November 30, 2016

“Catholic college leaders pledge solidarity with undocumented students” (Washington Post)- “More than 70 leaders in Catholic higher education have signed a statement of solidarity with undocumented students, urging protection for those who arrived in the United States as children at a time when the incoming Trump administration is pledging to crack down on illegal immigration.”

“Immigration attorney’s fears grow over uncertain DACA future” (CNN)- “President-elect Donald Trump has repeatedly said his administration will take a tough stance on illegal immigration. His potential policies include a wall along the border with Mexico, tripling the number of ICE agents, and a two-year mandatory minimum sentence for those who enter the United States illegally, but one position in particular has some immigration attorneys scrambling to find the best way forward.”

“University of California releases principles in support of UC community members” (UCOP)- “The University of California today (Nov. 30) announced that it will vigorously protect the privacy and civil rights of the undocumented members of the UC community and will direct its police departments not to undertake joint efforts with any government agencies to enforce federal immigration law.”

November 29, 2016

“Could Trump Really Deport Millions of Unauthorized Immigrants?” (NYT)- “After the election, Mr. Trump vowed to quickly deport two million to three million unauthorized immigrants who he said have been convicted of crimes. He may be basing this number on a 2012 government estimate that there were 1.9 million ‘removable criminal aliens.’ But that number included more than a million immigrants who were here legally, with green cards or temporary visas.”

“There’s Been An ‘Outbreak’ Of Nearly 900 Hate Incidents Since Trump’s Win” (Huffington Post)- “Black children being told by classmates to sit in the back of school buses. Muslims called ‘terrorist’ and told to go back to ‘your country with ISIS.’ Swastikas drawn on a synagogue, schools, cars and driveways. A gay man being beaten by an assailant who said the ‘president says we can kill all you faggots now.’ Plus ‘Trump Nation’ and ‘Whites Only’ spray-painted on a church attended largely by immigrants.”

November 28, 2016

“In America, No One — Including Immigrants — Should Be Locked Up Without Due Process of Law” (ACLU)- “On November 30th, the ACLU will be in the Supreme Court to argue a case that will decide the fate of thousands of people languishing in immigration prisons across the United States.Jennings v. Rodriguez asks a basic question: Can the federal government lock you up, for months or years, without the due process of a hearing to decide if your imprisonment is even justified?”

November 26, 2016

“American Dreamers- Gloria Rinconi” (NYT)- “I immigrated to the United States when I was a year old with my parents. My parents had taken the decision to immigrant to USA due to being in a country that offered no future for their family. Even though both of my parents ran a successful business and my mom had a college education, the violence and underemployment was no future for us. The first place we called home was a small apartment in Dallas, TX whom we shared with another family. We lived in Texas for a year and moved to Statesville, NC. We then moved to the outskirts of the little town in some run-down trailer homes.”

“The Privileged Immigrant” (NYT)- “Not all Indians are documented tech workers and doctors. Not all Mexicans are undocumented laborers. This isn’t about Indians and Mexicans, but about the documented and undocumented, and the gulf of privilege that lies between them. This privilege builds on itself, from visa application to employment to finance to homeownership to education to the next generation.”

November 24, 2016

“Caravan of Courage’: Undocumented Immigrants, Allies March to DC on Thanksgiving” (NBC)- “This week, Naveed traveled from Trump Tower in New York City to the White House in Washington, D.C., as part of the “Caravan of Courage,” a movement organized by undocumented immigrants and allies to demand action from both Obama and the president-elect.”

“Here’s how undocumented students are able to enroll at American universities” (SF Gate)- “President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to deport millions of undocumented people, beginning on his first day in office. In response, students and faculty from 100 campuses around the United States have launched a campaign to demand that their universities become “sanctuaries” for undocumented students.”

“Mr. Trump: I Am an Immigrant With a Criminal Record” (NYT)- “I arrived in the United States on Nov. 12, 1981, when I was 1. My parents had fled the Pol Pot genocide in Cambodia, in which over two million people were murdered. I was born in a refugee camp in Thailand before moving to California, and then Virginia.”

