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Pennsylvania Immigration and Citizenship Coalition |
Member of the Month: Alianzas de Phoenixville
We are true to our name in that we create alliances with many local agencies in order to ensure legitimate and dignified service to our constituents that will inform, educate and equip. One of those important allies is PICC. Through the years, we have partnered in providing our community with Know Your Rights workshops, legal and legislative information and leadership opportunities that serve to navigate through systems that may lead toward a path to legalization. In addition, Alianzas offers programs such as English Learner’s Program, Language Exchange Program, Alianzas Youth Initiative, Mariposas Women’s Support Program and Latino Parent School Association. The mission of Alianzas de Phoenixville is to serve the Latino/Hispanic Immigrant community by providing resources, advocacy, and leadership opportunities; and to promote diverse intercultural exchanges to connect all individuals in the broader community. We are the only organization of its kind in the Phoenixville area. Follow Alianzas on Facebook. Be Sure to Register to Vote! Deadline is April 16th
Please be sure to participate however you can! To learn more about PICC's civic engagement work, including registering new citizens, check out our webpage. Thank you for particpating! Tell your friends to do the same! Admin Ends Liberian Defered Enforced DepartureOn March 31, 2018, the Administrated continued it's attack on immigrant and refugee communities by ending Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) for Liberians. Similar to DACA and TPS, two other programs this Administration has ended in the last year, DED provides work authorization and temporary protection from deportation. As in the cases of DACA and TPS, DED has a "wind-down" period of one year. Learn more about DED. This announcement is yet another example of this administration's wholesale attack on immigrant and refugee communities. In the last year, the president has attempted to ban all Muslim immigrants, revoked work permits and protection from deportation for over one million DACA and TPS recipients, threatened family unification visas and the diversity visa program, and called for ever increasing enforcement and militarization of the border. As a result, communities and families across the country are faced with heart wrenching decisions about how to stay together and stay safe. What Can You Do?
It’s Time to End Family Detention in Pennsylvania!
Pennsylvania is currently home to the Berks County Family Detention Center (BCRC), one of three detention centers for immigrant families, where children as young as two-weeks-old have been incarcerated, and families have been held for more than a year at a time. In the face of complaints from mothers detained in the center and multiple independent reports outlining abuse and mistreatment of incarcerated families, Governor Wolf and the PA Dept. of Human Services have chosen silence and inaction over ensuring the safety and well-being of parents and children being held in this publicly-owned detention center. Learn more about the campaign and the Governor's authority to #ShutDownBerks. The Shut Down Berks Coalition will continue to raise this issue and pressure the Governor until he finally does the right thing and shuts the door of the Berks Family Detention Center. What Can You Do?
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Upcoming EventsLegislative Advocacy TrainingThu Apr 5, 6:00pm - 9:00pm Ever wanted to SPEAK UP about a state or local issue, but didn’t know where to start? Join us! This event is free and open to the public. Register today! Share on Facebook! #StoptheHate Biweekly CallFri Apr 6, 12:00pm Join activists from around the state who are working to stop all anti-immigrant legislation in PA and to pass pro-immigrant policies at the municipal and state levels. Every call we will have an in-depth presentation on a different topic or campaign. This week’s topic: Welcoming Schools campaign. Registration is required. April Community Navigator Training SeriesPICC will be hosting a full Community Navigator training series in Harrisburg from April 14-21, 2018 to give community leaders the skills and knowledge to assist their peers in accessing resources and understanding their right. Registration is required. Interpretation and childcare are available upon request for all sessions. PICC organizará una serie de talleres de Navegantes Comunitarios en Harrisburg del 14 al 21 de abril de 2018 para capacitar a líderes comunitarios con las habilidades y el conocimiento necesario para ayudar a sus vecinos a acceder a recursos legales y comprender sus derechos. Se requiere registrarse. Interpretación y cuidado de niños están disponibles bajo petición en todas las sesiones. Vigil to #ShutDownBerksSun Apr 15, 3:30pm - 4:30am Show your support for the families currently incarcerated at the Berks Family Detention Center, and send the message that we will keep fighting until we #ShutDownBerks and #EndFamilyDetention! This month’s vigil will be led by the Movement of Immigrant Leaders in PA (MILPA). Welcoming Schools TrainingThur Apr 19, 6:30pm - 8:30pm Learn about you and your children’s rights in schools. Learn how you can use the “Welcoming Schools” toolkit to pass resolutions and policies in your school district that will help protect immigrant and refugee families. Childcare & interpretation provided. Aprenda cuales son los derechos de usted y sus hijos en las escuelas. Aprenda cómo usar nuestro “Welcoming Schools Toolkit” o “Kit de herramientas de Escuelas Acogedoras” para trabajar con su distrito escolar para aprobar resoluciones y políticas que ayudarán a proteger a las familias inmigrantes y refugiadas Cuidado de ninos y interpretacion. |
In existence for 8 years, 
Don't forget that you have to register to vote at least 30 days before an election! Pennsylvania has a Primary election on May 18th, 2018, and the General elections are on November 6th, 2018. In order to vote in the May primaries, you must register to vote by Monday, April 16th. If you are a U.S. Citizen and will be 18 or older by the date of the election, you are eligible to register. If you are a first-time voter, or need to update your address, 
“We came escaping violence, criminal groups, and seeking help and protection. What we have received from the United States is the deprivation of our freedom.” – Mother incarcerated at Berks with her child for over 425 days
News from PICC Members & PartnersFree citizenship prep classes for green card holders If you need extra help learning English, preparing for the history/civic questions this is a perfect opportunity for you. In order to qualify for class enrollment you must be a legal permanent resident. More information about class schedule can be found here. These classes are being offered by the Philadelphia Citizenship Action Network. PCAN members include HIAS PA, New World Association, Esperanza Immigration Legal Services, Community Learning Center, Center for Literacy, Indochinese American Council, Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians, and District 1199c Training and Upgrade Fund. 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. |
