Report Back: Understanding Migration

Who are we?● Kris Walentik

○ Staff Attorney at St. Francis Community Services Catholic Legal Assistance Ministry and St. Louis University Immigration Law Professor

● Martha A. Piñones, MS, PLPC○ Bilingual Child and Adolescent Therapist at St. Francis Community Services Southside

● Amy Hirsch Diemer○ Site Director and Managing Attorney at St. Francis Community Services Catholic Legal

Assistance Ministry

● Meredith Rataj, MSMFT, LMFT○ Site Director and Bilingual Therapist at St. Francis Community Services Southside

Let’s talk about the mental health

What is trama?Trauma is an psychological, emotional response to an intense event that threatens or causes harm. The harm can be physical or emotional, real or perceived, and it can threaten the individual or someone close to him or her.

Complex Trauma exposure to multiple traumatic events over time.

Secondary Trauma emotional duress that results when an individual hears about the firsthand trauma experiences of another

Retraumatization a conscious or unconscious reminder of past trauma that results in a re-experiencing of the initial traumatic event

What happens to the brain after a traumatic event?Hippocampus

Typically: Catalogs, stores, and retrieves memoriesAfter trauma: Decreased ability to form new memories and fragmented memory recall

Amygdala Typically: emotions, survival instincts & memoryAfter trauma: Increased fear and sensitivity to fearful stimuli, Increased reactions to triggers, Enhanced traumatic memories

Medial Prefrontal Cortex Typically: Working memory, inhibition of irrelevant stimuli and amygdala, sustained attentionAfter Trauma: decreased working memory, no inhibition of irrelevant stimuli or amygdala, increased intrusive thoughts and memories, decreased attention and concentration

Let’s talk about the asylum process

Every 21 Seconds Someone Becomes a Refugee

Becoming a RefugeeFlight● Fleeing from war, persecution● Usually think they will return soon● Little time to take belongings, documents

Obtaining Legal Refugee Status● Must be outside country of origin● Must have fled due to well-founded fear of persecution due to race,

religion, nationality, social group or political opinion● Usually UNHCR grants refugee status in country of asylum

Refugee v. Asylee

Refugees tend to be forced out of their country of origin into a nearby third country, where they are often forced to endure life in a refugee camp. They can be granted refugee status (after a long time)

Asylees have usually resettled safely in a safe third country, like the United States, and then have to apply to prove that they can meet the definition of refugee.

How to Ask for Asylum?At the border:

Present yourself at a point of entry requesting asylum

OR

Cross the river or desert, encounter Customs and Border Patrol, and then express a fear

If already in the United States:

Affirmative:

● No prior contact with ICE● File with USCIS during first year in the

United States

Defensive:

● If arrested by ICE and placed in removal proceedings

● File application in front of Immigration Judge

What happens once you have crossed the border?Parole v. Detention

Credible Fear Interview v. Notice to Appear

Bond v. Release on Own Recognizance

Asylum: What does a winning case look like? ● Suffered past persecution or has a well-founded fear of future

persecution.● The motive of the persecution must be because of the person’s:

Race, religion, nationality, political opinion,

membership in a particular social group

● The harm was perpetrated by the government or an entity the government cannot or will not control

Common Asylum Claims of Women and Children

© CENTER FOR GENDER & REFUGEE STUDIES

The Trip

The Plan

Dilley, Texas

Preparing mothers for their Credible Fear Interview (CFI) first step in their asylum case.

The Reality

Dilley Family Detention Center EMPTY

New Plan Contact local non-profits

San Antonio Resource Center

★ Interfaith Welcome Coalition○ helped families board their bus○ understand the bus transfer process, and

learn to read their bus tickets○ provided immediate humanitarian aid,

including access to food and clothing

★ American Gateways○ provided assistance calling family

members of released families to facilitate travel arrangements

○ provided access to critical legal information, shelter, food, and clothing

★ RAICES○ provided know your rights presentations○ reviewed release paperwork provided to

families by ICE to document errors and provide assistance making corrections

San Antonio Greyhound Bus Stop

American Gateways★ South Texas Detention Center - Pearsall

○ Pro se assistance with translation and completion of

applications for relief. Individual legal orientation. Court

observation opportunities.

★ San Antonio Immigration Court○ Pro se assistance with translation and completion of

applications. Observation opportunities.

★ Karnes County Civil Detention Center○ Legal orientation presentation and pro se completion of

applications for relief and legal questions.

South Texas Detention Center - Pearsall

Karnes County Civil Detention Center

Proposed Policy Changes● Credible fear hearings will go to asylum-only proceedings

● Asylum applications will have to be filled within 6 months

● New fees for the asylum application and work permits

● Bar asylum applicants from getting work permits until they win asylum

● Border patrol may conduct asylum screenings

https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/presidential-memorandum-additional-measures-enhance-border-security-restore-integrity-immigration-system/

Why is mental health relevant to today’s topic?❖ Mental health outcomes for immigrants

➢ Depression➢ Anxiety ➢ Post-traumatic Stress Disorder➢ Substance use/abuse➢ Other psychological distress (e.g., acculturative stress)

❖ Helping decrease retraumatization of individuals who are seeking asylum❖ Reducing secondary trauma for those who work with individuals seeking

asylum and the individuals themselves❖ Helping spread awareness of the effects to memory recall for the purpose

of these individuals asylum claims

Updates from the Border● Since March 2019 San Antonio has seen dramatic increase in number of

immigrants crossing border - 200 - 300 daily (adults & children) ● Change in policy: immigrants released directly from border check in

points instead of going to detention facilities● City resources are beyond capacity

○ IWC - backpacks and hygiene bags (100+ each a day) - need volunteers & supplies ○ American Gateways - need volunteers and donations ○ Raices - need volunteers and donations ○ City Resource Center - Food Bank - need donations○ Travis Park shelter (250 overnighting night) - need overnight volunteers ○ Grey Hound Bus (lack of bus drivers - not enough buses scheduled)