November 22, 2016

“28 Universities That Vow to Offer Sanctuary to Their Undocumented Students” (Remezcla)- “In colleges, students are pressuring their schools to become ‘sanctuary campuses.’ Much like sanctuary cities – generally defined as a city not cooperating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials – the term sanctuary campuses has varied meanings. BuzzFeed reports that just like sanctuary cities, universities risk losing federal funding if they refuse to cooperate with ICE.”

“She helped bring down Sheriff Arpaio. Now she’s ready to take on hate nationally” (Washington Post)- “‘Some of us have already been living in Trump’s America,’ she said. ‘There is a bright spot in Maricopa County, and I think there are significant lessons to be learned: We don’t make excuses for bigotry, and we don’t normalize the abuse.’”

November 21, 2016

“Columbia University to provide sanctuary, financial help for undocumented students” (The Hill)- “Provost John Coatsworth said in an email sent to students and teachers Monday that the university would not let immigration officials onto its campus without a warrant or provide the information of undocumented students to authorities without a court-ordered subpoena.”

“In Defense of DACA” (Inside HigherEd)- “More than 90 college and university presidents have signed a statement calling for the continuation and expansion of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, under which more than 700,000 young people who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children have registered with the federal government in exchange for temporary relief from the possibility of deportation and a two-year renewable work permit. President-elect Donald J. Trump has said he would end the DACA program, which was authorized by President Obama by executive action.”

“Obama created a deportation machine. Soon it will be Trump’s” (The Guardian)- “What’s received little attention is that Trump would probably use tools developed by the Bush and Obama administrations to orchestrate mass deportations. Over the last 16 years, the federal government has used local police and jails as a key tool to orchestrate mass deportations – and that’s precisely what Trump plans to do on a more frightening scale than ever.”

“The Supreme Court can end some draconian immigrant detention rules” (Los Angeles Times)- “Alejandro Rodriguez was an infant when his parents brought him to the United States. He grew up in Los Angeles as a lawful permanent resident, and when he came of age, he had permission to work — which he did, as a dental assistant, to support his two young children. But Rodriguez also ran into some legal problems. When he was 19 he was convicted of joyriding, and in 2003, when he was 24, Rodriguez was sentenced to five years’ probation for misdemeanor drug possession.”

“These Aerial Photos Of The U.S.-Mexico Border Show Just How Difficult It Would Be To Build A Wall” (Huffington Post)- “Mexican photographer Pablo López Luz started taking aerial photographs of the U.S.-Mexico border in 2014 ― long before President-elect Donald Trump made the construction of a border wall the central promise of his campaign.”

“World gets glimpse of deportation plan Kris Kobach took to meeting with Trump” (Los Angeles Times)- “Kris Kobach, the Kansas secretary of state who’s been tapped to join Donald Trump’s immigration policy transition team, probably didn’t intend for the world to see details of his plan to bar terrorists and Syrian refugees when he brought it to a meeting Monday.”

November 20, 2016

“2 Georgia schools to consider immigrants without legal status” (AJC)- “Two of Georgia’s most competitive schools — Georgia State and Augusta universities — will consider admitting immigrants living in the U.S. without legal status, starting in the spring of next year”

“Not in Our Town: Can American cities stop Trump from deporting millions?” (The Slate)- “Big-city officials had an immediate response: not with our help. Last Monday, Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck said his department would not assist the Trump administration with deportations. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said his city “is and will remain a sanctuary city.” A handful of other mayors, including those of New York; Oakland, California; Minneapolis; San Francisco; and Seattle, also pledged that they would not relinquish their status as sanctuary cities, places that in some way decline to put their powers in the service of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.”

November 19, 2016

“Undocumented in Trump’s America” (NYT)- “On election night, while making my way through a crowd gathered outside the Fox News headquarters in Midtown Manhattan, a white man wearing a Mets cap patted my back and said through the noise: “Get ready to be deported.” Rattled, I made it inside the green room and waited to go on the air.”

