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"content": "\u003cp class=\"p1\">\u003ca href=\"#episode-transcript\">\u003ci>View the full episode transcript.\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">A year ago this Tuesday, a gunman entered two mushroom farms in Half Moon Bay and killed 7 farmworkers — all of them Chinese and Latino immigrants. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The shooting brought attention to the living and working conditions of farmworkers in Half Moon Bay and across the state. State and local officials promised to do something about it. So, what’s changed?\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"card card--enclosed grey\">\n\u003cp id=\"embed-code\" class=\"inconsolata\">\n\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"200\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https://playlist.megaphone.fm/?e=KQINC7993594061&light=true\" width=\"100%\" class=\"iframe-class\">\u003c/iframe>\n\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2 id=\"episode-transcript\">Episode Transcript\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>This is a computer-generated transcript. While our team has reviewed it, there may be errors.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>I’m Ericka Cruz Guevarra, and welcome to the Bay. Local news to keep you rooted.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Speaker: \u003c/strong>Good morning everyone. I just wanted to, take a moment to also honor the victims and the surviving families of the hacking Bay shooting, and I just wanted to take a couple moments to, say their names, and I’m going to do the best I can.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>This week, Half Moon Bay commemorated one year since a gunman killed seven farm workers, all of them Chinese and Latino immigrants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Speaker: \u003c/strong>So their names are getting Zi Chung Chen, Zetian, Leia, zinc, Shu, lo I Ching, Jose Romero Perez, Marciano Martinez Jiminez, and Pedro Ramiro Perez.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>The shooting took place at two farms in the small coastal town. Concord Farms and California Terror Garden, and it laid bare the poor living and working conditions of farm workers in Half Moon Bay at the time. State and local officials vowed to do something about it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gavin Newsom: \u003c/strong>Some of you should see where these folks are living. The conditions they’re. Living in. Shipping containers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>So today, we take you back to Half Moon Bay. One year after the shooting, to see how the community has been changed by the tragedy and what’s been done to improve the lives of farm workers. Stay with us.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Speaker: \u003c/strong>Everyone. My name is Ting Lu, and I’m honored to be here today on behalf of the white House. I work in the white House.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Farida Jhabvala Romero: \u003c/strong>I went to, this sort of gathering by state and federal and local officials with community members, farm workers and people directly affected by the shooting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Farida Jhabvala Romero is a labor correspondent for KQED.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Farida Jhabvala Romero: \u003c/strong>Former presidential candidate Julian Castro and the former, you know, US housing secretary. Was there representatives from the governor’s office? Congresswoman Anna Eshoo, whose district includes Half Moon Bay. So this was one of, you know, several events to commemorate the first anniversary of the shooting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Marisela Martinez: \u003c/strong>He was like a second dad to me. I of course.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Farida Jhabvala Romero: \u003c/strong>These are folks who have gone through so much in the last year. One of them was Marisela Martinez, whose uncle Marciano was killed at the shooting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Marisela Martinez: \u003c/strong>Took my seat. It’s like watching English. I just called him my Tio Martian.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Farida Jhabvala Romero: \u003c/strong>She, you know, just stood up and took the mic and spoke about about her uncle and that they had talked often, that Marciano had been sending money to, his relatives there to build a house like so many, you know, immigrants in the US. Do, you know, to support their families back in their home countries?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Marisela Martinez: \u003c/strong>My uncle would always tell me that, like, if I ever went to Mexico that I could in his house, and that hopefully one day he was going to be able to go with me and show me the home in which my dad and him and all of his family grew up and.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Farida Jhabvala Romero: \u003c/strong>And how she had to travel there for the first time to bury Marciano instead.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Marisela Martinez: \u003c/strong>As my uncles were carrying my uncle’s casket. That’s when it all hit me. I was walking, and then I just had the sudden realization that this was not okay. This should not have happened. This is not the way that my uncle and I were supposed to go back.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Farida Jhabvala Romero: \u003c/strong>Another farm worker who was there is Pedro Romero, who survived the shooting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Pedro Romero: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[speaking spanish]\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Farida Jhabvala Romero: \u003c/strong>He was injured. Survived. His brother Jose did not.