— Muslim Alliance of Indiana

MAI’s Pro­tec­tive Orders Program

MAI’s Pro­tec­tive Orders Pro­gram pro­vides free legal assis­tance to vic­tims of domes­tic vio­lence, help­ing over twenty indi­vid­u­als each month attain pro­tec­tive orders from their abusers.  A pro­tec­tive order requires by law that the abuse stay away from the vic­tim and makes no vio­lent or harass­ing con­tact of any kind.  By attain­ing pro­tec­tive orders, vic­tims of domes­tic vio­lence are able to achieve free­dome from their abuses, live in safety, and pur­sue healthy and ful­fill­ing lives.

MAI’s Refugee Assis­tance Program

MAI’s Refugee Assis­tance Pro­gram pro­vides free legal aid to refugees in Indi­ana, guid­ing them through the com­pli­cated process of adjust­ing their legal sta­tus. We have served peo­ple from all over the world, includ­ing China, Myan­mar, Iraq, Pak­istan and Pales­tine.  On an annual basis MAI Refugee Assis­tance Pro­gram has helped up to 120 fam­i­lies and 360 indi­vid­u­als (includ­ing chil­dren, adults and elders) in obtain­ing legal sta­tus in the United States.

What is a Refugee? A refugee harbors a “well founded fear of being persucted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion” in their home country, and to avoid this persecution has fled their homeland.

Why They need our Help? Refugees are resettled by voluntary agencies who are funded by the State Department and the Office of Refugee Resettlement.  They are tasked with finding refugees employment, housing and starting the acculturation process.  However, these programs are not indefinite.  Programs like MAI’s Refugee Assistance Program are crucial to continuing the transition process.

Refugees in the US. The US is a major player in refugee resettlement internationally, resettling approximately 60% of global cases.  Prior to entering the U.S., refugees have passed a variety of screenings by the United Nations and the U.S. State Department.  Once they have arrived, they have limited resources for adjusting to their new culture.

Refugees in Indiana. In recent years, Indiana has experienced a significant growth in its refugee population and has resettled approximately 1365 new refugees per year since 2007.  This growth is expected to continue consistently through 2012.