Public Policy
News releases, reports, statements and associated documents from public policy organizations whose goal it is to influence the debate Washington.
Featured Stories
With the Future of DACA at Stake, Home is Here Coalition Urges Biden Admin and Congress to Take Action Now
WASHINGTON, May 9 -- Americans for Immigrants Justice issued the following news release on May 8, 2024:
Today, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a full committee hearing on the urgent need for Congress to protect and deliver permanent legal protections for immigrant youth, given ongoing attacks against the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program in the courts. As hundreds of thousands of DACA recipients and DACA-eligible young people await a critical decision in the lawsuit seeking to end the program, there is no time to waste for the Biden administration nor Congress.
The Home
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WASHINGTON, May 9 -- Americans for Immigrants Justice issued the following news release on May 8, 2024:
Today, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a full committee hearing on the urgent need for Congress to protect and deliver permanent legal protections for immigrant youth, given ongoing attacks against the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program in the courts. As hundreds of thousands of DACA recipients and DACA-eligible young people await a critical decision in the lawsuit seeking to end the program, there is no time to waste for the Biden administration nor Congress.
The Homeis Here Coalition has been urging President Biden to take proactive action by pursuing every executive action possible to protect DACA recipients, DACA-eligible youth, and immigrant communities at large before a decision out of the 5th Circuit Court.
Cindy Woods, National Policy Counsel at Americans for Immigrant Justice, said:
"For the past eight years, DACA and the future of Dreamers across the country has been under attack. After years of being on the defensive, and with a potentially catastrophic court decision looming, now is the time for President Biden and Congress to act to protect DACA recipients and DACA-eligible youth. DACA recipients and Dreamers positively contribute to our society in so many ways. They support and enrich the lives of their families, friends, and communities. They also pay local, state, and federal taxes--contributing to social safety nets that many Dreamers cannot benefit from themselves. National polling consistently shows widespread support for creating a pathway to citizenship for this population and protecting Dreamers. It is critical that the Administration do all in its power to implement protections for this at-risk population and ensure that American families can stay together and continue to thrive."
Bruna Sollod, Senior Political Director of United We Dream, said:
"The Biden Administration must take the 5th Circuit Court's track record seriously when it comes to DACA and understand that hundreds of thousands of people in this country are facing an existential threat of job loss, deportation and family separation. There is nothing stopping the Biden Administration from taking administrative action to ensure immigrant youth can reliably and fairly access existing pathways to adjust their status. Right now, there are roughly 100,000 DACA recipients who are married to a U.S. citizen and could be sponsored for a green card if it weren't for arbitrary rules and immigration bars preventing them. The administration is also well within their capacity to grant parole for groups with significant humanitarian concerns, which could include current and former DACA recipients and hundreds of thousands of young people who were excluded from DACA. The White House must use every tool possible to ensure a safety net is put in place for DACA recipients, DACA-eligible youth, and their families before a potentially catastrophic court decision."
Yuna Oh, Research Associate for America's Voice and DACA recipient, said:
"DACA has been a beacon of hope and opportunity for people like me and my family. However, its limited scope has left many in a state of perpetual uncertainty in a country we call home. As reflected in numerous polls, the support for a pathway to citizenship is clear and underscores the pressing need for change. The Biden Administration and Congress have a critical and limited window of opportunity to build on DACA's successes and offer different pathways to protection and relief, such as TPS and DED, for DACA recipients, eligible and non-eligible youth, and their families and communities. The time for action is now. Mine and other mixed-status families cannot wait."
Wendy Cervantes, Director of Immigration and Immigrant Families for the Center for Law and Social Policy, said:
"The DACA program has allowed recipients to pursue their careers, contribute to their communities, and support their families. There are more than 300,000 children--many of them young U.S.-born citizens--who have at least one parent with DACA, and whose futures are also tied to the fate of the DACA program. Thousands of kids graduating from U.S. high schools every year who also deserve every opportunity to achieve their full potential have no other option for relief. We call on the Biden Administration to pursue all administrative relief options available to provide DACA recipients and undocumented young people the permanent stability and peace of mind they and their families need to thrive."
Karen Tumlin, Founder and Director of Justice Action Center, said:
"DACA has been a lifeline for undocumented immigrant youth and has proven to be one of the most successful immigration programs in our recent history. However, the current iteration of the program is not enough: The program is still limited in scope, and a court order currently locks out thousands of other DACA-eligible youth from being able to benefit from the program. As our clients' stories demonstrate, we all lose when DACA recipients are being forced to live their lives in two-year increments and are blocked from contributing to our communities and our nation as a whole. It is past time for the Biden Administration to take bold action to protect immigrant communities while zealously defending the program against xenophobic legal challenges in court."