November 18, 2016

“Cities Defend Immigration Sanctuary Policies Under Fire by Donald Trump” (Wall Street Journal)- “Mayors in at least seven major U.S. cities reaffirmed their commitments to shelter illegal immigrants from federal immigration authorities after Republican president-elect Donald Trump said he would block federal funding for ‘sanctuary cities’”

“Here’s How Campuses Could Protect Undocumented Students from Donald Trump” (Time)– “The chancellor of the largest four-year public university system in the country said this week that it won’t help federal authorities deport undocumented students—an announcement that came the same day students across the country led walkouts urging schools to shield students from the deportations proposed by President-elect Donald Trump.”

“Immigrants fear that definition of ‘criminal’ will be stretched under Trump” (Los Angeles Times)- “Mayra Machado had a well-paying job as an ophthalmologist’s assistant that allowed her to drive her three children in a BMW to back-to-back school activities in her suburban Arkansas town. Few knew that her own mother brought her as a 5-year-old illegally to the United States from El Salvador to escape civil war. Machado was raised in Santa Ana by her grandmother, moving in with her estranged mother in Fayetteville, Arkansas, after graduating from high school. There, a teenage Machado forged her friend’s signature on a $1,500 check.”

“Texas to debate ending in-state tuition for undocumented immigrants” (The Hill)- “A Republican state representative has filed legislation to roll back the Texas DREAM Act, a 2001 law allowing undocumented residents to pay in-state tuition at public colleges if they graduate from a state high school.”

November 17, 2016

“California Democrats ask Obama to pardon nearly 750,000 ‘Dreamers’, but White House says it wouldn’t work” (Los Angeles Times)- “Reps. Zoe Lofgren (D-San Jose), Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-Downey) and Luis Gutiérrez (D-Ill.) sent a letter to Obama on Thursday asking him to use his pardon authority to forgive the past and future civil immigration offenses of the nearly 750,000 people granted deportation deferrals under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program.”

“Immigrants’ Rights in Trump’s America: Know Them” (ACLU)- “There are also important rights under the U.S. Constitution that protect all Californians—regardless of immigration status. While we wait to see how the Trump administration’s policies unfold, here are some of the most important ways you can protect your rights right now”

“More Than 400 Incidents of Hateful Harassment and Intimidation Since the Election” (Southern Poverty Law Center)– “Between Wednesday, November 9, the day after the presidential election, and the morning of Monday, November 14, the Southern Poverty Law Center collected 437 reports of hateful intimidation and harassment.”

“Statement on Protections for Undocumented and Vulnerable Students, Colleagues” (CFA)- “The California Faculty Association is a progressive labor union and a leader in higher education, representing the more than 27,000 faculty, librarians, coaches, and counselors in the CSU systems, which serves over 470,000 students in the state of California. As a union, we advocate for higher educational opportunities for all, including quality education for our students, policies that ensure access to higher education, and fair working conditions for the faculty.”

“U.S. detention facility restricts use of crayons for migrant children” (The Guardian)- “Young migrant children held in one of the most controversial privatised detention centres in the US have been restricted from playing with crayons after staff members accused them of causing damage to property.”

November 16, 2016

“California University Leader Promises Safe Campuses for Undocumented Students” (Los Angeles Weekly)- “The leader of California State University, the nation’s largest four-year higher education system, says his campuses will be safe for undocumented college students regardless of what the Trump administration does on immigration.”

“Undocumented Students, Allies Hold Nationwide #SanctuaryCampus Protests” (Colorlines)- “In the shadow of Donald Trump’s pledge to deport millions of undocumented immigrants and crack down on sanctuary cities, students at schools across the country are planning walk-outs and other actions to demand their campuses remain safe for undocumented people.”

“What Is DACA and Why Is It So Important to the Immigrant Community?” (JuanSaaa)- “For the past four years, I have received questions about my immigration status from friends and family, many of whom wonder how I can work and drive legally in the United States given my lack of legal status.”

