On July 9, 2008 Governor Patrick signed Executive Order 503 launching the New Americans Agenda (NAA). The Governor publicly announced the project the next day during a naturalization ceremony at Faneuil Hall. The NAA is a year long planning initiative, which aims to better integrate refugees and immigrants into the economic and civic life of the Commonwealth. Over the next year, the MA Office for Refugees and Immigrants (MORI) and the Governor’s Advisory Council for Refugees and Immigrants (GACRI) will develop a series of policy recommendations on integration challenges and solutions.
The information for these recommendations will come from a series of public meetings across the state in addition to research, interviews with experts, and input from state agencies. These community hearings and meetings will be coordinated by the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA) in partnership with ten local grassroots organizations. The public meetings provide an opportunity for individuals in local communities to share with the Governor’s Advisory Council and each other their vision of what it would mean to become a more welcoming Commonwealth, obstacles to integration, and possible solutions. Successful integration of immigrants and refugees is vital to the civic health of the Commonwealth as well as its ongoing economic growth. These public meetings are a wonderful way for community groups and individuals to provide valuable input on this important topic.