Fatima Flores Lagunas, Political Director of Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights and DACA recipient, said:
"This is a golden opportunity for the Administration to act on their promises by taking steps to protect DACA recipients, undocumented youth not eligible to apply for the program, and their families. It is time for this Administration and Congress to take the reins on immigration reform and protect millions of families. We have waited long enough for the perfect political moment to protect our immigrant communities, and all the while millions of individuals cannot fully enjoy a livelihood free from fear and angst. We call on Congress and the Administration to be bold and make a difference now by supporting a pathway for citizenship."
Diana Pliego, Federal Advocacy Strategist of the National Immigration Law Center, said:
"DACA was the bridge I needed to get an education and build a life that once felt unreachable. But with DACA under attack and inaccessible to new applicants, it's past time for policymakers to arrive at commonsense solutions that provide the long-term stability our community needs. We urge Congress and the Biden administration to act now to ensure that immigrant youth, and all immigrants who call the U.S. home, can live free from fear and are free to thrive."
Andrea Rathbone Ramos, Digital Communications Specialist of American Immigration Council and DACA Recipient, said:
"Today's Senate Judiciary Committee hearing serves as a stark reminder of the flawed system immigrant youth and their families have been navigating for over two decades. DACA was merely a temporary fix to a deeply flawed immigration system. Now, not only does DACA hang precariously in legal limbo, but an increasing number of immigrant youth are not even eligible for the program's protections. It's abundantly clear: Congress must act. For too long, our legislative process has been stalled, leaving immigrant youth who have grown up in this country in a state of uncertainty and precarity. But we cannot accept inaction any longer. Our families, our communities, and our economy are on the line. Congress must rise to the occasion, delivering the permanent protections and dignity immigrant youth and their families deserve."
Gustavo Torres, Executive Director of CASA, said:
"DACA has been a lifeline, transforming the lives of our members who, thanks to this program, can support their families and earn a living. The Biden administration must act decisively and boldly to protect DACA recipients. Every day of delay, every moment of hesitation, casts our community's future into deeper limbo. With tools like Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) at his disposal, the President has numerous pathways to enhance and build upon the protections offered by DACA--safeguarding not just individuals but their families and entire communities. We continue to urge the President: Secure our futures!"
Angel Reyes Rivas, Long Island Organizing Coordinator at Make the Road New York and DACA recipient, said:
"The Biden administration needs to do everything in its power to protect the DACA program. As a DACA recipient, this program has given me the opportunity to continue to grow professionally and academically. It has also allowed me to work to support and provide for my wife and children. With the possibility of a negative ruling from the 5th circuit court, the Biden administration has the moral responsibility to act immediately and do the right thing for the hundreds of thousands of people who live and contribute to this country which we consider our home."
Antonio Arellano, Vice President of Communications at NextGen America, said:
"The DACA policy, now over a decade old, has been a saving grace that has given Dreamers the ability to think about a bigger and brighter future. But DACA protections are temporary, restrictive, and under constant legal threat from politicians. President Biden must take administrative action now to protect DACA recipients, undocumented youth, and all immigrant communities."
Iliana Perez, Executive Director of Immigrants Rising, said:
"The continuous legal uncertainties surrounding DACA not only threaten the stability of more than half a million young immigrants but also leave out many more DACA-eligible individuals, further compounding the issue. At Immigrants Rising, we witness every day how undocumented young people are not just students seeking higher education; they are aspiring business leaders, innovators, and educators. By enabling them to contribute fully, we can rectify the missed economic opportunities and foster a more inclusive and prosperous society. Their right to remain and thrive in their homes here in the United States is unequivocal. It's time for decisive action to protect them and uphold the values of opportunity and justice that define our country."
Lorella Praeli, Co-Director of Community Change/Action, said:
"DACA has been a lifeline for undocumented youth, giving them the opportunity to work, go to school, buy homes, and build families. DACA recipients and their families are vital to the social fabric and economy of our communities, yet for too long this generation has been living in limbo. Whether at the mercy of the courts or outdated immigration laws, DACA recipients and other undocumented individuals are prevented from fully participating in their country for well-over a decade. The Biden administration must act quickly and boldly to deliver affirmative relief for immigrant youth, TPS-eligible individuals, and others."
