Win and Turn Back Trump

Win and Turn Back Trump

This election we reject the status quo & organize under strategic necessity to create the conditions that drive change from the ground up.

Mijente Principles of Unity

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These are our Mijente Principles, to help us remember and guide us in struggle.

1. We are Latinx and Chicanx people that are part of movements for justice and self-determination for all people.

We are pro-Black, pro-indigena, pro-worker, pro-mujer, pro-Lesbian Gay, Bi, Trans and Queer, pro-migrant because we hold all of those identities, and because our unity against shared oppressions is central to our vision for change. We cannot sustain and thrive in isolation or in movements that exile parts of our community or expect us to hide who we are to participate. We are Latinx and Chicanx people who want to see our entire community thrive, brought together by a shared consciousness of the challenges we face and a deep seated need for co-development and kinship across identity, generation, language and place.

2. We believe transformative change requires more from us, not just more of us.

It has been predicted that demographic change, particularly tied to the growth of the Latinx and Chicanx community, will lead to progressive change in the United States. But demographics is not destiny. We believe that the transformative change we need is not a given and that both external and internal factors threaten it. Latinx and Chicanx people need to organize, spark, sustain and nurture movements to ensure transformative change happens and combat the ways our community is held back. We see our liberation as bound to Black Liberation, Indigenous sovereignty, economic and climate justice and other liberation movements.

3. We are creating a leaderful space that is accountable, transparent, and continues evolving.

We have too many climbers and not enough lifters. For too long many of those who claim to be leaders of the Latinx and Chicanx community have served themselves first rather than demonstrating the courage to work and live in the service of community lifting itself up. We often see this in elected leaders, but these dynamics are not limited to political office. Trust and power are lost when community leaders are unaccountable, don’t share information, close off input and room for others’ leadership. We need more not less leadership; and we seek to lift up all the different forms of leadership people bring to justice work. We strive for a leader-full space, in which we hold ourselves and each other accountable, share information and resources, listen and implement input. We believe Mijente must be a space where we develop and make room for new and seasoned leaders to continue evolving our political home.

4. We organize people, technology and resources to get the goods. 

Our foundational approach to change is through organizing, bringing together people and sustaining collective efforts to achieve change. Sometimes, however, in our work for change we are resistant to change. We cannot deny that technology has deeply impacted how and with whom we are able to communicate, connect or collaborate with. As a result, how we make social change is changing.

We believe our communities and organizing efforts can and should harness the possibilities of new technology, without ever losing the power of in-real-life connections. We believe we can and should examine and innovate on how best to accomplish our goals. Towards these goals we are open to experiment with new partnerships and ways to generate resources beyond philanthropy. We need to build power through organizing in URL and IRL (online and In Real Life) and seek to create digital and physical space for Latinxs to connect and build with each other.

5. We are loyal to our ultimate goal of achieving el buen vivir and self-determine our future, not to singular tactics, strategies, or dogma. 

Being ‘right’ or the ‘most down’ is not our ultimate objective. If we understand our problems are systemic, we must also acknowledge that those systems are complex and constantly changing. There are many and changing paths to victory; we therefore must contend for power on all fronts. We build power and challenge it by working outside, against, and from within the state. In that spirit, we recognize that all of us find ourselves living and working within these complex systems and have different gifts and contributions to offer in movement. As individuals and organizationally we will work in different fields and formations as parts of a multi-pronged strategy.

6. We don’t throw each other away. 

The word “family” carries significant and sometimes painful meaning. We do not take it lightly and our experiences show us that it is complicated. Whether it is family as determined by blood or family we choose, it takes work. There will be mistakes and growing edges, and they will have impacts. We know everyone is capable of being harmful and of being harmed. Conflict is inevitable and necessary for honest discourse and unity across difference. We believe building a space that can hold disagreement can lead to greater accountability, resilience and antifragility. This means we won’t condone call-outs and exiling each other, or playing oppression olympics with each other. But this also means we don’t allow things to fester inside. The state has often robbed us of our ability to transform conflict and hold relationships with one another. Thus we believe principled struggle is central to our capacity to self-govern and build for the long haul.

7. We acknowledge and value that part of the work is to recover, unlearn, and remember.

We live with the complexities of the present, and with what has been passed down. Like all colonized people we hold that double consciousness of what we have been told versus what we know to be true. Colonization has forced Latinx and Chicanx people to assimilate into values that work against our own self-interest and fragmented who we are for generations. We owe it to those who will follow to do the work towards wholeness, wellness, and healing. Part of this is unlearning lies we’ve been told, remembering who our people are and where we come from, and living the legacy of radical love, resistance, and resilience of our ancestors.

Estos son los principios de Mijente, para ayudarnos a recordar y guiarnos en la lucha.

1. Somos gente Latinx y Chicanx que forma parte de los muchos movimientos de justicia y autodeterminación para todxs.

Somos pro-negrxs, pro-indígena, pro-trabajadorxs, pro-mujer, pro-lesbianas, gay, bisexuales, trans y queer, pro-migrante porque poseemos todas estas identidades y porque unirse en contra de la opresión compartida es fundamental para lograr nuestra visión de cambio. No podemos sostenernos y prosperar en aislamiento o dentro de movimientos que exilian a ciertas partes de nuestra comunidad o que esperan que escondamos quienes somos para poder participar. Somos gente Latinx y Chicanx que quiere ver prosperar a toda nuestra comunidad, unida por medio de una concientización compartida de los retos que enfrentamos y una necesidad profunda del co-desarrollo y la hermandad a través de las identidades, las generaciones, los idiomas y los lugares.

2. Creemos que un cambio transformativo requiere más de nosotros, no solo a más de nosotros.

Se ha predecido que un cambio demográfico, particularmente vinculado al crecimiento de la comunidad Latinx y Chicanx, provocará un cambio progresista en los Estados Unidos. Pero la demografía no indica el destino. Creemos que el cambio transformativo que necesitamos no es un hecho y que lo amenazan factores tanto externos como internos. La gente Latinx y Chicanx debe organizar, desencadenar, sostener y fomentar los distintos movimientos sociales para asegurar un cambio transformativo y combatir las maneras en que se reprime a nuestra comunidad. Entendemos que nuestra liberación está vinculada a la liberación negra, la soberanía indígena, la justicia económica y climática, y otros movimientos de liberación.