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Pedro Romero: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[speaking spanish]\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Farida Jhabvala Romero: \u003c/strong>He told everyone gathered there, all the local and federal officials that, you know, he’s still really sad that he thinks so much about this tragedy and that his brother is no longer there with him. And he said, Jose left three kids who need help.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Pedro Romero: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[speaking spanish]\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>When the shooting happened, there was this huge focus on how what had happened had really revealed these working conditions, these housing conditions of farmworkers, not just in Half Moon Bay, but in California more broadly. But can you remind us how people responded at the time, especially public officials in the immediate aftermath of the shooting?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Farida Jhabvala Romero: \u003c/strong>You know, I remember all the TV cameras flooding down and other journalists as well, you know, and also elected officials, the highest people in office in the state, like Governor Gavin Newsom. And I remember the governor on live TV speaking about how some of these workers had been making $9 an hour, which is way below minimum wage in California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gavin Newsom: \u003c/strong>And by the way, some of you should see where these folks are. Living conditions. They’re. Living in shipping containers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Farida Jhabvala Romero: \u003c/strong>You just talked about some of these really substandard, living and working conditions for people there.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gavin Newsom: \u003c/strong>No health care, no support, no services, but taking care of our health, providing a service to each and every one of us every single day.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Farida Jhabvala Romero: \u003c/strong>And so after that, you know, there was a lot of attention on those issues. People really promised to, to create change.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Well, you mentioned two really big issues here that were highlighted by the shooting housing, but also workplace conditions for these farmworkers. So since the shooting, I know that state and local regulators have been investigating the working conditions on some of these farms in Half Moon Bay. What’s happened since then? What is the status of those investigations now?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Farida Jhabvala Romero: \u003c/strong>Yeah. So there are a number of investigations by the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office by state agencies at the two farms, Concord Farms and then California Terra Garden. Carlo Shire cited Concord Farms for $51,000 for workplace safety violations. Of course, Carlos is the agency that regulates worker safety. And then they also cited California Terror Garden for about $114,000, for a total of dozens of violations that inspectors found at these two farms.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Farida Jhabvala Romero: \u003c/strong>But those cases are still open, and the farms haven’t paid the amount of the citations yet. Then there’s the California Labor Commissioner’s Office, which investigates labor law violations, you know, potential wage theft. And so that agency cited California Terror Garden as well for violations related to paid sick laws. And that business settled for about $150,000. We should also note that successor business at that same site where California Terror Garden was, which is now called Lee and Sun Mushroom Farm.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Farida Jhabvala Romero: \u003c/strong>That business was also cited, including for minimum wage violations under San Mateo minimum wage laws, which are actually higher than for the state. So that’s sort of where those investigations are at. But it sounds like there may be more citations and charges, sort of proposed penalties coming both from the state and the county.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>I mean, that’s sort of the accountability part of this Farida. But what about support for the farm workers since the shooting? Who’s been taking the lead on that in Half Moon Bay?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Farida Jhabvala Romero: \u003c/strong>Well, there’s a couple of nonprofit organizations that have been really visible through this whole ordeal for people in Half Moon Bay. One is at usando, at Latinos lasagna. It’s known as Alice. They’ve really been a connector with the farm working community. And then we see a lot of movement at the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors level.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ray Mueller: \u003c/strong>The county and the community. City, a Half Moon Bay, really rallied together, in the days and months following the event.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Farida Jhabvala Romero: \u003c/strong>Supervisor Ray Mueller told me that right after the shooting, he committed to try to do whatever he could.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ray Mueller: \u003c/strong>To go to the site to see how those families were living. Really? When I saw it. I wanted to make sure that no one could look away from it. And since that time, the county really has worked very hard, to address those issues.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Farida Jhabvala Romero: \u003c/strong>They recently approved the purchase of a 50 acre plot of land.