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The Home Is Here national coalition is fighting to protect DACA recipients, their families, and all immigrant communities at the U.S. Supreme Court. DACA recipients are undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children. They are also our nurses, our teachers, our coworkers, our family members, and our friends -- and their home is here.
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Original text here: https://aijustice.org/2024/05/08/with-the-future-of-daca-at-stake-home-is-here-coalition-urges-biden-admin-and-congress-to-take-action-now/
[Category: Law/Legal]
Unions, Community Intensify Their Call on CalPERS and CalSTRS to Hold ExxonMobil Accountable
LOS ANGELES, California, May 9 (TNScapv) -- The Sierra Club posted the following news release:
An unprecedented coalition that includes unions representing a majority of current workers invested in CalPERS, the second largest union representing CalSTRS members and leading environmental groups in California are calling on CalPERS and CalSTRS, the two largest public pension funds in California, to hold ExxonMobil accountable following the company's lawsuit against shareholders.
Specifically, unions, community groups and environmental groups are asking CalPERS and CalSTRS to vote against the Exxon
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LOS ANGELES, California, May 9 (TNScapv) -- The Sierra Club posted the following news release:
An unprecedented coalition that includes unions representing a majority of current workers invested in CalPERS, the second largest union representing CalSTRS members and leading environmental groups in California are calling on CalPERS and CalSTRS, the two largest public pension funds in California, to hold ExxonMobil accountable following the company's lawsuit against shareholders.
Specifically, unions, community groups and environmental groups are asking CalPERS and CalSTRS to vote against the ExxonBoard of Directors at the May 29 shareholder meeting, first by filing exempt solicitations immediately. The groups are also calling on the funds to begin a process for exiting Exxon investments, starting with ending all new investments in bonds. CalPERS has invested over $200 million in Exxon corporate bonds - the vast majority will not mature until 2049 and 2050 - the same year CalPERS has committed to achieving net zero emissions.
"Climate change poses an existential threat to pension benefits. Unions have fought hard to win and maintain retirement security for members. Still, failure to address climate change and continued investment in fossil fuels undermines pension funds' strength, predictability, and ability to fulfill responsibilities to beneficiaries," reads the letter from California Common Good.
The letter is signed by organizations representing 3 million people including SEIU Local 1000, the California Faculty Association, California State University Employees Union, SEIU Locals 721, 1021, 521, 221 and 99, AFSCME Local 3299, United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA), California Faculty Association, California Federation of Teachers along with the Sierra Club, California Environmental Voters, Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE), Courage California and Greenpeace.
"We know that climate change poses a great risk to our communities and our way of life," said Bill Hall, Board Chair of SEIU Local 1000, the largest union of State employees in California. "It means business as usual is unacceptable, and continued investment in ExxonMobil is too great a risk to the retirement security of our members--hardworking Californians."
In March, following testimony from CalPERS' beneficiaries in front of the Board of Directors, over 100 community and labor members rallied in front of CalPERS Sacramento headquarters to denounce Exxon for its lawsuit against shareholders who brought forward a climate-related resolution. Members of the CalPERS Board of Directors responded by raising serious concerns about continuing to invest in Exxon.
Theresa Taylor, CalPERS President, said during the March Board meeting: "I don't think engaging with [Exxon] will work."
"Exxon's actions have shown that it is committed to a business model that is harming the environment and communities on the frontlines of climate change," said Jakob Evans, an organizer with Sierra Club California. "CalPERS must hold Exxon accountable and reject any further investments in a corporation that has sued its own shareholders and continues to pollute the environment. Divesting from Exxon will ensure that California's public employees and future generations of Californians can access and enjoy the state's natural beauty free from the harms of oil and gas pollution."
ExxonMobil is the largest fossil fuel company in the United States and the largest non-governmental oil producer in the world. Recently, ExxonMobil sued two shareholders in an attempt to block their shareholder proposal urging the company to accelerate the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. This type of legal action is extremely rare. The Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility, which represents investors and institutions with some $4 trillion in total assets, noted that this type of legal action is a "serious threat to shareholder rights and a clear message that the company is seeking to shut down any debate by its shareholders on actions needed to address climate risk."
At the end of April, Wespath Benefits and Investments and Mercy Investment Services co-filed a proxy exempt solicitation with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) urging investors to vote against two director nominees at ExxonMobil's May shareholder meeting.
Oil and gas companies are highly volatile and risky investments, and continued fossil expansion undermines global climate goals and increases risks to the economy. California and at least 40 other states and municipalities are suing oil and gas companies for the harm they have caused residents.
