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6 Facts We Learned Working with Migrants and Refugees Around the World: Facts 1 and 2 Working with migrants and refugees is our business at Catholic Relief Services. CRS was founded in 1943 to assist refugees during World War II. Seventy-five years later, we are still coming to the aid of people escaping conflict, violence and natural disasters. While CRS doesn’t resettle refugees in the United States (these programs are run by the Catholic Church’s Migration and Refugee Service and Catholic Charities), our rich history has taught us valuable lessons on how to best help families fleeing crisis. 1. People Do Not Want to Leave Their Homes. An astonishing 1 in 110 people have been forced to flee their home (UNHCR). They only do that when they feel they have no other choice. Most people the world over give the same reason for starting their perilous journey across borders -- violence. That’s true for millions fleeing conflict in South Sudan and for tens of thousands fleeing gang violence in Central America. Most often, people flee to other parts within their country first. Only when they see no other option do people leave their country. Rick Jones is the agency's Youth and Migration Advisor in Latin America and the Caribbean. He also specializes in issues affecting Central American migration, including gang violence, poverty, and internal displacement. See his contact information at the bottom. 2. Don’t Separate Families. Based on extensive experience with refugees and migrants, CRS agrees with the criticism of the former U.S. policy of separating children from their parents. Decades of research shows that this is so traumatic for children it can lead to long-term psychological, and even physical damage. Shannon Senefeld is a global development expert at CRS. She has published and presented extensively on international children’s issues and the importance of strengthened family care for children’s development. See her contact information at the bottom. The experts at Catholic Relief Services are available to help with any media coverage or insight that is required regarding this ongoing news story and issue that is continuing in America. Simply click on any of their icons to arrange a time for an interview. Source:
At Michigan State University's Pattern Recognition and Image Processing laboratory, Anil Jain has demonstrated many times that under controlled conditions, when the face is angled toward the camera and if the lighting is good, this technology can be up to 99 percent accurate. Jain is available to speak to media about facial recognition technology - simply click on his icon to arrange an interview today. Source:
Equal in marriage but what about the workplace?
Tuesday marks the 3rd anniversary of 'Obergefell v. Hodges'. The 5-4 U.S. Supreme Court decision about same sex marriage and deciding that it is a constitutional right 'under the Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment'. Under this, states are constitutionally bound to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states. It was a monumental day and one seen as a major step forward for America. But just how far does America have left to go in the effort to make life for its LGBTQ citizens equal? A recent report, A Workplace Divided: Understanding the Climate for LGBTQ Workers Nationwide, stated ‘46 percent of LGBT employees are not open about their sexuality at work for fear of being stereotyped, making people feel uncomfortable or losing connections with coworkers.’ That number has only moved a fraction since 2008 when it was 51 percent. A recent Supreme Court decision also ruled a business can decide if it chooses to serve LGBTQ customers or not. So as much as America can claim it is progressing – is it? The gay marriage decision was a significant milestone for America – but was it meaningful? There are a lot of questions and that’s where the experts from Michigan State University can help. Professor Mae Kuykendall is an expert in the relationship between legal definitions of marriage and the common usage of the word. She is available to speak with media regarding the 3rd anniversary of 'Obergefell v. Hodges' – simply click on her icon to arrange an interview. Source:
Always Keep Families Together. Separation Damages Children.
The ongoing situation in America’s border towns with the detention and separation of thousands of children from their parents is both highly damaging for children and unnecessary. The actions of American authorities who are enforcing the ‘zero-tolerance’ policies have led to outcries from world leaders, American politicians and a large segment of the public. The following is a statement from Shannon Senefeld, Senior Vice President, Overseas Operations, Catholic Relief Services. “At Catholic Relief Services, keeping children with their parents is always one of our paramount goals. That’s true in emergencies, in health crises, in all of our long-term work combatting poverty and working to end the institutionalization of children. The research is clear – separating children from their families causes lasting mental, and even physical damage. Family support is vital for all children, especially those fleeing violence or dire poverty. “ As a Clinical Psychologist and with a long career working with vulnerable children around the world, Shannon Senefeld can speak with authority on why the ongoing situation with the separation of families on the US border. She can also speak to the root causes that propel families to migrate in the first place, such as rampant gang violence and poverty in Central America. Shannon is available to speak with media. For an interview – simply click on her icon to contact her and arrange a time. Source:
Professor David Iglesias, a former U.S. Attorney in New Mexico who also served as chair of the border and immigration subcommittee under John Ashcroft, is available for interviews about President Trump's executive order ending family separations at the border. Iglesias, now a professor of politics and international relations at Wheaton College (Ill.) and director of the Wheaton Center for Faith, Politics & Economics (wheaton.edu/fpe) had called the policy "a moral outrage" in a recent comments (http://bit.ly/2MIIxtA), and, along with a bipartisan group of former U.S. Attorneys, called on Attorney General Jeff Sessions to end the policy. "The president did the right thing to rescind this policy," he says. "It's to the administration's credit that they pulled back." However, he says, the zero tolerance policy, which still remains in place, is "a terrible idea." Iglesias says it is likely to overload the courts with misdemeanors by first-time offenders. "Federal courts along the border will be overwhelmed with nothing but immigration cases, and serious crimes will languish under the weight of minor offenses," he says. "Federal courts on the southwest border will be reduced exclusively to handling immigration offenses and will essentially become federal traffic court." "Zero tolerance may make a catchy bumper sticker, but it is the very definition of bad public policy," Iglesias says. To request an interview with Professor Iglesias, e-mail media.relations@wheaton.edu. Source:
No net neutrality means no safeguards
The FCC's net neutrality ends today. Changes may not be drastic, at least at first, but since they will likely be slow, consumers won't realize the effect until it's too late, says Johannes Bauer, chair of MSU's Quello Center and professor in the Department of Media and Information. “Under the framework taking effect today, Internet Service Providers (ISPs) are free to differentiate services as long as they are transparent about it," Bauer says. "I do not expect any immediate and drastic changes, such as the blocking of websites or the throttling of legitimate traffic. Some of the newly gained freedom is desirable, as it will allow experimentation with new business models. It may gradually result in more price and quality differentiation, such as lower prices in exchange for slower access speeds and higher, guaranteed service quality for specific services such as high quality videoconferencing or interactive gaming. This is already happening in ways that are not fully transparent to consumers. What is new is that the local access provider now also has more freedom to experiment. In the past, providing higher capacity access was cheaper than differentiation of services which requires additional network management efforts and costs. One concern is that the present framework does not put any safeguards into place that would prevent unreasonable discrimination. Appeals to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will likely be slow and the ability of the agency to resolve disputes has not been tested in network neutrality matters. Another concerns is that many of these changes will happen gradually and not be noticed by consumers and other observers until some major unexpected and undesirable effect is visible.” Source:
Trump's pardon pen: Muhammad Ali could be the latest on the list
President Donald Trump has announced he may pardon the late boxer Muhammad Ali, who was convicted in 1967 for refusing to report for induction into the United States military during the Vietnam War. He's the latest on the president's pardon list. But can Trump really pardon anyone he wants? Yes, because real check on the pardon power is political, says Brian Kalt, a professor at MSU's College of Law. "The pardon power suits Trump’s style perfectly," Kalt says. "The president pardons alone — Congress is not involved and the courts have almost no power to review the president’s choices. With the stroke of his pardon pen, Trump can make things happen immediately. He can spring people from prison or protect them from prosecutors (contrary to a common misconception, the president can pardon people before they have been convicted or even charged). It is the closest a president can get to being a king, or a wizard with a magic wand." Kalt wrote the seminal article on self-pardons in 1996, and it occupies a chapter of his 2012 book, "Constitutional Cliffhangers," has been used hundreds of times by media and researchers. See his book here: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13386546-constitutional-cliffhangers. Source:
Baylor Adoption Expert Says Birth Mothers Need Increased Support During, Following Adoption Process
Dr. Elissa Madden's latest social work research centers on the experience of birth mothers who decide to place their children for adoption. Madden and her research team found that time impacts the level of satisfaction (or lack thereof) these women feel regarding their decision -- and that impact isn't always positive. While many birth mothers reported satisfaction with their decision, the newest findings show that the more time that has passed since the birth mothers placed their child, the less overall satisfaction some birth mothers felt. Some prior research suggests birth mothers’ grief and adjustment attenuates with the passage of time. However, the researchers note “the findings of this analysis highlight the importance of not confusing birth mother’s satisfaction with her decision and the feelings of loss that she may feel about the placement.” A birth mother may feel she made the right decision regarding placement and yet still experience ongoing feelings of loss and grief even years later, Madden said. Madden's multiple studies of birth mothers' experiences have shown that there's a need for more resources for these women. “Adoption professionals must be especially attuned to the needs and concerns of expectant mothers who seek their counsel, as many lack a full understanding of their options,” Madden said. Madden and her team suggest: • Annual “grief and loss” training for adoption professionals • State and federal policies ensuring birth mothers have access to ongoing post-relinquishment support services • Free grief support groups for all birth mothers • Adoption of national standards to ensure that expectant mothers and prospective adoptive parents receive standardized information detailing the benefits of ongoing post-adoption contact • Stipends for expectant mothers to hire independent legal counsel to represent the mothers at the relinquishment and during sensitive discussion regarding post-adoption contact Elissa Madden, Ph.D., associate professor, joined the Diana R. Garland School of Social Work in August 2016. Her primary research interest is in child welfare, with a particular focus on ways to promote permanency for children in foster care. Dr. Madden is a former child welfare conservatorship worker with Child Protective Services in Texas. She is a licensed social worker and has extensive experience working with children & families. Source:
It was a political promise President Donald Trump intends on keeping – while campaigning for the Whitehouse Donald Trump continuously pledged to pull out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), get a “much better deal” on the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and fix the U.S. trade imbalance with China. Donald Trump was going to fix trade. The script was vague, but now those words are being put into action. Trump’s recent enforcement of a 25 percent tariff on steel and aluminum imports has sparked a global trade war. Mexico has pushed back with 3 billion dollars in tariffs on imported U.S. goods. Canada with more than 12 billion. None of this includes reaction from Europe or elsewhere. And it could get worse, Trade Partnership Worldwide LLC released the report that says more than 400,000 jobs will be lost in America due to higher prices on steel and aluminum. There are a lot of numbers out there and a lot of debate about who will be impacted, who will benefit and could this all backfire? With all the rhetoric, it’s not easy to figure out. That’s where the experts from Michigan State University can help. Dr. Tomas Hult is the Director of the International Business Center in the Eli Broad College of Business at Michigan State University. He is an expert on the subjects of international business and trade. Tomas is a published author and has appeared many times in the media speaking to these important issues. Simply click on his icon to arrange an interview on this topic. Source:
Anil Jain, who launched the world's premier biometrics lab, can talk about all facets of facial recognition technology--from human trafficking to protecting primates. Source: