It ain’t over till it’s over. Protests, rallies, and phone calls continue as people express their outrage at inhumane and racist policies.
San Diegans protesting the Trump administration’s “zero-tolerance” policy towards immigrants and separation of families at the border picketed the Customs & Border Protection (CBP) Sector Headquarters in Chula Vista yesterday.
CBP security personnel by the entranceway heard 2+ hours a recording of the children crying after being forcibly taken from their parent(s). An 800# was prominently displayed offering free legal advice for employees refusing to separate families.
Nearly 600 women were arrested in Washington DC on Thursday, as they staged a sit-in in the atrium of the Hart Senate Office building.
Draped in replicas of the metallic blankets being distributed in shelters, the women chanted “abolish Ice” and “we care” – a jab at Melania Trump for wearing a jacket with the words “I really don’t care, do U?” painted on its back while visiting an immigrant detention center in Texas.
In Brownsville, Texas hundreds of people gathered at a rally outside a federal courthouse.
In Michigan, dozens of protesters shut down a government meeting to protest a contract with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to house detainees at a local jail.
In Portland, Oregon, police arrested eight people outside an ICE building that has been closed for several days by a round-the-clock demonstration.
***
There are more than 700 events nationwide organized by MoveOn.org and endorsed by more than 150 organizations on Saturday in response to the systematic persecution of immigrants.
Unlike the June 23 mass rally at the Civic Center, this weekend’s events in San Diego are scattered throughout the county.
They’ll be smaller, but no less determined in sending a message to the Trump administration to permanently end the separation of kids from their parents. To end family internment camps. To end the “zero-humanity” policy that created this crisis.
And, most of all, to reunify the children with their parents.
***
Those darn facts!
It should surprise nobody that the Trump administration simply made up its justification for the Zero Tolerance policy underlying the current immigration crisis.
When Attorney General Sessions came to San Diego in May to announce the zero-tolerance policy, he said the measure was necessary because of “massive increases in illegal crossings.”
He lied.
The proof is buried several paragraphs down in Friday’s Union-Tribune front page story, which focused on more than two hundred instances of children being separated from parents prior to Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ announcement back in May.
The UT’s reporting is based on a study of government data by Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse of Syracuse University (TRAC). Although the government’s policy prior to the AG’s proclamation was supposedly that family separations had to occur for parents to go into federal criminal custody, TRAC found that only one parent who was referred for prosecution. So that’s lie #1.
Here’s lie # 2: (From the UT story, Emphasis mine)
…TRAC found that the number of adults arriving with children decreased 14.5 percent this fiscal year when compared with fiscal 2017 through the same time period. Just over 23,000 adults with children have been caught by Border Patrol through April of this fiscal year. The agency apprehended just over 27,000 of them through April last fiscal year.
That trend is also true for family apprehensions along the California border. Agents apprehended 1,373 adults with children through April of fiscal 2018, an 18 percent drop from the same time last year.
***
On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Dana Sabraw issued a preliminary injunction calling for all children affected by the Trump administration’s “zero-tolerance” immigration policy to be reunited with their parents within 30 days.
Under Sabraw’s order, the federal government must reunite children younger than 5 years old with their parents within 14 days, and within 30 days for older children. Officials were also ordered to allow parents to call their children within 10 days.
From USA Today:
The logistical challenge alone is massive: There are 2,047 children that must be placed in the same facility as their parents within the next two to four weeks. But U.S. law and a series of court rulings that limit the amount of time minors can be held in detention will further complicate those reunions.
The end result could be the Trump administration being forced to release entire families from custody, even though District Judge Dana Sabraw’s ruling only required the government to reunite them. Or, it could force parents to waive their children’s rights to be released from detention so the family can stay together – in custody.
While officials have told Congress they can locate all the children, others aren’t so sure.
From Bloomberg:
The ICE identification system is “really vague” and it’s “not clear how parents, attorneys – anyone would utilize it” to track down specific children, according to Natalia Cornelio, director of the Texas Civil Rights Project’s criminal justice reform program. Aide groups have been given no information on how the system would be accessed, how it will work, when it will be online, and if it will include retroactive data, she said in a conference call Tuesday with reporters.