3. Estamos creando un espacio de liderazgo que se responsabilice, sea transparente y se mantenga en desarrollo.

Hay demasiadxs trepadorxs y no suficientes levantadorxs. Por demasiado tiempo muchas de las personas que alegan ser líderes de la comunidad Latinx y Chicanx se han satisfecho principalmente a sí mismxs en vez de demostrar la valentía de trabajar y vivir al servicio de la comunidad que se levanta a sí misma. A menudo vemos esto en los líderes electos, pero estas dinámicas no se limitan a los puestos políticos. Perdemos confianza y poder cuando los líderes comunitarios son irresponsables, no comparten información, y se cierran a las aportaciones y al liderazgo de los demás. Necesitamos más liderazgo, no menos; y buscamos promover todos los diferentes tipos de liderazgo que la gente aporta trabajando por la justicia. Estamos luchando por un espacio de liderazgo abundante, donde nos hagamos responsables lxs unxs a lxs otrxs, compartamos información y recursos, escuchemos, y pongamos en práctica las contribuciones de las personas. Creemos que Mijente debe ser un espacio donde capacitemos y hagamos espacio para los líderes tanto nuevos como veteranos y continuemos desarrollando nuestra casita política.

4. Organizamos a las personas, la tecnología y los recursos para conseguir los medios.

Nuestro enfoque fundacional para crear el cambio se define a través de la organización comunitaria, unir a la gente y sostener los esfuerzos colectivos. A veces, sin embargo, en nuestro trabajo por el cambio nos resistimos al cambio. No podemos negar que la tecnología ha impactado profundamente cómo y con quién nos podemos comunicar, conectar o colaborar. Como resultado, la forma en que creamos el cambio social va cambiando.

Creemos que nuestras comunidades y esfuerzos para organizarnos pueden y deben utilizar las nuevas posibilidades de la tecnología, sin perder nunca el poder de las conexiones de la vida real. Creemos que podemos y debemos investigar e innovar las mejores maneras de cómo alcanzar nuestras metas. Para progresar estamos dispuestxs a experimentar con nuevas colaboraciones y maneras de generar recursos más allá de la filantropía. Necesitamos construir poder organizándonos en línea y en la vida real e intentar crear espacios físicos y digitales para que la gente Latinx y Chicanx se conecte y construya entre sí.

5. Somos leales a nuestra meta final de lograr el buen vivir y auto-determinar nuestro futuro y no a ninguna táctica, estrategia o dogma en particular.

Nuestro objetivo final no es tener la razón o ser las personas más comprometidas. Si entendemos que nuestros problemas son arraigados al sistema, también tenemos que reconocer que esos sistemas son complejos y cambian constantemente. Hay muchos caminos hacia la victoria que también van cambiando; por esta razón, nosotrxs tenemos que luchar por el poder en todos los frentes. Nosotrxs construimos el poder y lo desafiamos a través del trabajo que se realiza fuera, en contra y desde adentro del estado. Con ese espíritu, reconocemos que todxs nosotrxs nos encontramos viviendo y trabajando desde estos sistemas complejos y tenemos diferentes talentos y maneras de aportar en este movimiento social. A nivel individual y organizacional, nosotrxs trabajaremos en diferentes campos y formaciones como parte de nuestra estrategia de múltiples enfoques.

6. No descartamos a ningunx de lxs nuestrxs.

La palabra “familia” lleva un significado importante y a veces doloroso. Nosotrxs no lo tomamos a la ligera y nuestras experiencias nos demuestran que es complicado. Ya sea que la familia se defina por una relación sanguínea o por nuestra elección, este proceso requiere trabajo. Habrán errores y crecimiento, y estos mismos tendrán un impacto. Nosotrxs sabemos que todxs son capaces de causar daño y ser lastimadxs. El conflicto es inevitable y necesario para el diálogo sincero y la unión a través de las diferencias. Nosotrxs creemos que al desarrollar espacios que puedan contener desacuerdos podemos lograr una mayor responsabilidad, resistencia y antifragilidad. Esto significa que no toleramos las críticas cuyo objetivo es avergonzar, desacreditar y exiliar al otrx, ó jugar a las olimpiadas de la opresión. Pero esto también significa que no permitimos que las cosas se propaguen internamente. El estado nos ha robado frecuentemente de nuestra habilidad de transformar el conflicto y sostener relaciones entre nosotrxs. Por esta razón, nosotrxs creemos que una lucha basada en principios es central a nuestra capacidad de autogestión y poder construir a largo plazo.

7. Reconocemos y valoramos que parte del trabajo es recuperarse, desaprender y recordar.

Vivimos con la complejidad del presente y con lo que hemos heredado. Como todas las personas colonizadas, guardamos la doble conciencia de lo que nos han dicho contrario a lo que sabemos que es cierto. La colonización ha obligado a las personas Latinx y Chicanx a asimilarse a valores que funcionan en contra de nuestros propios intereses y, por generaciones, ha fragmentado quienes somos. Se lo debemos a las personas que vendrán después hacer el trabajo hacia la integridad, el bienestar y la sanación. Parte de este trabajo es desaprender las mentiras que nos han contado, recordar quién es nuestra gente y de dónde venimos, y vivir el legado del amor radical, la resistencia y la resiliencia de nuestrxs antepasadxs. 

Estes são os nossos Princípios de Mijente, para nos ajudar a lembrar e guiar na luta.

1. Somos pessoas Latinx e Chicanx que fazem parte de muitos movimentos de justiça e autodeterminação para todxs.

Nós somos em prol dos direitos dxs negrxs, indígena, trabalhadores, mulheres, lésbicas, gays, bissexuais, trans e queers, e migrantes porque possuímos todas essas identidades, e porque a nossa luta em contra de opressões compartilhadas é fundamental para a nossa visão de mudança. Não somos capazes de sustentar e prosperar em isolamento ou dentro de movimentos que mantêm partes das nossas comunidades no exílio ou que esperam que escondamos quem somos para poder participar. Somos pessoas latinx e chicanx que desejam ver a nossa comunidade inteira prosperar, juntadxs por uma consciência em comum dos desafios que enfrentamos e uma necessidade profunda de co-desenvolvimento e afinidade que atravessa identidades, gerações, línguas e lugares.

