Today – Wednesday! Learn how to help create new Americans (& new voters!)…

I’ve been to a lot of lectures in my life, but this one, given by our local immigration lawyer, Vanessa Frank, on how someone becomes a citizen of our country, was absolutely fascinating. You cannot come out of it without a new sense of respect for all those people you see at citizenship swearing-in ceremonies.

Learning how to help immigrants fill out the N400 Citizenship Application form is, in itself, a civics lesson, a history lesson and a profound insight into the human journey that ends with the privilege of calling oneself an “American”. Continue reading “Today – Wednesday! Learn how to help create new Americans (& new voters!)…” →

Your Weekly Dose of Sanity-Saving Good News! – The “Holding Hands” Edition

As soon as I read this story…I knew that I wasn’t alone in thinking how inspirational this was. Alison & Stephanie connected it to this amazing essay from Rebecca Solnit comparing the conservative ideology of isolation to the reality of our communion with each other and the world:
“The modern right may wish that every man were an island, entire of himself, but no one is wholly independent. You can’t survive without taking air into your lungs, you didn’t give birth to or raise yourself, you won’t bury yourself, and in between you won’t produce most of the goods and services you depend on to live. Your gut is full of microorganisms, without which you could not digest all the plants and animals, likely grown by other people, on which you rely to survive. We are nodes on intricate systems, synapses snapping on a great collective brain; we are in it together, for better or worse.”

So in honor of these awesome people who held hands to help strangers, let’s start with news from states where aid and respect was extended to others… Continue reading “Your Weekly Dose of Sanity-Saving Good News! – The “Holding Hands” Edition” →

Your Weekly Dose of Sanity-Saving Good News! – The Real 4th of July Edition

This kind of makes me cry. This is what makes all of our resistance efforts worthwhile. This is what makes it imperative that we continue. These kids know what is right. We owe it to them to keep fighting the cancer of hatred and fear that is spreading through our society. We owe it to them to keep fighting the dark-money forces that are entrenched in every branch of government. Let this be a real 4th of July, where we celebrate the true gifts that America promises. Then, go out and protest, because that’s how we keep them.

We still have a long way to go…

Continue reading →

The sanctuary city attack that we’ve all been dreading is coming up for a vote in the House THIS Thursday. Call ASAP!

HR 3003 attacks sanctuary cities, which would be forced to comply with ICE detainment requests to keep immigrants in jail so that they can be deported. If localities don’t comply, they would be denied much-needed Homeland Security and Justice Department grants. HR 3003 also expands mandatory detention policies and the government’s ability to indefinitely detain immigrants.

Script: I’m calling to ask (___) to oppose the “No Sanctuary for Criminals Act.” This anti-immigrant bill is a blatant attack on the ability of localities to determine how best to keep their communities safe.

Call Rep. Julia Brownley (CA-26): DC (202) 225-5811, Oxnard (805) 379-1779, T.O. (805) 379-1779

OR Rep. Salud Carbajal (CA-24): DC (202) 225-3601, SB (805) 730-1710 SLO (805) 546-8348

More Info (never thought we’d link the Cato Institute): Continue reading “The sanctuary city attack that we’ve all been dreading is coming up for a vote in the House THIS Thursday. Call ASAP!” →

The House is expected to bring the anti-immigrant Kate’s Law to a vote this week!

“No” on Anti-Immigrant Kate’s Law (HR 361, S 45, HR 3004)

These bills revive a bill introduced by Ted Cruz in 2015 which would establish mandatory minimum sentences for immigrants who try to re-enter the United States after being deported. It removes protections for people who reenter the U.S. for humanitarian reasons or who seek protection at the border and limits the ability of immigrants to challenge their removal on legal grounds. Prosecutions for illegal reentry are extremely costly, will fill up our jails with refugees from violence, and have not been shown to deter unauthorized immigration. After extensive research, even the conservative Cato Institute opposes this legislation.

Script: I’m calling to ask Rep.(Brown or Carbajal) to vote NO on HR 361 & 3004, Kate’s Law. This law prevents those trying to reenter for humanitarian reasons or for protection from violence. Filling up our jails with these people will be expensive, counter-productive and cruel.

Script: I’m calling to ask Senator (Feinstein and Harris) to vote NO on S 45, Kate’s Law. This law prevents those trying to reenter for humanitarian reasons or for protection from violence. Filling up our jails with these people will be expensive, counter-productive and cruel.