“This is a mechanism that should have existed before any parents were separated from their children,” Cornelio said.
Separately, the American Civil Liberties Union has filed a lawsuit that would require the administration to prove it knows where children and parents are, make public their plan to reunite them, and give parents a way to contact their children within a week of separation. The administration has said its aim is for migrant children in custody to phone or Skype their parents at least twice a week
***
Meanwhile, the government is dragging young children by themselves into court for deportation proceedings, sometimes without lawyers or parents present.
From NBC News:
As the White House faces court orders to reunite families separated at the border, immigrant children as young as 3 are being ordered into court for their own deportation proceedings, according to attorneys in Texas, California and Washington, D.C…
“…We were representing a 3-year-old in court recently who had been separated from the parents. And the child — in the middle of the hearing — started climbing up on the table,” said Lindsay Toczylowski, executive director of Immigrant Defenders Law Center in Los Angeles. “It really highlighted the absurdity of what we’re doing with these kids.”
Are you outraged yet? This isn’t television. This is history.
So get active. Let’s protest. And let’s frame the fall’s conversations in such a manner as to make progressive electoral victories possible.
When refuting Trump’s lies, use the “shit sandwich” method. Never repeat the lie first:
- State the truth without mentioning the lie – “The sky is blue”
- Say the lie is untrue – “Saying the sky is red is untrue”
- Give the context for the truth – “Blue light waves are shorter than others and are scattered by air molecules as they enter the atmosphere.”
Get your event listed: I try to list the next 10 days or so of mostly non-commercial events I think our readers might find of interest. I source my material from social media listings and press releases. Club meetings will be listed IF there are speakers and they are open to the public.
Democratic Candidates: I will list all non-fundraising events open to the general public. A listing does not imply endorsement. Events that are listed on Facebook as ‘private’ or sold-out are not listed. In cases where there are competing but similar events or campaigns of the progressive persuasion, I do my best to list everything.
A couple of favors, por favor. Facebook no longer allows us to advertise this calendar because it’s considered “political” content. (Well, duh. At least we’re not making stuff up.) So please “share” the Activist Calendar. Often. And gang, please feel free to copy this info for your newsletters. BUT it sure would be nice if you’d acknowledge where it came from. This thing is a lot of work to put together. Thanks.
June 30
Families Belong Together Rally
Saturday, June 30, 11am
Waterfront Park
1600 Pacific Highway
Possible rally in support of a national day of action to oppose Trump’s immigration policies that separate children from parents at our border, deny security to DACA recipients and use ICE to intimidate immigrants. The national march in Washington DC is hosted by Move On, ACLU and other partners. (Local host and details are unclear at this time.)11 AM
Families Belong Together Rally (Carlsbad)
Saturday, June 30, 10am
Cannon Park
100 Cannon Road (Carlsbad)
For More Information
Please wear white.
Bring a poster – see link for suggestions
Bring water. Come and enjoy great speakers, music, and community!
Local activists host a North County rally in support of the national day of action.
March for Immigrant Families (El Cajon)
Saturday, June 30, Noon
City Hall
200 Civic Center Way (El Cajon)
March through main shopping area of the city, past & around city buildings
Families Belong Together (Ramona)
Saturday, June 30, 4pm
10th & Main Streets (Ramona)
Join us to protest the Trump administration immigration policies. GOP solution – Jail children!
Families Belong Together (Temecula)
Saturday, June 30, 10am
Temecula Duck Pond
28250 Ynez Road
If you think Trump’s Executive Order “ending” family separations fixed everything, think again. There is NO PLAN for reuniting families. Military bases are being prepared as detention centers. And Congress? Fugeddaboudit.
There are THREE foster agencies in Temecula housing separated or unaccompanied immigrant children.