November 15, 2016

“A [Though] Love Letter for DREAMers” (Medium)- “I’m not an American*, and I’m not sure why citizenship seems to be the goal for a lot of the undocumented students I meet. It’s as if folks have forgotten who made the countries we were born in the destitute soil we had to flee. How it was Americans who crafted laws like NAFTA, which destabilized our economies; how American soldiers stood at our neighborhood corners with guns pointed at our parents in the name of democracy; or that it was American-interest which made our parts of the world uninhabitable.”

“Immigration and Post-Election Frequently Asked Questions” (Undocumented Student Program)– “The election of Donald Trump, coupled with the election of a Republican-leaning Congress, could give rise to dramatic and unprecedented changes in immigration law enforcement and policy. Despite many of President Obama’s immigration policies, particularly the record-breaking deportation rates, the Trump Administration is likely to institute major departures from current practice. No one knows precisely what those changes will look like. But Trump’s campaign promises, his post-campaign promise to immediately deport 2 to 3 million undocumented immigrants with criminal records, and his short list of government appointees suggest that immigration enforcement will be cruel and take a turn for the worse.”

“Rep. Judy Chu asks President Obama to protect the information of ‘Dreamers’ before Trump takes office” (Los Angeles Times)- “Chu’s staff said she’s talking with the Obama administration and federal agencies to determine what legal right to privacy those who applied for the program might have, and what might be done to make it more difficult to use the information to identify people in the country illegally.”

“Stuck between two lives” (Harvard Gazette)- “Every summer for the past nine years, Alfredo Garcia has packed away his notebooks, textbooks, and school supplies and taken up his ladder, rollers, and brushes to paint houses and pay for his dream of attending college. Unlike many of his peers, some of whom spend summers relaxing at home, building up their resumes by working as interns, or travelling to exotic places, Garcia has worked through college and graduate school to pay for his living expenses, food, and books. He labors alongside his father, a housepainter in Austin, Texas.”

“Undocumented, Educated, and Unafraid” (SupaDaily)- “As I am learning to find my voice as a young adult, I have found myself passionate about helping my community succeed and empowering them to not give up. All of the interns, including myself, had similar stories. A story of overcoming struggles, stereotypes and pursing higher education while being a DACA student or an undocumented student. The truth is, it can be a lonely often misunderstood path.”

November 14, 2016

“200+ Cases of Harassment & Abuse of People of Color Since Trump Election” (Democracy Now)– “The Southern Poverty Law Center is reporting there have been at least 200 instances of physical and verbal harassment, abuse and intimidation against immigrants, people of color, Muslims and women in the wake of Tuesday’s election. In one case reported to SPLC, a boy told a 12-year-old African-American girl at school: ‘Now that Trump is president, I’m going to shoot you and all the blacks I can find.’ A teacher in Washington state reported students chanting ‘Build a wall’ in the cafeteria. The most commonly reported place where physical or verbal harassment occurred was in K-12 schools. This comes as school districts in Boston, St. Paul, Minnesota, and Denver, Colorado, have begun offering counseling services to students who are distraught and fearful both about Trump’s election and the possibility of deportation, as well as the ensuing attacks, threats and harassment faced by students of color. We’ll speak with Richard Cohen of the Southern Poverty Law Center later in the broadcast.”

“LAPD will not help deport immigrants under Trump, chief says” (Los Angeles Times)– “Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck said Monday that he has no plans to change the LAPD’s stance on immigration enforcement, despite President-elect Donald Trump’s pledge to toughen federal immigration laws and deport millions of people upon taking office.”

“Mayor: Newark will stand by undocumented residents, despite Trump victory” (NJ)- “The election of Donald Trump will not change how New Jersey’s largest city treats its population of undocumented immigrants, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka said in a statement issued Monday morning. ‘Newark already has a policy of protecting undocumented immigrants from deportation by U.S. immigration authorities. Despite the election of Donald Trump, we see no reason to change that policy,’ Baraka, a Democrat, said about the victory of the Republican Trump in last week’s election.”

