D.Smith

Richard E. Myers was born in Kingston, Jamaica and lived there for several years before migrating to Miami (at 10 years old) and later to North Carolina (at 14). Myers received his education (Bachelors, Masters and Law Degrees) from the University of North Carolina. It wasn’t until the events of 9/11 that he decided to pursue becoming a Prosecutor. Throughout his career, he has worked in several positions including Prosecutor, Defense Attorney, Journalist and now a Law Professor at his alma mater. On August 14, Trump nominated the professor to be a federal judge in the Eastern District of North Carolina. The post has been vacant since January 2006, making it the longest federal judge vacancy in America. The position has been vacant for 13 years due to the habit of US Senators in blocking the confirmation of nominees (this is done by a simple majority vote that is required to confirm or reject a nominee). Myers is seemingly a good pick. North Carolina’s two senators Richard Burr and Thom Tillis have both voiced their support for Myers as the new federal judge. In a statement, Tills said, “Myers’ prosecutorial work, as well as his well-deserved reputation as one of our state’s best legal scholars provide him with the background and qualifications required to serve the Eastern District with distinction”. If Senate accepts Myers’ nomination, even though blacks account for 30 percent of the district’s population, he will be the Eastern District of North Carolina’s first black federal judge. As a race, it is always heartwarming to see a black man do great things such as these, but it is particularly great to see it being done by a man who once used to be known as just an immigrant. We are never able to forget that one point in time, we were all just descendants of immigrants. We sure have evolved, haven’t we? Now we move mountains as political figures, preachers, teachers, doctors, CEOs and the list goes on and on. Because of one brave decision made by the head of a household to pack up and move their family on to better, we get to reap these beautiful fruits of our ancestor’s labor. I want you to take a moment think of something you are thankful for having the opportunity to accomplish as a direct effect of your family taking the plunge to move on to better, smile and thank God. May you continue to bless the world with your gift and pass on the same idea that anything is possible with a little hard work and intent to your future generations.

In this new age, thoughts and actions pertaining to immigration are ever-changing. We hear about raids in neighborhoods where people are encouraged to stay inside, lock all doors and do not open for anyone under any circumstances. We hear about children coming home from school to find an empty home as a direct effect of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raid. We hear a new update about the harsh realities families of immigrants living in this country are facing every single day. We sympathize with these families but never stop to think that one day, it could be us. This is not meant to scare, but to inform. The Trump Administration recently announced that the United States is ending the “Haitian Family Reunification Parole Programme”. To break it down: the programme was originally launched in 2016, under the Obama Administration, which allowed thousands of Haitians who had already obtained an immigrant visa based on family reunification to wait in the country with their family for their green card to be available. Family reunification meant that the presence of one or more family members in a certain country enabled the rest of the divided family or only specific members of the family to immigrate to that country as well. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has said that the decision is in line with the 2017 Decree 13767 on improvements to border security and immigration enforcement. In a quick summary, the order limits access to asylum (the protection granted by a nation to someone who has left their native country as a political refugee), expands the use of detention, enhances enforcement along the U.S. – Mexico border, and ensures that parole into the U.S. is exercised on a case-by-case basis. “Family reunification must be used on a case-by-case basis for urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit. USCIS is committed to exercising this limited power in a manner that preserves the integrity of our immigration system and does not encourage foreigners to enter the United States illegally,” said Acting Director of USCIS, Ken Cuccinelli. Many public and political figures, have spoken out on the matter including head of the Family Action Network, Marleine Bastien, who said the stance taken by the United States is wrong. She feels, especially with the political crises in Haiti currently at a record high, that now is not the time for the Trump Administration to be rolling back protections for Haitian families. If you have already applied to adjust status to lawful permanent resident (LPR), this termination will not affect you. But, an estimated 50,000 Haitians who currently have temporary permission to legally live and work in the United States are set to lose that benefit on Jan. 2, 2020. A new extension was given by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in February of this year as a result of one of several Temporary Protected Status (TPS) – related lawsuits challenging the Trump Administration’s decision to end TPS for Haitians and Central Americans. Our…