In November, CalPERS pledged a commitment to climate policies to best protect retirement security for its beneficiaries. Their proposal included $100 billion in sustainable investments that the coalition believes should include investments in California's communities of color and ending investments with companies that harm our communities.
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Call to hold Exxon accountable for threats to shareholder rights & climate destruction
Dear CalPERS and CalSTRS Boards of Trustees and Staff,
We are writing to urge CalPERS and CalSTRS to hold Exxon accountable for its unprecedented and extreme lawsuit against its shareholders and its ongoing undermining of the efforts to fight climate change.
Climate change poses an existential threat to pension benefits. Unions have fought hard to win and maintain retirement security for members. Still, failure to address climate change and continued investment in fossil fuels undermines pension funds' strength, predictability, and ability to fulfill responsibilities to beneficiaries. Additionally, ensuring that workers' pension funds proactively work to mitigate climate change is in the core self-interest of all fund participants--current and future--and these actions benefit the greater public.
We know that both CalSTRS and CalPERS understand this threat. In its commitment to net zero emissions, CalSTRS states: "We believe climate change is one of the greatest threats to our future, with undeniable links to business and financial investments. Climate change impacts health and safety, the environment and the global economy, which puts the CalSTRS Investment Portfolio at risk."
CalPERS' sustainable investment program is based on the acknowledgment that "as an investor in the global economy, the scale and multi-faceted nature of climate change presents a systemic risk to our portfolio." We thank the CalPERS Board of Trustees for hearing public comments about the threat of Exxon's actions to shareholder rights at the March Board Meeting and for echoing our concerns. In particular, we want to uplift Board President Theresa Taylor's request for an engagement and accountability plan.
But Exxon's actions against shareholders Follow This, and Arjuna Capital require immediate action to protect retirement security. We ask that CalPERS and CalSTRS predeclare a vote against Exxon's Board of Directors and stop purchasing Exxon's bonds.
What Has Exxon done?
ExxonMobil has set a dangerous precedent that may discourage shareholder democracy across the board and stifle engagement on investor concerns, from climate impacts to worker rights. The shareholder proposal that sparked the lawsuit asked Exxon to set medium-term emissions reduction targets, which is not only a common shareholder request but would catch the major oil companies up to their peers. Instead of using the established regulatory process for challenging proposals or defending its lack of a transition plan and facing a vote, Exxon has gone after the rights of shareholders.
CalPERS has already established that climate change poses a significant risk to workers' retirement savings. The fund's Sustainability Plan has outlined several strategies to address and mitigate these risks, including a commitment to "enhanced" engagement with portfolio companies. Exxon has presented a test of this commitment: How will CalPERS defend the voice of California public employees and protect their retirements?
CalSTRS' Sustainable Investing Plan incorporates company engagements to "speed up the [climate] transition" and lists past successes, including at ExxonMobil. CalSTRS notes that previous commitments from the major oil companies are limited and exclude Scope 3 emissions, which represent greenhouse gas emissions from using their products and the bulk of Exxon's pollution. How will CalSTRS defend its ability to engage for more robust climate policies?
As stated by Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs in a recent op-ed in the Houston Chronicle: "The perils for diversified shareholders, who suffer lasting economic harm when individual companies prioritize their own short-term cash flows over the health of the critical systems upon which our economy relies, are all too apparent."
What can CalPERS and CalSTRS do?
As part of Climate Action 100+, CalPERS and CalSTRS are influential amongst peers. CalPERS is co-lead for shareholder engagement with Exxon. The steps CalPERS and CalSTRS take will resonate throughout investor spheres. We urge CalPERS and CalSTRS to:
1. Vote against the Exxon Board of Directors at this May's shareholder meeting.
2. Announce the funds' voting intentions publicly by filing exempt solicitations.
3. Begin a process for exiting Exxon, beginning with bonds.
It's important that Exxon's Board of Directors be held accountable for the company's extreme actions and that new investments be withheld unless that company presents a serious climate transition plan.
