Asian American Civil Rights Groups Release Statement on Biden Administration Final Rule on Public Charge

 Asian American Civil Rights Groups Release Statement on Biden Administration Final Rule on Public Charge

 

Final Rule Restores Decades-Old Definitions, Rolls Back Harmful Trump-era Rule

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Last Friday, the Department of Homeland Security issued a final rule on “public charge,” which will go into effect on December 23, 2022.

 

This final rule addresses longstanding concerns about broad changes to the public charge definition in the last administration, and makes it clear that only the use of specific benefits (Supplemental Security Income (SSI); cash assistance for income maintenance under Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF); State, Tribal, territorial, or local cash benefit programs for income maintenance, sometimes called “General Assistance”; or long-term institutionalization at government expense will have an effect on applications to enter the country or receive a green card. Use of other, non-cash benefits, such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or other nutrition programs, Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Medicaid (other than for long-term institutionalization), housing benefits, any benefits related to immunizations or testing for communicable diseases, and more will not be considered.

 

Previous changes to the public charge rule created widespread fear about the possible negative immigration consequences of seeking public benefits. This rule helps clarify that our communities can seek help from necessary programs like health, nutrition, and housing programs without fear.

 

Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC, Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Chicago, and Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California who are members of an affiliation of five independent civil rights organizations, releases the following statement:

 

“The previous ‘public charge’ rule was cruel by design. It was not only meant to favor white and wealthy immigrants applying for admission or a green card, but also aimed to create fear and confusion about the use of critical, life-saving programs within low-income communities of color. Tragically, the issuance of the last rule caused many immigrants of color, including Asian Americans, to withdraw from health care, nutrition programs, housing services, and other benefits.

 

This new final rule, by contrast, seeks to simplify the public charge test, to minimize misunderstandings about the scope of the rule and make it clear what benefits usage may affect immigration status. Advancing Justice is thankful that our advocacy, and that of our communities and allies, has contributed to this reversal in policy. Asian Americans Advancing Justice will continue to advocate for an immigration system that does not penalize the use of needed public benefits.”

 

Immigrants concerned about how the new public charge rule will affect them or their loved ones should seek advice from an authorized immigration attorney or accredited legal representative.

美國總統拜登在羅根機場宣揚基礎建設法 聯邦州市政要雲集助陣

美國總統拜登 (Joe Biden)抵達波士頓，在羅根機場E終點站，宣佈聯邦政府不分黨派的
基礎建設法撥款6200萬元給羅根機場翻修，整建門面。 (周菊子攝(

              (Boston Orange 周菊子波士頓綜合報導) 美國總統拜登 (Joe Biden) 今 (12) 日在羅根機場宣佈，聯邦政府通過的不分黨派基礎建設法，將撥款6200萬元給羅根機場，翻修國際航線E終點站，這是聯邦政府撥給85個機場的維修經費中，金額最大的一筆。

 這6200萬元中有5000萬元將用於更新國際航班終點站，另1200萬元將用於修繕機場一帶道路。拜登總統表示估計相關工程可創造5900個工作機會。 

由右向左，麻州州長Charlie Baker，聯邦參議員 Elizbeth Warren， Ed Markey，聯邦眾議員Lori
Trahan，美國勞工部部長Marty Walsh，以及(第二排右起(聯邦眾議員Ayanna Pressley，
Katherine Clark等麻州的重量級政要都在座。 (周菊子攝)

                   搭乘空軍1號專機抵達波士頓的拜登總統，此行另一要務是到位於多徹斯特的約翰甘迺迪總統圖書館(John F. Kennedy Presidential Library) ，宣佈癌症登月計畫 (Cancer Moonshot Initiative) ，希望在未來25年間，把患癌致死人數減少一半以上，同時為照顧病患者及癌症倖存者提供更多支援。拜登總統的兒子 Beau 2015年逝於癌症。 

今年也正好是約翰甘迺迪總統1962年在休士頓萊斯 (Rice)大學發表登月計畫的60週年。 

波士頓市長吳弭 (Michelle Wu)致詞。 (周菊子攝)

