HILLSBORO — Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, who represents a part of Portland and its suburbs in the U.S. House, convened experts in the field of migration and refugees Sept. 4 in Hillsboro. Two Catholic Charities staff members were part of the select group.
John Herrera, Immigration Legal Services Director, and Claudia Munoz, Program Director for Refugee Services, were among a small group that advised Bonamici on the need for affordable housing, legal services and faster processing of asylum claims.
Munoz said that some asylum seekers are waiting 18 months to obtain work permits, leaving families without income and businesses with employee shortages. Bonamici is behind a bill that would speed the work permit approvals to 30 days.
The congresswoman also was able to secure a FEMA grant to shelter the families of some asylum seekers in Oregon.
During the meeting held at the offices of Centro de Prosperidad, Herrera and others suggested the creation of a network of affordable housing providers who could keep refugees and asylum seekers in mind.
“We plan to work with Representative Bonamici to see what we can do as providers,” Herrera said, adding that the meeting left him feeling hopeful.
John Herrera, speaking, and Claudia Munoz, right, are Catholic Charities migrant services workers who were invited to a Sept. 4 roundtable discussion with Rep. Suzanne Bonamici.
“The demand for housing is high,” said Munoz. “And this population doesn’t have any other resources.”
The group also discussed the need for food, in particular culturally specific food, plus furniture and toiletries.
Because many families have young children, there is a need for diapers, baby clothes and other items, Herrera said.
Among its many other clients, Catholic Charities is providing case management for 23 families as part of the federal Newcomer Housing Program. In all, there are 39 children and 43 adults. Those in the program and on the waitlist come from Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela, Afghanistan, Jordan and Rwanda.
“The many conversations I’ve had with immigration advocates and the issues my casework team has encountered while helping constituents prompted my roundtable discussion on the challenges asylum seekers face in Oregon,” Bonamici explained that she held the roundtable after many conversations with advocates for migrants.
“Advocates and leaders told me about long wait times for work authorizations, families with young children forced to sleep on the street, and a fragmented safety net,” Bonamici. “Their experiences reinforced the urgent need for meaningful immigration reform and a better system to give asylum seekers the tools and services to succeed.”
She said that such conversations are important to counteract “divisive and sometimes misleading rhetoric” some people use for political purposes.
“I will continue to work with community organizations like Catholic Charities of Oregon and government partners to advocate for real solutions and humane immigration policies,” Bonamici said.
Migration service workers convene with Rep. Suzanne Bonamici in Hillsboro Sept. 4.