Casa San Jose, an outreach of the Sisters of St. Joseph in Pittsburgh, is a community resource center that links Latino neighbors in need with service providers and other resources to advance their welcome and integration. Casa San Jose also strives to create a welcoming community for Latino immigrants by providing opportunities for civic and social engagement, and space for space for communities to organize and build power. Learn more about Casa San Jose!

When asked about why they chose to be a PICC member, here's what they said:

"We chose to be a PICC member because we realized the importance of collaborating with other agencies doing the same work, and in the same state. PICC has helped us though training, materials, capacity, and funding. We have been able to grow as an organization thanks to PICC especially regarding community organizing and community engagement."

To support Casa San Jose, follow them on Facebook and consider donating!

In case you missed it, the DHS's final public charge rule was published on Aug. 14, 2019. The policy will not take effect until Oct. 15, 2019.

What is the new Public Charge Rule?

The new public charge rule expands the existing public charge doctrine, making it even more difficult for immigrants to obtain green cards and keep their families together. Under the new rule, the use of a wide range of public benefits, including Medicaid and SNAP, will be counted against individuals applying for a green card. The rule does not apply to every immigrant. This rule was designed to be confusing, complicated, and scary. Anyone who thinks this rule change might apply to them should talk to a trusted advisor who is familiar with both public benefits and immigration law before disenrolling from any public benefits program.

What Happens Now?

- We fight in the courts! Several lawsuits have already been filed to prevent the rule from ever taking effect.

- We fight fear with facts! It is critical that communities recieve accurate information about whether this rule impacts them, and what to do. The Protecting Immigrant Families Campaign has materials for service providers and community members. PICC and Community Legal Services will be hosting informational webinars over the next few weeks, so stay tuned!

- We ask our legislators to join the fight! Members of Congress can take action by cosponsoring HR 3222, the No Federal Funds for Public Charge Act and speak out against this harmful policy. Contact your representative today!

In 2017, PICC launched the Welcoming Schools Campaign to ensure that immigrant students and parents had the tools they needed to advocate for welcoming policies at their schools. Last year, PICC members, partners, and allies worked together to pass Welcoming Schools Policies in Reading City, Allentown, Havertown and Upper Darby.

A key part of the campaign is PICC's annual Welcoming Schools questionnaire, which gives students and parents an opportunity to share their experiences in schools across Pennsylvania. Through responses to the 2019 survey, we identified four key areas as essential for immigrant students to feel welcomed and supported in their schools: 1) Providing Language Access is Critical for Student Growth, 2) Teacher and School Staff Development is Essential, 3) Not ALL Students Feel Safe at School and 3) Students are Seeking More Academic Support. Read the full report for more details. This report is designated to help guide educators and school administrators in creating and evaluating policies and practices at their schools. School districts are encouraged to use this report and the Welcoming Schools Toolkit [https://paimmigrant.org/toolbox/welcoming-schools-toolkit/] as resources to ensure that they are creating a safe and welcoming environment for all students, regardless of immigration status.

We are excited to announce that we will launching the 2019 Welcoming Schools survey this September! Last year we partnered with PICC members, local groups and schools to host in community participatory sessions that trained students and families on how to advocate for their rights in school, speaking in school board meetings and passing school board resolutions. Our presentations are designed to address the needs of each community, no matter what language the community speaks. Groups are able to choose a interactive training on Welcoming Schools Campaign, Access to College for Undocumented Students and Know Your Rights. Each session gives participants an opportunity to learn, ask questions, practice and voice their experience with the education system by taking our Welcoming Schools questionnaire.

We need your help! Sign up today to host a session and help lift up the voices and experiences of immigrant students and parents. PICC will be organizing sessions September through December 2019. If you have any questions about our trainings and questionnaire please contact education@paimmigrant.org.

Please Donate to PICC!

PICC depends upon your support. Please donate to PICC today to support our advocacy and organizing work to mobilize the immigrant vote, build immigrant leaders, campaign for pro-immigrant policies at the local, state and federal levels, and support the effective implementation of pro-immigrant public policies.