Signed by:
Bill Hall, Chair of the Board, SEIU Local 1000
David Green, President, SEIU Local 721
Max Arias, Executive Director, SEIU Local 99
Catherine Hutchinson, President, CSUEU
Cassondra Curiel, President, United Educators of San Francisco
Christina Livingston, Executive Director, Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE)
Miriam Eide, Executive Director, Fossil Free CA
Jakob Evans, Organizer, Sierra Club California
Fatima Iqbal-Zubair, Legislative Affairs Manager, California Environmental Voters
Amy Gray, Associate Director of Climate Finance, Stand.earth
Zach Lou, Director, California Green New Deal Coalition
Natalia Renta, Senior Policy Counsel for Corporate Governance and Power, Americans for Financial Reform
Deborah Moore, Strategist, Ruth Holton Hodson, Sacramento Legislative Group Co-lead
Phil Glosserman, SoCal Chapter Facilitator, MA Morgan, San Francisco Bay Area Climate and Finance Liaison, Third Act
Faraz Rizvi, Policy and Campaign Manager, Asian Pacific Environmental Network
RL Miller, President, Climate Hawks Vote
Lendri Purcell, President, Families Advocating for Chemical and Toxics Safety
Mullissa Willette, President , SEIU Local 521
Theresa Rutherford, President, SEIU Local 1021
Crystal Irving, President, SEIU Local 221
Gustavo Medina, Political Director, SEIU UHW
Mario Valenzuela, Director, Political Action & Community Organizing, United Teachers Los Angeles
Cassie Mancini, Legislative Advocate, California School Employees Association (CSEA)
Tristan Brown, Legislative Director, California Federation of Teachers
Ismael Armendariz, President , Oakland Education Association
Michael Avant, President, AFSCME 3299
Jordan Fein, Lead Research Analyst, UNITE HERE Local 11
Irene Kao, Executive Director, Courage California
Ben Smith, Senior Campaigner , Greenpeace USA
Mark Grossman, Organizer, 350 Silicon Valley
Sejal Choksi-Chugh, Executive Director, San Francisco Baykeeper
Allan Moskowitz, CEO, CFP Transformative Wealth Management, LLC
Sky Allen, Executive Director, Inland Empire United
Sydney Fang, Policy Director, Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders for Civic Empowerment
Henry Perez, Executive Director, InnerCity Struggle
Cheryl Auger, President, Ban SUP (Single Use Plastic)
Andria Ventura, Legislative and Policy Director, Clean Water Action
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About California Common Good:
California Common Good (CCG) is an innovative coalition of labor, community, and environmental groups anchored by the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE), United Teachers Los Angeles, and AFSCME 3299. CCG is advancing coalition campaigns for housing justice, workers' rights, and climate action, with an emphasis on the interests and needs of low-income and working-class communities of color. Central to our strategic approach is working to hold big corporations accountable to the common good.
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About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America's largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action.
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Original text here: https://www.sierraclub.org/press-releases/2024/05/unions-community-intensify-their-call-calpers-and-calstrs-hold-exxonmobil
[Category: Environment]
Third Way: Medical Debt Cancellation Act Protects the Health & Security of Everyone in America
WASHINGTON, May 9 -- Third Way issued the following statement on May 8, 2024:
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Third Way released the following statement from David Kendall, Senior Fellow for Health and Fiscal Policy:
"Third Way has long advocated for ending medical debt and believes the Medical Debt Cancellation Act by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Ro Khanna (CA-17) is a critical step forward. No one in America chooses to have medical debt, and cancelling it is an essential step to protect the health and security of everyone in America. The next step is to prevent medical debt from happening in the first place.
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WASHINGTON, May 9 -- Third Way issued the following statement on May 8, 2024:
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Third Way released the following statement from David Kendall, Senior Fellow for Health and Fiscal Policy:
"Third Way has long advocated for ending medical debt and believes the Medical Debt Cancellation Act by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Ro Khanna (CA-17) is a critical step forward. No one in America chooses to have medical debt, and cancelling it is an essential step to protect the health and security of everyone in America. The next step is to prevent medical debt from happening in the first place.For us, that means building on the Affordable Care Act to make sure everyone has affordable and adequate coverage. Although we disagree with Sen. Sanders and Rep. Khanna about single-payer health care, we look forward to working with them and other members of Congress to perfect and enact medical debt legislation."
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Original text here: https://www.thirdway.org/press/the-medical-debt-cancellation-act-protects-the-health-and-security-of-everyone-in-america
[Category: Political]
Northwest Nigeria: 10,000 People Displaced as a Result of Conflict in the Last Two Months are in Urgent Need of Humanitarian Assistance, Warns IRC
ABUJA, Nigeria, May 9 -- The International Rescue Committee issued the following news release:
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is concerned by the humanitarian impact of increasing insecurity in northwest Nigeria due to conflict between armed groups, not far from the areas where the IRC and its partners currently operate. In Zamfara and Sokoto states, armed attacks have displaced at least 10,000 people and killed at least 92 throughout March and April. Additionally, many others have been kidnapped in these attacks.
