[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6321567,"mediaKeyId","2349902-14a3fc354d71f521ac8c834c32b493c0","parentId",2349902,"title","Surge of Ukrainian arrivals reshaped Alaska resettlement; agencies urge credentialing, language and training supports","audioSeconds",3554,"startMs",3061000,"endMs",6615000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2349902-14a3fc354d71f521ac8c834c32b493c0&start=3061&end=6615","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2349902-14a3fc354d71f521ac8c834c32b493c0/thumbnail_3061000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6321567/Alaska/Surge-of-Ukrainian-arrivals-reshaped-Alaska-resettlement-agencies-urge-credentialing-language-and-training-supports","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6321567-329ecfb120783eb25592a0580f5a7017/orig.mp4?Expires=1775402407&Signature=mnb-Ws6piTHY75hTa69sMbNquoA3cLxB7waODvoJ3GuSqMNavueB-5~srO6BSBE-r6rl3TbkiQua03X9XddXyUCrk0Xgs2CcA9349NdGQZI2mn2kkvR6NIu7TxZoiFfpg6B22KgIp6vG2XPkMSQwODpr7uS3jNmGZzKSjQHyz8Uhxh29n6Luppz--AIw0KDGDr58rLsguqI1fT7373hiHZhfEgyBuqDfHBzz8k1KrhBRquAqAYALg2D~kPsRCRkPxrkyfWYyGLMjvFjGAKn4Lfh~gTEElbdOP~D-frIp1hpgOF6EHChIvV5fmvxMXe20pCuWL4V-kLuJ-bd2VsU5~A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Alaska Legislature","date","2025-02-19T00:00:00Z","article","Isis Spatresano, Alaska state refugee coordinator for Catholic Social Services’ RAISE program, told the House Judiciary Committee on Feb. 19 that historical refugee resettlement to Alaska averaged roughly 150–180 people a year but spiked in federal fiscal year 2022 to 504 arrivals, 91% from Ukraine or Afghanistan. \"As of 01/21/2025, the Alaska Office for Refugees is serving about 1,170 enrolled clients,\" Spatresano said, and she cautioned that the largest recent arrival group — Ukrainian humanitarian parolees — generally do not have a clear federal pathway to permanent status.

Tatiana Robbins, executive director of Project Alaska, described community efforts to bring family members to Alaska after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, including a private fundraising airlift effort that raised nearly $1 million in seed donations and sponsorships though program rules ultimately shifted arrivals into the Uniting for Ukraine sponsorship pathway. Robbins described Project Alaska’s workforce and credentialing work: individualized job coaching, diploma evaluation partnerships, apprenticeship linkages and a diploma evaluation pilot with World Education Services to help professionals translate foreign credentials to U.S. standards.

Speakers and state partners highlighted job training pilots. Spatresano described a Mat‑Su VFW and school district pilot offering electrical and diesel mechanic certifications; 75 people attended the first workshop. Presenters pointed to Grow North Farm and Fresh International Gardens (FIG) as models that combine job training, income and community food production; Kirk Rose said farm vendors and participating food businesses have generated more than $500,000 in sales since 2019.

Several presenters and committee members flagged uncertainty about temporary statuses. Spatresano and Robbins said humanitarian parole and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) are discretionary federal designations that can be changed by the Administration; that uncertainty can affect work authorization, housing and long‑term planning for families. Representative Mina and others asked presenters about the legal threat to Ukrainian arrivals’ status and about what state actors could do to ease workforce transitions. Presenters urged expanded, flexible state and employer partnerships for language instruction, credential evaluation and targeted training tied to employer pipelines — for example, retooling certification requirements where safety and competency can be assured by supervised internships or bridging programs rather than full degree‑level repetition.

Deepika Ramesh Parimal, executive director of the Alaska Literacy Program, described language and workforce programs that support newcomers: advanced English classes, GED and citizenship test preparation, peer navigator programs and pre‑apprenticeship health‑care training. Ramesh Parimal said ALP now averages more than 600 students per quarter (up from about 350 per year in 2021) and partners with health care, education and workforce agencies to place students into jobs and further training.