                      拜登總統在羅根機場E終點站翻修工地中，向數百名趕到現場的聯邦及州市政要和勞工代表們說，1974年落成啟用的羅根機場，當年只服務1400萬名國際旅客，但是到2019年時，使用這一機場進出的旅客人數，增加4倍，大約4200萬人，在新冠病毒疫情發生前，已是美國第16大機場的羅根機場，是為地方上醫療器材，科技產品等各行各業服務的樞紐，翻修更新羅根機場，將不只使得麻州這美國門面更為美觀，還勢將帶動地方上的經濟成長。 

重量級政要都坐在觀眾席左側。 (周菊子攝)

                       拜登在大約半小時的演說中，有如競選般的慷慨陳詞，直言美國人的失敗在他看來是想的不夠宏偉，甚至還質疑起美國是否真能做些甚麼事，但美國必須記得自己的身分地位，投資基礎建設，就能刺激就業機會成長。美國境內沒有一個機場能擠進全世界前25名，才給人美國開始衰退的印象。但藉由投資進基礎建設，他相信美國人正在重建更好的美國。 

今日出席的政要包括麻州州長查理貝克 (Charlie Baker) ，波士頓市長吳弭 (Michelle Wu) ，聯邦參議員Elizabeth Warren，Ed Markey，聯邦眾議員Katherine Clark， Ayanna   Pressley Steven    Lynch，Bill Keating，Jake Auchincloss，Lori Trahan，Seth Moulton，以及麻州參議員Lydia Edwards，麻州眾議員Adrian C. Madaro都在拜登總統出現前，一一致詞。 

曾任波士頓市市長的美國勞工部部長Marty Walsh，也側身在座，但未上台講話。

華人前進會出席代表和政要合影。左起，鄺寶蓮，湯建華，聯邦參議員Elzabeth Warren，
李素影，聯邦眾議員 Ayanna Pressley，波士頓市長吳弭，華人前進會代表，余翠鳳，
波士頓教師工會會長唐佳宇，麻州參議員Lydia Edwards。 (華人前進會提供)

                   到場的波士頓市市議員有Gabriela "Gigi" Coletta，Kenzie Bok， Erin Murphy。波士頓市市長幕僚長朱為婷 (Tiffany Chu) ，平等及包容長Mariangely Solis Cervera。今日就任的聯邦關係主任Sam Hyun也出席了活動。

波士頓教師工會會長唐佳宇 (Jessica Tang) ，曾任波士頓海港協會主任的李威儀 (Vivian L)也在座。

                                            波士頓華人社區中有華人前進會名譽主席李素影，共同主席湯建華，行政主任陳玉珍，工作人員鄺寶蓮、余翠鳳等人出席。

AAJC, LatinoJustice, and BR File Amicus Brief Defending Equitable Admissions Plan for Boston’s Selective High Schools External Inbox

 Boston, MA – Brown Rudnick LLP, LatinoJustice PRLDEF, and Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC filed an amicus brief in the First Circuit Court of Appeals last Friday in support of Boston’s School Committee as it defends an admissions plan to expand access to the city’s top-ranked “exam schools.”

The amicus brief, which has been joined by 16 prominent national and local organizations (listed below), addresses the admissions policy to three Boston Exam Schools: the Boston Latin School, the Boston Latin Academy, and the John D. O’Bryant School of Mathematics and Science. 
 
The Boston Exam Schools (the “Schools”) are among the highest ranked public schools in the nation. The Schools are renowned for their academic rigor and excellence, superior resources, and higher rates of graduation and attendance at four-year colleges as compared to Boston’s other public schools. As a result, every seat is highly coveted. Each school accepts students for grades 7 and 9, and accepted students stay on through the completion of high school. Historically, the Schools have disproportionately enrolled students from Boston’s high-income neighborhoods. As a result, low-income students, including Black, Asian American, and Latinx students, have been consistently underrepresented at the Schools.                

