SAN DIEGO, CA — The California Legislature’s Budget Conference Committee announced a deal for California’s 2020 budget to offer healthcare for young undocumented adults — the first state in the country to do so — while excluding vulnerable undocumented seniors.

The deal is expected to be voted by the state Senate and Assembly, and then be sent to Gov. Gavin Newsom next week for his signature.

The deal extends healthcare for undocumented immigrants between the ages of 19 and 25. The deal, however, falls short in including health coverage to undocumented seniors over the age of 65 who need health care the most.

Lillian Serrano, chair of The San Diego Immigrant Rights Consortium, has issued the following statement:

“This is a bittersweet moment for us. While our state has made history by extending healthcare coverage to young undocumented adults, it has missed an opportunity to include older Californians, including undocumented senior citizens, who may need the care the most. California could’ve led the way and set an example for other states to offer health care for all.

The deal affects hundreds of thousands of people like myself who have close family members who will not have access to life-saving care due to their immigration status. I recently had a family member die from a treatable illness because of this lack of access, and I pray that my family does not experience another brutal, heartbreaking, and otherwise-preventable loss of life because of the inability to access needed care.”

About the San Diego Immigrant Rights Consortium

The San Diego Immigrant Rights Consortium is a project of Alliance San Diego. Since 2007, community, faith, labor, and legal organizations have come together as the San Diego Immigrant Rights Consortium (SDIRC). Through SDIRC, these organizations are pursuing four common goals: support comprehensive immigration reform; stop the spread of local policies and practices that target and violate the civil and human rights of immigrants; educate immigrants, and educate the public about the important contributions of immigrants. More at: www.immigrantsandiego.org.

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SAN DIEGO, CA —  In a 5-4 vote today, the Supreme Court ruled to temporarily strike the Trump Administration’s addition of a question regarding citizenship from the 2020 Census, citing the official explanation “seems to have been contrived.” 

The ruling came in response to a lawsuit brought forth by 18 states, several cities and several immigrant rights groups, who stated that the question on citizenship would make communities afraid to be counted, thus depriving states of Congressional seats and much-needed resources.

The Supreme Court stated that while the government has the right to add a citizenship question, it must properly justify it, which may prove to be difficult for the Trump Administration to do before forms must be printed in the next few weeks.

Lillian Serrano, chair of the San Diego Immigrant Rights Consortium, issued the following statement:

“The Supreme Court’s decision to strike the citizenship question is critical for immigrant communities in our region. The citizenship question was clearly designed to intimidate and stoke fear in our communities, which would prevent our communities from being fairly counted, and deny us access to resources we need. Now that the question has been removed, we can focus on what really matters: making sure all people in our communities are fairly counted.”

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SAN DIEGO, CA — Today, the Trump administration announced its new “public charge” rule that would block legal pathways to lawful permanent residency to immigrant families using certain safety net programs in an effort to limit legal immigration.

Federal law already requires those seeking green cards and legal status to prove they will not be a burden to the U.S., or what’s called a “public charge.” The new rules, made public Monday, detail a broader range of programs that could disqualify them. This includes housing vouchers, Medicaid, food stamps or other forms of public assistance, making struggling families choose between making ends meet at a critical time in their lives and their legal status.

The “public charge” rules are expected to go into effect October 15th, pending litigation from groups like the National Immigration Law Center (NILC), which are taking legal action to stop it from going into effect.

With this new rule, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will now review public assistance alongside household income, health, and education in order to determine  whether someone gets a green card, which is a step towards citizenship.

Lilian Serrano, chair of the San Diego Immigrant Rights Consortium, issued the following statement: 

“Trump is weaponizing our nation’s safety net programs to limit legal migration in yet another effort to scapegoat immigrants for political gain, and is beyond cruel.. We are already seeing families not take public benefits because of this rule, even though the rule has yet to go into effect. Instead of helping these struggling families find their footing during critical moments in the lives, the administration is trying to make their lives as difficult as possible. Our country’s safety nets are there so that children have enough food to eat and their parents have access to health care so their families can thrive. We are glad to see that many of our partner organizations are stepping up and suing the administration for this, and we hope that these efforts will stop the rule from going into effect in October. In the meantime, we will continue to work with immigrant families to ensure that they are empowered with the most up-to-date information.”