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ray Mueller: \u003c/strong>But we also have other sites. We’re building 46 units of farmworker housing, on 18 of which are being set aside for victims of the shooting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Farida Jhabvala Romero: \u003c/strong>He also pushed and, you know, got approved and new Office of Labor Standards Enforcement in San Mateo County that will start helping all workers be able to file claims with the state labor Commissioner’s office and also really take on education for employers about their obligations under under the laws, but also for workers about their rights. Those are important things, you know, that are ongoing as well, that they’re taking off in the county. And that really came out as a result of this, of this shooting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Coming up, how advocates and farmworkers in Half Moon Bay are feeling about what’s been done so far. Stay with us.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>I am, I have to say, surprised a little bit, Frida, by how much it seems like it is happening in San Mateo County as a result of this shooting. But I do wonder how people are feeling. I mean, especially the farmworkers directly affected by this shooting. Do they feel like they’re getting the help that they need?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Farida Jhabvala Romero: \u003c/strong>Well, like we mentioned, Pedro Romero, for example. I mean, he said he was grateful for housing assistance, but, you know, that funding is set to run out soon. And, they’re wondering what they’re going to do. There’s a lot of hope, you know, for all of these projects and things that are happening, but they’re going to take a long time to really create the change that everybody can see and that they could actually use, you know, by moving into one of these housing units.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Farida Jhabvala Romero: \u003c/strong>So it’s unclear what’s going to happen in the meantime. I will say that one point of positiveness in this whole thing is that, I mean, the community says that they’re committed to continuing helping them. So hopefully we’ll see some other ways that they find to do that. But at this point it’s uncertain.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Yeah. And and I guess how can you move on when there are these investigations still ongoing and and still open? And I know you spoke with someone from United Farm Workers about this. Can you tell me about Antonio and how he feels about how these investigations are still going?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Farida Jhabvala Romero: \u003c/strong>Yeah. So Antonio De Loera directs communications for the United Farm Workers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Antonio De Loera: \u003c/strong>And what’s been so dispiriting, perhaps, on this first anniversary is how quickly it feels like we went back to normal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Farida Jhabvala Romero: \u003c/strong>With even such a high profile case. You see some of the issues that bogged down investigations into wage theft or workplace safety issues and other parts of California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Antonio De Loera: \u003c/strong>I think if the anniversary of Half Moon Bay is about anything, it’s about, we need to notice farmworkers all the time, not just when something horrible is in the news.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Farida Jhabvala Romero: \u003c/strong>And, you know, mind you. Many agricultural workers don’t want to come forward and talk about some of the problems at their worksite because they’re afraid of losing their their job.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Antonio De Loera: \u003c/strong>You multiply that across the whole state, where if we can’t get accountability for a case that was this public that had this much attention from the highest elected officials in the state of California, what does that say about what’s happening in the rest of California?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>And then there’s the housing element of this, right? Frida, which, as we all know, takes forever to build in California. How do people feel about how that’s going?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Farida Jhabvala Romero: \u003c/strong>Yeah, I mean, all of these projects are going to take, you know, several years to complete if they come to completion.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rocio Avila: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[speaking spanish]\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Farida Jhabvala Romero: \u003c/strong>And then a Rocio Avila has lived in Half Moon Bay for many, many years. She has three children in person.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rocio Avila: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[speaking spanish]\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Farida Jhabvala Romero: \u003c/strong>She’s one of the people who were really just shocked at learning wait, after the shooting and after everyone says, you know, they’re really going to focus on building more affordable housing. It’s going to take how many years?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rocio Avila: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[speaking spanish]\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Farida Jhabvala Romero: \u003c/strong>She told me a little bit about her situation, and she said she’s sharing an apartment with her brothers and their families and her family. And so her husband, her and her three kids sleep in one room with her oldest girl, sleeping on a mattress on the floor, and then everyone else sharing a queen size bed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rocio Avila: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[speaking spanish]\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Farida Jhabvala Romero: \u003c/strong>For her. Like many other people in the community, this this shooting sort of steeled their resolve to make sure that these changes happen. And so Rocio Avila has taken it upon herself to be in attendance at every supervisor meeting. And she’s also part of vigils, regular vigils and marches for affordable housing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rocio Avila: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[speaking spanish]\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Farida Jhabvala Romero: \u003c/strong>I think it’s also a realization on her part that what she said is that her voice matters and she wants to, you know, help other people in the community to also speak up about what they’re seeing in terms of housing. You know, when people get evicted, the problems that they’re facing, so that elected representatives take note and can do something about it as well.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rocio Avila: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[speaking spanish]\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>I mean, it’s it seems like based on your conversations with people in Half Moon Bay a year later, it seems like folks are still very much reeling from this shooting, but also are feeling very fired up and much more active politically in the community. Is is that fair to say?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Farida Jhabvala Romero: \u003c/strong>Yeah, I think that’s fair to say for definitely, you know, many agricultural workers and other people who weren’t feeling as united and motivated to be part of these conversations and, and make sure that these promises of more affordable housing, better conditions at work, that they really become a reality. And I think, you know, there’s a lot of hope in the community as well, because people are finding that at least in their personal lives, they’re taking steps. So that’s that’s definitely a feeling you get from visiting Half Moon Bay these days that, that, that there’s a lot of hope.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Farida, thank you so much.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Farida Jhabvala Romero: \u003c/strong>Thank you. Ericka. So nice to be here.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>That was Farida Jhabvala Romero, a labor correspondent for KQED, on Thursday afternoon, Farida learned that the city and county are working to find more funding to keep survivors and their families housed. Leaders with allies say they’re confident that housing assistance will continue until new housing is built. This 35 minute conversation with Farida was cut down and edited by senior editor Alan Monteceillo. Maria Esquinca is our producer. She scored this episode and added all the tape.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Additional production support from me. Music courtesy of Audio Network. First cut music and Audio Socket. The rest of our podcast team at KQED includes Jen Chien, our director of podcasts, Katie Sprenger, our podcast operations manager, Cesar Saldana, our podcast engagement producer, and Maha Sanad, podcast Engagement Intern. The Bay is a production of member supported KQED in San Francisco. I’m Ericka Cruz Guevarra. Thanks for listening. Talk to you next time.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp class=\"p1\">\u003ca href=\"#episode-transcript\">\u003ci>View the full episode transcript.\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">A year ago this Tuesday, a gunman entered two mushroom farms in Half Moon Bay and killed 7 farmworkers — all of them Chinese and Latino immigrants. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The shooting brought attention to the living and working conditions of farmworkers in Half Moon Bay and across the state. State and local officials promised to do something about it. So, what’s changed?\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"card card--enclosed grey\">\n\u003cp id=\"embed-code\" class=\"inconsolata\">\n\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"200\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https://playlist.megaphone.fm/?e=KQINC7993594061&light=true\" width=\"100%\" class=\"iframe-class\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-content post-body\">\u003ch2 id=\"episode-transcript\">Episode Transcript\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>This is a computer-generated transcript. While our team has reviewed it, there may be errors.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>I’m Ericka Cruz Guevarra, and welcome to the Bay. Local news to keep you rooted.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Speaker: \u003c/strong>Good morning everyone. I just wanted to, take a moment to also honor the victims and the surviving families of the hacking Bay shooting, and I just wanted to take a couple moments to, say their names, and I’m going to do the best I can.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>This week, Half Moon Bay commemorated one year since a gunman killed seven farm workers, all of them Chinese and Latino immigrants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Speaker: \u003c/strong>So their names are getting Zi Chung Chen, Zetian, Leia, zinc, Shu, lo I Ching, Jose Romero Perez, Marciano Martinez Jiminez, and Pedro Ramiro Perez.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>The shooting took place at two farms in the small coastal town. Concord Farms and California Terror Garden, and it laid bare the poor living and working conditions of farm workers in Half Moon Bay at the time. State and local officials vowed to do something about it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gavin Newsom: \u003c/strong>Some of you should see where these folks are living. The conditions they’re. Living in. Shipping containers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>So today, we take you back to Half Moon Bay. One year after the shooting, to see how the community has been changed by the tragedy and what’s been done to improve the lives of farm workers. Stay with us.