New Frontier Immigration Law - February 2021

New Frontier Immigration Law - February 2021

NWSLTTR

February 2021

Black Americans have been through, and they can empathize despite the perceived differences that have historically kept these two communities apart. America doesn’t work well when people are kept apart. We are a nation of immigrants, with every new group bringing something different to the table — often literally! When I lived in England, the only good food was in the restaurants of immigrants, and I’ve never forgotten that simple lesson in the power of ethnic diversity. We are strongest when we are united. In Japan, kintsugi is the art of repairing a ceramic vase or jar after it’s been broken. Right now, I feel like America is that jar: We’ve shattered, and each piece feels very different from every other one. Some of the pieces are far apart, and it is hard to imagine they were ever a united whole. Fixing it up seems impossible, but kintsugi is the art of achieving the impossible. They take gold glue and carefully put each piece back where it belongs. The finished piece is beautiful. It doesn’t try to hide the breaks but instead makes something magical out of the broken past. If done correctly, the repaired jar or vase is even stronger than before. I believe that America can be whole again. Our differences will remain, but if we Stronger Together What Black History Month Teaches Us About American Opportunity

This month, Americans celebrate and acknowledge Black history. It’s a history that begins with people coming to this country from far away, usually against their wills. It’s a history of people taking the place they exist in and making it their own, putting down roots in sometimes hostile ground, and creating something beautiful in the process. And it’s a history of culture and clash, both within itself and with other elements of American culture. In many ways, it’s a history that immigrants can appreciate. There are people who do not want you to appreciate Black history and culture. Certain people want the many different ethnicities and cultures that make up America to clash and fight amongst themselves. Those same people will tell you the lie that America is a “pie” of rights and privileges, and if someone else gets a big slice, then yours will be that much smaller. But that is not the case at all. In fact, America is a bottomless well of opportunity — a well so large, in fact, that no one group can pump water to the surface without help. We all need to support each other. February feels particularly important this year after last summer’s protests. We saw the Black Lives Matter movement come into its own and grow explosively, following the high-profile actions by criminal police officers all over the nation. Many immigrants know what it is like to be profiled by the police or treated differently by the government because of the color of their skin or their place of origin. Many immigrants can value and appreciate those experiences because they share them. They can reflect on what

appreciate them and acknowledge them, we may gain strength from them. Black History Month is a chance for us to do exactly that.

–Hillary Walsh

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Team Member Spotlight Karen Ruiz We haven’t

Share the Love This Month 4 Ways to Support Your Loved Ones This Valentine’s Day Every Valentine’s Day, people want to find the best ways to show their partner or even a close friend how much they care. It is easy to get sucked into thinking you have to give them the most expensive or elaborate present you can find, but sometimes, the most meaningful gifts are the simplest. Here are four easy ways to show your loved ones how much you care this February. A Text a Day Knowing someone has your back throughout the year, no matter how difficult things can get, is a great source of support and love. In addition to the usual communication you share with your loved one, add in a supportive text each day, whether it’s simply letting them know you’re thinking of them or wishing them luck on a presentation or interview. The best part about these texts is that they can be sent year-round. A Morning Message Board Whiteboards are fun to draw on and make great calendars, but they can also be used to share heartfelt messages with your roommates or spouse. Writing positive messages like, “I hope you have a wonderful day!” or “You matter!” can make all the difference. Waking up to a loving note from someone they care about could mean the world to them and shift their entire mood for the day. A Daily Journal Entry February and March are usually when New Year’s resolutions begin to falter. To encourage yourself and your loved one, consider starting a daily journal. Leave a journal where you both have access to it and write positive messages inside for the other person. This acknowledgment of hard work is exactly what you both need to continue pursuing your goals this year. Random Gifts You don’t have to wait for a birthday, Christmas, or Valentine’s Day to give your loved one a gift. Buying small gifts lets your friend or spouse know you’ve been thinking about them. Whether it’s a treat they enjoy, a book, or even a small gift card, these thoughtful gestures are sure to make them smile.