“Undocumented and Unafraid: Accomplices Needed” (UC Berkeley Blog)- “To have my back – and the back of other undocumented people – means to take responsibility for the political situation we find ourselves in, and use your position to counter the fear and violence that has now received the imprimatur of the state. Having our back is not just saying those words; it requires concrete action. For the undocumented student who now feels like their first semester at Cal has taken a turn for the worst, we owe it to them to do whatever possible to ensure their safety and that of their families. Undocumented students at Cal don’t need allies; we need accomplices”

November 13, 2016

Colleges and Universities should become Sanctuaries for the Undocumented (Huffington Post)– “Immigrants are among the groups most vulnerable to a Trump presidency, but colleges and universities can protect their students, faculty and staff from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) by declaring themselves sanctuaries for undocumented people. There are currently over 700,000 students in the United States who have been approved for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), Obama’s program that protects them from deportation and provides work permits. All of these students are facing possible deportation the day Donald Trump takes up residence in the White House.”

Undocumented students hope for university’s protection under Trump (The Guardian)- “Denea Joseph has struggled to get out of bed each morning since Donald Trump won the White House. The 22-year-old college senior had hoped to get a job in communications or political consulting after graduation, but now she doesn’t know whether she’ll be able to legally work in the US – or even stay in the country.”

Donald Trump says he’s going to deport up to three million immigrants immediately (Independent)- “Donald Trump has said he will deport two to three million undocumented immigrants “immediately” upon taking office. In his first television interview since winning the presidential election, Mr Trump insisted that he is going to carry out his hardline immigration policy proposals, while insisting that he would build a wall between the US and Mexico.”

November 12, 2016

Traveling abroad with Advance Parole before January 19, 2017? Here’s some advice by the Undocumented Student Program at UCB (My Undocumented Life blog)-  “At this time, while students can still go abroad, students should not plan to be abroad after January 19, 2017 because both DACA and advance parole can be scraped as discretionary programs with a new President in office. As such, all students who go abroad or who are abroad, should return to the United States before the new President comes into office. We will update this with new information, if anything changes.”

8K March in Largest Anti-Trump Protest in DTLA (ABC News)– “About 8,000 demonstrators gathered to form the largest anti-Donald Trump rally to date in Los Angeles on Saturday, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.”

November 11, 2016

Advice regarding Advance Parole after the election results (My Undocumented Life blog)– “Should I apply for advance parole? I am eligible to adjust my status, but need a ‘legal entry’ and DACA-Advance Parole would help me with that, what can I do? I was granted Advance Parole, should I still travel abroad? I am currently abroad with Advance Parole, what do I do? In this post, we share reliable information and resources related to Advance Parole so that you can weigh your different options.”

How will Trump’s election impact your immigration options? (Immigration Lawyers)– “Unfortunately, we can only speculate about what Trump’s immigration policies will actually be right now. But based on his campaign promises and looking at who controls Congress, here are some of my thoughts.”

The Life of DACA After Trump (Latino USA)– “Shortly after Donald Trump was elected president, young immigrants took to social media expressing fear that they might have their temporary work permits revoked. More than half a million young people have received DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) since President Barack Obama’s executive order in 2012. But because it is a president’s executive order and not a law passed by Congress, the next president can strike it down on his first day.”

Travel Warning for Those with DACA (Immigration Lawyers)– “Is it okay for those who currently have DACA to travel internationally with Advanced Parole? With Trump as President-Elect, the future of the DACA program is, at best, uncertainty. My advice is that those who currently have DACA status should not travel internationally, even if they have been granted Advanced Parole.”

What We Know and Can Do Now (E4FC)– “President-elect Donald Trump has pledged to end Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) when he becomes President. However, he will not become President until he is inaugurated on January 20, 2017, so meanwhile DACA will remain in place and USCIS will continue processing both initial and renewal DACA requests.”

Will Trump’s Immigration Crackdown Be a “Cash Machine” for Military & Private Prison Contracts? (Democracy Now)- “By now, global markets have rebounded after plummeting upon the news of Trump’s victory. Stocks of some companies surged, including the largest private prison contractor, Corrections Corporation of America—which recently changed its name to CoreCivic—whose shares are up 43 percent since Trump’s victory. GEOGroup, another private prison contractor, is up 21 percent. Meanwhile, stocks also surged for many military contractors, including Raytheon, General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin and Boeing. We speak with William Hartung, director of the Arms and Security Project at the Center for International Policy, and Seth Freed Wessler, reporter with The Investigative Fund who has been following private detention centers.”

