Monday 6/18 update – How to help the kids.

There’s a lot you can do to help support the children and their families. We’re keeping a listing here that we’ll update daily up here at the top.

Monday update 6/18 – added: (1) legislative call and a matching petition, (1) call to a US attorney to find his bravery and a communication storm to two companies who are planning to make money on this misery..

First, recharge your fighing spirit here. Then read Bill Moyer’s beat “A 15-point Guide to Surviving Authoritarianism” here. Memorize the last line…“EVERY authoritarian, totalitarian and fascist regime in history eventually failed, thanks to the PEOPLE.”

Keep calling your elected representatives!

Keep up the pressure on their office staff, who will remind their bosses to get this done. The Resistance is not fighting alone. More of our society is finally rising up and joining in. (Southern Baptist Convention, Evangelical Immigration Table, Anti-Defamation League, CATO)
Latest calls and tiniest scripts (30 seconds or less) here.

#1 – Monday 6/18 – ‘NO’ on un-American/anti-family/anti-business immigration bill H.R. 4760 / Call/ Petition by June 22nd (Friday)

Goodlatte’s bill H.R.4760 – “Securing America’s Future Act of 2018” is the un-American mash-up of white supremacists’ dreams. It hurts farmworkers, will deport more Dreamers, and keeps children in detention longer. It also funds a border wall, reduces legal immigration by 40%, eliminates diversity visas, and includes language that no state (Hey, we’re looking at you, CA!) or local government entity can limit a state, or local government official from assisting ICE. Even the right wing hates this bill as it is estimated to cost our economy $319 BILLION! Continue reading “Monday 6/18 update – How to help the kids.” →

Mon – 6/11: “Mr. President…there’s someone from the UN human rights office out in the hall…”

(Update: We are repeating this action from Friday to add in Senator Feinstein’s new bill. If you’re in her district, thank her. If you’re not, please call your senator to support it. If you haven’t made the calls listed below yet, please do so today. These are literally the most effective daily acts of resistance you can make.)

Update: Join us on June 14th, between 4 pm and 6 pm at the corner of the County Government Center for a Families Belong Together rally. More information here.

On this day, thousands of people across the US will join marches, rallies, and vigils to protest the administration’s cruel and inhumane treatment of immigrants and asylum seekers. If you’re not in Ventura, go here for the nearest rally or march. There’s one in Carpinteria, and one in LA.

We do not have a good history of dealing with immigrants’ children. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) reported that earlier waves of unaccompanied minors were subjected to “a pattern of intimidation, harassment, physical abuse, refusal of medical services, and improper deportation” by the US Customs and Border Patrol between 2009 and 2014 . However, since there wasn’t a lot of photographic evidence at the time, the public hadn’t understood exactly what was being done in our name.

We can’t pretend not to see what’s happening anymore. The Trump administration has supersized our problem right onto the front page by tearing kids from their sobbing mothers on film. Senator Merkley then poked the wasp nest by making a highly publicized field trip to a Southwest Key Program shelter in Brownsville, TX. Originally for unaccompanied minors, the shelter now houses kids separated from their parents who were seeking asylum at our border. (wapo) (newsweek) (slate) We believe this video has gone viral because, even without seeing the actual interior conditions, aspects of his visit made us uneasy.

Continue reading “Mon – 6/11: “Mr. President…there’s someone from the UN human rights office out in the hall…”” →

Fri – 6/8: “Mr. President…there’s someone from the UN human rights office out in the hall…”

Continue reading “Fri – 6/8: “Mr. President…there’s someone from the UN human rights office out in the hall…”” →

Fri 6/1: Don’t let this guy sneak in!

“NO” on Trump’s racist nominee to “oversee” (aka “destroy from within”) the Bureau charged with protecting refugees and immigrants.

President Trump announced he has selected Ronald Mortensen, an anti-immigration advocate to be the Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM). Mortensen works for the notorious white-nationalist organization, Center for Immigration Studies, and would be the fourth individual from this anti-immigrant hate group to join the Trump administration. Mortensen’s record directly undermines the bureau’s mission to protect refugees and victims of conflict. Mortensen should not be confirmed by the Senate.

Sample Script: I’m calling from [zip code] to urge Senator [___] to vote NO on Ronald Mortensen as Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees, and Migration.

More script if you want it: Mortensen’s xenophobic rhetoric and long history of antagonism to the rights of refugees and immigrants undermines the bureau’s core mission to protect refugees and victims of conflict.

Continue reading “Fri 6/1: Don’t let this guy sneak in!” →

Thurs – 5/3: Immigration – Part 1 – Actions

#1 – Call out our legislators for the Dreamer Delay and pass the DREAM Act!

We’ve been resting on our laurels. With the false security of a federal court’s ruling giving DACA recipients a 90 day lifeline, we’ve turned our attention to jokes at a WH Correspondent’s Assoc. dinner, and Trump’s former and very expensive sex life.

Meanwhile, six states, Texas, Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Nebraska, South Carolina and West Virginia, have filed a federal lawsuit to end DACA, arguing that the executive branch cannot “unilaterally grant unlawfully present aliens lawful presence and work authorization.”