2. Acreditamos que a mudança transformativa pede mais de nós, mais do que uma quantidade maior de nós.

Prognostica-se que que uma mudança demográfica, principalmente ligado ao crescimento das comunidades latinx e chicanx, resultará em uma mudança progressiva nos EUA. Mas a demografia não é o destino. Acreditamos precisar de uma mudança transformativa que não é dada e que tanto fatores externos quanto internos a ameaçam. As pessoas latinx e chicanx precisam organizar, desencadear, sustentar e nutrir os movimentos para garantir que uma mudança transformativa acontece e combater as formas que freiam a nossa comunidade. Enxergamos a nossa liberação como diretamente ligada à Liberação Negra, a soberania Indígena, a justiça econômica e climática, e outros movimentos de liberação.

3. Estamos criando um espaço de líderes que é responsável, transparente, e que continua evoluindo.

Tem muita gente que deseja subir e pouca gente para levantar. Já faz tempo demais que muitos dos que se afirmam ser líderes da comunidade Latinx e Chicanx atenderam a suas próprias interesses primeiro em vez de mostrar a coragem para trabalhar e viver ao serviço da comunidade para que possa se levantar. Muitas vezes vemos isso nos líderes eleitos, mas estas dinámicas não se limitam aos cargos políticos. A confiança e o poder vão se perdendo quando os líderes comunitários não têm que prestar contas, não compartilham informação, se fecham a outras perspectivas e ao espaço para outra liderança. Precisamos de mais e não menos liderança; e procuramos elevar todas as formas diferentes de liderança que as pessoas proporcionam no trabalho para a justiça. Procuramos ter um espaço cheio de líderes, onde somos todos responsáveis antes nós mesmos e antes os outros, onde compartilhamos informação e recursos, onde ouvimos e implementamos as perspectivas dos outros. Acreditamos que Mijente deveria ser um espaço para podermos desenvolver e criar espaço para líderes novos e veteranos continuarem a evoluir nosso lar político.

4. Organizamos as pessoas, a tecnologia, e os recursos para resultados concretos.

A nossa forma fundacional de abordar a mudança é através do trabalho de organizar, juntar pessoas e manter os esforços coletivos necessários para levar a cabo a mudança. Às vezes, porém, dentro do nosso trabalho para a mudança somos resistentes à mudança. Não podemos negar que a tecnologia teve um impacto profundo sobre como e com quem temos a capacidade de nos comunicar, conectar e colaborar. Como resultado, a forma que conseguimos a mudança social também está mudando.

Acreditamos que nossas comunidades e esforços para organizar podem e devem usar as novas possibilidades da tecnologia, sem nunca perder o poder das conexões da vida real. Acreditamos que podemos e devemos investigar e inovar as melhores maneiras de alcançar nossos objetivos. Para progredir, estamos dispostos a experimentar novas colaborações e formas de gerar recursos além da filantropia. Precisamos construir poder nos organizando on-line e na vida real e tentar criar espaços físicos e digitais para as pessoas Latinx e Chicanx se conectarem e construírem uns com os outros.

5. Somos fiéis ao nosso objetivo final de alcançar a boa vida e autodeterminação do nosso futuro e não a qualquer tática, estratégia ou dogma em particular.

Nosso objetivo final não é estar certo ou ser as pessoas mais comprometidas. Se entendermos que nossos problemas estão enraizados no sistema, também temos que reconhecer que esses sistemas são complexos e estão constantemente mudando. Existem muitos caminhos para a vitória que também mudam; Por esta razão, temos que lutar pelo poder em todas as frentes. Nós construímos poder e desafiamo-lo através do trabalho que é feito fora, contra e de dentro do estado. Com esse espírito, reconhecemos que todos vivemos e trabalhamos a partir desses sistemas complexos e temos diferentes talentos e formas de contribuir neste movimento social. Em nível individual e organizacional, trabalharemos em diferentes campos e treinamentos como parte de nossa estratégia de múltiplas abordagens.

6. Nós não descartamos nenhum dos nossos.

A palavra “família” carrega um significado importante e às vezes doloroso. Nós não levamos isso de ânimo leve e nossas experiências nos mostram que isso é complicado. Que a família seja definida por uma relação de sangue ou por nossa escolha, esse processo requer trabalho. Haverá erros e crescimento, e isso terá impacto. Sabemos que todos são capazes de causar danos e serem feridos. Conflito é inevitável e necessário para o diálogo sincero e união através das diferenças. Acreditamos que, ao desenvolver espaços que possam conter divergências, podemos alcançar maior responsabilidade, resistência e antifragilidade. Isso significa que não toleramos críticas destinadas a envergonhar, desacreditar e exilar os outros, ou jogar as olimpíadas da opressão. Mas isso também significa que não permitimos que as coisas se espalhem internamente. O estado muitas vezes nos roubou nossa capacidade de transformar conflitos e sustentar relacionamentos entre nós. Por essa razão, acreditamos que uma luta baseada em princípios é fundamental para nossa capacidade de nos governar e construir a longo prazo.

7. Reconhecemos e apreciamos que parte do trabalho é recuperar, desaprender e lembrar.

Vivemos com a complexidade do presente e com o que herdamos. Como todas as pessoas colonizadas, mantemos a dupla consciência do que eles disseram ao contrário do que sabemos ser verdade. A colonização forçou o povo Latinx e Chicanx a assimilar valores que trabalham contra nossos próprios interesses e, por gerações, fragmentaram quem somos. Devemos às pessoas que virão depois de fazer o trabalho para a integridade, bem-estar e cura. Parte deste trabalho é desaprender as mentiras que nos disseram, lembrar quem são os nossos povos e de onde viemos, e viver o legado do amor radical, resistencia e resiliência de nossos ancestrais.

Safety & Travel Tips for San Diego #FreeOurFuture

Nothing here should be taken as legal advice. Consult a trusted attorney for information specific to your case.