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Speaker: \u003c/strong>Everyone. My name is Ting Lu, and I’m honored to be here today on behalf of the white House. I work in the white House.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Farida Jhabvala Romero: \u003c/strong>I went to, this sort of gathering by state and federal and local officials with community members, farm workers and people directly affected by the shooting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Farida Jhabvala Romero is a labor correspondent for KQED.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Farida Jhabvala Romero: \u003c/strong>Former presidential candidate Julian Castro and the former, you know, US housing secretary. Was there representatives from the governor’s office? Congresswoman Anna Eshoo, whose district includes Half Moon Bay. So this was one of, you know, several events to commemorate the first anniversary of the shooting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Marisela Martinez: \u003c/strong>He was like a second dad to me. I of course.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Farida Jhabvala Romero: \u003c/strong>These are folks who have gone through so much in the last year. One of them was Marisela Martinez, whose uncle Marciano was killed at the shooting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Marisela Martinez: \u003c/strong>Took my seat. It’s like watching English. I just called him my Tio Martian.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Farida Jhabvala Romero: \u003c/strong>She, you know, just stood up and took the mic and spoke about about her uncle and that they had talked often, that Marciano had been sending money to, his relatives there to build a house like so many, you know, immigrants in the US. Do, you know, to support their families back in their home countries?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Marisela Martinez: \u003c/strong>My uncle would always tell me that, like, if I ever went to Mexico that I could in his house, and that hopefully one day he was going to be able to go with me and show me the home in which my dad and him and all of his family grew up and.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Farida Jhabvala Romero: \u003c/strong>And how she had to travel there for the first time to bury Marciano instead.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Marisela Martinez: \u003c/strong>As my uncles were carrying my uncle’s casket. That’s when it all hit me. I was walking, and then I just had the sudden realization that this was not okay. This should not have happened. This is not the way that my uncle and I were supposed to go back.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Farida Jhabvala Romero: \u003c/strong>Another farm worker who was there is Pedro Romero, who survived the shooting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Pedro Romero: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[speaking spanish]\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Farida Jhabvala Romero: \u003c/strong>He was injured. Survived. His brother Jose did not.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Pedro Romero: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[speaking spanish]\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Farida Jhabvala Romero: \u003c/strong>He told everyone gathered there, all the local and federal officials that, you know, he’s still really sad that he thinks so much about this tragedy and that his brother is no longer there with him. And he said, Jose left three kids who need help.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Pedro Romero: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[speaking spanish]\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>When the shooting happened, there was this huge focus on how what had happened had really revealed these working conditions, these housing conditions of farmworkers, not just in Half Moon Bay, but in California more broadly. But can you remind us how people responded at the time, especially public officials in the immediate aftermath of the shooting?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Farida Jhabvala Romero: \u003c/strong>You know, I remember all the TV cameras flooding down and other journalists as well, you know, and also elected officials, the highest people in office in the state, like Governor Gavin Newsom. And I remember the governor on live TV speaking about how some of these workers had been making $9 an hour, which is way below minimum wage in California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gavin Newsom: \u003c/strong>And by the way, some of you should see where these folks are. Living conditions. They’re. Living in shipping containers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Farida Jhabvala Romero: \u003c/strong>You just talked about some of these really substandard, living and working conditions for people there.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gavin Newsom: \u003c/strong>No health care, no support, no services, but taking care of our health, providing a service to each and every one of us every single day.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Farida Jhabvala Romero: \u003c/strong>And so after that, you know, there was a lot of attention on those issues. People really promised to, to create change.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Well, you mentioned two really big issues here that were highlighted by the shooting housing, but also workplace conditions for these farmworkers. So since the shooting, I know that state and local regulators have been investigating the working conditions on some of these farms in Half Moon Bay. What’s happened since then? What is the status of those investigations now?