introduced you to Karen Ruiz, our reception supervisor, but that changes this month! Karen has been with New Frontier Immigration Law for about a year now, and she’s already made a big impression on the rest of our office. We’ve

made an impression on her too. “Just to know that the firm I work for is helping people be here legally and free, that’s pretty great,” Karen says, echoing what Oscar Flores said in this space last month. Although Karen was originally hired for reception, her responsibilities grew as we realized what an asset she truly is. These days, she also handles our contracts, making sure they go where they’re supposed to and are signed by the right parties. Since we have at least one contract with every single one of our clients, it’s a big job — and that’s not all. You see, Karen deals with collections as well. “Fortunately, we don’t have too many cases of that,” she says. But when we do, Karen takes over and gets the job done. Karen has been in customer service for 20 years now. She loves the field — “It’s pretty amazing to get to help people for a living” — but she stays busy when she isn’t working, too. A single mother of two teenagers, she’s had to deal with the wrench that COVID-19 threw into the extracurricular activities her family enjoys. “Before, we’d go and train in MMA,” she says, referring to the martial arts scene here in town. “I’d take the kids and watch; I’m a big fan of those kinds of sports.” She sees the pandemic as a temporary sideline for these activities. “We’ll go again,” Karen says. Thank you, Karen, for your time, hard work, and dedication to our clients. You’re a great team member and a great mom, and we appreciate you sitting down with us for this spotlight! Stay tuned for next month’s spotlight, and don’t hesitate to call our offices for any help you might need. Who knows, you might end up talking to Karen!

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Spotlighting Emmanuel New Frontier Client ‘Stuck’ in USA by COVID-19!

When Emmanuel Iyere arrived in the USA from Nigeria in 2017, he was excited to

him. It was clear that he probably qualified for asylum, given the things that have devolved in Nigeria since he first left. But he’d also tried to voluntarily depart, and normally, that’s the end for any immigration case. But because he hadn’t succeeded, we were able to halt certain processes and get our foot in the door on others. As he surmised from his own research, the changing conditions in Nigeria were a big factor in whether he could safely return — and, similarly, whether he’d be allowed to stay in the United States. Today, things are different for Emmanuel. His situation is no longer cut and dried. He has a real chance at staying here, when before there was none. His tenacity and research are big parts of that, as is just plain luck at not being able to depart the country. But most of all, he found the right immigration law partner. If you have a scary, complicated case of your own, give New Frontier Immigration Law a call. You deserve a chance of your own, and we’re here to help.

meet his family and learn about new cultures. The young man enjoyed

his time, and his future looked bright until an issue cropped up with his immigration case. He did the smart thing and hired an immigration firm. Unfortunately, that firm didn’t tell him about some of the options that he had available, something he only discovered after he tried to voluntarily depart and couldn’t do so due to COVID-19. Cases like his are very difficult, but when he came to New Frontier with his troubles, we knew we had to at least try to help

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INSIDE

Black History and American Opportunity

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A Month of Love and Support Team Member Spotlight

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New Frontier Client ‘Stuck’ in USA by COVID-19!

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High Quality Relationships Lower Blood Pressure

Love Boosts Your Immune System and Lifespan

It doesn’t take a scientist to tell us that a healthy, loving relationship can lessen our stress — but did you know it also boosts our immune system’s response and could help us live longer? Multiple studies have shown that couples in happy, loving marriages tend to have lower blood pressure. Marriage itself isn’t the key to a healthier life — the love is, researchers find. How do researchers define a loving relationship? To put it simply, it depends on the couples’ own opinion. Married couples with a high quality (aka loving) relationship showed significantly lower ambulatory systolic blood pressure than singles. However, happily married couples and singles had lower blood pressure than people in low quality marriages. Which means, at least in terms of your health, it’s much better to be single than unhappily married. How does it help your blood pressure exactly? Well, when positive events occur, the hormones oxytocin and vasopressin interact with your dopamine reward system. Vasopressin in particular helps control blood pressure. Of course, getting into a new relationship can be a little stressful! Cortisol, the stress hormone, initially rises when you fall in love.

However, it quickly drops in a long-term, stable relationship. Those low cortisol levels sustained for a long period of time contribute to many health benefits.

But how does it improve your immune system? That’s a bit of a mystery to researchers. So far, women in love have shown changes

in their gene regulation of immune cells compared to women not in love. Some theorize that this is in order to prepare for pregnancy. Unfortunately, we still don’t have conclusive research on whether men in love better fight flu and other viruses, too. High blood pressure is known as the “silent killer” since it has no symptoms, but it will steadily degrade your health over time, significantly increasing your risk of chronic conditions like heart disease. And while love is certainly not the only way to lower blood pressure, it’s comforting to know our loved ones can boost our health for a longer, happier life. Happy Valentine’s Day!

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