Jump to specific sections:

A NOTE FROM MIJENTE

We are excited about the actions taking place in San Diego this July 2nd, as part of the #FreeOurFuture actions. We believe that it is a key moment to resist white supremacy and the government’s law enforcement agencies that uphold it (e.g., ICE, police). It is an opportunity for Latinx people to take a stand.

We recognize that for undocumented and criminalized attendees who are traveling to be part of this action, this will mean a harder travel process and an assessment of risk that others might not have to consider.  We are providing this information with the purpose of making the process of researching risk and minimizing risk more accessible.

We strongly believe in the right of people to choose the kinds of risks they want to take in their lives and in our responsibility to support them through this process. This document could be helpful for everyone taking part in the July 2nd #FreeOurFuture actions, but is written with the needs of those who are not U.S. citizens, those who have had past contact with the criminal punishment system, and/or gender non-conforming people in mind.

If you don’t fall into any of these categories but will be traveling with people who do, it’s a good idea to read through this document, so you can be prepared to support your friends.

Preparing to Travel

Have a solidarity plan

  • Create a solidarity plan amongst travelers in the event that your vehicle is stopped by police or immigration. You should make agreements about what – if any – information or documentation you wish to share with border patrol/ICE/police if stopped. You can make these agreements based on the level of risk members of your group are comfortable taking. Solidarity plans are strongest when everyone makes agreements in advance about what they want to share or not share.

Consult with your attorney

  • If you have legal representation for an immigration or criminal case, now would be a great time to check in with your lawyer for advice about your specific situation. Even people with very similar immigration statuses may face different risks, so talking to someone with particular knowledge about your situation will be very helpful. Your conversation should be confidential and protected by attorney-client privilege.  

Fill out helpful forms

  • Sign a DHS Privacy Waiver & G-28 Form: If you are not a citizen, make sure a trusted person or a legal worker/ lawyer has DHS privacy waivers signed by you and a witness. The privacy waiver allows a third party such as an organization, Congressional office, a trusted individual, or media to ask questions to ICE officers about a person’s arrest, immigration case, or deportation. If you have an immigration lawyer, make sure you have signed a current Form G-28. The G-28 is a government form that identifies that you are represented by a lawyer. Here are links to privacy waivers and here is the link to the G-28 form and instructions.

Review your rights

  • You have the right to remain silent and contact an attorney. Instead of talking to an officer, you can share this card. Distribute cards to everyone in the group.
  • San Diego falls within 100 miles from the border, so Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) has more access than in other parts of the country. That does not mean do you don’t have rights.
    • Check out Mijente’s Know Your Rights guide for an overview of your rights anywhere in the country.
    • There are also some additional protections under California law, including:
      • You do not have to share your name, provide any documents, or answer any questions from local law enforcement.  
      • In California, it is illegal for Border Patrol or local law enforcement to rely on a driver or passenger’s race to justify pulling a car over.
      • California specific Know Your Rights guides are available from NILC, the ACLU, Dream Team LA, and the ILRC.

Decide what to bring and what to leave at home

  • Forms of ID
    • Documents that are not yours: If you are stopped by law enforcement and you give them or they find on your person identification documents on that are not yours or not valid, you may face more serious criminal charges.
    • ID/Passports from another country: For some , bringing an ID or passport from another country may put you at risk if you are detained. If immigration finds your non-U.S. identity document, it may provide them with information that may make it easier to bring charges against you.
      • OJO: if you are flying, you may have to bring that ID with you for your flight if you have no other qualifying documents – see below for more information.
    • Different rules apply in terms of having to present ID to immigration enforcement for people on visas; US citizens; Legal Permanent Residents, people with TPS, and people with other immigration statuses. Before deciding what documents to present, it will be best to talk to an attorney to determine what choice works best for you.
    • Where possible, consider bringing other forms of ID instead, such as a school ID or a community ID, a library card, etc.
  • Controlled substances
    • Remember that San Diego is an area where CBP is active and where they sometimes use drug-sniffing dogs. Although marijuana is legal at the state level in many states, it is still criminalized at the federal level. If the smell of marijuana causes a drug-sniffing dog to alert, it may give the CBP or another federal agency probable cause to detain and question your group.

Protect your digital information

  • Your devices (laptops, tablets, phones) can have a lot of information that you may not wish to share. CBP and ICE have gotten increasingly technologically sophisticated. Consider whether you need to do a privacy and security check-up with your devices before you travel. Here are some more resources on how to do a digital check-up before you travel – one short guide, and a longer guide. At a minimum, make sure your devices (particularly your cell phone) are password-protected and opt for a memorable but unpredictable password and not for a fingerprint ID (the law around your privacy with those fingerprint IDs is less clear and may not protect you).

Traveling by bus/car/van:

Pick a driver who has a valid license, registration and insurance. The driver is the person most likely to have to interact with law enforcement or immigration if the vehicle is stopped. Selecting a driver who is a citizen or lawful permanent resident (someone with a green card)  will be likely to reduce your risk. You do need a valid license (for Californians, an AB 60 license will be acceptable for state law enforcement), vehicle registration and proof of insurance to drive a car.

Checkpoints do exist in this area. This is an area where the CBP has fixed checkpoints that don’t move and “tactical” checkpoints that do move. You should be aware that it is very likely that you will run into checkpoints while driving to or from San Diego. Major fixed checkpoints include a checkpoint on cars going north on the 5 towards Los Angeles; on the 15 coming from Riverside towards San Diego; and on both the west and east-bound sides of the 8 (the highway coming from Arizona to San Diego). Although the checkpoints do not operate all the time, it is not possible to reliably predict when they will be operating. A libertarian think tank has compiled a map of some fixed checkpoints here; however, that list is not exhaustive and doesn’t include “tactical” checkpoints. If you want a really deep dive into how the CBP thinks about checkpoints and how it uses them, see this 2017 GAO report.

  • Local resident tip: Sometimes undocumented people who must drive those highways will send ahead a car driven by citizen or legal permanent resident allies who will check and see if the checkpoint is operating or not.

In addition to fixed checkpoints, CBP often has its officers posted in vehicles along the side of major highways and smaller roads, and will pull over vehicles that they deem “suspicious”.