Bring donations: NEW toiletries, school supplies, blankets, clothing (ages 0-12), small toys, 4
Oceanside Independence Parade – Walk with Michelle
Saturday, June 30, 9:30am
Angelos Burgers
1050 South Coast Highway (Oceanside)
For More Information
Hosted by Michelle Gomez for SD County Supervisor, District 5
Join the Michelle Gomez for County Supervisor campaign in Oceanside’s Independence Parade 2018 on June 30th! Sport your most festive red, white, and BLUE garb, celebrate independence in style, and help us #FlipThe5th! After Party @ Best Pizza and Brew Oceanside
As entry slots have not yet been assigned we will be meeting tentatively at Angelo’s Burgers near where the parade entries line up. Final location will be announced once determined.
5 Year Anniversary to the All Women March and Celebration
Saturday, June 30, 10am
Tubman/Chavez Center
415 Euclid Avenue
For More Information (RSVP)
Hosted by Epiphany women in focus
We will begin with a 1 mile March, immediately followed by a recognition ceremony.
The theme and title for this March is “Reclaiming Our Womanhood”.It’s a Concert, Award Ceremony, March, Party and so much more. This is a FREE EVENT FOR ALLWe have reached out to the youth who held the “March For Our Lives” and they will be joining our efforts and leading us in the March, as we understand the youth and their needs are our future. We very humbly ask for some of your time to come out and support the women of San Diego with some words of encouragement or positive messages during the celebration portion of the ceremony. In addition to the one mile we will collectively March, we will return to a recognition ceremony where women from across the city will be recognized for their positive contributions, immediately followed by several performances and entertainment. This will be a celebration of women and we would love to have your participation.
Our first March made history for San Diego 5years ago, our goal is to again do just that by “Reclaiming Our Womanhood”
Trans Youthapalooza
Saturday, June 30, 2pm
San Diego LGBT Community Center
3909 Centre Street
For More Information
Hosted by Project TRANS at The Center
Free event centering Transgender/Non Binary/Two Spirit/Questioning/AgenderGenderqueer/Gender Fluid/flux Youth ages 24 and under. We will have workshops, booths, free giveaways, food, connecting with other trans youth. There will also be workshops for parents/guardians/caregivers of transgender youth.
Community Engagement Meeting
Saturday, June 30, 1pm
6675 Chantecler Avenue (Skyline Terraces)
For More Information
Hosted by San Diego Progressive Alliance
Here’s the cool part: Instead of printed precinct walk sheets, we’ll be trained to use electronic tablets for tracking results.
Don’t miss this opportunity to get in on the ground floor of Monica Montgomery’s winning campaign!
July 1
Freedom Road Hosts Our Next Racial Justice Coalition Meeting
Sunday, July 1, 4pm
ACTIVIST SAN DIEGO
4246 Wightman Street (City Heights)
For More Information
Join the RJC this day as our socialist group hosts our next meeting.
Main topics are; I can’t breath campaign, immigration issues ( family separation)!! Action items.
Please go online and sign the petition!!!
July 2
Free Our Future July 2nd San Diego Action #AbolishICE
Monday, July 2, 8am – 8pm
Chicano Park
Barrio Logan
For More Information
Hosted by Mijente
JOIN US on July 2nd in San Diego for a direct action to #ShutDownSessions#AbolishICE #FreeOurFuture
SIGN UP: bit.ly/actionreadyBuses coming from LA, OC, PHX, Tucson and the bay! Contact sofia@mijente.net for the deets.This is the day that mass criminalization of parents and migrants detained at the border is supposed to ramp up with Operation Streamline. Actions will be all day. Come when you can. Everyone is welcome who aligns with this call to action, more details to come.
Picture This: Whose Streets?
Monday, July 2, 6:30pm
San Diego Central Library
330 Park Boulevard
For More Information
Hosted by San Diego Central Library
When unarmed teenager Michael Brown is killed by police and left lying in the street for hours, it marks a breaking point for the residents of the St. Louis area and beyond. Whose Streets? is an unflinching look at the Ferguson, Missouri uprising. As the national guard rolls in, a new generation mounts a powerful battle cry not just for their civil rights, but for the right to live. Official Selection, 2017 Sundance Film Festival. 90 Minutes. 2018. This film is presented in partnership with POV.