The admissions plan, developed for the 2021-22 academic year, eliminated an entrance exam due to the pandemic. Instead, the plan allocated seats based on a combination of GPA and the number of school-age children living in each of Boston’s 29 zip codes. The plan improved racial and socioeconomic diversity at the highly selective public schools by increasing the number of students admitted from Boston’s lowest-income neighborhoods.

The Boston Parent Coalition for Academic Excellence, which represents a group of White and Asian American parents from high-income ZIP codes, opposes the plan. The coalition filed suit last year in a Massachusetts federal court arguing that the use of ZIP codes as a factor in admissions was unconstitutional and would disfavor White and Asian American students.

In April 2021, U.S. District Judge William Young ruled in favor of the Boston School Committee, which drew support from an amicus brief that Brown Rudnick and LatinoJustice filed together with Massachusetts Law Reform Institute and the Children’s Law Center of Massachusetts. The coalition appealed the decision to the First Circuit and sought to halt the implementation of the plan pending resolution of the appeal.

A three-judge panel denied the request, finding that the plan’s use of a socioeconomic measure to achieve greater racial diversity in those schools is likely constitutional.

In June 2022, the coalition filed its opening brief in the First Circuit, arguing that the Appeals Court should reverse the lower court’s judgment because the admissions plan had an alleged adverse impact on White and Asian American applicants to the Schools. In response, this amicus brief disputes the coalition’s claim that ZIP codes are a proxy for race in the admissions plan due to the increasingly multiethnic diversity within Boston’s neighborhoods, including within the Asian American community. The brief argues that the School Committee’s attention to equity in developing the admissions plan is grounded in Equal Protection jurisprudence. The brief also demonstrates that the coalition’s assertion of a disparate impact on White and Asian American students is flawed because the coalition improperly relies on the wrong comparator to assess impact. 

A link to the brief can be found here.

“The Coalition has distorted Boston’s history of racial segregation and mischaracterized important precedents that found that the Exam schools had clearly discriminated against Black and Latinx students in the past,” said Francisca Fajana, Director of Racial Justice Strategy at LatinoJustice PRLDEF. “The court must take this crucial historical context into account as it considers the Coalition’s specious claim that using ZIP codes as part of an admissions plan serves as a proxy for racial discrimination. It is not. We endorse the Boston School Committee’s commitment to equalizing educational opportunity for low-income students, regardless of their racial background or the neighborhood in which they live.”     

“School districts should be able to address existing inequities in educational opportunities and expand access for all students, including low-income Black, Latinx, and Asian American students,” said Eri Andriola, Staff Attorney, Litigation, at Advancing Justice – Asian American Justice Center. “All students, no matter their background or ZIP code, deserve a fair opportunity to access high-quality education.”

“This appeal is a reminder that the struggle for educational equality is far from over,” said Melanie Burke, Counsel at Brown Rudnick. “Through this amicus brief, we are doubling down in the fight for equal access to high-quality education for Boston students from all backgrounds and parts of the city.

麻州、波士頓紀念911 及殞落消防員 (圖片)

 

波士頓市首創職位聯邦關係主任 前麻州亞美局主席Sam Hyun 12日就任

Sma Hyun (左)和 無米市長(右)，推特截屏。

               (Boston Orange 周菊子綜合報導) 波士頓市有史以來的首名女性暨少數族裔市長吳弭 (Michelle Wu) 從去年11月16日接任市長以來，陸續增設多個部門，新聘許多人員，9月9日傳出她終於聘用第3位亞裔，出任市府重要職位。

                            吳弭市長聘用，出任重要市府職位的第一位亞裔是MIT畢業，和她一樣都才36、37歲的創業家朱為婷 (Tiffany Chu) 。今年1月底時，吳弭宣佈請她當市長幕僚長。

                         8月17日，吳弭政府宣佈，獲得2300萬元的美國援救計畫好工作挑戰獎助款 (Good Jobs Challenge Grant) ，將用於在未來3年內為大波士頓的醫療健保，清潔能源、托兒照顧、支援黑人、土著、及有色居民，創造4616個有品質的工作機會。

