A symposium held at San Quentin State Prison discussed how restorative justice should shape U.S. immigration policy. “The first step is our country taking accountability—a lot of the reasons why people are fleeing violence in their countries is because of what this country has done,” said guest speaker Nayeon Kim, a paralegal who works on immigration issues for the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights of San Francisco. “We need to take care of these people because we caused it.” Dwight Krizman, an incarcerated Restorative Justice (RJ) … [Read more...] about SQ holds symposium addressing immigration
DACA
Deportation Crimes Explained
In Trump’s first six months of 2017, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested more than 65,000 immigrants, up 37.6 percent from the same period last year, reports The Washington Post. Almost three out of four of those arrested have criminal records. Immigration advocates question whether ICE is truly prioritizing the most serious criminals. “We see a ton of people deported for misdemeanors, probation violations, petty theft, shoplifting,” said Alisa Wellek, executive director of the Immigrant Defense Project, a legal services … [Read more...] about Deportation Crimes Explained
A nightmare for one incarcerated dreamer
Luis Ojeda, 23, is serving a six-year sentence in San Quentin State Prison after a conviction for assault with great bodily injury. Upon his release, he faces deportation to Mexico. His sister, Jennie, 21, is a law-abiding resident of San Jose, where she is studying and working. Nevertheless, she also fears deportation. “I wanted to be a lawyer and help out my parents,” Luis said. “But, I messed up the opportunity DACA offered me. I feel ashamed for committing a crime. I squandered the opportunity given to me in this country. And, I feel bad … [Read more...] about A nightmare for one incarcerated dreamer
La pesadilla de un soñador encarcelado
Luis Ojeda de 23 años, se encuentra en la Prisión de San Quentin cumpliendo una condena de seis años por asalto agravado. Después de cumplir su sentencia, Ojeda será deportado a la Ciudad de México. Jennie de 21 años, hermana de Luis, actualmente reside, estudia y trabaja en San Jose, Jennie, a pesar de ser una ciudadana modelo, teme ser deportada. Luis comentó en una entrevista, “quería ser abogado para ayudar a mis padres, pero la regué y perdí la oportunidad que DACA me ofreció. Me siento avergonzado por haber cometido un crimen. … [Read more...] about La pesadilla de un soñador encarcelado
No Bans, No Walls, Sanctuary for All!
Since Trump took office, the federal government has escalated its attacks on immigrant communities. Banning entry to the United States for people from eight countries, eliminating DACA, and increasing the number of ICE arrests by 43% are just some of the ways that the Trump administration has implemented its anti-immigrant agenda. On the other hand, communities have come together in many ways to resist these assaults and immigrant people being held in detention centers have stood up against abominable conditions, fighting for their … [Read more...] about No Bans, No Walls, Sanctuary for All!
Politicians work toward protection for young illegal immigrants
The battle over immigration policy continues as some politicians work toward protecting immigrants who illegally entered the U.S., according to two recent Los Angeles Times articles by Sarah D. Wire and Jazmine Ulloa. Referring to young immigrants brought here as children, U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan said, “There are people who are in limbo. These are kids who know no other country … and don’t know another home,” reported Wire. A letter to Ryan signed by 10 House Republicans stated, “These individuals’ status in the United States should … [Read more...] about Politicians work toward protection for young illegal immigrants
DACA repeal is a nightmare for Dreamers
President Donald Trump’s announcement to repeal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) is a nightmare for Dreamers, according to withdreamers.com. An estimated 800,000 undocumented immigrants (Dreamers) will be in danger of deportation without the DACA protection. Deferred action is a legal term used to refer to the federal government’s discretion in enforcing deportation against undocumented citizens who register and meet a certain criteria. On June 15, 2012, the Secretary of Homeland Security announced that people who were … [Read more...] about DACA repeal is a nightmare for Dreamers