As a result of these attacks and consequent displacement, many people
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ABUJA, Nigeria, May 9 -- The International Rescue Committee issued the following news release:
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is concerned by the humanitarian impact of increasing insecurity in northwest Nigeria due to conflict between armed groups, not far from the areas where the IRC and its partners currently operate. In Zamfara and Sokoto states, armed attacks have displaced at least 10,000 people and killed at least 92 throughout March and April. Additionally, many others have been kidnapped in these attacks.
As a result of these attacks and consequent displacement, many peopleare residing in open spaces with minimal belongings and without basic necessities. More than half of the people affected by these attacks are women, which leaves them at risk of exploitation and abuse. Urgent humanitarian assistance is needed to meet the basic needs of these communities, namely water and sanitation, health, and protection services.
Babatunde Ojei, Country Director for the IRC in Nigeria, said:
"We are appalled by the brutal attacks on civilian men, women and children, which is yet another reminder of the violence that has become unacceptably common in northwest Nigeria. The IRC stands united with the families of the civilians affected and calls on all parties to uphold the protection of civilians and relevant humanitarian laws'
The northcentral and northwest zones of Nigeria face a complex crisis involving long-standing ethnic and religious tensions, often leading to attacks and banditry. Criminal groups carry out kidnappings and thefts along major highways. Over recent years, this crisis has escalated, causing widespread displacement throughout these regions.
The IRC has been working in Nigeria since 2012. The IRC operates in Zamfara, Katsina states and supports the work of partner organizations in Sokoto in northwest Nigeria. We provide both immediate lifesaving and life-sustaining activities as well as medium-term recovery programs. The IRC's programming includes primary health, nutrition and reproductive health care activities; educational support services for out-of-school youth, women's protection and empowerment activities, water and sanitation programming, and economic recovery and development activities.
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About the IRC
The International Rescue Committee responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC works in more than 50 countries and in 28 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future, and strengthen their communities. Learn more at http://www.rescue.org and follow the IRC on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and Facebook.
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Original text here: https://www.rescue.org/press-release/northwest-nigeria-10000-people-displaced-result-conflict-last-two-months-are-urgent
[Category: International]
Council on American-Islamic Relations: Take Action - Tell Your Senator to Reject a Bill Endangering Pro-Palestine Nonprofits and Advocacy Groups
WASHINGTON, May 9 -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations issued the following news release:
Take urgent action NOW. Tell your U.S. senator to oppose H.R.6408 and S.4136, Orwellian bills that would authorize a single official in the Treasury Department to strip any nonprofit organizations of their tax-exempt status without any accountability, justification, or due process. This bill was meant to target pro-Palestinian charities and nonprofit organizations and could be easily weaponized to target any nonprofit organization the President finds objectionable. No American organization should
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WASHINGTON, May 9 -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations issued the following news release:
Take urgent action NOW. Tell your U.S. senator to oppose H.R.6408 and S.4136, Orwellian bills that would authorize a single official in the Treasury Department to strip any nonprofit organizations of their tax-exempt status without any accountability, justification, or due process. This bill was meant to target pro-Palestinian charities and nonprofit organizations and could be easily weaponized to target any nonprofit organization the President finds objectionable. No American organization shouldbe stripped of its legal status because of politics or anti-Palestinian bigotry masked as national security.
Last month, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 6408, which grants broad new powers to the Department of Treasury to terminate the tax-exempt status of nonprofits based on subjective claims of advocacy groups supporting terrorism. Now, the Senate this week may consider this dangerous act alongside the reauthorization of the annual Federal Aviation Administration spending bill.
This law is ripe for abuse: the Secretary of the Treasury would be granted new unchecked authorities to use "classified information" in making terrorism designations on nonprofits without filing charges or providing avenues for review or challenge in federal courts. This lack of transparency and due process mirrors troubling patterns seen in unconstitutional federal watchlists, raising serious concerns about the erosion of civil liberties and the rule of law in the name of national security.
Yesterday, CAIR joined 134 other civil liberties, human rights, community, faith, and privacy organizations in a letter (https://www.cair.com/press_releases/134-advocacy-groups-call-on-senate-to-reject-dangerous-and-orwellian-bill-that-threatens-nonprofits-violate-due-process/) sent to the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance, and the Senate as a whole, requesting that they not advance consideration of this bill.
Why This Matters:
* Unchecked Power: H.R. 6408, and its Senate companion S. 4136, pose a severe threat by granting excessive authority to the Secretary of Treasury to revoke tax-exempt status based on subjective claims of supporting terrorism, putting free speech and civil liberties at risk.
