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Published
October 8, 2017

The refugee: His childhood memories include fleeing war and living in a sprawling camp

What is refugee status?About Somalia LEWISTON — The Kenyan refugee camp where Abdikadir Negeye grew up didn’t have a manicured soccer field. Their ball was clothing scraps wrapped in plastic. Everyone played barefoot. But Negeye and the other Somali children in the camp played constantly. “Soccer is everything,” said Negeye, who is now 32. Negeye, […]
Published
October 8, 2017

By the numbers: Undocumented immigrants

Deportations from Maine, by federal fiscal year It’s not known how many undocumented immigrants live in Maine, but here is the number of people deported from Maine since 2005. The data is for federal fiscal years, which run from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30. *2016 data is current through January 2016. The federal fiscal year […]
Published
October 8, 2017

The asylee: He fled the Congo after being tortured and threatened with death

What is asylum?About the Congo His pregnant wife had already fled the Democratic Republic of the Congo when six armed men caught up to Marcel Kabongo Mafuku. They beat him and tortured him using a screwdriver, leaving Mafuku with internal injuries that would go untreated for months. They stopped torturing him long enough for one […]
Published
October 8, 2017

By the numbers: Special immigrant juvenile status

‘Special Immigrant Juvenile’ petition approvals nationwide, by federal fiscal year Child immigrants who have been abused or abandoned and cannot reunite with family can be given special juvenile status. There is no data showing how many of these young people live in Maine. Here is a look at the increasing number of children seeking the […]
Published
October 8, 2017

The child alone: A teenager arrives with no guardian, no resources and no plan

Who are special minors?About Burundi When the young woman talks about her birthplace in Burundi, she twists her fingers in a delicate silver chain around her neck. The simple necklace once belonged to her mother, who died when the woman was a baby. She was placed in the care of a relative in Burundi and […]

Published
October 8, 2017

By the numbers: Asylum

Affirmative grants of asylum nationwide, by federal fiscal year and by country of origin Asylees are new arrivals who get permission to stay in the United States because it would not be safe to go home. There is no accurate count of asylees or asylum seekers in Maine, but here is the number of people […]
Published
October 8, 2017

The migrant worker: Eager to earn a steady seasonal income, then home to Jamaica

What is a migrant worker?About Jamaica TURNER — Steve Scott stands near the top of a ladder, his head as high as the apple tree he is quickly clearing of fruit. As he reaches to his left to palm two apples, he’s already looking to his right for the next one. He moves swiftly up […]
Published
October 8, 2017

By the numbers: Naturalization

Naturalizations in Maine from 2008 to 2015, by year and by citizens’ nation of birth: Immigrants who meet legal criteria and pass a civics and history test can become naturalized U.S. citizens. Here is a look at the number of Mainers who have become citizens in recent years and where they were born: SOURCE: […]
Published
October 8, 2017

By the numbers: Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals

Childhood arrivals Nearly 800,000 foreign-born students and workers brought to the U.S. illegally as children have enrolled in a federal program that protects them from deportation. President Trump has decided to rescind the program in March, although Congress could pass a law extending protection. Here is a look at where participants live and where they […]
Published
October 8, 2017

The military aide: He risked his life to work for the U.S. government in Iraq

What’s a special immigrant visa?About Iraq Mahmood will never forget the date: April 6, 2017. He had spent more than two years in the application process for a special immigrant visa, which is available to Iraqi and Afghan citizens who worked for the United States government in their home countries. Mahmood’s experience as a translator […]

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