Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs
Newsletter | June 2016
In 2013, Mayor Eric Garcetti re-established the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA)
in order to promote and advance the economic, cultural, social, and political well-being of
immigrant communities in the City of Los Angeles. Our mission is to develop programs
and initiatives to support immigrant integration through the coordination of city services,
outreach, and legislative advocacy. We encourage you to share this newsletter with your
friends, family, and colleagues. Thank you for your support.
IMMIGRATION POLICY NEWS
National
Mayor's Statement on U.S. v Texas Decision
"I am disappointed by the Supreme Court's decision to further delay President Obama's
executive action on immigration. Today’s ruling deepens uncertainty for families already
at risk for a cruel separation. That’s not what America stands for. No matter what happens
in Washington, the City of Los Angeles remains committed to supporting all families — no
matter their immigration status or country of origin."– Mayor Eric Garcetti
Mayor's Statement on ICE Raids
“Los Angeles has always welcomed people from all over the world, especially those
needing refuge from extreme violence and harrowing persecution. This has been
particularly true for our neighbors in parts of Central America — which is why serious
concerns are raised by recent Reuters reports that the U.S. Immigration and Customs
Enforcement is planning a series of raids to deport women and children. After fleeing
some of the most frightening circumstances imaginable, these refugees and asylumseekers should not be the targets of ICE raids that are disruptive and instill fear in our
local schools, workplaces, and places of worship. The Administration should continue its
policy of focusing on removing criminals and national security risks — not wasting
precious resources on deporting those who are only looking to survive — and for the
opportunity to build new lives for their families in a safe and secure environment.” – Mayor
Eric Garcetti
4-Year Anniversary of DACA
On June 15, 2012, President Obama enacted a new policy calling for deferred action for
undocumented youth who came to the U.S. as children. Because of DACA, over 700,000
undocumented young people received relief from deportation and obtained legal work
status. It opened doors for undocumented youth and strengthened the overall economy;
some states--including California--altered DACA policy so that DACA recipients would
qualify for in-state tuition for higher education opportunities. Here at City Hall, we
celebrated the anniversary of DACA by screening two films that showcased the personal
stories of DACA recipients and undocumented immigrants.
TPS for Ecuadorian Immigrants Seeking Relief
On May 3, Mayor Garcetti issued a letter to Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson
and requested for Ecuador to receive Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for individuals
residing in the U.S. In April, Ecuador was hit by a devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake
that left more than 650 dead and 27,000 injured. Los Angeles County is home to
approximately 20,000 Ecuadorians, whose families and homes were hurt during the
earthquake. Granting TPS would maintain an effective relief effort while Ecuador rebuilds
and recovers from the damages caused by the earthquake.
DHS Proposes Naturalization Fee Increase
On May 4, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released the proposed changes to
the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Fee Schedule, which would increase
the fees for almost three dozen immigration and naturalization applications and services,
including naturalization. Naturalization fees in particular will increase by $45, from $595
to $640. However, a fee waiver was introduced, which would allow those who have
household incomes of 150-200 percent above the Federal Poverty Guidelines to pay $405
for both the filing and biometrics process. The revised fee schedule is open for comment
on the Federal Register and the changes are likely to take effect in the fall.
USCIS Begins Application Rollout of Program Benefiting Filipino WWII Veterans
On June 9, USCIS announced they would begin accepting applications for a program to
reunite family members of Filipino WWII veterans. Called the Filipino World War II Veterans
Parole Program, USCIS will allow family members to come to the U.S. (case-by-case basis)
while they wait for their immigration visa. For more information, please visit the USCIS
website.
State
Gov. Brown Expands Healthcare to Undocumented Immigrants
On June 10, Governor Brown signed a bill into law allowing unauthorized immigrants to
buy health insurance under the U.S. Affordable Care Act. The law lets the state request a
waiver from the federal government to allow undocumented immigrants to purchase
insurance through Covered California. If the waiver is approved, about 390,000
immigrants could purchase health insurance for the first time. This is the first bill of its
kind in the U.S. and has the opportunity to lessen the costs of health-related services in
the state.
Local
Immigrant Heritage Month
June is Immigrant Heritage Month! On June 10, Mayor Garcetti, in partnership with LA City
Council, hosted a proclamation ceremony for Immigrant Heritage Month. Several members
of the community gathered and shared stories of how Los Angeles has been fueled by
contributions of immigrant families. Councilmembers also recognized immigrant
entrepreneurs from their districts and spoke to the value of diversity and cultural heritage
of immigrant communities in Los Angeles.
