naturalization applicants with family income between 150 and 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.

About 1 million of the 8.8 million people who are eligible for citizenship will be eligible for the partial fee waiver. This includes over 22,000 individuals in Massachusetts. In the past, we have seen that a significant portion of the state’s working poor have been unable to overcome the financial barriers to citizenship. With this proposed expansion of the fee waiver, citizenship will no longer be limited to those who are well to do, or have low enough incomes to qualify for the full fee waiver. The partial fee waiver will give thousands in the Commonwealth the opportunity to become a part of this nation and to participate in our vibrant democracy.     

“The new partial fee waiver will mean millions of people are no longer restricted from obtaining citizenship, but instead it will give a diverse and hardworking group of people the opportunity to integrate into our communities and pursue their American dreams,” said Eva Millona, Executive Director of the MIRA Coalition, and Co-Chair of the National Partnership of New Americans (NPNA), which has long lobbied for this change. “We are so pleased to hear the announcement, and are looking forward to the implementation of this change and the positive impact this will have, not only in our communities, but for immigrant communities across the U.S.”

For years, MIRA has been working with the National Partnership for New Americans to push for increased access to citizenship for the working poor. The MIRA Coalition holds clinics where specially trained volunteers help qualified immigrants fill out the appropriate paperwork to apply for U.S. Citizenship. "We see so many people come to our clinics who work two or three jobs just to make ends meet. They are not eligible for the fee waiver, but have to choose between paying rent and paying the $595 application fee,” said Ms. Millona.“We are excited to be able to provide the partial fee waiver option to those in our community who desperately need it."
Fee changes will be open for public comment over the summer, and are set to be implemented in the beginning of fiscal year 2017. (By MIRA）

「極至體能舞蹈團」5月初起赴美、加地區10城市巡演

僑務委員會、外交部、文化部、教育部、客家委員會、原住民族委員會、教育部體育署及交通部觀光局等國內相關部會共同遴派國內藝文團體「FOCA福爾摩沙馬戲團」及「極至體能舞蹈團」支援「2016年北美地區臺灣傳統週」活動，其中「極至體能舞蹈團」將於5月4日起巡迴美、加10個城市，為推廣臺灣多元文化貢獻心力。

　　「臺灣傳統週」是從Taiwanese American Heritage Week英譯而來，屬於美國「亞裔傳統月（Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month）」之一環，經美國前總統柯林頓宣布於每年5月第2週舉行，其目的係為促進文化交流並增進北美主流社會對移民的瞭解及重視，發展至今已成為北美地區僑社的年度盛事。僑務委員會為協助僑界舉辦相關慶祝活動，歷年來均邀集國內相關部會共同遴選國內優質藝文團體前往北美地區支援演出，同時提供文宣展品，以豐富各地活動內容，增進美加兩國人民對臺灣多元、優質文化更進一步的認識。

　　此次「極至體能舞蹈團」訪演主題為「花曲舞影（Dancing Flower）」，以蘊含「花」元素的臺灣傳統民謠，如：六月茉莉、雨夜花、孤戀花、望春風等作為舞蹈主軸，並透過融合傳統服裝秀、布袋戲、歌仔戲、戲劇之巧妙編創及古典、RAP、爵士的多元曲風演繹臺灣族群融合、表現中西文化交流，期藉由「花曲」與「舞影」交融的多元文化展演，讓美加地區觀眾對臺灣有更深的認識！

　　「極至體能舞蹈團」創立於1997年，舞團作品風格頗具多元特色，如充滿臺灣意象風格的〈掌中芭蕾〉、〈狂野台〉；戲劇融合舞蹈表演風格的〈背包客〉、〈瘋狂運動會〉。經常獲邀於國際舞蹈節，如：法國馬恩河谷舞蹈節、印度Interface舞蹈節、澳洲Mirranu Arts Festival、巴黎世界文化週等演出。此次支援「2016年北美地區臺灣傳統週」活動，將於5月5日至5月30日間巡迴於邁阿密、休士頓、亞特蘭大、華府、紐約、波士頓、多倫多及蒙特婁等10個城市演出12場次，期透過饒富創意的現代舞蹈展現我優質的民俗文化，並使僑界及主流人士體驗我國令人驚艷的文化軟實力。

　　波士頓地區本年由紐英崙廣東同鄉總會及紐英崙中華總會共同主辦，誠摯邀請各界人士共同參與「2016年北美地區臺灣傳統週」活動，波士頓地區將於5月26日(星期四)晚上7時假華埠昆士學校演出,地址：The Josiah Quincy School  885  Washington St. Boston, MA 02111   請洽波士頓華僑文教服務中心電話:617-965-8801，並可上僑務委員會網站www.ocac.gov.tw查詢。

Surging Wave Symposium （Pictures）

波士頓同源會會長李徐慕蓮（右）和李衛新（左）為開幕致詞。
（周菊子攝）

哈佛座談“書寫當代中國” （圖片）

書寫當代中國：余華，歐陽江河，梁鴻，李娟，顏歌 Writing Contemporary China: A Forum with Five Leading Chinese Writers Yu Hua, Ouyang Jianghe, Liang Hong, Li Juan, Yan Ge, with special guest Ha Jin

