Dear Casa San José Amigos,
Welcome back to our email newsletter! We hope you had a peaceful and joyful holiday.
- Thursday, Jan. 11th, is DREAM Act Call-In Day. Right now is a critical moment for Congress to pass a clean DREAM Act protecting undocumented youth. There is some negotiating power with a budget that must be passed by Jan. 19th. Also, Mayor Peduto has just issued a press release urging Pittsburghers to speak out to defend immigrants. (If you can't call on that day, just call later - every call helps.)
- Here’s how to participate:
- 1. Dial 1-888-778-6856 and wait for the “welcome” message.
- 2. When prompted, enter your zip code
- 3. Wait for your call to be connected to your Representative or Senator and tell them to pass a clean Dream Act now.
- Suggested Script :
- Hello, my name is __________ and I live in __________ (city and state). As your constituent, I am calling to urge you to pass a clean Dream Act. Every day that Congress fails to act, 122 community members lose their DACA status and are at risk of being deported. Please pass a clean Dream Act. Thank you for your time.
- There is recent good news that a CA federal judge issued an injunction to maintain DACA. But this is a temporary fix. We need still a clean DREAM Act, an end to the mass deportations, and legislation that provides permanent protections.
- Casa would like to form a group of legal observers to document ICE activities. If you are interested, please sign up a free legal observer (LO) training by the ACLU on Saturday, February 3 at 10 am for a 1-2 hour session in downtown Pittsburgh. Contact Jane Louik at janelouik@comcast.net by Jan. 22 if you can do this. See attached letter for more information.
- Join Casa San Jose at the January 20 Annual Summit Against Racism, held at the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, 616 N. Highland Ave. Casa will be presenting at these panels: Fighting Everyday Forms of Racism in our Neighborhoods and Beyond, and Building Power: Addressing Racism and Trauma in Pittsburgh’s Immigrant Communities. Registration and more information here.
- We have a great Facebook page - so please like/follow it and invite your own friends to like it too!
- 200,000 immigrants from El Salvador who are here legally, some for decades, under Temporary Protected Status, will be deported by the cancellation of this program by the Trump administration. "A sense of dread gripped Salvadorans and their employers in California, Virginia, Texas and elsewhere."
- Wage theft protested: Monica represented Casa San José on a freezing Saturday at a protest by a coalition of human rights advocates at the Robinson Marriott over unpaid wages to local immigrants in the renovation of that hotel. Wage theft is a widespread problem that hits immigrants hard in the US, especially in the construction industry, because subcontractors often operate "under the radar."
- But some good news too: The Three Kings Day festival on Sunday at St. Catherine's church was a huge success, with over 200 adults and children having fun, watching the play, and savoring the delicious Rosca de Reyes.
SUGGESTED if you'd like to read or hear more:
- "In Pittsburgh, immigration advocates lament new Trump policy toward Salvadorans," Peter Smith, Post-Gazette, Jan. 8.
- "Trump's decision that would deport Salvadorans makes little sense, Pittsburgh area immigration experts say," Bob Bauder, Triblive, Jan. 8