POV (a cinema term for “point of view”) is television’s longest-running showcase for independent non-fiction films. POV premieres 14-16 of the best, boldest and most innovative programs every year on PBS. Since 1988, POV has presented over 500 films to public television audiences across the country. POV films are known for their intimacy, their unforgettable storytelling and their timeliness, putting a human face on contemporary social issues.
Picture This is a cinematic celebration that offers a diverse array of both narrative and documentary film. It strives to be socially engaging, culturally relevant, and informative while still being fun and entertaining. Picture This will at times provide added features to its screenings in the form of guest speakers, discussion panels, concerts, and other eclectic programming.
July 3
City Council Meeting – National City
Tuesday, July 3, 6pm
1234 National City Boulevard
For More Information
Hosted by San Diegans for Criminal Justice Reform
A central aspect of criminal justice reform is transparency and accountability from and between law and enforcement and the community.
Join us for the next City Council Meeting in National City, to stand with community members and call for transparency from the National City Police Department regarding the death of Earl McNeil.
On May 26th, Earl McNeil entered the National City Police Department for help while suffering a mental health break. He died days later. No explanation or details have been provided by the National City Police Department. The family is asking for the NCPD to release information, camera footage, and records about what happened while Mr. McNeil was in their custody. Previous requests have been met with silence, disrespectfulness, and arrest of and use of force against supporters.
We are asking as many community members as possible to join us to stand in solidarity with the McNeil family and their supporters.
Why Can’t They Hear Us Scream?
Tuesday, July 3, 7pm
Sizzler Steak House
3755 Murphy Canyon Road
For More Information
Hosted by San Diego Progressive Democratic Club
Donald Trump says President Obama and the Progressive Democrats in Congress are to blame for separating immigrant parents from their “law breaking” children. To paraphrase Trump when asked about it, “It’s their fault for making me so mad I had to do it.” I think he was referring about President Obama and the Democrats in Congress, but he may have been talking about what he did to his first two wives.
So why does the right wing, especially the Trump Supporters, buy into his bullsh!t? Could it be that the media has been slowly absorbed into the right-wing talk machine? When was the last time you heard Progressive Talk Radio broadcast in San Diego? Anyone remember KLSD before it became “All Sports?” Does the Process include turning the Internet from “Free and Open” to bright red?
We will talk about this situation at our July 3rd Forum. We have one or two former San Diego Talk Radio Hosts along with Adam Maxwell of broadcast and journalism watchdog group, FreePress.net (check them out!) to discuss this with us. What, if anything, can we do about it?
July 5
Protest Zero Tolerance at CBP Sector HQs
Thursday, July 5, 10:30am
2411 Boswell Road (Chula Vista)
For More Information
Hosted by Grassroots Oasis
Action: Thursday, July 5th, on the sidewalk in front of the Sector HQs for Customs & Border Protection in Chula Vista: 2411 Boswell Rd.
10;30 AM: MEET at the SE corner of Boswell Rd and Lane Avenue, by the CBP Building (help carry materials and set up).
11 AM – 1 PM: Protest with audio and visual aids in front of the Sector HQs for Customs & Border Protection.
1-1:30p: Help pack up and carry everything back to the corner.
This is a Choreographed (props and signs provided), NONVIOLENT and SILENT protest (except for planned audio). If you are not on board with that, please do not attend. We know everyone has their style, and respect if this isn’t yours, but please respect the group’s decision to protect ourselves from unintentional escalation with CBP or other law enforcement by remaining silent.
Please wear Black, and dress comfortably for being outside and standing for 2+ hours (you are welcome to bring a camp chair if needed). Bring a reusable water bottle and snack. Be mindful that there is no available restroom.
July 7
Peaceful Rally at Immigrant Child Detainment Site. San Diego
Saturday, July 7, 10am
1160 Broadway (El Cajon)
For More Information
This rally is to not only speak out against the lack of humanity this administration has in traumatizing children to make a political point but to let the children know there still is love, compassion, and humanity in this country. That we care about them, and we are there for them!!