                     有了這筆經費，波士頓市長吳弭擴張市府部門的腳步似乎也就更快了。

                       9月5日，吳弭市長在大波士頓勞工協會的年度早餐會上宣佈，新設「賦權工人辦公室 (Office of Worker Empowerment) 」，並指派在波士頓市府小企業部門已工作多年的Trinh Nguyen，出任賦權工人長 (Chief of Worker Empowerment) ，負責設立就業培訓中心，確保打工社區能夠分享波士頓市的繁榮，推動建築公司夥伴設立員工托兒照顧福利信託基金，打造新的麥迪遜公園技術職業高中，在全市的各個工地建立起更強而有力的謹慎、安全文化。

                              Jodi Sugerman-Brozan 和Rashad Cope 將出任這新成立內閣部門的副首長。

                             9月9日傳出的消息則是，曾任麻州亞美局 (AAC)主席，在麻州參議員陳翟蘇妮 (Sonia Chang Diaz)參選麻州州長時，擔任她的競選政策主任，韓裔的Sam Hyun，將出任新設職位，聯邦關係主任 (Director of Federal Relations) 。

                            這一消息，波士頓市政府本身還未對外發佈消息，但Sam Hyun在推特上透露，他要正式加入吳弭政府了。美國民主黨全國黨部主任劉煒 (Roger Lau) 在推特上”喜歡”了這一消息。

    

                           波士頓市政府發言人剛剛證實這消息，並說明他將從12日起就任新職。 (更新版)

台灣名廚潘盟仁、蔡萬利訪波士頓 示範台菜分享竅門

 

波士頓僑教中心主任潘昭榮 (右起)和波克萊台灣商會及2位大廚是第一天示範講座的主角。陳玉瑛，潘盟仁，李孟潔，梅錫銳，蔡萬利、
郭競儒、李小玲。(周菊子攝)

潘盟仁大廚回答現場提問。(周菊子攝)

          (Boston Orange 周菊子波士頓報導) 波克萊台灣商會承辦的「2022僑務委員會臺灣美食國際巡迴講座」，9月8日在波士頓安良工商會揭幕，請僑委會遴派的2位名廚潘盟仁、蔡萬利示範「萬巒豬腳」等台灣菜做法，四、五十名學員觀摩讚嘆，直言廚藝真有訣竅。

御軒食品行政總廚潘盟仁，以及啟英高中餐飲管理科餐飲總監蔡萬利兩人在台灣都是廚藝界名人，手藝極佳，粉絲極多，講解菜餚作法時，簡潔扼要，生動風趣，示範現場不時爆出笑聲。

潘盟仁示範檸檬燒雞，現場烹製。 (周菊子攝)

潘盟仁在講解「萬巒豬腳」的做法時，直言這道菜的靈魂在於「醬」。

會場內許多人問該用甚麼醬油。 (周菊子攝)

烹製調味醬料的材料包括油膏2杯，醬油1杯，香油10分之1杯，蒜泥半杯。製作煮豬腳前，先把水煮開，再把豬腳放進去，煮大約20分鐘，然後把豬腳撈起來，沖冷水，洗乾淨。煮豬腳的水就倒掉，不要了。另外用一個鍋子把前面所說的那些調味料放進鍋內煮開，煮成滷水，再把洗乾淨的豬腳放進鍋裏，煮開，轉小火，煮一個半小時，不過在煮了大約一個小時後，拿根筷子戳戳看是不是能夠很容易戳進去，藉以判別豬腳煮好了沒。

在回應學員提問題，潘盟仁解釋在美國沒有手工醬油，沒有「甘田」、「豆油伯」的話，用金蘭或萬家香醬油都可以，台灣米酒也可以換成蒸餾過，沒有顏色的白酒，或是清酒。

潘盟仁(左)、蔡萬利(右)這2位大廚，以「五香雞捲」向學員送上祝福，為第一天的
示範畫下句點。 (周菊子攝)

