Newsletter

Second Cohort of New American Fellows

Santa Clara County is proud to host the New Americans Fellowship for its second year. The fellowship is a full-time, 10-week paid internship opportunity during Summer 2018. Fellows have been hard at work on a research and/or community engagement projects focused on immigrant integration. They have been placed in 9 Santa Clara County departments that match their interest or future career goals.

Some of the work that has already been completed includes translation outreach materials; assisting with re-entry services to previously incarcerated residents; helping elderly county residents access services; and getting a first hand experience on how the justice system works in Santa Clara County.

Interns have been placed in the following Departments:
     • Office of Supervisor Cortese D3
     • The Office of Immigrant Relations
     • The Office of Women’s Policy
     • The Office of LGBTQ Affairs
     • The Office of the Public Defender
     • Reentry Services
     • Public Health Department
     • Probation Department
     • Social Service Agency

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SCC Immigrant Heritage Month 2018

OIR Successes

In the midst of unprecedented and brutal roll backs of protections for immigrant families, migrants and asylum seekers though changes in administrative procedures and in the context of anti-immigrant rhetoric at the national level,  Santa Clara County and the Office of Immigrant Relations proudly takes a moment to recognize the work that has taken place in the last year in collaboration with community based agencies, schools, the Rapid Response Network, the Immigrant Programs Task Force, the Refugee and Immigrant Forum and the SCC Citizenship Collaborative.

• Launched One County--One Future Campaign that received a Gold Award of Excellence Communicator Award--leading international awards program recognizing big ideas in marketing and communications.
• Funds and coordinates in the SCC Rapid Response Network that has mobilized 800 volunteers and assisted hundreds of SCC residents with guidance, accompaniment and legal assistance. This network is a recipient of the 2018 New Leaders Council Silicon Valley Immigration Visionary Award and the SVCN 2017 Change Maker Award.
• OIR is implementing an innovative New Americans Fellowship Program for the second year in a row. This is a unique opportunity for DACA recipients to work in government and engage with OIR non-profit partners that work with immigrants. Last year 10 Fellows completed the internship and presented dozens of policy recommendations to BOS.
• In the FY 17-8, OIR has conducted 134 presentations and community outreach events in SCC schools and other community spaces, reaching a total of 4,729 individuals.
• OIR has sustained the SCC Immigrant Programs Taskforce for the past 14 months. This network of County departments meets monthly to improve efficiency and strengthen collaborations in information sharing and outreach efforts. This platform has given OIR and other participating departments more opportunities to work with County partners and improve programs and services delivered to immigrant clients.
• OIR has worked with the Refugee and Immigrant Forum (RIF) to address the needs of refugee populations and analyze refugee admission policies. OIR has also worked in the RIF Immigrant Professionals Subcommittee. Based on the work of this subcommittee SCC became one of the only 8 entities selected nationwide to receive a grant by World Education Services (WES) Global Talent Bridge for a Skilled Immigrants’ Integration Pilot Program.
• During the Citizenship Day 2018, when orientations and application assistance were provided in 13 languages, the Santa Clara County Citizenship Collaborative provided the immigrant community a significant cost savings of $161,035 for services rendered and Fee Waiver applications completed. Approximately 1,000 people attended this event.

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In a time of great stress and fear in the community, OIR has created multiple channels of communication and collaboration with the Behavioral Heath Department. OIR has worked closely with the suicide prevention program to develop a series of inter-departmental trainings, as well as other training and presentation opportunities with community-based agencies, the Behavioral Health Board and their Family, Adolescents and Seniors Committee. OIR has also worked with the Ethnic and Cultural Competency Advisory Council’s Family Outreach Program and trained their community outreach staff. Because of this broad-based collaboration, OIR was supported by Behavioral Health Department staff in the development of a Mental Health Guide for Immigrants. The two departments also had great opportunities to support each other at libraries, the Strong Girls Conference, and other community events.

To access the guide, click here:

https://www.sccgov.org/sites/oir/Documents/MH%20brochure%20for%20immigrants%204-12-18.pdf
  

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California Pre-Trial Diversion For Minor Drug Charges (AB 208)

As of January 1, 2018, California offers a pretrial diversion program to qualifying defendants charged with minor drug offenses.  In this process, defendants are permitted to plead “not guilty” before they are diverted to a drug education program.  If they successfully complete this and other requirements within 12-18 months (or more, if they request and are granted more time), then the drug charge/s will be dropped, and they will have not convictions from the incident for immigration purposes, or any other purpose.  Defendants who do not make satisfactory progress will return to regular criminal proceeds, to face the original charge/s.

See AB 2082 (2017) (Eggman), amending California Penal Code § 1000 et seq. For more detailed information please also see:

California Pre-Trial Diversion for Minor Drug Charges by Kathy Brady, ILRC


OFFENSES THAT CAN BE TREATED UNDER PENAL CODE § 1000 --
EITHER PRETRIAL DIVERSION (2018) OR DEFERRED ENTRY OF JUDGMENT (1997-2017)

If community members believe that they might qualify for this relief they can contact Beth Chance at beth.chance@pdo.sccgov.org

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Immigrant Stories: When Home Won't Let You Stay - Stories of Escape and Refuge

On May 10, the Midpeninsula Media Center and the City of Palo Alto Library co-sponsored an evening of stories called “When Home Won’t Let You Stay: Stories of Escape and Refuge.” Storytellers from five different countries recount events in their homelands that transformed their lives and provoked them to plan dangerous escapes to a crowd of 125 people at the Mitchell Park Community Center. In the case of Rona Popal of Afghanistan, she and her husband were already on assignment in New York when the Russian Army invaded Kabul and installed a new government. They could not return as her family was now vilified. Quy Lee was a teen-ager in South Viet Nam following the North’s victory in 1975. He felt he could “no longer breathe” given all the new restrictions and police surveillance. Stories of survival, resilience, gratitude and hope were shared.
 
Read more: 
http://midpenmedia.org/stories-of-escape-and-refuge-live-event/

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