About the San Diego Immigrant Rights Consortium

The San Diego Immigrant Rights Consortium is a project of Alliance San Diego. Since 2007, community, faith, labor, and legal organizations have come together as the San Diego Immigrant Rights Consortium (SDIRC). Through SDIRC, these organizations are pursuing four common goals: support comprehensive immigration reform; stop the spread of local policies and practices that target and violate the civil and human rights of immigrants; educate immigrants, and educate the public about the important contributions of immigrants. More at: www.immigrantsandiego.org.

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SAN DIEGO, CA — Today, President Trump plans to visit the deadly border wall in Otay Mesa while in San Diego as part of a Southern California tour designed to raise money for his reelection campaign based on his hateful and racist anti-immigrant policies.

Trump’s visit comes as several of his border wall projects in Arizona are stalled due to insufficient funds, despite the fact that he has raided military and disaster readiness budgets, and pilfered funds from social initiatives such as pre-school programs. 

The last time the President visited San Diego was in April of 2019, where he was met with demonstrations by community activists who oppose his hateful anti-immigrant policies and violent war against immigrants. 

This time, Congress is only weeks away from what may be another government shutdown due to the current administration’s refusal to back down on its exorbitant funding for Department of Homeland Security and other enforcement-only immigration policies. Border Communities and partner organizations are out in full force against Trump’s cash grabs for his war against immigrant families, and are urging Congress once again to defund ICE and CBP.

Lillian Serrano, Chair of the San Diego Immigrant Rights Consortium, and member of Alianza Comunitaria, issued the following statement: 

“The San Diego border region has always been one of hope, opportunity and welcoming, and, as home to the largest port of entry in the world, we’ve enjoyed the many benefits of our binational way of life. To have the President of the United States come to our border town to raise money so that he can further desecrate our way of life is an insult to our communities and to the asylum families in need that he has funneled into the private detention facility in Otay Mesa. To have him stand in front of the deadly border wall for yet another selfie is political opportunism at its worst. Instead of meeting with Border Patrol and the rest of his deportation force, as well as the political insiders who benefit from caging people, he should listen to the voices from the region who are calling for an end to his harmful policies that threaten our binational character.

We need policies that uphold public safety, protect human rights, and welcome all people to our region, and we need to stop funding Trump’s deportation force which only hurts our vibrant border communities.”

About San Diego Immigrant Rights Consortium

The San Diego Immigrant Rights Consortium is a project of Alliance San Diego. Since 2007, community, faith, labor, and legal organizations have come together as the San Diego Immigrant Rights Consortium (SDIRC). Through SDIRC, these organizations are pursuing four common goals: support comprehensive immigration reform; stop the spread of local policies and practices that target and violate the civil and human rights of immigrants; educate immigrants, and educate the public about the important contributions of immigrants. More at www.immigrantsandiego.org.

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SAN DIEGO — The Borderlands Get Free Fund, a fund to help bond out individuals from immigration detention, is celebrating its one year anniversary with a fundraiser tonight from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Sherman Heights Community Center.

The Borderlands Get Free Fund helps reunite families in our region who have been separated when their loved ones are detained by Border Patrol or Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE). In its first year, the bond fund was able to free 33 people from immigration detention, including asylum seekers from Central America, trans and other LGBT immigrants fleeing persecution, as well as mothers and fathers taken from their children. The immigration bonds ranged from $1,500 to $5,000 and went to families who otherwise would not be able to pay them.

The Borderlands Get Free Fund was launched in the fall of 2018 by the San Diego immigrant Rights Consortium, a project of Alliance San Diego. The bond helps individuals detained in San Diego or Imperial Counties, or if they are long-standing residents of Imperial County or San Diego County.

Lili Serrano, Chair of the San Diego Immigrant Rights Consortium, issued the following statement:

“We are very proud of the work that we have done in this first year to reunite folks with their loved ones, but there is so much more to be done. Our ability to continue the work of reuniting families in the face of Trump’s harsh deportation force depends on the help we receive from the community. We invite everyone to help us pay it forward by making a donation and upholding our values of compassion and solidarity, especially in these times.”

Click here for more information.

Borderlands Get Free Fund Annual Fundraiser

6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Sherman Heights Community Center

2258 Island Ave, San Diego, CA 92102

About San Diego Immigrant Rights Consortium

The San Diego Immigrant Rights Consortium is a project of Alliance San Diego. Since 2007, community, faith, labor, and legal organizations have come together as the San Diego Immigrant Rights Consortium (SDIRC). Through SDIRC, these organizations are pursuing four common goals: support comprehensive immigration reform; stop the spread of local policies and practices that target and violate the civil and human rights of immigrants; educate immigrants, and educate the public about the important contributions of immigrants. More at www.immigrantsandiego.org.