蔡萬利示範的「五香雞捲」，是用腐皮來包餡料，捲成香腸那樣，下鍋油炸，飄浮起來，就是炸好了。腐皮捲裏面的餡料包括切成條狀，醃料抓拌，再拌入地瓜粉的夾心肉、以及馬蹄、紅蘿蔔碎、魚漿、蒜泥、調味料。餡料包入腐皮捲後，放進已燒製120度左右的油鍋，低溫泡炸約8分鐘，熟了後開大火30秒，炸酥腐皮，撈出淨油，就可以簽段上桌，沾甜辣醬吃了。

他提醒學員們，「五香雞捲」的餡料，不能有骨頭、有刺，而且這類菜餚，最好是一煮一大鍋。至於前後腿，前腿肉多，後腿筋多肉少，各人可根據自己的喜好來挑選用材。

波士頓安良工商會會長伍輝民、鍾美貞夫婦(左三、四)和幫辦鄧北海(右三)、財政余寶愛
(右一)和2名大廚蔡萬利(右二)、潘盟仁(左二)及波士頓僑教中心主任潘昭榮留影。 
(周菊子攝)

在學校、網路上都開課，一堂示範課可以收費3千台幣，能說會道的蔡萬利，還邊示範做菜，邊開玩笑，說有些餐廳用大盤子裝菜是因為同樣份量的菜餚，用大盤子裝，感覺就是比較豪華，於是收費可以高些。

這天的示範課，還教了「檸檬雞捲」，請出席學員品嘗了台灣麵線，黃金泡菜。發給學員們的食譜，另外列出了「赤肉羹」、古早味米糕等台灣美食的食譜。

           2位名廚在華府烹製國宴後，6日來到波士頓，波士頓僑教中心主任潘昭榮與工作人員全程陪同，承辦這次台灣美食展示的波克萊台商會也有僑務委員郭競儒，會長李孟潔，前會長徐小玲，陳玉瑛，以及龍鳳餐廳老闆梅錫銳等人分批接機、安排住宿，接送2

當天示範的菜餚。(周菊子攝)

位大廚到不同餐館提供諮詢服務，還要採買食材，佐料，準備烹飪工具，佈置會場，製作學員食譜，忙碌非常。9月9日晚，2位名廚轉往昆士市龍鳳酒樓，做第2場美食巡迴講座。 (部分內容參見僑務電子報: https://ocacnews.net/article/319755)

OWNER OF EDGARTOWN MASONRY COMPANY CHARGED IN CONNECTION WITH WORKERS’ COMPENSATION FRAUD

OWNER OF EDGARTOWN MASONRY COMPANY CHARGED IN CONNECTION WITH WORKERS’ COMPENSATION FRAUD 

Defendant Stole Over $30,000 by Concealing Employees from Workers’ Compensation Insurers 

 

BOSTON – Attorney General Maura Healey announced that a Martha’s Vineyard man has been indicted in connection with a workers’ compensation fraud scheme at his business, Rockwell Masonry. 

 

The AG’s Office alleges that Georgy Pyden, age 55, of Edgartown, stole over $30,000 in Workers’ Compensation Insurance from A.I.M. Mutual Insurance Company (AIM) and the Massachusetts Workers’ Compensation Assigned Risk Pool from 2016 to 2020. Pyden owns Rockwell Masonry, a residential and commercial masonry company located in Edgartown, Massachusetts. Investigators allege that, for several years, Pyden listed himself as the sole employee of his company. In reality, he hired multiple employees and did not report them in his audit to the insurance carrier, AIM. The hidden workers that Pyden employed were not covered by workers’ compensation insurance.  

 

Pyden was indicted on August 30 by a Dukes County grand jury on four counts each of workers’ compensation fraud and larceny. He is set to be arraigned in Dukes County Superior Court on September 30. 

 

All of these charges are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty. 

  

AG Healey’s Insurance and Unemployment Fraud Division works to protect consumers and the integrity of the insurance system by investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against all types of insurers, including the Commonwealth’s unemployment insurance and workers’ compensation systems. 

