Hello CMAA Friend,

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As an organization that helps immigrants and refugees acclimate to life in the United States, I want to point out how President Donald Trump has recently been using the term “chain migration” in recent weeks, as he advocates to limit the legal immigration process that our country has had in place since the passage of the Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1965.  What President Trump has labeled chain migration is really what we call family reunification: the process of US citizens and permanent legal residents petitioning certain family members, such as a parent, brother, or sister, to reunite with family in the U.S.   For certain preference levels, an applicant from China and India has to wait as long as 13 years to reunite with family members, while an applicant from the Philippines has to wait as long as 23 years to reunite with family members.What’s more, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently updated its mission statement, eliminating a passage that describes the U.S. as "a nation of immigrants."

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The agency's new mission statement as it appears on the agency's website reads:

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"U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services administers the nation's lawful immigration system, safeguarding its integrity and promise by efficiently and fairly adjudicating requests for immigration benefits while protecting Americans, securing the homeland, and honoring our values."

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The previous mission statement for USCIS read:

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"USCIS secures America's promise as a nation of immigrants by providing accurate and useful information to our customers, granting immigration and citizenship benefits, promoting an awareness and understanding of citizenship, and ensuring the integrity of our immigration system."

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Working at CMAA, I am so proud to work with so many talented colleagues  and volunteers who have made it their vocation to deliver on America’s promise that we are a proud nation of immigrants.  The reality is that the United States of America has been built by immigrants, who have been in search for a better life for themselves and their children.  

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Despite the cynical view about immigration currently emanating from Washington, DC, I want to share the inspiring story of one current CMAA volunteer, Lucy Chen Kruse.  Lucy was born in Shanghai,China. After middle school she was sent to work in a factory for re-education through heavy labor work. She eventually resumed her education in Hong Kong until she was able to obtain her student visa and move to Chicago in 1979, ultimately graduating from DePaul University.  Lucy entered the business world, and her talent and tenacity allowed her to rise through the ranks of the banking industry, eventually becoming Senior Vice President at Mesirow Financial. After an illustrious and successful career, Lucy has retired, and has served various terms on the Board of Directors for prestigious organizations like World Chicago. Although now in retirement, Lucy has volunteered multiple times a week at CMAA over the course of the past year. She teaches English as a Second Language to several CMAA clients, one of whom is Farhana Memon, an immigrant from Pakistan. You can read more about Farhana’s accomplishments later in this newsletter.