Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”) officials announced this week that it has released “several hundred” immigrants from jails across the country in an effort to cut costs in anticipation of sequestration. ICE officials emphasized that those who were released are considered low-risk and “noncriminal” and that they have been “placed on an appropriate, more cost-effective […]

  San Francisco, CA – December, 04, 2012 This afternoon Attorney General Harris issued a bulletin that clarified that ICE hold requests are voluntary in nature and local law enforcement have full discretion to reject submission to them. The announcement comes one day after the reintroduction of the TRUST Act (now AB4). The TRUST Act has received […]

Why voting YES on Measure B’s district elections is good for everyone. By Hyeon-Ju Rho, Executive Director In a county as large and diverse as San Mateo, many voices are unheard in the current at-large system, and it is time to change that by voting YES on Measure B. San Mateo County is one of the […]

By Angela Chan, Senior Staff Attorney, Criminal Justice Reform Program, Asian Law Caucus This November, California voters have an opportunity to reform California’s 18-year-old “three-strikes” law through voting in support of Proposition 36.  Our three strikes law, which is the toughest in the country, allows courts to sentence individuals to 25 years to life in […]

By Ju Hong, member of ASPIRE (Asian Students Promoting Immigrant Rights through Education) “Did you register to vote?” a female student greeted me with a big smile as I walked through the center of Sproul Hall on campus. “No,” I quickly responded as I smiled back. “Would you like to register?” she said. “It takes […]

Immigration is one of the most important issues in the presidential election this year. Both candidates, Barrack Obama and Mitt Romney, have different approaches and visions to solve our broken immigration system. The question then becomes, which candidate is a better choice to fix our broken immigration system?

Sacramento – The California Assembly passed AB 1081, the TRUST Act, 48-26 on concurrence today, sending the measure to the Governor for his signature. The Governor has until September 30 to sign the bill. “This is a bill that speaks to humanity,” said Assemblymember Tom Ammiano, the bill’s author. “It prevents unjust treatment of productive […]

SACRAMENTO – Today, the State Senate approved AB 1081 (Ammiano), California’s TRUST Act, by a vote of 21-13. Floor manager Senator Kevin de Leόn (D – Los Angeles) presented the bill on the Senate floor. The TRUST Act would create a national model to counter the racial profiling inherent in the one section of Arizona’s anti-immigrant […]

By Ju Hong, member of ASPIRE (Asian Students Promoting Immigrant Rights through Education) Although I recently graduated from UC Berkeley with a major in Political Science, I am unable to use my degree to work because I am undocumented. Not only did I face a difficult time to finding ways to work, I also faced […]

TRUST Act would ease burden on local governments of controversial program which has deported 72,694 Californians SACRAMENTO – On June 12th, 2012, by a vote of 5 to 2, the California State Senate’s Public Safety Committee approved the new version of the TRUST Act (AB 1081 – Ammiano). The bill would reform California’s participation in […]