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Farida Jhabvala Romero: \u003c/strong>Yeah. So there are a number of investigations by the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office by state agencies at the two farms, Concord Farms and then California Terra Garden. Carlo Shire cited Concord Farms for $51,000 for workplace safety violations. Of course, Carlos is the agency that regulates worker safety. And then they also cited California Terror Garden for about $114,000, for a total of dozens of violations that inspectors found at these two farms.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Farida Jhabvala Romero: \u003c/strong>But those cases are still open, and the farms haven’t paid the amount of the citations yet. Then there’s the California Labor Commissioner’s Office, which investigates labor law violations, you know, potential wage theft. And so that agency cited California Terror Garden as well for violations related to paid sick laws. And that business settled for about $150,000. We should also note that successor business at that same site where California Terror Garden was, which is now called Lee and Sun Mushroom Farm.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Farida Jhabvala Romero: \u003c/strong>That business was also cited, including for minimum wage violations under San Mateo minimum wage laws, which are actually higher than for the state. So that’s sort of where those investigations are at. But it sounds like there may be more citations and charges, sort of proposed penalties coming both from the state and the county.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>I mean, that’s sort of the accountability part of this Farida. But what about support for the farm workers since the shooting? Who’s been taking the lead on that in Half Moon Bay?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Farida Jhabvala Romero: \u003c/strong>Well, there’s a couple of nonprofit organizations that have been really visible through this whole ordeal for people in Half Moon Bay. One is at usando, at Latinos lasagna. It’s known as Alice. They’ve really been a connector with the farm working community. And then we see a lot of movement at the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors level.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ray Mueller: \u003c/strong>The county and the community. City, a Half Moon Bay, really rallied together, in the days and months following the event.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Farida Jhabvala Romero: \u003c/strong>Supervisor Ray Mueller told me that right after the shooting, he committed to try to do whatever he could.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ray Mueller: \u003c/strong>To go to the site to see how those families were living. Really? When I saw it. I wanted to make sure that no one could look away from it. And since that time, the county really has worked very hard, to address those issues.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Farida Jhabvala Romero: \u003c/strong>They recently approved the purchase of a 50 acre plot of land.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ray Mueller: \u003c/strong>But we also have other sites. We’re building 46 units of farmworker housing, on 18 of which are being set aside for victims of the shooting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Farida Jhabvala Romero: \u003c/strong>He also pushed and, you know, got approved and new Office of Labor Standards Enforcement in San Mateo County that will start helping all workers be able to file claims with the state labor Commissioner’s office and also really take on education for employers about their obligations under under the laws, but also for workers about their rights. Those are important things, you know, that are ongoing as well, that they’re taking off in the county. And that really came out as a result of this, of this shooting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Coming up, how advocates and farmworkers in Half Moon Bay are feeling about what’s been done so far. Stay with us.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>I am, I have to say, surprised a little bit, Frida, by how much it seems like it is happening in San Mateo County as a result of this shooting. But I do wonder how people are feeling. I mean, especially the farmworkers directly affected by this shooting. Do they feel like they’re getting the help that they need?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Farida Jhabvala Romero: \u003c/strong>Well, like we mentioned, Pedro Romero, for example. I mean, he said he was grateful for housing assistance, but, you know, that funding is set to run out soon. And, they’re wondering what they’re going to do. There’s a lot of hope, you know, for all of these projects and things that are happening, but they’re going to take a long time to really create the change that everybody can see and that they could actually use, you know, by moving into one of these housing units.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Farida Jhabvala Romero: \u003c/strong>So it’s unclear what’s going to happen in the meantime. I will say that one point of positiveness in this whole thing is that, I mean, the community says that they’re committed to continuing helping them. So hopefully we’ll see some other ways that they find to do that. But at this point it’s uncertain.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Yeah. And and I guess how can you move on when there are these investigations still ongoing and and still open? And I know you spoke with someone from United Farm Workers about this. Can you tell me about Antonio and how he feels about how these investigations are still going?