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Immigrant rights activist Jean Montrevil returned to the United States on Monday on a 90-day parole to be reunited with his family, including 4 U.S.-born children. Montrevil was deported to Haiti in 2018, after being released from prison in 2000 on drug charges. After he was released, he become a prominent immigrants rights activist in New York, helping found the New Sanctuary Coalition. At John F. Kennedy international airport on Saturday, Montrevil was met with cheers, signs and hugs from his family members and advocates. “I’m very excited just to be here with my kids again. As you know, this has always been about my kids,” Montrevil said. “And now I finally got a second chance and to see my kids again. I cannot tell you how excited that I am.” Democracy Now
In other local immigration news…
Basement Tenants Struggle to Secure Relief After Hurricane Devastation
📍 Documented Original
Hurricane Ida brought historic rainfall to New York City over a month ago, and immigrant New Yorkers who live in illegal basement apartments face special challenges recovering from the aftermath, both emotionally and financially. In the wake of the storm, FEMA, New York City and the state established funds to provide financial relief to those affected by the flooding. Yet many immigrants residing in basements told Documented they cannot access the funds because they fear reprisals from their landlords, and cannot risk losing their affordable apartments. “Those who live in basements, if their landlords want them to apply for financial assistance they can, but if their landlords don’t, then they can’t,” said Rahela, an immigrant who said she lost everything in the storm. Read more at Documented.
Excluded Workers Fund on Brink of Running Out
New York state’s $2.1 billion Excluded Workers Fund to help undocumented immigrants and others who could not access government relief is about to run out of money, just a few months after applications opened. New applications would no longer be accepted as of Oct. 8, state authorities said — but they also added that individuals who applied in the weeks before the deadline may not be approved because of “the fund’s rapid depletion.” A group of activists has asked Gov. Kathy Hochul to “expand the fund by $3 billion in the next budget and to come up with additional money to cover eligible claims that had been submitted before the deadline this year.” The New York Times