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San Diego, Ca — The San Diego Sheriff Department is expected to explain how it works with federal immigration officials at a community forum hosted by the San Diego County Board of Supervisors today at 10 AM. Under state law, any law enforcement agency that provides ICE access to an individual must hold a community forum as part of the TRUTH Act.

Community members have expressed deep concerns about how the Sheriff has consistently undermined the California Values Act (SB 54), a state law that limits cooperation between law enforcement agencies and immigration officials. The Sheriff department has used border patrol agents as interpreters, violated mandatory transfer reporting and not complied with other mandatory reporting, among other things, undermining community trust and making everybody less safe.

What: San Diego County TRUTH Act Forum
When: Tuesday, November 19 at 10am
Where: Campus Center Chamber, County Operations Center, 5520 Overland Avenue, San Diego, CA 92123

Lilian Serrano, Alianza Comunitaria representative and Chair of the San Diego Immigrant Rights Consortium, issued the following statement:

“The Sheriff department’s deliberate violations of SB 54 is undermining community trust in all law-enforcement agencies because all arrests are eventually processed by the Sheriff. As one of the largest and most important law enforcement agencies in the county, the Sheriff’s department should be a model on how to comply with state law SB 54 — and right now it’s far from setting the right standard . That’s why we are holding the San Diego County Sheriff accountable and calling for immediate departmental changes to bring the agency into full compliance with the law. Community trust depends on it.”

About the San Diego Immigrant Rights Consortium

The San Diego Immigrant Rights Consortium is a project of Alliance San Diego. Since 2007, community, faith, labor, and legal organizations have come together as the San Diego Immigrant Rights Consortium (SDIRC). Through SDIRC, these organizations are pursuing four common goals: support comprehensive immigration reform; stop the spread of local policies and practices that target and violate the civil and human rights of immigrants; educate immigrants, and educate the public about the important contributions of immigrants. More at: www.immigrantsandiego.org.

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On Monday, December 9th, The San Diego Immigrant Rights Consortium (SDIRC)handed out the 2019 SDIRC Awards.

The SDIRC Awards celebrate work that uplifts SDIRC’s mission to support immigrants and refugees in San Diego County.

Eight community members, organizations, and partners were recognized for their outstanding work in 2019 around immigrant rights, advocacy, media, and more.

Congratulations to the 2019 recipients of the SDIRC Awards, listed below!

Public Partner of the Year

San Diego County Health & Human Services Agency

Medical Care Services Division

Outstanding Coverage of Immigrant Issues

Max Rivlin-Nadler

Outside Community Partner of the Year

Bridge of Love Across the Border

Elected Official of the Year

Assemblymember Shirley Weber

Worker Justice Partner of the Year

APALA San Diego

Legal Partner of the Year

Jewish Family Services

Faith Partner of the Year

Christ Ministry Center

Community Partner of the Year

MAAC 

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SAN DIEGO, CA — Today, the Supreme Court gave Trump the green light to implement the so-called “public charge” rule, which would make it more difficult for immigrant families using certain safety net programs to gain permanent residency in the United States.

The Department of Homeland Security is yet to announce when it will begin implementing this cruel and immoral rule that seeks to limit legal immigration as part of the administration’s campaign to terrorize and expel immigrants.  

The Supreme Court’s decision allows the policy to be implemented for now, as existing lawsuits continue to challenge the legality of the rule. While the lawsuits make their way through the courts, families are encouraged to know their rights by visiting https://protectingimmigrantfamilies.org/

Lilian Serrano, chair of the San Diego Immigrant Rights Consortium and human rights organizer with Alianza Comunitaria, issued the following statement: 

“Our country’s safety nets are there so that children have enough food to eat and parents have access to health care so their families can thrive. Trump’s new ‘public charge’ rule is just a  wealth test for immigrants, and yet another way this administration has weaponized our nation’s safety net programs to limit legal migration. It serves no other purpose than to institutionalize Trump’s divisive and hateful rhetoric against immigrant families. While we are disappointed in the Supreme Court’s decision to allow the Trump Administration to move forward with this effort to harm immigrant families for political gain, we are grateful for our partners’ lawsuits that are looking to overturn the rule, and will continue to do our part to ensure immigrant families in San Diego and beyond are informed of their rights.”