  • Local resident tip: CBP often uses very arbitrary criteria to stop people. They will claim that many different behaviors are suspicious enough to justify that they must stop people and subject them to additional questioning. Prepare to be stopped and questioned. It’s likely that the CBP will detain you if they decide to question you and then determine that you have no documentation showing you have a legal right to live in the U.S.

Traveling by Plane

The security screening and type of identification required is the same as traveling to other states. After getting a boarding pass, the next step is to go to a Transportation Security Agency (TSA) agent and show them an identification and Boarding Pass, followed by the security body scans.

International airports are considered “ports of entry,” or places where people can enter the U.S. from abroad. Both the TSA and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), two agencies under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), are present at the airport, and both agencies have the authority to ask for immigration documents should they suspect that someone is in the country without status or is using false documents.

  • Tip from a local resident: CBP does not typically inspect travelers coming into or leaving the San Diego Airport in the domestic terminals. They have been present in the international terminal.

Types of Identification You May Present to the TSA

According to the TSA, documents that are acceptable forms of identification to show at an airport include (see website for a full list):

  • Driver’s licenses or other state photo identity cards issued by Department of Motor Vehicles
  • Permanent resident cards
  • Border crossing card
  • Foreign government-issued passport
  • USCIS Employment Authorization Card (work permit)
  • Notice to Appear along with another identification with full name (see “Traveling While in Deportation Proceedings” below for more details)

ID Considerations For Non-US Citizens

  • State-issued ID or Driver’s License: A state-issued driver’s license or state ID is the document that is considered acceptable by TSA and does not identify the traveler as a non-US citizen or as a citizen of another country, which is particularly important for undocumented immigrants.
  • Foreign Passports: For undocumented immigrants who do not have access to a state-issued ID or driver’s license, a “foreign government-issued passport” is the only other option listed on the TSA website as acceptable. If your only form of ID is a foreign passport, and that passport doesn’t include a valid visa stamp permitting you to be in the US, you may be subject to extra questioning by CBP or TSA that could lead to your detention.

ID Considerations For Transgender and Gender Non-conforming People

  • IDs that do not match gender presentation
    • TSA is required to check that the name, gender and date of birth included in the flight reservation match the type of identification an individual provides at the airport. This means that the security check is supposed to be about whether the ID matches your flight, not your gender presentation.
    • According to the NCTE, “It does not matter whether your current gender presentation matches the gender marker on your ID or your presentation in your ID photo, and TSA officers should not comment on this.”
      • OJO: This doesn’t mean that a traveler won’t encounter transphobic or heterosexist TSA agents who may direct an individual whose ID does not match gender presentation to a secondary screening, which may be riskier for undocumented travelers.
      • Tip from a gender queer traveler: It’s their job to only verify the ID is valid, not to question your life. Often they would question whether it really was my ID, probing into my personal business. I’ve always just answered, ‘yes, it’s mine.’ They often inspect my ID for 5-10 minutes longer than everyone else, but they don’t have a right to question any aspect of my gender. I just don’t engage beyond that and just wait for them to approve my ID.

Navigating the Airport Security Process

Packing Tips

  • Tip from an undocumented traveler: Know the screening process well. If you are not used to traveling by plane, learn what you can put in your carry-on baggage and what you are required to take out of your bag and pockets when you go through the screening.
  • For transgender and gender non-conforming people: Check out the information from the National Center for Transgender Equality for travelers, especially for information such as packing medicine and syringes, medical prosthetics, etc.
  • Gel-filled prosthetic items, such as used for breast augmentation, are not included in the 3-ounce limit for liquids, “as they are considered medically necessary” but their presence “may result in extra screening.” They recommend packing these items in checked luggage, or calling the “TSA Cares Hotline” to speak with a trained representative, at 1-855-787-2227.

Body Scanners: Most airports use “Advanced Imaging Technology” that scans the profile of a person’s body and catch an “anomaly” or “alarm” including items that may be hidden under a person’s clothing. The NCTE notes that in some cases the scanners “can register body contours not typical for a person’s gender as anomalies. Foreign objects such as prosthetics, binding garments, or even paper or change left in a pocket will commonly register as anomalies requiring further screening. Often this consists of a limited pat-down of the area(s) where an anomaly was detected, however it can potentially involve a complete pat-down.” You can opt-out of scans at any time, but will be then required to undergo the pat-down.

The pat-down: A pat down may take place when there is additional information needed after the body scan or as an alternative, and can be very invasive. The pat-down must be performed by an officer of the same gender as the traveler, based on your gender presentation or identity. NCTE says that “transgender women should be searched by female officers, and transgender men should be searched by male officers. The gender listed on your identification documents and boarding passes should not matter for pat-downs, and you should not be subjected to personal questions about your gender. If TSA officers are unsure who should pat you down, they should ask you discreetly and respectfully.”

  • Tip from transgender traveler: Prepare yourself mentally that there will be uncomfortable moments. Like being asked if you are male or female, and how or who should pat you down. If people prefer a man or woman, be vocal about it. For people who have not had surgeries, clothing can also be an issue, and they may be asked if they are wearing something under their clothes or if they have something hidden under their shirt. A lot of pressure is put on the passenger, be confident, direct and honest in our interaction with agents.

Communicating Securely While Traveling

The TSA and CBP sometimes use advanced technologies. These technologies include Stingray technology, which can mimic a cell phone tower and access the texts and calls you are making. If you use an encrypted communication service like Signal, it will be harder to access your texts and calls using this technology. See above for ways conduct a digital security check prior to traveling.

Know Your Rights in San Diego

The ACLU has put together a basic overview of the rights someone has in a border area.

Are there limitations to immigration officials’ power?

The Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects against arbitrary searches and seizures of people and their property, even in the border area. Furthermore, as a general matter, these agents’ jurisdiction extends only to immigration violations and federal crimes. And, depending on where you are in this area and how long an agent detains you, agents must have varying levels of suspicion to hold you. What does this mean in practice?

