Written by and photos by L. M. Land
A Community Conversation about immigration was held at the Gloria Coles Flint Public Library on February 20, 2025. The C. S. Mott Foundation Community Room was filled to standing room only with people of all colors.
On the panel were Kristen McDonald Rivet, United States Representative for Michigan; Rebecca Olszewski, managing attorney at Michigan Immigrant Rights Center; Flint Mayor Sheldon Neeley; Asa Ascencio Zuccaro, executive director of Flint’s Latinx Technology & Community Center and Cindy Gamboa, executive director of the Detroit based MI Poder.
The conversation was about immigration issues which have been thrown into fearful chaos with the recent and abrupt administration changes. The panel gave us some updates on what is happening with this humanitarian issue.
Zuccaro explained that the current immigration system has been is very complex for many years.
According to Olszewski, being undocumented is a big issue. It can take between two to twenty years to get a family visa.
Work visas are also difficult to get. This is an important piece that needs to be fixed as most of the fresh produce in the United States is picked by migrant labor. As of January 9, 2025, Farmworker Justice estimates that 70% of farm workers are immigrants, about 40% of which are undocumented. (See link below).
Our immigration system has not been updated for modern times. It was consensual with the panel that reform is welcome. However, the moves made by the current administration have created more chaos and fear.
Protection for immigrants was formerly given in hospitals, churches and schools. But, all protections
have been revoked. Right now it appears ICE is picking up one person at a time, not groups.
Drops in school attendance are being reported.
Rivet said that people are afraid of the reality of retaliation.
“We are not wholly powerless” she added, explaining that there are 78 court cases filed so far to fight the new immigration actions.
Neeley added that “We cannot let fear paralyze our communities. Stay united in venues like this one…Move forward and stay engaged.”
Rivet and Neeley both have prepared “Know your rights” information available at their offices, and will try to keep us up to date about what is happening in our community.
Michigan Immigration Rights Center is also working on adding more information on your rights to their web page.
If you are impacted by these changes, you can also let Rivet know online or at the Flint office, in addition to being able to contact the Michigan Immigration Rights Center online.
Links are below.
One thing was clear: all the panelists care about our communities as a whole, and are committed to do what they can to educate us about what is happening in our communities in this time of the new administration.
Resources:
Information about immigrants and farming in the US: https://www.farmaid.org/blog/fact-sheet/immigration-and-the-food-system/
Michigan Immigrant Rights Center: https://michiganimmigrant.org
Rivets Flint office: https://mcdonaldrivet.house.gov/contact/offices/flint-district-office
Flint District Office, 601 Saginaw Street, Suite 403, Flint, MI 48502, Phone: (810) 238-8627
Latinx Technology & Community Center, Asa Ascencio Zuccaro, executive director
https://latinxflint.org/ +1 810 715 5050, 2101 Lewis St. | Flint, MI 48506
The mission of the Latinx Technology and Community Center is to enhance the dignity and quality of life for the Flint & Genesee County Latinx community and other cultures.
MI PODER
Cindy Gamboa, executive director
A non-profit non-partisan social welfare and civic engagement organization serving the Latinx population in the state of Michigan.
