Weekly News and Events from the Immigration Liaison

Update on the Public Charge Issue

The deadline for submitting comments on the public charge issue was last Monday, December 10th. The Immigration Liaison submitted comments on behalf of the City of San Antonio, expressing our concerns with the proposed rule change. Overall, 210,889 comments were received nationwide by the Department of Homeland Security, which is a very high number. https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=USCIS-2010-0012-0001.

The agency should now review the comments and revise the rule to address the concerns raised in the comments before publishing the final rule, or publish the rule with an explanation of how the rule addressed the comments received. This link has a good explanation of federal rule making: https://www.foreffectivegov.org/node/3463.

What the community needs at this point is an explanation of what this rule means for our immigrant families. There was a lot of confusion in the immigrant community about how participation in publicly funded health, education, and nutrition programs would jeopardize a person's immigration status. The City would like to work with our stakeholders, and the local immigration bar to address these concerns and come up with some solid recommendations for the public. If you are interested in participating in this initiative, please contact the Immigration Liaison.

Thank you to everyone who helped out at last Saturday's Citizenship Clinic.

Thank you to all of the volunteers who helped make the AFL-CIO's first citizenship clinic in San Antonio a success! The clinic helped about 50 clients complete the N-400 naturalization application and prepare it for mailing to USCIS. The AFL-CIO hopes to regularly host citizenship clinics in San Antonio, which will address a great need. There are an estimated 59,000 LPRs who are eligible to naturalize in Bexar County. If past trends hold, there will be an increase in naturalization applications over the next year and half because of the 2020 presidential election. If you are interested in volunteering at a naturalization event, or are interested in hosting a naturalization event, please contact the immigration liaison.

National Migration Week is January 6th - 12th 2019.

For nearly a half century, the Catholic Church in the United States has celebrated National Migration Week, which is an opportunity for the Church to reflect on the circumstances confronting migrants, including immigrants, refugees, children, and victims and survivors of human trafficking. The theme for National Migration Week 2019, “Building Communities of Welcome” draws attention to the fact that each of our families have a migration story, some recent and others in the distant past. Regardless of where we are and where we came from, we remain part of the human family and are called to live in solidarity with one another.

For more information on National Migration Week: https://justiceforimmigrants.org/take-action/national-migration-week/

For a toolkit on taking action during National Migration Week: https://justiceforimmigrants.org/2016site/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Final-NMW-Toolkit-2019.pdf

A call for Dream Week events, January 11-26 2019. Deadline for submitting event is December 19, 2018.

Dreamweek is right around the corner! If you are interested in having an event announced through the official Dream Week calendar the deadline to submit is December 19, 2018:

http://dreamweek.org/partner/

Compassion at a National Level Jan. 29th 1:30 - 4:30 pm

Join the Faith Based Initiative on January 29, 2018, 1:30 – 4:30 pm, at Little Carver @ Carver Community Center, 216 N. Hackberry. Ben O’Dell, Faith Liaison with the US Department of Health and Human Services will be presenting and facilitating the next Compassion in Action Lab. Bringing research and models that are working across the country. Free and Open to the public. Bring a team from your congregation or organization. For more information please contact Ann Helmke.

Vera Institute Report on San Antonio's Immigrant Community

Do you want to know how many San Antonio children with an immigrant parent are U.S. citizens? Do you want to know how many San Antonio residents are at risk of deportation? Take a look at the fact sheet prepared by the Vera Institute and share with your friends!

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1QB8wv2bcd-k5q2uOrgoYjz_oUriJN7v7

Want to Learn about the US Immigration System? Pew Research is offering a free email course

The Pew Research Center is offering a free five-part email course answering the following questions: who are U.S. immigrants? How has immigration changed the U.S. – and how will it do so in the future? Who are legal immigrants and who are unauthorized ones?

Take a look at the description of the course and sign up at the following link:

http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/10/16/want-to-understand-u-s-immigration-weve-got-an-email-course-for-you/

Do you have ten minutes to learn about asylum? Local attorney Javier Rivera explains the legal claims of the migrant caravan in a TYLA ten-minute mentor video

Attorney Javier Rivera of De Mott McChesney Curtright & Armendariz explains the top ten things that every attorney needs to know about the migrant caravan.

http://tenminutementor.com/

Do you have news you want to share?

Please email it to the Immigration Liaison: tino.gallegos@sanantonio.gov

Have a great week!