  • You have the right to remain silent or tell the agent that you’ll only answer questions in the presence of an attorney, no matter your citizenship or immigration status. You do not have to answer questions about your immigration status. You may simply say that you do not wish to answer those questions. If you choose to remain silent, the agent will likely ask you questions for longer, but your silence alone is not enough to support probable cause or reasonable suspicion to arrest, detain, or search you or your belongings.
  • A limited exception does exist: for people who do have permission to be in the U.S. for a specific reason and for, usually, a limited amount of time (a “nonimmigrant” on a visa, for example), the law does require you to provide information about your immigration status if asked. While you can still choose to remain silent or decline a request to produce your documents, people in this category should be aware that they could face arrest consequences. If you want to know whether you fall into this category, you should consult an attorney.
  • Generally, an immigration officer cannot detain you without “reasonable suspicion.” Reasonable suspicion is less robust than probable cause, but it is certainly not just a hunch or gut feeling. An agent must have specific facts about you that make it reasonable to believe you are committing or committed a violation of immigration law or federal law.
  • If an agent detains you, you can ask for their basis for reasonable suspicion, and they should tell you.
  • An immigration officer also cannot search you or your belongings without either “probable cause” or your consent. If an agent asks you if they can search your belongings, you have the right to say no.
  • An immigration officer cannot arrest you without “probable cause.” That means the agent must have facts about you that make it probable that you are committing, or committed, a violation of immigration law or federal law.
  • Your silence alone does not trigger “reasonable suspicion” or “probable cause.” Nor does your race or ethnicity alone suffice – although in practice, you may be subjected to more questioning if you are a person of color (but we bet you knew that already).

Participating in direct action

During the action, there will be very clear zones (green, yellow and red) marking the area. Green zones will be areas where arrest is unlikely (although possible, because police are police). Yellow areas are medium-risk areas, where arrest might happen. Red areas are high-risk areas – areas where it’s likely arrests will take place. You should make the choices that work best for you about what area you’d like to join.

Here are some things to consider while deciding what zones work best for you:

Considerations for Non-US Citizens

  • Potential risks of arrest
    • Getting arrested can result in immigration consequences if you are undocumented. Your risk of being detained, put in removal proceedings, or charged with federal crimes increases if you have multiple deportations on your record; if you have prior criminal convictions; or if there are already removal proceedings against you.
      • OJO: even if you do not have a record and are undocumented you could still be targeted by law enforcement or immigration agents.
    • If you are arrested, you typically must give an address to law enforcement. Even if the arresting agency doesn’t collaborate directly with ICE, ICE may still be able to access their databases of arrestees and find out what information you have provided.
    • While in theory the San Diego police are not supposed to collaborate with ICE, in practice they have been known to offer information about persons they are holding to ICE, and sometimes notify ICE when they are releasing people from police custody.
  • Deciding whether to talk about your status during the event
    • People make different choices about whether they discuss their immigration status publicly at protests. If you talk about your immigration status publicly, it is more likely that CBP/ICE may determine that they have probable cause to detain you under the suspicion that you are committing, or committed, a violation of immigration law or federal law.
      • OJO: even if CBP/ICE don’t seem to be visibly present, they also sometimes use surveillance equipment – so if you’re speaking publicly, there’s no guarantee that CBP/ICE might not get that information.

Consider doing the following if approached by an immigration officer:

If an immigration officer approaches you in a public area, such as a parking lot, do not run. You may be arrested if it looks like you are trying to escape.

Do not answer any questions from immigration officers. Do not tell the immigration officer where you were born, your nationality, or what your immigration status is. Do not sign any papers. Do not show the agent your papers, any immigration documents, or any kind of identification documents that state what country you are from. If the agent asks you for your papers, tell the agent, “I wish to talk to a lawyer.” Also, be aware that lying to an immigration officer may subject you to criminal charges, if your lie is discovered. Do not claim being a citizen, as that could also result in higher charges.

An immigration officer cannot force you to answer any questions. Even if you are arrested and taken into custody, you have a right to be silent and to ask for a lawyer. If the officer tries to ask you questions, tell him or her that you want to talk to a lawyer. If he or she keeps trying to ask questions, keep repeating that you want to talk to a lawyer.

Ask the officer, “Am I free to leave?” If the officer says yes, walk away (don’t run). If the officer says no, ask the officer “am I being detained?” If the officer says so, repeat “Am I free to leave?” You can ask these same questions repeatedly. However, if the officer says yes, continue to answer each question by stating that you want to talk to a lawyer. If the officer begins to pat you down, do not resist but say outloud “I do not consent to this search.” Then again, continue to answer each question by stating that you want to talk to a lawyer.  Even if they still search you or detain you, making these statements clear can help your defense later in court.

Considerations for Transgender and Gender Non-conforming People

  • During the action
    • The National Center for Transgender Equality has a helpful guide for transgender and gender non-conforming people who are planning on participating in direct action. This link has the guide, which is available in both Spanish and English. Also, be aware that in California, you have the right to refuse to show an ID to California law enforcement unless you are stopped while driving, or have been arrested (although refusing to show your ID may cause the law enforcement officer to escalate and detain you for longer, even though they are not supposed to).
  • If you are arrested by California law enforcement
    • The San Diego Sheriff’s policy is to individually assess people who have been arrested to determine where they should be housed. There is not a guarantee that you will be housed with other people who share your gender identity. However, the Sheriff’s offices is also supposed to “consider whether, based on the information before them, a detainee may be at a high risk of being sexually abused and, when appropriate, take necessary steps to mitigate any such danger to the detainee.” If you’re detained and believe that being held in a particular space may put you at risk of assault, you may want to share that information with the law enforcement officers who are detaining you.

Information sourced from the following places, as well as from conversations:

Leading Latinx Racial Justice Organization Releases “Free Our Future” Policy Platform in Wake of War Waged Against Immigrants

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Monica Trevino, 773-573-8667 / mtrevino2319@gmail.com

Leading Latinx Racial Justice Organization Releases “Free Our Future” Policy Platform in Wake of War Waged Against Immigrants

Policy Calls for Full-Scale Decriminalization of Immigration

Today, Mijente, a national Latinx organization leading on mobilizing against immigration enforcement and criminalization, released a comprehensive immigration policy platform “Free Our Future” that calls for the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and a full-scale decriminalization of immigration.