Speakers asked the Legislature to consider programmatic investments, convening and implementation support rather than immediate statutory changes; they also asked the committee to follow up on implementation timelines for recently passed state bills that affect credentialing and licensing.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House JUDICIARY 02/19/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Catholic Social Services and Project Alaska told the House Judiciary Committee that recent Ukrainian humanitarian parolees and other arrivals sharply increased resettlement numbers, strained existing capacity, and highlighted opportunities to fill workforce gaps with targeted credentialing and training programs.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature Alaska, Alaska","taxId",78559,"location","Alaska","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6321572,"Nonprofit attorneys tell Judiciary Committee immigration status affects reporting of crimes; U and T visas, VAWA cited as relief paths",862,1553000,2415000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2349902-14a3fc354d71f521ac8c834c32b493c0&start=1553&end=2415","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2349902-14a3fc354d71f521ac8c834c32b493c0/thumbnail_1553000.jpg","/articles/6321572/Alaska/Nonprofit-attorneys-tell-Judiciary-Committee-immigration-status-affects-reporting-of-crimes-U-and-T-visas-VAWA-cited-as-relief-paths","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6321572-89ada47cd5574b8bb39dc6cf343756e4/orig.mp4?Expires=1775402407&Signature=GirS-mG59Ok9zX8kUQf91Rq~CtnapZWUtNhmd~qnkxG7wNgLASg78RlKSoASO7QA9wdApMv~ISE1hF3aLNHQQXePn7qGRtwEXmXdDG9GCHCZkcUk0nn2sovNrapYkrJFxmy9NIdPatVDJmM4YSTQU7MstxMEjw5lJL~4Yj8CIn-tKYaAK5LJ5zkaRafc-kc7-kO9Y~xERqn5bsnEr53QE2Ki9IhRFGe~msra9VCaLLx~dFuhSboKswtTeRFZW77ARtjoVPyiahSyjfb48pL~Uf98Jz9oBaENA1N763rfxLaZDxQfLzR4qo9mvnqajoWOA3leifTBcs~oruTFNxPX0A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Anna Taylor, deputy director of the Alaska Institute for Justice, told the House Judiciary Committee on Feb. 19 that immigration status strongly affects whether a victim will seek help from law enforcement or service providers. \"At the bottom, the most vulnerable people are people who are undocumented,\" Taylor said, adding that lack of status can mean no Social Security number, no work authorization and deep fear of deportation.

Taylor described legal avenues that can both protect survivors and encourage cooperation with law enforcement. She described the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) self‑petition, U visas for crime victims who assist law enforcement, and T visas for human‑trafficking survivors. Taylor told the committee that U visas are capped at 10,000 per year nationwide and that the statutory cap has created a backlog; she said the Biden administration has allowed victims to obtain work permits while waiting on U‑visa adjudication.

Taylor also presented client service numbers used for federal grant reporting: she said that, in the most recent quarterly report (Oct. 1–Dec. 31, 2024), Alaska Institute for Justice and subgrantees served 40 survivors of human trafficking; of those 40 she said 32 were labor‑trafficking cases, 6 fell in another trafficking category, and 2 cases involved both categories. Taylor said other grant lines serve survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault and that demand for immigration legal services exceeds available nonprofit capacity in Alaska.

Taylor emphasized that certain immigration remedies are designed to reduce abusers’ power. “VAWA self petition … enables survivors of domestic violence to apply on their own without their abuser knowing about the application,” she said. Taylor asked legislators to recognize the complexity of federal immigration law and to support local services that help victims navigate federal applications and certifications required by law enforcement for U‑visa eligibility.

