SACRAMENTO – Legislative leaders today announced a 10-bill package to protect hardworking undocumented immigrants from fraud, discrimination, lack of health care, and the unintended consequences of our criminal justice system. VIDEO (link is external)
“The Immigrants Shape California Legislative Package will not erase all the challenges our undocumented residents face. The work is far from finished,” said Senate President pro Tempore Kevin de León. “But this package demonstrates our commitment to making California a state that works for all of us.”
“With these bills California will again show the kind of practical, humane, and forward-thinking leadership that we hope can move the needle on the national discussion,” said Speaker Toni G. Atkins.
Assemblymember Das Williams, Chair of the Asian & Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus and Assemblymember Luis Alejo, Chair of the Latino Legislative Caucus spoke in favor of the Immigrants Shape California bill package, along with immigrant-rights advocates, and undocumented foreign-born residents. Also attending in support were Assemblymember Susan Talamantes Eggman, Chair of the Legislative Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Caucus; Senator Hannah Beth Jackson, Chair of the Legislative Women’s Caucus; Senator Marty Block, Chair of the Legislative Jewish Caucus; and Senator Isadore Hall, III, Vice-Chair of the Legislative Black Caucus.
Delia de la Vara, National Council of La Raza (NCLR) Vice President, California: “NCLR California is excited to support the Immigrants Shape California Legislative Package announced by Senate Pro Tem De León and Speaker Atkins. This package illustrates an unassailable truth: that immigrants are part of our economic and social engine, and that their fair treatment will only strengthen their contributions to California’s progress. Congress should take note; this is yet one more example of how California is leading the way.”
Advocates joined the legislators to support the legislative roll out: American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Asian Students Promoting Immigrant Rights through Education (ASPIRE), California Immigrant Policy Center, California Labor Federation, California Pan-Ethnic Health Network (CPEHN), California Primary Care Association, California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation, Central American Resource Center, Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA), Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Immigrant Legal Resource Center, Immigration Center for Women and Children, Los Angeles Center for Law and Justice, National Council of La Raza (NCLR), PICO California, and the William C. Velasquez Institute. WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING
The package of Assembly and Senate bills focuses on a variety of immigrant-rights issues, including: protection from unscrupulous employers and immigration consultants, ensuring adequate legal representation, affordable health care, protection for crime victims, and protections against discrimination from business establishments.
Immigrants Shape California Legislative Bill Package:
- SB 10 (Lara) Office of New Americans – Bill Info
- SB 4 (Lara) Health Care for All – Bill Info
- AB 622 (Roger Hernandez) Protecting Immigrant Workers from Unscrupulous Employers – Bill Info
- SB 600 (Pan) Civil Rights Protection for California’s Immigrants – Bill Info
- AB 60 (Gonzalez) Thwarting Immigration Services Fraud – Bill Info
- SB 674 (De León & Atkins) Immigrant Victims of Crime Equity Act – Bill Info
- AB 899 (Levine) Juvenile Confidentiality – Bill Info
- AB 1343 (Thurmond) Ensuring Due Process for Immigrant Defendants – Bill Info
- AB 900 (Levine) Extension of Probate Jurisdiction to Protect Vulnerable Immigrant Children – Bill Info
- AB 1352 (Eggman) Preventing Unintended Immigration Consequences for Rehabilitated Immigrants – Bill Info
Justice for All
SB 674 (De León & Atkins) Immigrant Victims of Crime Equity Act: Ensures all immigrant victims of crime in California have the opportunity to apply for the federal Victim of Crime Visa (U-Visa) if they were victims of a qualifying crime and have been helpful in the investigation or prosecution of that crime.
AB 899 (Levine) Juvenile Confidentiality: Protects immigrant children by safeguarding their records from unauthorized disclosure to federal immigration officials that may result in a child’s deportation.
AB 1343 (Thurmond) Ensuring Due Process for Immigrant Defendants: Avoids unintended immigration consequences, like detention, deportation, and citizenship eligibility, by requiring defense counsel to provide accurate and affirmative advice and defense against such consequences. Both the prosecution and defense must contemplate immigration consequences in order to reach a just and fair resolution.
AB 900 (Levine) Extension of Probate Jurisdiction to Protect Vulnerable Immigrant Children Aligns California law with federal immigration law to allow for the maximum number of youth in California to receive humanitarian relief through the Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) Visa.
AB 1352 (Eggman) Preventing Unintended Immigration Consequences for Rehabilitated Immigrants: Ends unintended immigration consequences for immigrants who successfully complete deferred entry of judgment programs, which are alternatives to court proceedings that allow offenders to participate in drug rehabilitation treatments.
3 comments
The irony continues. The fundamentals of ILLEGAL (undocumented residents) is supported by what is supposed to be our state LAWMAKERS. Our confused Senate and Assembly members should be focused on helping the ILLEGAL residents obtain legal status instead of finding ways to circumvent the LAWS which they are charged with upholding. The California legislature continues to be an embarrassment.
The Senate President pro tem is correct, “the work is far from finished”. It’s time for the voters to boot these BUMS out of office and get serious about the real issues.
California has become a joke in the eyes of the other 49 states.
Just sad the road this state is taking.
Anon says it right to the point.
We’re closed, out of water! Ask the Sierra Club Jerry.
No Bueno!
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