  

To report insurance fraud, call the Insurance Fraud Bureau of Massachusetts confidential hotline 24 hours a day at 1-800-32FRAUD (1-800-323-7283) or online. Callers may remain anonymous. 

  

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General William Aiello and Investigator Lashauna Craig, both of AG Healey’s Insurance and Unemployment Fraud Division, with assistance from investigators at the Massachusetts Insurance Fraud Bureau.     

Baker-Polito Administration Launches Comprehensive Online Resource, Map Tool for Survivors of Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence

 Baker-Polito Administration Launches Comprehensive Online Resource, Map Tool for Survivors of Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence

 

BOSTON – Today, the Baker-Polito Administration announced the launch of a new comprehensive, user-friendly website designed to provide survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence and their families with information on resources available to them in a variety of critical issue areas, as well as an interactive map tool for locating services throughout the Commonwealth.

 

Building on the Baker-Polito Administration’s efforts since taking office in 2015 to bolster supports for survivors across Massachusetts, this new tool ensures that aggregated, important information is readily available and easily accessible on mass.gov. The website provides information on major service categories, including housing, legal resources and employment assistance, as well as more immediate support such as the SafeLink Hotline and area Rape Crisis Centers. In order to further protect survivors seeking resources, the page also has an escape link located at the top of the page so that survivors may quickly exit the page and be redirected to the mass.gov homepage. Additionally, the website and interactive map tool are both accessible on mobile devices.

 

 

“This new tool is another way to support survivors in Massachusetts and let them know that they are not alone, and that there are resources available to them,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “Our administration is committed to partnering with survivors and advocates to facilitate the delivery of these critical services, and I am grateful to the Lt. Governor, who Chairs the Governor’s Council to Address Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence, for her continued leadership and advocacy for survivors.”

 

“Too often for survivors, navigating available resources proves to be challenging, with lifesaving information difficult to find. This new website aims to deliver critically important services in a streamlined, easy-to-use way for survivors and their families to support them in leading safe and successful lives, free of abuse,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “These brave men, women and children have endured so much, and we remain committed to providing them with every possible tool in our toolbox.”

 

“Navigating life after sexual assault or domestic violence can be frightening and overwhelming for survivors,” said Secretary of Health and Human Services Marylou Sudders “This centralized directory of resources will help survivors across the Commonwealth to find and access a network of critical supports with a single click. The Commonwealth is committed to protecting and supporting survivors and ensuring that they have access to the resources and support they need.”

 

“This website demonstrates the powerful role that digital tools can play in improving the lives of the residents of the Commonwealth,” said Secretary of Technology Services and Security Curt Wood. “I am grateful for the opportunity to collaborate on this important initiative that will empower survivors with easy access to vital resources while maintaining their privacy.”

 

“We must continue to find innovative ways to ensure survivors have access to information and resources,”’ said Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance (MOVA) Executive Director Liam Lowney. “This tool provides access to resources that will empower victims and survivors in their decision making and ensures they have access to quality support in the wake of trauma.”

 

This website is the result of collaboration between the Governor’s Office, the Governor’s Council to Address Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence, the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, the Executive Office of Technology Services and Security, and the Department of Public Health.

 

The Council is chaired by the Lt. Governor and membership consists of up to 40 individuals appointed by the Governor and Lt. Governor, plus more than 80 subcommittee members. Council members represent advocacy organizations, direct service providers, criminal justice agencies, and reflect the state’s geographic and cultural diversity. The Secretaries of Health and Human Services, Housing and Economic Development, Public Safety and Security, Education, Labor and Workforce Development, Transportation, and Veterans’ Services each appoint staff members to the Council. The Governor and Lt. Governor appointed an Executive Director, who is responsible for the administrative functions of the Council, organizing subcommittees and executing the Council’s responsibilities. To learn more about the Council, click here.

 

To visit the Resources for Survivors of Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence website, click here.

 

To visit the interactive services map, click here.