This is an old retirement home converted into a detainment site for immigrant children who have been forcefully torn from their families. We will be singing (not chanting) so the children do not misinterpret our chants as hostile towards them. Please look at this video to understand how we will sing the song. It’s super basic: https://youtu.be/c6xZSopxZ-Q
We will sing in Spanish and English, “Niños, los amamos, y estamos con ustedes. | Children, we love you, we are with you.” To the tune of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.
Please bring signs, and any other peaceful rally songs you know of you would like to share. Musicians, bring your instruments and beautiful voices too!! Any peaceful song will be fine!!
Cultural Diversity Workshop
Saturday, July 7, 1pm
Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation
404 Euclid Avenue
For More Information
Hosted by Martin Luther King Jr. Democratic Club San Diego
This Cultural Diversity Workshop will improve the quality of diverse or different cultures, as opposed to monoculture, the global monoculture, or a homogenization of cultures, akin to cultural decay. The phrase cultural diversity can also refer to having different cultures respect each other’s differences. The phrase “cultural diversity” is also sometimes used to mean the variety of human societies or cultures in a specific region, or in the world as a whole. Globalization is often said to have a negative effect on the world’s cultural diversity.
She Fest 2018
Saturday, July 7, 11am
North Park Community Park
4044 Idaho Street
For More Information
Hosted by She Fest and San Diego Pride
She Fest is a woman-centered event that celebrates and supports the talents and contributions of women while fostering meaningful connections within the LGBT and larger San Diego community.
Building on second-wave feminism’s creed of “the personal is political,” we are guided by principles of intersectional feminism: we recognize that while all women experience oppression, we also all experience oppression in varying forms based on race, class, gender, sexuality, dis/ability, etc. With that in mind, we want everyone at She Fest to feel supported, included, and represented. She Fest is intentionally inclusive of transgender women, nonbinary people, intersex people, and gender non-conforming folks.
LGBTQ+San Diego: Stories of Struggles and Triumphs
Sunday, July 8, 10am
San Diego History Center
1649 El Prado
For More Information (Tickets)
Hosted by Lambda Archives of San Diego and San Diego History Center
The San Diego History Center in partnership with the Lambda Archives of San Diego brings the first-ever exhibition in Balboa Park focused on the history of San Diego’s LGBTQ+ community. Visitors will experience and learn about the struggles to overcome persecution, the battle with AIDS, bullying, and intolerance, the power of the community, and the tremendous strides taken in the fight for equal rights. The exhibit curator is noted author and historian Lillian Faderman.
Exhibition runs: July 8, 2018 – January 2020.
Save the Date
San Diego Pride Parade – July 14
Starts at the Pride Flag in Hillcrest, ends in Balboa Park
Call to Action if Trump Fires Mueller
March for Truth—an organization that is working with dozens of advocacy groups to organize rapid response protests has partnered with MoveOn.org, Public Citizen, Indivisible and many others to prepare emergency ‘Nobody is Above the Law‘ rallies that will happen directly following the firing of the special counsel should it occur. There are already events in 800+ cities and communities scheduled across the country—more than 300,000 people are prepared to take to the streets.
By firing Mueller or Rosenstein, the president would trigger a full-fledged constitutional crisis by asserting that he is above the law. The hours following the firing will determine whether he is proved right.
Local Rallies Starting Today at 5pm & Continuing Daily Thereafter
Bring Pots and Pans – Make Noise
Call to Action if Trump Fires Mueller
US District Court Southern District of California
330 West Broadway (Downtown)
Nobody is Above the Law Rally
Westfield North County Mall (Escondido)
Nobody is Above the Law Rally
Collier Park (Ramona)
Nobody is Above the Law Rally
Carlsbad Premium Outlet Mall
Other Stuff to Do
Join the ACLU’s People Power: People Power is, at its core, a grassroots member-mobilization project. Through People Power, the ACLU will engage volunteers across the country to take action when Trump or his administration attempt to enact unconstitutional policies or trample on people’s constitutional rights. By mobilizing in defense of our civil liberties, volunteers will build local communities that affirm our American values of respect, equality, and solidarity.
Sign Up for Indivisible. All the cool kids are doing it. (Really!)
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