November 10, 2016

Advice regarding DACA and what’s next from two national immigration law centers (My Undocumented Life blog)– “The Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC) and the National Immigration Law Center (NILC) have also released helpful information surrounding the election results and DACA. Here is their advice regarding the risks associated with applying for DACA during this time, as well as what the future holds”

Advisory regarding DACA by the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (My Undocumented Life blog)– “The Northwest Immigrant Rights Project is committed to defending and advancing the rights of immigrants through direct legal services, systemic advocacy, and community education. They have put together an advisory regarding DACA. In it, they address concerns around applying for DACA, renewing, and traveling abroad with advance parole.”

After welcoming almost 150 undocumented teachers, Teach for America starts planning for a Trump reality (Chalkbeat)– “Efforts could include helping Teach For America teachers relocate to be closer to their families and working with school districts to navigate tricky immigration waters, she said.”

“I don’t feel safe”: Undocumented immigrants fear what Trump will do as President (The Washington Post)– “Claudia Quiñonez was driving home from an election watch party early Wednesday morning when a friend broke the news: Donald Trump would be the next president of the United States. Quiñonez, 21, pulled over to the side of the road and wept.”

I’d Give Anything to Stand in Line for Hours (Madison 365)– “As an undocumented woman I fear for my safety, future, and education. Under the Trump presidency I am not safe. He has unleashed hate and racism. Radical Republicans will no longer be afraid to express their barbaric views.  I will be harassed and openly hated by people on a campus that claims to be “safe and inclusive.” Despite all of my accomplishments, my knowledge and credentials will be doubted all because of my identity.”

Fear among some immigrants (Harvard Gazette)– “’It seems to me that building an actual wall is going to be costly and difficult,’ said Gonzales. ‘DACA is going to be a low-hanging fruit, and canceling it will be a very quick and easy way to satisfy Trump’s base. The questions I have are: Will DACA, as we know it, continue? And what will it happen to those who have it?’ Life for immigrants was already trying during the Obama administration, said Gonzales. Obama deported 2.4 million illegal immigrants, more than any other American president, but it could be worse with Trump, he said. ‘Make no mistake about it,’ he said. ‘It’s going to be a very difficult. We have much work ahead.’ As for the United States-Mexico relationship, Trump’s presidency poses a serious risk to the advances made during the Obama years, said David Carrasco, Neil L. Rudenstine Professor of the Study of Latin America, who teaches at Harvard Divinity School, the Department of Anthropology, and Harvard Extension School.”

November 9, 2016
Can Obama Pardon Millions of Immigrants? (NYT)– “President Obama can still act to bring humanity and justice to an immigration system notoriously lacking in both. He can do so by using the power the Constitution grants him — and only him — to pardon individuals for “offenses against the United States.”

Here is What Donald Trump Wants to Do In His First 100 Days (NPR)– “FIRST, cancel every unconstitutional executive action, memorandum and order issued by President Obama.”

Now That Trump Won, What Happens to My DACA? (NOLO)– “Donald Trump has changed what he says about his stance on immigration matters many times, so it’s hard to say for certain whether he would indeed cancel the DACA program. But he certainly has taken a harsh tone on immigration matters, stated at times that he would eliminate the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program outright”

Sheriff Joe Arpaio Loses Bid for 7th Term in Arizona (NYT)– “In the end, Sheriff Arpaio’s bid for re-election as sheriff of Maricopa County was undone by Latino voters who responded to his hard-line position on illegal immigration, which included workplace raids, frequent traffic stops and harsh talk.”

UC President moves quickly to reassure undocumented students after Trump’s election (SacBee)– “University of California President Janet Napolitano will soon meet with undocumented students to address their concerns about Tuesday’s presidential election of Republican Donald Trump, who pledged to rescind an executive action protecting them from deportation.”