* Lack of Accountability: These bills lack transparency and accountability measures, leaving room for potential abuse from current or future presidential administrations targeting nonprofit organizations for political reasons.
* Protecting Democracy: Upholding due process is crucial to safeguarding democracy against the suppression of dissent under false pretexts of national security. We have already seen this go wrong with the unconstitutional Patriot Act, federal terrorism watchlists, FBI spying on Muslim communities, and NSA surveillance of domestic communications. We do not need any more overreaching national security laws that are politically motivated.
What You Can Do:
* Take Action: Contact your Senators immediately and urge them to reject H.R. 6408 and S. 4136. Demand accountability, transparency, and due process in any legislation affecting nonprofits.
* Spread Awareness: Share this critical action alert with your networks. Every voice matters in defending our democratic values.
CLICK HERE: Urge The Senate to Stop Targeting Nonprofits and Advocacy Groups (https://action.cair.com/a/reject-targeting-nonprofits)
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Original text here: https://www.cair.com/press_releases/take-action-tell-your-senator-to-reject-a-bill-endangering-pro-palestine-nonprofits-and-advocacy-groups/
[Category: Sociological]
Council on American-Islamic Relations: GW Parents Hold Press Conference W/ Alumni and Faculty to Condemn School Leaders for 'Defaming, Ignoring and Endangering' Students After Police Raid
WASHINGTON, May 9 -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations issued the following news release on May 8, 2024:
On Wednesday, May 8th, 2024 at 12:00 pm, a group of students, parents, faculty and alumni from The George Washington University community held a press conference at the headquarters of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) to condemn President Ellen Grandberg for "defaming, ignoring and endangering" students, leading to a police raid on the anti-genocide student encampment this morning. The group also condemned Provost Bracey for allegedly physically assaulting a student.
The
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WASHINGTON, May 9 -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations issued the following news release on May 8, 2024:
On Wednesday, May 8th, 2024 at 12:00 pm, a group of students, parents, faculty and alumni from The George Washington University community held a press conference at the headquarters of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) to condemn President Ellen Grandberg for "defaming, ignoring and endangering" students, leading to a police raid on the anti-genocide student encampment this morning. The group also condemned Provost Bracey for allegedly physically assaulting a student.
Thecondemnations come after DC police, acting based on misinformation from President Granberg, attacked and dispersed the diverse group of students who have been peacefully protesting the school's investments in the Israeli government and its ongoing genocide in Gaza since April 25th, 2025.
In a letter sent The George Washington University's Board of Trustees this morning, parents of protesting students condemned the university leadership for its botched response to the peaceful encampment that students set up on-campus in response to the ongoing genocide in Gaza, and demanding the resignations of both President Granberg and Provost Bracey.
Among other things, parents criticized President Grandberg for refusing to negotiate a resolution with student leaders, pressuring the DC police department to raid the protest, suspending eight students for simply participating in the encampment, and endangering the health of protesters by blocking access to food and a new medical observer.
Parents also specifically condemned Provost Bracey for allegedly assaulting a student. In footage posted on Instagram, Bracey appears to suddenly physically assault a student who was recording him as another student asked the university to negotiate with protesting students.
The letter reads, in part:
"We are parents of some of the students who supported a peaceful, anti-genocide protest at The George Washington University from April 25, 2024 until a police raid on May 8, 2024. We write to express our deep concern about the dangerously ineffective ways in which President Ellen Granberg and Provost Christopher Alan Bracey have responded to this ongoing conflict. We are also calling for the Board of Trustees to secure their resignations and take other important steps.
"We want to first note that we stand in full solidarity with the students who risked their education, careers, and safety in order to peacefully exercise their First Amendment rights, oppose the Israeli government's ongoing genocidal war crimes in Gaza, and call on their university to disclose and divest from any financial support for human rights abuses. These students followed the legacy of young people who used peaceful civil disobedience to protest segregation, the Vietnam War, and apartheid, and we applaud their courage.
"Instead of treating these students with respect, President Granberg and Provost Bracey spent weeks ignoring, defaming and endangering our children and other students participating in this peaceful protest. President Granberg refused to meet or negotiate with students (and then she falsely claimed that non-existent negotiations had failed), suspended students without due process or justification, and apparently turned a blind eye to Provost Bracey's alleged physical assault of a student (on April 29th, Provost Bracey came to the protest and was caught on video appearing to physically attack a woman who was filming an interaction with him, knocking down a camera she was holding).
