MIRA Coalition Announces Next Executive Director

In full transparency, the following is a press release.

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BOSTON – The Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition’s Board of Directors is proud to announce today that Elizabeth Sweet will become its new Executive Director effective January 24, 2022.

MIRA is the largest coalition in New England advocating for the rights and inclusion of immigrants and refugees.

Sweet brings to MIRA an 18-year record of advocating for immigrants and refugees.

For the past six years, she served in senior leadership roles at HIAS, most recently as its Chief Operating Officer.

Founded as the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, HIAS is the longest-serving refugee protection organization in the world. During her time at HIAS, Sweet led the organization’s strategic litigation challenging restrictions on the U.S. refugee admissions program, and also oversaw programs, strategy, and operations.  

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A graduate of Northeastern University School of Law, Sweet set out defending immigrants and asylum seekers in immigration detention during their deportation hearings. She later became the first full-time Director of the American Bar Association Immigration Justice Project in San Diego and then the Associate Director of the American Bar Commission on Immigration in Washington, DC. For the past six years, she also served as the Chair of the Board of Detention Watch Network, a national coalition building power through collective advocacy, grassroots organizing, and strategic communications to abolish immigration detention in the United States. 

“Elizabeth comes to us with an outstanding history of advocacy and work on behalf of immigrants throughout the country,” said John Willshire-Carrera, MIRA Board Chair and Co-Managing Director of the Harvard Immigration and Refugee Clinic at Greater Boston Legal Services. “Her work includes representation of immigrants at the border and detained immigrant children in Arizona; advocating on behalf of the American Bar Association for alternatives to detention and the right to counsel for mentally ill immigrants facing removal proceedings; litigating in federal court on issues involving the rights of immigrants; and directing programs for a major international refugee resettlement program.”

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“I am looking forward to working with MIRA’s talented staff and diverse member organizations to advance the rights of all immigrants and refugees in Massachusetts,” said Sweet. “The work done by MIRA and its member organizations is invaluable to immigrant and refugee communities across New England and it is my privilege to join the coalition.”

“As an immigrant advocate, I am confident that our new Executive Director will be a great asset in advancing the immigrant agenda not only in Massachusetts but also at the federal level,” said Claudia Paez, MIRA Board Officer and Chair of the Governance Committee. “Elizabeth knows immigrants and refugees from many angles as a practitioner, advocate, and attorney. She will bring those experiences to MIRA, strengthening it as a Coalition and as a trusted resource for immigrant communities and defenders of human rights.”

“We are excited to welcome Elizabeth to MIRA as Executive Director,” said Richard Champagne, MIRA Board member and former president of the Haitian Lawyers Association. “Her eighteen years of unparalleled experience in policy, advocacy, and legal work on behalf of immigrants, coupled with her strong background in management will benefit MIRA greatly.”

“As a MIRA board member, I am thrilled to welcome Elizabeth Sweet to MIRA and Massachusetts,” said Jerry Rubin, President, and CEO of Jewish Vocational Services. “JVS has worked for decades with HIAS, where Liz was Chief Operating Officer, and we’ve experienced the depth of knowledge, leadership, and impact of HIAS. Liz brings a wealth of on-the-ground and organizational experience to her decades of work on behalf of refugees and immigrants and we are very lucky to have her join us at MIRA and our community.”

Sweet will succeed Eva Millona, who joined the Biden administration as Assistant Secretary for Partnership and Engagement at the Department of Homeland Security in May 2021 after 22 years with MIRA.

“MIRA has been incredibly fortunate to have had Eva Millona’s leadership over the past 12 years,” said Willshire-Carrera. “Thanks to her dedication and guidance, MIRA is in an extremely strong position to address the challenges facing our communities now and in the future. We look forward to welcoming Elizabeth Sweet to MIRA in 2022.

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