Standing With Our Partners in Howard County On Thursday, October 29, advocates gathered outside the Howard County government building in Ellicott City. State Senator Clarence Lam and Delegate Gabriel Moreno spoke about a bill that would let Howard County tax leased facilities with secure confinement capabilities. The bill comes as…

Continue Reading

Standby Guardianship: A Safety Net for Your Family A plan for your children if something happens to you If you are a parent who is not a U.S. citizen, you may worry about what would happen to your children if you were suddenly detained or unable to care for them.

Continue Reading

Immigrants Strengthen Maryland's Economy What the Governor's office says, and where to find help Immigrants are our neighbors, our nurses, our child care providers and our small business owners. A fact sheet from the Maryland Governor’s office, Mass Deportation Hurts Maryland’s Economy, puts numbers on what many of us…

Continue Reading

Author: Luminus Intern Chloe Hong Growing up, Gwangbokjeol was a day I heard about but never fully appreciated. Over the years, however, I’ve come to realize the extent of its importance. It is much more than just a date on the calendar. Gwangbokjeol, or Korea’s National Liberation Day, is celebrated…

Continue Reading

Howard County Press Release…

Continue Reading

Welcome, Seema Agarwal-Harding Our new Executive Director The Luminus Board of Directors is pleased to welcome Dr. Seema Agarwal-Harding as our Executive Director. Seema joined Luminus as Interim Executive Director in January 2026, and the Board named her to the permanent role in June. Seema brings more than 30 years…

Continue Reading

Welcoming Seema Agarwal-Harding as Executive Director! The Luminus Board of Directors is pleased to welcome Seema Agarwal-Harding as Executive Director. Seema’s leadership reflects Luminus’ commitment to serving our clients, supporting our community, and advancing the organization’s mission with purpose and care.   Congratulations, Seema! Luminus Board of Directors…

Continue Reading

New USCIS Policy on Green Card Applications In late May 2026, USCIS issued a new policy memorandum to its officers on factors to evaluate in accepting green card applications filed in the United States. With a preference for consulate processing outside of…

Continue Reading

Good evening, Council members. My name is Seema Agarwal-Harding, and I’m honored to testify tonight on behalf of the Luminus Network regarding our organization’s seat on the Howard County AAPI Commission. I bring 20+ years of international development experience—work with UNICEF, USAID, the World Bank, and the Asian Development Bank,…

Continue Reading

Thank you for the opportunity to testify in favor of HB923, the UNITE Act. The General Assembly has previously seen it fit to grant the equity courts of this state jurisdiction over motions for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS). SIJS is an important immigration protection that applies to…

Continue Reading