"The current administration's botched response culminated in the unnecessary and dangerous police raid on GW students on the morning of May 8th. For the reasons outlined below, we demand the Board of Trustees condemn this reckless behavior, terminate President Granberg and Provost Bracey, and take the following additional steps...
* Call on the DC police to release all students arrested for peacefully protesting and drop charges against them.
* Direct new school leadership to directly engage with concerned students, listen to their concerns, and negotiate a resolution that addresses their legitimate concerns.
* Protect free speech on campus, including speech in favor of Palestinian human rights, and allow students to engage in peaceful civil disobedience without facing police violence.
* Reverse the suspensions of students suspended for peacefully protesting and enable them to make up for the final tests they may have missed as a reason of GW's misguided actions.
* Enable all protesting students to make up for the final tests they may have missed as a reason of GW's refusal to allow students to enter and exit the encampment.
* Transparently disclose all endowments and financial investments to the public.
* End any financial ties or partnerships with foreign governments or companies involved in human rights abuses, including the Israeli government, which is currently being tried for a "plausible" charge of genocide at the International Court of Justice."
WATCH THE FULL PRESS CONFERENCE (https://youtu.be/8noKAHolUD4)
SEE: Parent Letter Demanding Resignations of GW President and Provost (https://www.cair.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Redacted-May-8-2024-GW-Parents-Letter-to-Board-of-Trustees.pdf)
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Original text here: https://www.cair.com/press_releases/gw-parents-hold-press-conference-w-alumni-and-faculty-to-condemn-school-leaders-for-defaming-ignoring-and-endangering-students-after-police-raid/
[Category: Sociological]
ACLU ISSUES TRAVEL ADVISORY FOR OKLAHOMA AFTER PASSAGE OF EXTREME ANTI-IMMIGRANT LAW
ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico, May 9 -- The American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico issued the following news release:
The American Civil Liberties Unions (ACLUs) of New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Arizona, San Diego and Imperial Counties, Colorado, Missouri, Arkansas, and Kansas issued an advisory warning their residents about the threat of civil and constitutional rights violations when traveling in the state of Oklahoma after the passage of an extreme anti-immigrant law.
Oklahoma's new law, HB 4156, makes entering and remaining in Oklahoma a crime if a person entered the United States unlawfully.
... Show Full Article
ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico, May 9 -- The American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico issued the following news release:
The American Civil Liberties Unions (ACLUs) of New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Arizona, San Diego and Imperial Counties, Colorado, Missouri, Arkansas, and Kansas issued an advisory warning their residents about the threat of civil and constitutional rights violations when traveling in the state of Oklahoma after the passage of an extreme anti-immigrant law.
Oklahoma's new law, HB 4156, makes entering and remaining in Oklahoma a crime if a person entered the United States unlawfully.It would also make reentering Oklahoma after being ordered removed from the U.S. a crime.
When implemented, this law will pose a risk to any person while in Oklahoma, since travelers and Oklahoma residents, including life-long undocumented Oklahomans or residents of neighboring states, are at risk of arrest and imprisonment. The law also raises the possibility of racial profiling by law enforcement officers who are untrained in complex federal immigration law.
"HB 4156 is an attack on immigrants everywhere. By taking on unconstitutional immigration enforcement power, the government in Oklahoma is threatening immigrants who have lived and worked in their communities for decades. This is also a threat to New Mexicans who are undocumented, have mixed-status families or are simply a target for racial profiling by overeager and undertrained local law enforcement officers," said ACLU of New Mexico Border and Immigration Policy Advocate Leonardo Castaneda. "States surrounding Oklahoma, as well as across the border, are issuing this advisory as both a warning to our residents and in solidarity with Oklahomans who believe in treating immigrants humanely, not as political pawns."
Countless residents of states bordering Oklahoma have family and loved ones who may be at risk from this law that threatens their civil liberties. This joint travel advisory highlights the solidarity of communities surrounding Oklahoma against punitive and counterproductive policies that harm our immigrant communities and do nothing to welcome people seeking safety and refuge.
People traveling in Oklahoma are advised to remain calm if stopped by police and encouraged to exercise their right to immediately ask for an attorney and otherwise remain silent. More guidance is outlined in the travel advisory found here (https://www.aclu-nm.org/en/oklahoma-travel-advisory).
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Original text here: https://www.aclu-nm.org/en/press-releases/aclu-issues-travel-advisory-oklahoma-after-passage-extreme-anti-immigrant-law
[Category: Law/Legal]
