BAIRC News, Policy Update, Raids Update and Information

BAIRC MARCH COALITION MEETING
March 2007 BAIRC Coalition Meeting
Tuesday, March 20th, 5:30PM - 7:30PM
Grace Urban Ministries
3265 16th Street in San Francisco
(between Valencia Street and Guerrero Street)
BART: 16th Street San Francisco

"California's 2007 Budget - How to Make it Work for Us"
Panel presentation, Q&A session, and small group discussion and analysis

* How will the immigrant community be affected by the 2007 California budget?
* How can the 2007 California budget affect important community issues identified
by BAIRC members & allies in February?

**Light refreshments will be provided**
**Translation (Spanish/Cantonese) and childcare available with RSVP
(evelyn [at] immigrantrights.org<mailto:evelyn [at] immigrantrights.org> - or
intern [at] immigrantrights.org<mailto:intern [at] immigrantrights.org>)**

For more information: Evelyn Sanchez, BAIRC Advocacy Coordinator at 510 839 7598 or
email evelyn [at] immigrantrights.org<mailto:evelyn [at] immigrantrights.org>

BAIRC MEMBER HIGHLIGHT
The Bay Area Immigrant Rights Coalition will be highlighting the great work,
innovative projects, campaigns, and successes of its member organizations. To this
end, we will highlight a different member on our website every month to spread the
word about the great work that is being done by, with, and on behalf of, immigrant
communities in the Bay Area.

Our first member highlight is the Asian Law Caucus<http://www.asianlawcaucus.org/>
and their Juvenile Justice Program<http://www.alcyouthjustice.org/>. This new
program addresses the cultural and linguistic barriers that keep immigrant parents
from advocating for their children caught in the juvenile justice system.

FEDERAL IMMIGRATION LEGISLATION
The elections of 2008 are starting early, and perhaps immigrant communities will
benefit? Visit our website<http://www.immigrantrights.org/policyupdates.asp> for
pro-immigration legislation introduced by Senator Barak Obama (presidential
candidate) of Illinois to promote citizenship.

The Bay Area Immigrant Rights Coalition (BAIRC)<http://www.immigrantrights.org/>
will be sending two representatives - Safa Shanneb of the Arab American
Anti-Discrimination Committee and the Arab American Legal Services and Evelyn
Sanchez, Advocacy Coordinator for BAIRC - to Washington DC to highlight the dire
need for a new and just immigration law that will bring relief to immigrants as part
of an advocacy campaign organized by the National Network for Immigrant and Refugee
Rights. Check out our press statement<http://www.immigrantrights.org/pr030807.asp>.

ACTIONS AGAINST THE RAIDS
Canal Alliance, Canal Welcome Center, Parent Services Project invite you to a
community meeting at: Pickleweed Center, Monday March 12th, 6:00 pm in response to
the recent immigration raids in the Canal neighborhood. For more information,
http://www.immigrantrights.org/calendar.asp<http://www.immigrantrights.org/calendar.asp>
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


Lawyer's Committee for Civil Rights Seeks Personal Accounts of Abusive ICE
Enforcement Actions



The ACLU of Northern California, the San Francisco Bay Guardian, and Lawyers'
Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area are seeking information
relating to recent enforcement actions conducted by U.S. Immigration Customs and
Enforcement (ICE) as part of "Operation Return to Sender" in Contra Costa, San
Mateo, Santa Cruz, San Benito, San Francisco, and Fresno counties, as well as other
counties. Operation Return to Sender was launched in May 2006 and has led to the
arrest of at least 13,000 people nationwide. The media has reported extensively on
abusive practices committed as a result of the ICE enforcement actions, including:



* illegal entries and searches by ICE agents

* misidentification of ICE agents as member of local police forces,

* inappropriate tactics related to children including

* conducting round-ups near schools and leaving minor children unattended
upon their parents' arrest

* violations of due process and abusive treatment.



The Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights is seeking information from members of the
public who believe they were victims of abusive and unlawful ICE enforcement
tactics, or who believe they have observed such tactics. If you have information
regarding abusive ICE enforcement tactics, please contact Silvia Contreras at the
Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights, at 415/543-9444.

To access a form to help individuals and organizations document ICE raids, go to
http://www.immigrantrights.org/knowrights.asp<http://www.immigrantrights.org/knowrights.asp>.
The form available in English and will be translated soon.


******************
Larisa Casillas
Director
Bay Area Immigrant Rights Coalition (BAIRC)
310 Eighth Street, Suite 303
Oakland, CA 94607
Phone: (510) 839-7598
Fax: (510) 465-1885
http://www.immigrantrights.org<http://www.immigrantrights.org/>