“The horrific separation of migrant families from their children has exposed the Trump administration’s war on immigrants and revealed the cruelty of a system whose sole purpose is to target, harass, and criminalize those seeking to enter this country,” said Marisa Franco, Director of Mijente. “As long as there is ICE, immigrants will not be safe or free. As long as immigration is criminalized and Jeff Sessions is in the DOJ, our communities will be under attack. We call on our representatives to be brave and embrace this bold vision for a total decriminalization of immigration.”

Some of the main highlights of the policy platform include:

  • Abolishing immigration and customs enforcement (ICE):  Immigration and Customs Enforcement exists to target, imprison, and deport immigrants. Locking up and exiling people are their only reason for being. Immigration enforcement officers are now the largest federal police force. Their budget is more than that of all other federal law enforcement agencies combined. They are accountable to no one and take their marching orders directly from Trump. We need to defund ICE, and we need legislation that dismantles the agency. They have only been around for 15 years, and their continued existence is far from inevitable. There’s already movement: at least 21 Democratic congressional primary candidates have come out in favor of abolishing the agency. Trump’s deportation squad should cease to exist. Immigration enforcement as we know it must end.

  • Repealing Laws Criminalizing Migration: The federal laws prohibiting “unlawful entry” and “unlawful reentry” are the legal weapon behind the heart-breaking separation of parents and children by the Trump administration. Under a new policy of “Zero-Tolerance,” Sessions’ Department of Justice is attempting to prosecute and imprison all migrants (including those with children) arrested after crossing the border–drastically ramping up the already-record breaking deportation efforts of the Obama administration. Even before “Zero Tolerance,” migrant prosecutions had already grown to be half of all federal prosecutions each year and resulted in a federal prison boom. Congress should immediately repeal 8 U.S.C. § 1325 and 8 U.S.C. § 1326, the laws that criminalize migration and punish immigrant families.

  • Ending Operation Streamline: Operation Streamline is a federal strategy of mass hearings and mass imprisonment. The US government puts dozens of immigrants into a courtroom, shackled at their hands and ankles. Then, rather than giving them individualized hearings, the Department of Justice puts them through a mass procedure all at once, finding them all guilty and sentencing them for having crossed the border without permission, after which they are usually deported by ICE. Operation Streamline has criminalized migrant crossings in the southern United States on a mass scale already. Now the Trump administration has expanded it beyond limited cities in Arizona and Texas to include the entire southern borders of Arizona, Texas, and New Mexico. Officials in California have announced the beginning of mass prosecutions there as well, with Trump and Sessions planning to convict hundreds of immigrants per day. Ending Operation Streamline is essential to ending the criminalization of migration.

  • Enacting non-cooperation policies at the state and local levels that go beyond Sanctuary laws: While the immigration police force might dwarf all other federal police forces in size and budget, they still require the cooperation not only of private industry actors but of state and local authorities to carry out their agenda of detention and deportation. States and localities vary in their willingness to partner with ICE, but even places that have declared themselves “sanctuaries” continue to facilitate ICE’s violence. The fights to kick ICE out of our communities have been going on since the agency’s inception, and now, more than ever, we must hold our towns, cities, and states accountable for abetting Trump’s racist agenda. Sanctuary and non-cooperation policies must be more than symbolic. They must actually prevent data-sharing, stop the rental of county jail to ICE for immigration detention, and eliminate all other enforcement support provided to ICE by our state and local governments.

“Our vision will continue to evolve in the months and years to come, but we remain grounded in a commitment to free our future from the Trump regime,” stated Angelica Chazaro, Mijente member and one of the authors of the report.

View the full report.

Mijente is a national Latinx organization leading on mobilizing against immigration enforcement and criminalization. As a digital and grassroots hub for Latinx and Chicanx movement building and organizing, Mijente seeks to increase the profile of policy issues that matter to our communities and increase the participation of Latinx and Chicanx people in the broader movements for racial, economic, climate and gender justice.

No Ban, No Wall, No Cages! #FreeOurFuture

June 26, 2018

While the Trump Administration has intensified the war on Muslim communities in new and dangerous ways, our Muslim neighbors have been facing heightened threats to their survival for years. In the aftermath of 9/11, the U.S. government framed Muslims and immigrants as threats to the “homeland,” leading to the massive reorganization of the US government through the creation of the Department of Homeland Security (including the creation of ICE), the launching of the never-ending “War on Terror” and of untold violence against Iraqis and Afghanis by the U.S. military that continue to this day, and the creation of policies requiring Muslim men and boys in the U.S. to “register” with the government. Trump ran and was elected on a platform demonizing Muslims, and one of his first acts was to block Muslim immigrants from entering the U.S., many who were seeking to reunite with their families, pre-figuring the family separation that we are seeing played out today at the U.S.-Mexico border.

The Supreme Court joined the shameful Islamophobic lineage today by refusing to strike down the Muslim ban, upholding Trump’s anti-Muslim agenda and policies. We choose to align ourselves with a lineage of solidarity and resistance and fight alongside Muslim communities to free our future. We will fight with you for the end of Islamophobic policies and laws. We will fight with you for the end of the agencies that target Muslims and immigrants.

6 things everyone who cares about stopping separation of children must know about Trump’s Executive Order

[En español abajo]

¡Ojo! Trump executive order still allows for family imprisonment and continued prosecutions. A quick look of the text shows:

  1. DHS will receive more money to create new family prisons that will hold parents and children together, while the parents are being criminally prosecuted and while their deportation cases are pending.
  2. Given that criminal prosecutions and deportation cases of parents can take long periods of time, and that children are supposed to be detained along with their parents, Sessions will try to get the courts to grant him the ability to detain children indefinitely.
  3. Trump and Sessions will continue to implement their “Zero Tolerance” policy and prosecute everyone detained at the border.
  4. The Department of Defense will help provide spaces, like army bases, for these family prisons, and build new ones as needed. Other cabinet-level departments are being recruited to do the same.
  5. Sessions will be given more resources to deport families faster after they are prosecuted, and appropriate the funding if needed.
  6. The order does not speak to any families that have already been separated — and existing policies place the responsibility on parents to find their children in HHS custody and seek to reunite with them.