Call all three Members of Congress

Rep. Julia Brownley (CA-26): DC (202) 225-5811, Oxnard (805) 379-1779, T.O. (805) 379-1779

OR Rep. Salud Carbajal (CA-24): DC (202) 225-3601, SB (805) 730-1710 SLO (805) 546-8348

Senator Feinstein: DC (202) 224-3841, LA (310) 914-7300, SF (415) 393-0707, SD (619) 231-9712, Fresno (559) 485-7430

AND Senator Harris: DC (202) 224-3553, LA (213) 894-5000, SAC (916) 448-2787, Fresno (559) 497-5109, SF (415) 355-9041, SD (619) 239-3884

More Info: Continue reading “The House is expected to bring the anti-immigrant Kate’s Law to a vote this week!” →

Keep California out of the Deportation Business – Rage Against the Deportation Machine

The California Values Act (SB 54) aims to stop the use of state and local law enforcement resources for mass deportations. Now more than ever, we need our state to take bold actions to protect all in our community against the deportation machine. The California Values Act will uphold our core principles of equal treatment, community, and compassion.

Script: I’m calling to ask our Governor actively support the California Values Act (SB 54). We need to protect our neighbors and our communities from the Trump administration’s heartless deportation program.

Call Gov. Brown: 916-445-2841 Email: https://govapps.gov.ca.gov/gov39mail/

More Info: Continue reading “Keep California out of the Deportation Business – Rage Against the Deportation Machine” →

Stop Trump’s Nightmare of Mass Deportations!

“Rocket Fuel” for Trump’s Mass Deportation Agenda: (HR 2431 (Davis-Oliver Act) / HR 2406 Immigration & Customs Enforcement Authorization Act 2017)

HR 2431 and HR 2406 uses two tragedies as an excuse for the GOP to create a “mass deportation force”, drastically increasing the power of federal and local immigration enforcement to restrict immigration and increase deportation. These bills will enable the revoking of visas, the expansion of ICE, increased deportation of undocumented people, punishment of sanctuary cities and the arming of deportation officers with M-4 rifles. (Yes, the same officers they don’t have time to thoroughly vet for corruption and criminal backgrounds…).
Says the Cato Institute: “(H.R. 2431) purports to empower states and localities to take action against serious criminals who have violated immigration law. In reality, the bill is a vehicle for a massive expansion of the federal government and of federal power over states and their citizens.”
Don’t let this slip by. It’s a bad one.

Script: I’m calling to urge you to vote NO on HR 2431 and HR 2406, which would expand Trump’s mass deportation agenda. Targeting our immigrants harms our communities and degrades us all.

(Call your District Representative)
Rep. Julia Brownley (CA-26): DC (202) 225-5811, Oxnard (805) 379-1779, T.O. (805) 379-1779

Rep. Salud Carbajal (CA-24): DC (202) 225-3601, SB (805) 730-1710 SLO (805) 546-8348

More Info:

Continue reading “Stop Trump’s Nightmare of Mass Deportations!” →

Action This Morning to Support Our Farmworkers!

URGENT: Show up this morning (Tuesday) to support farmworkers!

Over the past year, local farmworker advocates have been in constructive dialogue with agriculture industry leaders to find common ground around how to improve working conditions for farmworkers.

CAUSE and MICOP and key industry leaders reached an agreement to support a $200k Ventura County Farmworker Resource Program, which would help farmworkers learn about their legal protections, resolve issues with their employers, and navigate public agencies.

Ventura County Supervisors Steve Bennett and John Zaragoza are now proposing this program to be included in next year’s budget, and have placed it on the Board of Supervisors agenda tomorrow morning. Continue reading “Action This Morning to Support Our Farmworkers!” →

Border Patrol: No Hiring Short-cuts! They Increase Corruption and Abuse.

Oppose HR 2213. Only qualified people should serve as border agents

The White House wants to ramp up hiring of border patrol guards to support its immigration policies, and it appears that they are having trouble finding qualified applicants fast enough. Their solution is to eliminate some of the vetting requirements, such as a polygraph test, that weed out the criminal and unqualified. Tell Rep. (Carbajal/Brownley) to vote NO on HR 2213

Script: I’m calling today to express my opposition to HR 2213. We need to ensure that only qualified men and women are hired to serve as border patrol agents. The polygraph test has weeded out criminals in the past, do not do away with it.

(Depending on your district, call your rep.)
Rep. Julia Brownley (CA-26): DC (202) 225-5811, Oxnard (805) 379-1779, T.O. (805) 379-1779

Rep. Salud Carbajal (CA-24): DC (202) 225-3601, SB (805) 730-1710 SLO (805) 546-8348

More Info:

Continue reading “Border Patrol: No Hiring Short-cuts! They Increase Corruption and Abuse.” →