T.A.C.O. Challenge Launch
In partnership with the mitú Network, Mayor Garcetti and his Office of Immigrant Affairs
helped launch the T.A.C.O. (Take Action. Commit Others.) Challenge on May 7. The goal of
the T.A.C.O. Challenge is to register one million Latino millennials to vote. Participants can
spread the word and challenge others to join in through Instagram or Twitter using
#TACOchallenge and tagging @wearemitu. Latino millennials can register to vote through
the mitú voter registration site, latinosvote2016.org or by downloading the free Latinos
Vote mobile app. To see a video from the event, click here.
Ventanilla de Asesoría Financiera Launch
On May 5, the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs launched the Ventanilla de Asesoría
Financiera (Financial Literacy Window) program in partnership with the Consulate General
of Mexico in Los Angeles, the Youth Policy Institute, Citi Community Development, and
Southern California Grantmakers. The Ventanilla program will provide customized and
centralized financial empowerment resources at the Mexican Consulate in Los Angeles,
helping low-income Mexican nationals and families participate more fully in the American
financial system and achieve greater financial security.
1st Annual Latina Empowerment Conference
On May 14, the City of Los Angeles and Councilman Curren D. Price, Jr. hosted the 1st
Annual Latina Empowerment Conference at the Los Angeles Trade Technical College. The
free conference was aimed at providing resources, tools, and vital information to Latinas
and their families. Those who attended were able to listen to motivational speakers,
participate in informational workshops, see art exhibits, enjoy a fashion show, and were
treated to a complimentary luncheon. To watch a recap of the conference, please click
here.
OTHER UPCOMING EVENTS
Today is World Refugee Day
Today, Thursday June 23, the Refugee Forum of Los Angeles (RFLA) is hosting a Refugee
Information Fair at Plummer Park in West Hollywood. The fair will celebrate the resilience
of refugees around the world, the diversity of Los Angeles, and will connect refugees and
asylum seekers with much-needed services. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors
declared June Refugee Awareness Month and RFLA will receive a special proclamation
during the event. The fair is free and open to the public.
MENTORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
“1,000 Dreamers-1,000 Leaders” Program
The U.S.-Mexico Foundation’s “1,000 Dreamers-1,000 Leaders” Program is a mentoring
and professional development program created to unlock the full professional potential of
Dreamers of Latino origin in the U.S. and Mexico through personalized one-on-one
mentorship, soft skills training, and networking opportunities. The program has been
recognized by the White House’s Initiative for Educational Excellence for Hispanics. To
learn more and to sign up as a mentor or a mentee please click here.
GRANT OPPORTUNITIES
Data Disaggregation Grant
The U.S. Department of Education announced a new federal grant (Data Disaggregation
Initiative) for states to improve their data collection and analysis on English Learner (EL)
AAPI subpopulations. The grant aims to help both state and local education agencies work
together to identify strategies on how to close the educational opportunity gaps caused by
language needs and the lack of school resources. The application deadline was just
extended to August 1, 2016. Application information is available here.
100&Change Competition
On June 2, 2016, the MacArthur Foundation announced their “100&Change” competition,
which gives an organization the opportunity to receive a $100 million grant for a proposal
created to solve an important issue affecting people, a place, or the planet. Organizations
working in any field or endeavor anywhere are welcome to apply, and must identify the
issue they are trying to solve and how they are planning to do it. Registration and
application information can be found here on the competition’s website.
21st Century Solutions Grant
Telemundo 52 and NBC4 have recently opened the 21st Century Solutions competitive
grant challenge. The program awards three local nonprofits that are solving social
challenges with innovative programs in the areas of civic engagement, education, jobs and
economic empowerment, and technology. The grant challenge is accepting applications
from qualifying 501(c)(3) organizations. The first place organization will receive $100,000
and the runners-up will receive $50,000 each. The application is open through August 26.
INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs Internship at City Hall
Our office is currently accepting applications for the fall. Interns will assist MOIA staff by
conducting background research on special projects, writing reports, drafting
memorandum, as well as assisting with events. Interns will gain first-hand experience in
community engagement, outreach, and policy related to immigrant communities, and will
interact with all levels of city, state, and federal government. Applications will be accepted
from current undergraduate students, graduate students, or recent graduates of a two- or
four-year college, university, or vocational school. Interested applicants should send their
one-page resume, cover letter, and a writing sample to Paola Fernandez
at [email protected]. Cover letters may be addressed to Dr. Linda Lopez, Chief,
Office of Immigrant Affairs.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Mayor’s Citizenship Volunteer Corps
The Mayor’s Citizenship Volunteer Corps was created to empower Angelenos to support
the programs and initiatives of our direct service community partners. Volunteers assist
our partner organizations during events that help educate immigrant communities on
various programs, especially those related to citizenship. Opportunities and events include
application assistance workshops, educational forums, and various resource fairs
throughout the city. For more information, click here.
Questions? Comments? Email us at [email protected]