6 cosas que a todos los que les interesa parar la separación de los niños migrantes de sus padres deberían saber sobre la reciente orden ejecutiva de Trump

¡Ojo! La orden ejecutiva continua permitiendo el encarcelamiento de familias y la continuación de la criminalización. Un ojo a el texto nos enseña que:

  1. DHS tendrá más dinero para crear nuevas prisiones familiares que detendran a padres e hijxs, mientras que los padres estan siendo criminalizados y mientras continuan en proceso de deportación.
  2. Dado que el poner cargos criminales a los padres y que los casos de deportación toman mucho tiempo, y que los niños van a estar encarcelados con los padres, Sessions tratará de que la corte le de el derecho de tener en la carcel a los niños de manera indefinida.
  3. Trump y Sessions contiuarán so política de “Cero Tolerancia” y le continuarán poniendo cargos criminales a todas las personas detenidas en la frontera.
  4. El Departamento de Defensa ayudará a proporcionar espacios, como bases militares, para estas prisiones familiares, y construirá nuevas, según sea necesario. Están también reclutando otros departamentos a nivel de gabinete para hacer lo mismo.
  5. Jeff Sessions recibirán más recursos para deportar a las familias más rápidamente después de que sean enjuiciadas, y se apropiarán de los fondos si es necesario.
  6. La orden no aplica a ninguna familia que ya haya sido separada, y las políticas existentes imponen la responsabilidad a los padres de encontrar a sus hijos bajo la custodia del HHS y tratar de reunirse con ellos.

Dramatic Increase of Mass Prosecutions Intensifies Family Separation and Criminalization Crisis

Attorney General Jeff Sessions brings back controversial Operation Streamline to San Diego

Today news broke that the Trump administration is significantly escalating its “zero tolerance” policy when it comes to immigrants seeking refuge in the U.S. and plan to introduce a “fast-track” mass prosecution program. Akin to the already existent Operation Streamline in southern Texas and Arizona, the program means that immigrants will be moved through the criminal system in mass hearings, from arraignment to sentencing – up to 150 migrants per day – in just a few hours.

Marisa Franco, Executive Director of Mijente, a national Latinx organization leading on mobilizing against immigration enforcement and criminalization, issued the following statement regarding the increased prosecutions:

“From children being torn apart from their parents to chained groups of people being prosecuted en masse, it is clear we have a human rights crisis. Attorney General Jeff Sessions is throwing the book at people without regard or discretion and this latest move will exponentially increase family separation and the prosecution and incarceration of migrants simply for the act of migration. This in addition to more money going to fund sentencing and private prisons.

“We’ve been asking, ‘where are the children,’ but not asking ‘where are the parents.’ Today the answer is that as the parents are being mass processed and sent to private prisons, with little hope of reuniting with their children after being convicted, incarcerated, and then deported. We urge San Diego U.S. Attorney Adam Braverman to not give in to the hateful rhetoric coming from Attorney General Jeff Sessions, and stop the move towards mass prosecution of parents, asylum seekers, and other migrants in California.”

Mijente has started a petition to urge US Attorney General Adam Braverman to roll back the changes, which are supposed to go into effect July 2, 2018.

 

National “Chinga La Migra” Organizing Tour Targets ICE, Launches at Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma

The tour will kick off with a ‘noise and light’ demonstration at the NW detention center (1146 East J Street, Tacoma, WA) on Monday, June 4th, from 8-11 pm.

Seattle, WA – On June 4th Mijente will launch the “Chinga La Migra/ Abolish ICE” tour to tell the story of what the deportation crisis under President Trump looks like in real time, support the efforts of directly affected people and communities, and point towards how to resist and overcome the anti-immigrant policies and rhetoric plaguing the country. The tour was announced via video on Mijente’s facebook and will run from June to September 2019.

“We think it’s time to start exposing what’s really happening to immigrants inside of President Trump’s Racism First agenda,” explained Marisa Franco, Director of Mijente. “Chinga la Migra will travel from city to city to support the efforts and lift up the stories of people who are on the front lines for human and civil rights.

The tour will include the filming of a short web-documentary that will be distributed by Mijente. Mijente member and immigrant and reproductive rights organizer Alejandra Pablos, recently released from Eloy detention center in Arizona, will be hosting the web series.

The stops, which will be announced on Mijente’s website, include:

Seattle, Washington (June 4-6, 2018): Hosted by Northwest Detention Center Resistance/Resistencia NWDC and immigrant rights leader Maru Mora Villalpando, an outspoken activist against deportation and detention who is being targeted by ICE for deportation for to her organizing.

North Carolina (June 13-15, 2018): Hosted by Siembra NC, Compañeros Inmigrantes de las Montañas en Acción (CIMA), and Southerners on New Ground  (SONG) who are responding in Alamance County, Hendersonville and Asheville, organizing to defend their communities against the raids and to fight back from the implementation of 287g, a program that gives local police the power to deport individuals.

Morristown, Tennessee (June 16-17, 2018): A few months ago, the small manufacturing town of Morristown, Tennessee, became the target of the largest work-site raid in the last decade. Since then, the state of Tennessee has also passed HB 2315, a law which demands all law enforcement to act as immigration officials. The tour will catch up with activists in real time responding to the various developments.

Chicago, Illinois (June 24-26, 2018): Meet with members of Organized Communities Against Deportations, an undocumented-led organization that has been a first responder to wide-spread immigration raids and has been leading the fight against the Chicago Gang Database, an unsubstantiated list of people suspected by Chicago Police of being gang members that is shared with ICE and other federal agencies.

“Chinga La Migra” Tour is a  Project of Mijente. Mijente is a digital and grassroots hub for Latinx and Chicanx movement building and organizing that seeks to increase the profile of policy issues that matter to our communities and increase the participation of Latinx and Chicanx people in the broader movements for racial, economic, climate and gender justice.

Chinga La Migra: Morristown Tennessee

In early April 2018, ICE raided a meat packing plant outside of Morristown, Tennessee. But ICE did not act alone, Tennessee Highway Patrol and local police diverted traffic and Tennessee National Guard opened up its facilities and functioned as a temporary immigrant detention center. Chinga La Migra Tour is coming to Morristown Tennessee on June 16th, 2018. We will be uplifting the local stories of our gente who has been resisting la Migra.

#chingalamigra #mijente