Tag: deportations

Race is on to protect legal immigrants living in the United States In the Northern Sacramento Valley, immigration attorneys are hard to find

photo by Karen Laslo
Sergio Garcia

by Natalie Hanson
posted April 9

Immigrant advocacy organizations are racing to block the Trump Administration’s attempts to enforce the campaign promise of “mass deportations” that could potentially affect millions of people.

But in the North State, many people live far away from immigration attorneys who could help them with their existing cases or new threats from ICE, said Chico attorney Sergio Garcia, who practices personal injury law, and in 2014, became the nation’s first undocumented person to obtain a law license. Garcia is now an American citizen.

Garcia regularly directs immigrants needing legal help to attorneys practicing in Sacramento.

In recent weeks, the federal government has revoked green cards and student visas — sometimes because of political views — and is pressuring the IRS to provide tax information that will help detain and deport people. read more

Protests and informational sessions support immigrant communities ImmSchools: Public schools can create a safe environment

photo by Julian Mendoza
Kassandra Ramondo (left) and Lizette Pilar

by Julian Mendoza
posted Feb. 12

Hundreds of people gathered on Chico State’s campus Feb. 5 for a peaceful march in what was one of several recent local protests advocating for immigrant rights.

“I think it’s super important that people understand and know that immigrants do make the backbone of our country,” said Lizette Pilar, program coordinator at Chico State’s Gender & Sexuality Equity Coalition. “Especially in agriculture, a lot of our pickers are illegal immigrants or undocumented.”

Efforts are underway across the state — including passage of new laws, street protests and information sessions — to push back against the Trump Administration’s most extreme immigration measures. Downtown Los Angeles has had multiple protests including one that blocked U.S. 101 for hours. Ethnic Media Services (EMS), a a nonprofit news and communications agency, held a know-your-rights training Feb. 7 for media organizations. read more