Therefore, millions of hardworking, taxpaying DREAMers, are living in a legal nightmare. Last month, a 240-member bipartisan majority of the House asked Speaker Ryan to schedule a debate on pending bills to protect DREAMers. The “240” number is important, as it allows them to use an obscure rule called “Queen of the hill” to hold votes on four different options, most votes wins.

H.R.3440 – Dream Act (a path to citizenship for DACA recipients and other DREAMers, with no enforcement trade-offs)
H.R.4796 – USA Act, sponsored by Hurd and Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-CA) (quicker legalization for DREAMers with limits on sponsorship of parents once they become citizens, with some border provisions but no money for a wall)
The Goodlatte bill (temporary status for DACA recipients plus stepped-up enforcement and legal immigration restrictions)
A fourth bill, probably some manifestation of Trump’s stated goals to end family re-unification and includes funding for a border wall.

Continue reading “Thurs – 5/3: Immigration – Part 1 – Actions” →

Mon. 4/9 – Tonight, come help DACA kids with their renewal application forms!

“The image of America deporting fellow Americans is not something this country or the Republican Party want to see unfolding every night on the national and local news.”
– Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.), a top champion of Dreamer relief

Action: Come to help tonight! Show up at 5:00 for the instruction lecture at One Step A La Vez at 421 Sespe Ave, Fillmore and stay from 5:30 – 7:30 to assist DACA recipients. Continue reading “Mon. 4/9 – Tonight, come help DACA kids with their renewal application forms!” →

Postcard Party for California District 1 on April 4th!

We will be joining a statewide effort to get out the vote in California District 1!

When: Wednesday, April 4th at 11:00AM – 2:00 PM
Where: Santino’s Pizza Parlor – 4321 Telegraph Rd, Ventura
Fun! Pizza will be provided! (A little cheese grease goes a long way toward making our postcards have that special “homey” touch!)

CD1 is LaMalfa’s district which is spread out, red, and rural. The CD1 Democratic Alliance have asked us to write postcards to their rural democratic voters, encouraging them to turn out to vote. We are not endorsing a candidate, just advocating power to the polls.

Our appeal will be directly to the voters in CA-1 – NOT mass political mailings, because all of our cards will be handwritten. Each will be a message from one voter to another. We are simply asking Americans to do that most American thing — VOTE!

Here are some tidbits from LaMalfa’s reelection site to inspire us:

“I am proud to have earned an A rating and the endorsements of the NRA and Gun Owners of America.”

“The current (immigration) policy Continue reading “Postcard Party for California District 1 on April 4th!” →

Please help turn green card holders into citizens and voters. Share this!

Get that N-400 form finished!

In America, green card holders of at least 5 years can apply for citizenship. Green card holders married to U.S. citizens can apply after 3 years.

On Saturday, volunteers and immigration lawyers will assist eligible applicants fill out the N-400 form at this free Citizenship Fair and answer questions. Applicants do not need to be from Ventura County! Just bring the items listed on the flyer to make the process faster.

N-400 Fee Waivers

El Concilio will be there to help applicants apply for need-based waivers to the N400 application fees. There are three categories:

Those who receive means-tested benefits such as Medi-Cal, SSI, Calfresh or similar (Bring cards)
Those who can demonstrate low-income (Bring tax statements)
Those who can demonstate financial hardship (Bring W2’s)

Contact El Concilio at (805) 486-9777 or at admin@elconciliofs.org to confirm the paperwork required to determine eligibility for a waiver.

Tues. 2/20 – DACA & immigration – fast actions and information update

Action #1: Call your Rep. and Senators to give them support to do the right thing. Contact information at the bottom of this post.

Sample Script: I am calling from [zip code] to ask Rep. [___] and Senator [___] to continue opposing any DACA bill that includes Trump’s racist “four pillars” immigration plan. Oh, and please don’t confirm Acting ICE Director Thomas Homan.

Action #2: Be part of the resistance network. Print out these flyers in English and Spanish for this DACA renewal clinic and post them in public spaces, and/or send them digitally to friends and organizations who can get them to those in need. Spanish, English Continue reading “Tues. 2/20 – DACA & immigration – fast actions and information update” →

Thursday 2/15 – Direct from the national Indivisible Team

Dear Indivisibles,

Monday night, the Senate voted 97-1 for cloture on Motion to Proceed (that’s Hill speak for beginning the process to vote on legislation) on an immigration bill. And this morning, they voted on the Motion to Proceed, so we’re headed into debate about what will go into the final bill.

The full bill and amendments haven’t been released, but the one-page framework released by Republicans yesterday shows us that Republicans aren’t serious about finding a solution for DACA recipients or a bipartisan compromise. The Republican proposal is a racist bill written by white supremacists to use Dreamers as bargaining chips to advance a draconian anti-immigrant agenda.

Here’s what you should know about the Republican proposal: Continue reading “Thursday 2/15 – Direct from the national Indivisible Team” →