International Institute of Rhode Island's mission is to enable all area residents, especially immigrants and refugees, to become self-reliant, invested participants in our communities, while fostering respect and understanding among all people. Read more

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Legislative Update from Executive Director Bill Shuey

From time to time, IRI takes positions on State legislation that we believe impact Rhode Island’s immigrant and refugee communities.  As a leader in providing services to newcomers since 1921, we know that immigrants and refugees contribute positively to the economy and culture, and that it is in the best interests of our state to develop and implement only those policies that assist them to become contributing members of society.   We are providing our viewpoint on two current pieces of legislation, and we encourage you to contact your State House and Senate representatives to tell them to:

Oppose E-Verify H5143 and Senate bill S210

E-Verify is a flawed national electronic employment verification system for matching names and social security numbers, intended as only a federal pilot program.  The U. S. Citizenship and Immigrations Services branch of the Federal Government has disclosed that “the database used for verification is not sufficiently up-to date for accurate verification, especially for naturalized citizens.”  The rate of inaccuracy has been sited as being between 4% and 10%, depending on employee classification.    

This bill being considered will require all businesses and independent contractors to verify the legal status of any new hires through the E-Verify program. 

E-Verify is a program that national organizations like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the ACLU and the AFL-CIO agree is FUNDAMENTALLY FLAWED.  Local Chambers of Commerce along with the Rhode Island Society for Human Resource Management have expressed their opposition to the bill.  It has been sited as “one of the most anti-immigrant and anti-worker pieces of legislation” by Matt Jerzyk on RI Future.org. 

We believe E-Verify will prevent authorized workers – including U.S. citizens – from finding employment, will cost our smaller businesses time & money, and will encourage further discrimination and hate against immigrant communities.

More detailed information may be found here.

Will you please follow this link and email to your RI House Representative to tell them to VOTE NO?

Support In-State Tuition H5353 – The Student Equal Economic Opportunity Act

Each year, about 160 undocumented, hard working students in RI graduate from high school but will be unable to attend college because of costs and the inability to pay out-of-state tuition. A lack of college education severely limits upward class mobility and economic growth.  The H5353 bill would give undocumented RI high school graduates the opportunity to pay the same in-state tuition rates as their classmates. 

This bill is currently stuck in the House Finance Committee, but a push from constituents all throughout RI will help this bill pass. There are many Representatives that are personally in favor of the bill, but need to hear that their constituents are also in favor.

• HR 5353 Will Generate State Revenue, not more costs, as some believe.
• An Educated Workforce is Essential in our Global Economy.
• Under Supreme Court ruling Plyer v. Doe (1982) undocumented children are entitled to equal protection under the 14th Amendment.
• This bill is not illegal under federal law, as it extends the same benefits to citizens from other states who have attended a Rhode Island high school for at least three years.
• More detailed information.

Sign an online letter for individuals to be sent to House Representatives in RI in support of The Student Equal Economic Opportunity Act.

Thank you,

Bill Shuey

Sewing Machines Needed

IIRI Refugee women are forming a sewing collaborative.  Faced with challenges to traditional employment because of childcare responsibilities and/or language barriers, these women have developed a plan to work together to create  skirts and bags hand-made from African fabrics to sell locally.  

We are looking for donations of sewing machines and for volunteers with sewing skills to assist these women.  To donate a sewing machine or volunteer contact Mary Ellen Lynch at 401-784-8649 or melynch@iiri.org