About the San Diego Immigrant Rights Consortium

The San Diego Immigrant Rights Consortium is a project of Alliance San Diego. Since 2007, community, faith, labor, and legal organizations have come together as the San Diego Immigrant Rights Consortium (SDIRC). Through SDIRC, these organizations are pursuing four common goals: support comprehensive immigration reform; stop the spread of local policies and practices that target and violate the civil and human rights of immigrants; educate immigrants, and educate the public about the important contributions of immigrants. More at: www.immigrantsandiego.org.

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SAN DIEGO, CA — The Trump Administration continues its assault on immigrant communities with an expansion to the travel ban often referred to as the ‘Muslim Ban’. The Muslim Ban was first issued as an Executive Order in the first days of Trump’s presidency, in an attempt to instiutionalize Trump’s hateful and discriminatory rhetoric for cheap political gain. 

Coming mere days after the supreme court decision to allow Trump to move forward with his wealth-test known as ‘Public Charge’, the Muslim Ban expansion bans six countries — most of them Muslim-majority — including Nigeria, Eritriea and Myanmar. 

The ban is expected to go into effect on February 22.

Lilian Serrano, chair of the San Diego Immigrant Rights Consortium and human rights organizer with Alianza Comunitaria, issued the following statement: 

“Trump’s racist, xenophobic, hateful policies are a threatening to tear apart the diverse fabric of our nation. The first Muslim ban separated thousands of people from their families under the false pretext of security. By expanding the Muslim ban, it’s clear that Trump doesn’t care how many families suffer in his attempt to gain political points in an election year. 

San Diego is a diverse region that has a long history of welcoming immigrants and refugees. As San Diegans, we will continue to stand United in rejecting this expanded “travel” ban. Our values of hope, opportunity and welcoming will always be stronger than Trump’s hate.”

About the San Diego Immigrant Rights Consortium

The San Diego Immigrant Rights Consortium is a project of Alliance San Diego. Since 2007, community, faith, labor, and legal organizations have come together as the San Diego Immigrant Rights Consortium (SDIRC). Through SDIRC, these organizations are pursuing four common goals: support comprehensive immigration reform; stop the spread of local policies and practices that target and violate the civil and human rights of immigrants; educate immigrants, and educate the public about the important contributions of immigrants. More at: www.immigrantsandiego.org.

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SAN DIEGO, CA — Trump’s “Public Charge” rule, which limits the pathway to permanent resident status in the United States for certain immigrant families that use safety net programs, is set to begin on Monday, February 24. The San Diego Immigrant Rights Consortium (SDIRC) and other immigrant rights organizations are working to fight misinformation with accurate and up-to-date information about their rights amid the implementation of the Public Charge rule.

The truth about this ‘wealth test’ is that many immigrant families are exempt, however, its implementation still harms immigrant communities by sewing fear and uncertainty among our most vulnerable populations. Immigrant families can use this guide to see how the new rule impacts their immigration status. 

In addition to the efforts to empower immigrant communities with information about their rights, several lawsuits continue to challenge the legality of the rule. For more information, including know-your-rights materials, visit Protecting Immigrant Families’ Know Your Rights page. 

Lilian Serrano, chair of the San Diego Immigrant Rights Consortium and human rights organizer with Alianza Comunitaria, issued the following statement: 

“We will continue to work to ensure immigrant families in San Diego and beyond are informed of their rights in the face of this discriminatory and hateful new rule. No child should go hungry or without adequate medical care, regardless of their and their family’s immigration status. All community members deserve the support they need to thrive. Trump’s ‘Public Charge’ rule is just a wealth test for immigrants, and yet another way this administration has weaponized our nation’s safety net programs to limit legal migration. SDIRC will continue to fight alongside our partners to challenge the “Public Charge” rule.”

About the San Diego Immigrant Rights Consortium

The San Diego Immigrant Rights Consortium is a project of Alliance San Diego. Since 2007, community, faith, labor, and legal organizations have come together as the San Diego Immigrant Rights Consortium (SDIRC). Through SDIRC, these organizations are pursuing four common goals: support comprehensive immigration reform; stop the spread of local policies and practices that target and violate the civil and human rights of immigrants; educate immigrants, and educate the public about the important contributions of immigrants. More at: www.immigrantsandiego.org.

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