As unprecedented numbers of migrants are crossing into the U.S. and seeking asylum, Minnesota legal aid and resettlement agencies are seeing the impact—and it’s leaving many families in limbo.
That was the key takeaway from a community forum sponsored by Sahan Journal and MPR News that drew nearly 100 people to El Colegio High School in Minneapolis last week.
The panelists at “Beyond the Border: The Immigration Crisis, Up Close” examined the current state of immigration at the Southern and Northern borders. They also discussed major obstacles that immigrants are facing due to a burdened immigration system. They also explored what potential changes to immigration may lie ahead—and what people can do to prepare for them.
Panelists included Emilia Gonzalez Avalos of Unidos MN; Nasra Ismail, U.S. executive director for resettlement agency Alight; John Bruning, with the Advocates for Human Rights’ refugee and immigrant program; and Jennifer Stohl Powell, legal director for the Immigrant Law Center.