Date: 

Tuesday, May 3, 2016, 4:00pm to 5:30pm

See also:

Location: 

Tsai Auditorium | CGIS South | 1730 Cambridge Street | Cambridge, MA

書寫當代中國：余華，歐陽江河，梁鴻，李娟，顏歌

This forum will be conducted in Chinese. 此演讲会以汉语来进行。

Special Guest: 哈金 Ha Jin (波士顿大学 Boston University)

Host: Prof. 王德威 David Der-wei Wang (哈佛大学 Harvard University)

HHS Awards $6,994,891 to Health Centers in Massachusetts to Build and Renovate Facilities to Serve More Patients

HHS Awards $6,994,891 to Health Centers in Massachusetts to Build and Renovate Facilities to Serve More Patients

Today, HHS Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell announced $6,994,891 in funding to eight health centers in Massachusetts for facility renovation, expansion, or construction. Health centers will use this funding to increase their patient capacity and to provide additional comprehensive primary and preventive health services to medically underserved populations in Massachusetts.

“Health centers are cornerstones of the communities they serve,” said Secretary Burwell.  “Today’s awards will empower health centers in Massachusetts to build more capacity and provide needed health care to additional individuals and their families.”

These awards will allow health centers to renovate or acquire new health center clinical space to help provide care to an estimated 17,794 new patients in Massachusetts. This investment builds on the $3,999,046 awarded to health centers in Massachusetts for construction and/or renovation in September 2015. This funding comes from the Affordable Care Act’s Community Health Center (CHC) Fund, which was extended with bipartisan support in the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) of 2015.

“Providing funding to help health centers renovate their facilities will allow them to provide care to more patients,” said HRSA Acting Associate Administrator Jim Macrae. “Perhaps more importantly though, health centers will now be able to provide more health services in one location, better meeting the needs of their communities.”

Since the beginning of 2009, health centers have added 6 million patients; they now serve 23 million people each year. Today, 1,400 health centers operate about 9,800 service delivery sites in every U.S. state, D.C., Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and the Pacific Basin.

Nationwide, today’s announcement totaled $260 million in funding to 290 health centers in 45 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Additionally, these awards will allow health centers to provide care to more than 800,000 new patients nationwide.

To view a list of the award winners, visit: http://bphc.hrsa.gov/programopportunities/fundingopportunities/hiip/2016awards/

For more information on the FY 2015 Health Infrastructure Investment Program Awards, visit:http://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2015/09/15/hhs-awards-nearly-500-million-affordable-care-act-funding-health-centers-expand-primary-care.html

To learn more about HRSA’s Health Center Program, visit: http://bphc.hrsa.gov/about/index.html

To find a health center in your area, visit: http://findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov/    

美中醫學交流學會年會探討糖尿病

                                 中美医学交流碰撞

                                                            -记美中医学交流学会年会

美中医学交流学会一年一度的春节学术研讨会4/30在波士顿儿童医院隆重举行。除了来自新英格兰地区的医生，医学研究人员外还有来自纽约，佛罗里达州及中国上海及深圳的医生参会。

这次年会的重点在于心、肝，人体最重要的生命器官：在抗凝和抗心房纤维性颤动方面，集临床、研究、教学于一身的对此有丰富经验的Scott Botzman 博士将什么是“新”的讲的清清楚楚；来自中国深圳的的深圳第二人民医院心脏科医生陈海波用深圳当地的资料以及他的从医经历演示了急性冠状动脉病变症状以及怎样正确理解这些症状。Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center的肝科专科医师，哈佛医学院副教授刘丹阳博士在她最拿手的乙肝领域用图文并茂的资料阐述了乙肝治疗的进展以及她个人多年对此的行医经验。当晚的一堂继续教育课，由美中医学交流学会的老朋友Mount Sinai医学院的Calvin Pan博士为大家讲解丙肝治疗。其内容对医生、学者以及病患者都非常的有帮助。

其次的重点是糖尿病：Lathy诊所的刘昭医师介绍了糖尿病患者中肥胖治疗的新范例变化，刘博士针对糖尿病患者中肥胖症的治疗模式，精彩讲述了其变化以及最新的模式；另一位糖尿病专家，Brigham woman Hospital的Margo Hudson博士则侧重讨论糖尿病二期病人的新治疗。

还有对“早”的呼吁：麻州有一个疾病控制和防护中心（CDC），顾名思义旨在帮助麻州人民控制和防御疾病，它的“大使” Elaine Gabovitch激情洋溢地介绍他们的“认知迹象，及早行动”项目。Tammy Steadman 女士在主题为健康护理关系-质量-遵守-受益的发言中，也特别强调早期诊断、早期干预的重要性；

