Villaraigosa, Ammiano, and key leaders celebrate California TRUST Act, Urge other states and feds to follow CA’s lead

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    Signing of TRUST expected to propel national immigration debate in new direction     When: Monday, Oct. 7, 10:30 AM  Pacific / 1:30 PM  Eastern Who: Confirmed speakers include –  Assemblymember Tom Ammiano, D – San Francisco Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa Jose Antonio Vargas, Pulitzer Prize-winning undocumented journalist and founder of Define American Rabbi Ken Chasen, Leo…

TRUST Act Signed into Law in California

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October 5, 2013. – Los Angeles, CA

In response to Governor Jerry Brown signing the California TRUST Act (AB4) into law, NDLON Executive Director Pablo Alvarado released the following statement:

“The tide is turning.  California’s historic legislation marks a shift of the pendulum away from the criminalization of immigrants and against the idea that police should have any role in immigration enforcement. The more the public learns about the failed  Se Communities deportation program,  the more clear it becomes that it should be ended. The President should take a cue from the state of California and other locales that have rejected his deportation quota program and reverse course on his Administration’s policies of Arizonification.

New Detainer Statistics Show that Actual ICE Practice is Opposite of Administration’s Stated Priorities

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Oct 01, 2013 – Los Angeles, CA
In response to new statistics released by TRAC today that, despite several directives from former ICE director John Morton,  fewer than one in nine (10.8 percent) of the ICE detainers met the agency’s stated goal of targeting individuals who pose a serious threat to public safety or national security, Pablo Alvarado, Executive Director of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network issued the following statement.
 
“The Obama Administration’s approach to immigration has spelled disaster for immigrant communities. No matter what talking points the President repeats, the data shows complete disregard for priorities, an expansion of the deportation dragnet, and more innocent people being ripped from their families.

CIVIL RIGHTS LEADERS CALL ON CONGRESS AND THE ADMINISTRATION TO ADVANCE IMMIGRATION REFORM AND POVERTY ISSUES

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MALDEF

 

 

 

Immigration reform can and should aim to reduce poverty and boost nation’s economic strength.

LOS ANGELES – Civil and immigrant rights leaders from the Latino and African-American communities today urged Congress and the Administration to remain focused on the passage of immigration reform and anti-poverty measures. They emphasized that while Congress continues to focus on important foreign policy and its work to avert a government shutdown, lawmakers must not use that as an excuse to push comprehensive immigration reform and anti-poverty measures off the agenda.

Despite other issues on the Congressional agenda, today’s press conference attendees stressed that Congress must understand that an overhaul in immigration policy is critical for our national and economic security. Currently, it is estimated that 11 million undocumented immigrants live in the United States. 
 

NDLON Responds to News of Gang of 7 Bill’s Demise

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Options Still Remain, 
Despite Beltway Proclamations to Contrary
 
 
September 20, 2013 – Los Angeles, CA
In response to the Greg Sargent piece quoting Congressman Luis Gutierrez as stating that the House Gang of 7 bill will not be put forward, Pablo Alvarado, executive director of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON), issued the following statement:
 
“At this crucial moment,  President Obama’s leadership is needed.  He can – and must – take action to alleviate immigrants’ suffering and propel much needed legislation forward.
 
“Despite the President’s statements to the contrary, options do remain that can help immigrants, break the logjam in Congress,  and offer leverage for a positive bill.  Answering the wide call to suspend deportations and expand deferred action is an obvious trump card the President has in his hands to qualitatively change the nature of the debate.  

President Obama is Wrong. He Has the Authority and Responsibility to Stop Deportations

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Administration Policy of Criminalizing Immigrants Poses Largest Barrier to Reform
 
09.17.2013 – Los Angeles, CA.  In response to the President’s comments in an interview with Telemundo where he says that he cannot further expand deferred action to suspend deportations, Pablo Alvarado, executive director of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network issued the following statement:
 
“The President’s statement is factually inaccurate. He has the power to reduce deportations, the legal authority to expand deferred action, and the political obligation to lead the national debate through bold action. In fact, courageous leadership will only galvanize momentum for reform and focus Congress’s attention on their constitutional duty to modernize immigration law.

CA TRUST Act Heads to Gov. Brown’s Desk

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Sacramento – Today, by an initial vote of 48 to 22, the California State Assembly  approved amendments to TRUST Act (AB 4 – Ammiano) which reflect the great majority of a framework proposed by the Governor’s office. Today’s “concurrence” vote follows yesterday’s successful Senate vote of 25-11. The bill now heads to the desk of Governor Jerry Brown, and a broad coalition of supporters is confident that the Governor will sign the significantly revised proposal into law.

The bill would ease the painful impact of the “Se” Communities or S-Comm deportation program, which turns even low level or unjustified arrests into extended detentions for deportation purposes in local jails. S-Comm has split families apart, undermined community confidence in law enforcement, and led to the deportation of nearly 100,000 Californians, most with minor convictions or none at all.

Los Angeles City Council Calls for Statewide TRUST Act

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September 04, 2013, Los Angeles, CA

Today the Los Angeles City Council passed a resolution introduced by Councilmember Gil Cedillo endorsing the statewide TRUST Act (AB4) and calling upon Governor Jerry Brown to sign it into law as written.
 
The Council joins a growing chorus of support for the compromise bill including 28 Congressional reps, 300 faith leaders, and prominent law enforcement leaders.

President Should Expand One Bright Spot of Napolitano’s Tenure

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In response to Janet Napolitano’s departure from the Department of Homeland Security, Pablo Alvarado, executive director of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network issued the following statement:   “Security Janet Napolitano oversaw the Arizonification of the country during her tenure at DHS.   Under her watch, DHS operated with a self-imposed deportation quota, a fact…

Maria Marroquin awarded Bay Area Local Hero for KQED Latino Heritage Month

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For Immediate Release

August 26, 2013

Mountain View, CA—The Executive Director of the Day Worker Center of Mountain View, Maria Marroquin, was selected to be a Bay Area Local Hero for 2013 KQED Latino Heritage Month.  Maria was selected from dozens of highly qualified candidates and will be awarded the honor on Tuesday, September 10th, at the Yerba Buena Center of the Arts in San Francisco.