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Pennsylvania Immigration and Citizenship Coalition |
Member of the Month: Fernanda Castillo
Adminstrative Attacks on ImmigrationWhile the last few weeks have been filled with news of family separation and family detention, this administration has continued to move forward on other anti-immigrant initiatives.
From day one, this administration has attacked refugee resettlement, from halting refugee resettlement as part of the Muslim Ban executive orders, to slashing the number of refugees resettled to all-time lows. On May 25, 2018, the president continued these attacks by nominating Ronald Mortensen to serve as Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM), the State Department agency that helps resettle refugees in the U.S. Mr. Mortensen is an anti-immigrant extremist and lacks relevant experience to lead an agency that is tasked with welcoming and resettling people fleeing violence and persecution from across the world. His anti-immigrant views are well documented, and include accusing Senator John McCain of "rolling out the welcome mat for ISIS," and blaming Dreamers for "destroying the futures of innocent American children." This nomination requires Senate Confirmation, first in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Senators need to hear from advocates, community members, and local faith, business, and community leaders, to convince them that this unqualified and extreme fringe nominee should not be confirmed. The We Are All America campaign is leading efforts to stop this confirmation. You can get involved by:
See the We Are All America toolkit for talking points and more information. 2) Proposal to add a question about immigration status to 2020 Census In March 2018 the U.S. Commerce Department announced its decision to include a new controversial question about citizenship status in the 2020 U.S. Census. This late addition is unnecessarily intrusive and untested, and if included, will disrupt the collection of objective data and jeopardize a fair and accurate census. Pennsylvania easily could lose one or more representatives in the U.S. House of Representatives based on the 2020 census, especially if the count misses key communities like kids, immigrants, and communities of color and others who have been historically undercounted. Our commonwealth and its communities also could lose out on billions in federal aid because of an inaccurate census as a result of this new question. This is issue is far from finished. The public comment period on the U.S. Department of Commerce’s decision to include the question is now open, so there is still time to act. But you need to act fast: Comments must be submitted by Aug. 7. Keystone Counts is leading a statewide effort to ensure that we have a fair and accurate census count in Pennsylvania. Download talking points, sample comment language, and factsheets on their website. Pennsylvanians Block Access to Berks
This action comes after the PA Dept. of Human Services decided to not renew the license for the detention center in February, 2016 and after the Shut Down Berks Coalition has repeatedly provided legal research to the Governor’s office, outlining the state’s ability and duty to close the family detention center. Just days before the vigil, the first family to be separated at the border and then reunited in detention was transferred to the Berks County Detention Center, with the federal government’s intention to move this family into deportation as quickly as possible. Every day the unlawful prison is in operation the Governor is facilitating Trump’s vision of mass family detention and family separation. Through his inaction, the Governor is complicit in ICE’s violations of the human rights of immigrant families at the prison. Take action today!
Enforcement Resistance Training Recap
More than 90 community members and allies participated in the trainings in Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, and Philadelphia. Moving forward, community groups will begin implementing their localized responses according to their capacity and needs. PICC would like to thank our partners Casa San Jose in Pittsburgh, Catholic Charities in Harrisburg, and the Coalition of African and Caribbean Communities (AFRICOM) in Philadelphia for each hosting one of the regional trainings. |
Upcoming EventsJuly Call In Day: Governor Wolf Shut Down Berks!
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Fernanda Castillo is a Department of Justice Accredited Representative at the Pennsylvania Immigration Resource Center in York, PA. "My mission at PIRC is to provide Legal Orientation Presentations (LOP) at the York County Prison as well as Berks County Family Center for immigrants that are being detained by ICE. We serve between 150 to 200 immigrants every month that are in desperate need to know what their rights are, what to expect in front of the immigration court, if they are eligible for any type of relief to gain legal status as well as eligibility for bond and voluntary departure. Without PIRC I will not be able to do what I love which is help people that are in need."
1) Nomination of anti-immigrant advocate to lead the refugee resettlement agency 
On Sunday, July 15, as part of the monthly vigil organized by the Shut Down Berks Coalition and Shut Down Berks Interfaith Witness, 17 Pennsylvania residents blocked access to the Berks Family Detention Center, demanding that Governor Wolf issue an Emergency Removal Order and end family detention in Pennsylvania. Vigil participants read statements from families who had recently participated in the caravan that crossed the U.S./Mexico border in the spring who were then held at the Pennsylvania prison, as well as statements from mothers and a father who were held at the center between six months to two years.
Since day one, the Trump administration has increasingly targeted immigrant and refugee communities, unnecessarily separating families and upending communities across the country. For months, PICC and its partner organizations have been strategizing on how to best empower our community members to resist intimidation and protect their loved ones. Through PA is Ready!, six community groups and five legal service providers were awarded grants to develop and implement organizing and legal responses to protect and defend immigrant and refugee communities from increased targeting and egregious practices by immigration agents. As a first step in developing a coordinated, statewide response to increased immigration enforcement in Pennsylvania, PICC partnered with 
Participants gained a deeper understanding of our dysfunctional immigration system and the detention and deportation process, as well as the "Community Resistance Zone" model, as implemented by Juntos in Philadelphia. They also learned how to effectively conduct door-to-door conversations with community members, how to recruit allies to support immigrant-led campaigns, and how to conduct strategic case-based campaigns that highlight injustices in the immigration system.
News from PICC Members & PartnersMural Painting Days at Aquinas CenterHelp us finish our newst indoor mural! Friday, July 20 9AM-12 PM -Saturday, July 28 11AM-2PM Ages 12 and up with adult come for an hour or all three. RSVP to education@aquinascenterphilly.org Financial Assistance & Employment Program for Newly- Granted Asylees & OthersNationalities Service Center is assisting Asylees, Certified Victims of Trafficking, Cuban and Haitian Entrants, and Special Immigrant Visa holders (SIVs) with enrolment in our Matching Grant program, providing: Cash assistance, Housing Assistance, Transportation Assistance, Employment Services, Case Management, and Referral Services. We would like to work with your office and associated attorneys to enroll clients who are granted asylum or other eligible statuses. Referrals to our program can help your clients get on their feet financially and quickly attain self-sufficiency in Philadelphia! Some important requirements of the Matching Grant Program include: Clients must be enrolled within 31 days of receiving status, Clients cannot access public cash benefits at any point before enrollment, Clients must be willing to stay in the Greater Philadelphia Area for at least six months after enrollment If you are interested in learning more about this program to better support your clients once they are granted eligible status in the U.S., please contact the Matching Grant Case Manager, Jennifer Siew, at jsiew@nscphila.org or 215-893-8400 ext 1557. 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. |