Committee members asked for follow‑up materials on trafficking and survivor services; Representative Vance asked for more information about the October–December trafficking statistics Taylor cited.","Alaska Institute for Justice explained to the House Judiciary Committee how immigration status shapes survivors' access to services and law enforcement, and reviewed visa-based relief (VAWA, U and T visas) and capacity constraints.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6321577,"Foreign-born Alaskans bring workforce and consumer power, presenters tell House Judiciary Committee",4790,462000,5252000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2349902-14a3fc354d71f521ac8c834c32b493c0&start=462&end=5252","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2349902-14a3fc354d71f521ac8c834c32b493c0/thumbnail_462000.jpg","/articles/6321577/Alaska/Foreign-born-Alaskans-bring-workforce-and-consumer-power-presenters-tell-House-Judiciary-Committee","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6321577-a13765fc7e934d3eba367e5ea1cb26aa/orig.mp4?Expires=1775402407&Signature=DAEUc2z-Q4~IzqX4ZPTpIMtjZwu1o4eGCQJSMhg1XZyKeGNeDguYDfNIVLI8HZlkuqZbSWC-88vwDvlHpfWkBcyX1~ys2wOMgLPKpIUtLZnqqLKaJejD-xUrjhBRnsBf8wwudsirPcKd2Nk-w-ez3FMEM7LXtoq16pvCjxEadRzoFwiTGbZLJDdWb8VwaypOeK7f7-SmdnEl0kzGQgEAYLcrHBY5E8lPB5VtXTn7X1KbWuKsJY-3bJccHsHM2WPjckcO2JtuaZUS7sRRK6Z1Th7kfF1cIV-6M0YM14ytAasR18nVuKA4ZsMt7PxbLgk972rRb2uPDIdi-G~Ia4PQkg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Mara Kimball, executive director of the ACLU of Alaska, told the House Judiciary Committee on Feb. 19 that immigrants and refugees are a significant part of Alaska’s population and economy. “There are approximately 55,000 foreign born Alaskans in Alaska,” Kimball said, and she told the committee that newcomers bring nearly $2,000,000,000 in spending power to the state.

The economic case for immigration was echoed by Kirk Rose, chief executive officer of Anchorage Community Land Trust, who said foreign‑born residents in Anchorage are more likely than U.S.‑born residents to run small businesses and to participate in the workforce. Rose said new Alaskans contribute about $1.8 billion in spending power and pay more than $300 million into state, local and federal taxes. “Immigrants help us build stronger communities and invest deeply in their new homes,” Rose told the committee.

Rose and Kimball pointed to entrepreneurship and small business formation as a key route by which newcomers add jobs and services. Rose said foreign‑born residents make up about 14.2% of Anchorage’s small business owners despite comprising roughly 8.5% of the city’s population. He described neighborhood projects such as Grow North Farm and other urban agriculture efforts that generate vendor sales and provide training; Grow North participants and vendors have brought in more than $500,000 in sales since 2019, he said.

Speakers said the workforce benefits cut across sectors. Project and resettlement program data presented to the committee showed arrivals bringing skills in trucking, construction, health care and other trades. Rose and other presenters urged targeted supports — such as career training, credential evaluation, and flexible hiring practices — to reduce “brain waste,” meaning situations where highly trained newcomers work in entry‑level jobs because credentials or language barriers prevent higher‑skilled employment.

Speakers recommended state efforts to align training, credentialing and language services with employer needs and to preserve pathways that allow newcomers to use their existing skills. The presenters did not propose specific state legislation at the hearing; they framed most recommendations as programmatic or administrative actions that would support integration and economic growth.","Presenters told the House Judiciary Committee on Feb. 19 that roughly 55,000 foreign‑born Alaskans contribute substantially to Alaska’s workforce, entrepreneurship and consumer spending, and recommended policies to improve integration and credentialing.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Surge of Ukrainian arrivals reshaped Alaska resettlement; agencies urge credentialing, language and training supports

Nonprofit attorneys tell Judiciary Committee immigration status affects reporting of crimes; U and T visas, VAWA cited as relief paths

Foreign-born Alaskans bring workforce and consumer power, presenters tell House Judiciary Committee