此外，纽约大学Langone医学中心肺部和重症监护科的Xinhua Jia博士描述了纽约市911后慢性阻塞性肺病和肺癌并发症的情况，使听众对环境和疾病的关系获得了非常可观和有说服力的资讯。

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center的另一位医师Jeanette Mckeon博士特别认为对药物成瘾人群要结合心理治疗和医学治疗，她并以鸦片剂成瘾和基础治疗为例做了进一步解释。

在Ficksman & Conley律师事务所工作的，有三十年医学法律资历的律师David Gould以许多生动的亲历医学案件告诉我们有关行医失职什么是一个一线医生需要知道的，他尤其恳切地忠告医生，绝对绝对不要独自面对来自从专业学会到法院的任何要求。有点遗憾的是他只是代表医生的利益，从医生的角度讨论结束，而缺少从病患者的角度怎样维护他们的利益。

会议历时一天至晚的讲座，成功告捷，与会者反映强烈，每位讲员都引发热议，收获颇丰！

（文稿由牛江和提供）

部分讲员、组织者和参与者。（美中醫學交流協會提供）

COUPLE PAYS $3,000 FOR VIOLATING NEW DOMESTIC WORKER LAW, STATE WAGE AND HOUR LAWS

COUPLE PAYS $3,000 FOR VIOLATING NEW DOMESTIC WORKER LAW, STATE WAGE AND HOUR LAWS

Husband and Wife Failed to Pay Proper Wages to Child Care Provider; Filipino Victim Threatened by her Employers

            BOSTON – A couple from Qatar has paid $3,000 to resolve allegations that they failed to properly pay a live-in employee for childcare services in violation of the state’s wage and hour and domestic worker laws, Attorney General Maura Healey announced today.

In an example of AG Healey’s work on behalf of vulnerable populations, including domestic workers, an investigation found that Mohammed and Adeela Alyafei failed to pay minimum wage and overtime and failed to comply with the state’s Domestic Workers Bill of Rights while living in Cambridge.

“This couple exploited a vulnerable worker by withholding her hard-earned wages and threatening her with retaliation for requesting to leave,” AG Healey said. “This kind of conduct will not be tolerated in Massachusetts. We will continue to advocate on behalf of domestic workers to make sure they know their rights and don’t fall victim to unfair and exploitative practices.”    

The investigation was conducted by the AG’s Office, in conjunction with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, theU.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Cambridge Police Department.

“This couple preyed upon the vulnerabilities of the victim using threats and isolation,” said United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz. “Failing to pay an employee earned wages is an affront to state and federal regulations. I am grateful to Attorney General Healey for collaborating with us to hold the defendants accountable and restore the wages the victim rightfully earned.” 

“Across law enforcement we all need to work together to recognize the signs of forced labor, and put a stop to this sometimes invisible crime,” said Matt Etre, Special Agent in Charge for HSI Boston. “HSI will not tolerate any form of human exploitation. Forced labor, which often involves individuals who are held in isolation, degraded, and most alarming – stripped of their basic freedoms – has no place in a modern society.”

“I am very proud of the internal and external collaboration that occurred within this case,” stated Cambridge Police Commissioner Robert C. Haas. “As a result of the initial intelligence gained from our responding officers, the follow-up by our Special Investigations Unit and the ongoing, collaborative investigation with our federal and state partners, justice was served and a victim is no longer being exploited.”

An investigation began in March after there were allegations that a woman had been held against her will and not paid wages by her employers in Cambridge. The investigation revealed that the Alyafeis had travelled from Qatar to Cambridge with their family and brought a domestic worker with them to help care for their children.

Once in Cambridge, the Alyafeis failed to pay the worker for several weeks of work. After the worker requested her wages and asked to return home to the Philippines, the Alyafeis demanded her passport, immediately bought her plane ticket back to Qatar, and threatened to punish her upon her return.

The AG’s Office enforces the laws regulating the payment of wages, including prevailing wage, minimum wage, overtime laws and the Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

On April 1, 2015, new protections for domestic workers went into effect in Massachusetts. The lawenhances protections and rights for domestic workers involving working and rest time, charges for food and lodging, and circumstances around termination. The law also requires employers to have sufficient recordkeeping, including recording of hours worked by any domestic worker. It also provides guidelines for work evaluations and written employment agreements. The protections established by the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights apply to workers regardless of immigration status.

Workers who believe that their rights have been violated are encouraged to call the Office’s Fair Labor Hotline at (617) 727-3465. More information about the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights can be found atwww.mass.gov/ago/dw. More information relating to the state's wage and hour laws is also available in multiple languages at the Attorney General's Workplace Rights website www.massworkrights.com. Organizations can request trainings from the AG’s Community Engagement Division on the domestic worker law or other issues by filling out this form.

This matter was handled by Assistant Attorney General Jennifer Cotter and Investigator Christina Lopez of AG Healey’s Fair Labor Division, with assistance from Nikki Antonucci, Chief of the AG’s Victim/Witness Services Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, HSI, and the Cambridge Police Department.