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Farida Jhabvala Romero: \u003c/strong>Yeah. So Antonio De Loera directs communications for the United Farm Workers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Antonio De Loera: \u003c/strong>And what’s been so dispiriting, perhaps, on this first anniversary is how quickly it feels like we went back to normal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Farida Jhabvala Romero: \u003c/strong>With even such a high profile case. You see some of the issues that bogged down investigations into wage theft or workplace safety issues and other parts of California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Antonio De Loera: \u003c/strong>I think if the anniversary of Half Moon Bay is about anything, it’s about, we need to notice farmworkers all the time, not just when something horrible is in the news.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Farida Jhabvala Romero: \u003c/strong>And, you know, mind you. Many agricultural workers don’t want to come forward and talk about some of the problems at their worksite because they’re afraid of losing their their job.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Antonio De Loera: \u003c/strong>You multiply that across the whole state, where if we can’t get accountability for a case that was this public that had this much attention from the highest elected officials in the state of California, what does that say about what’s happening in the rest of California?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>And then there’s the housing element of this, right? Frida, which, as we all know, takes forever to build in California. How do people feel about how that’s going?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Farida Jhabvala Romero: \u003c/strong>Yeah, I mean, all of these projects are going to take, you know, several years to complete if they come to completion.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rocio Avila: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[speaking spanish]\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Farida Jhabvala Romero: \u003c/strong>And then a Rocio Avila has lived in Half Moon Bay for many, many years. She has three children in person.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rocio Avila: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[speaking spanish]\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Farida Jhabvala Romero: \u003c/strong>She’s one of the people who were really just shocked at learning wait, after the shooting and after everyone says, you know, they’re really going to focus on building more affordable housing. It’s going to take how many years?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rocio Avila: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[speaking spanish]\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Farida Jhabvala Romero: \u003c/strong>She told me a little bit about her situation, and she said she’s sharing an apartment with her brothers and their families and her family. And so her husband, her and her three kids sleep in one room with her oldest girl, sleeping on a mattress on the floor, and then everyone else sharing a queen size bed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rocio Avila: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[speaking spanish]\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Farida Jhabvala Romero: \u003c/strong>For her. Like many other people in the community, this this shooting sort of steeled their resolve to make sure that these changes happen. And so Rocio Avila has taken it upon herself to be in attendance at every supervisor meeting. And she’s also part of vigils, regular vigils and marches for affordable housing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rocio Avila: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[speaking spanish]\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Farida Jhabvala Romero: \u003c/strong>I think it’s also a realization on her part that what she said is that her voice matters and she wants to, you know, help other people in the community to also speak up about what they’re seeing in terms of housing. You know, when people get evicted, the problems that they’re facing, so that elected representatives take note and can do something about it as well.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rocio Avila: \u003c/strong>\u003cem>[speaking spanish]\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>I mean, it’s it seems like based on your conversations with people in Half Moon Bay a year later, it seems like folks are still very much reeling from this shooting, but also are feeling very fired up and much more active politically in the community. Is is that fair to say?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Farida Jhabvala Romero: \u003c/strong>Yeah, I think that’s fair to say for definitely, you know, many agricultural workers and other people who weren’t feeling as united and motivated to be part of these conversations and, and make sure that these promises of more affordable housing, better conditions at work, that they really become a reality. And I think, you know, there’s a lot of hope in the community as well, because people are finding that at least in their personal lives, they’re taking steps. So that’s that’s definitely a feeling you get from visiting Half Moon Bay these days that, that, that there’s a lot of hope.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Farida, thank you so much.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Farida Jhabvala Romero: \u003c/strong>Thank you. Ericka. So nice to be here.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>That was Farida Jhabvala Romero, a labor correspondent for KQED, on Thursday afternoon, Farida learned that the city and county are working to find more funding to keep survivors and their families housed. Leaders with allies say they’re confident that housing assistance will continue until new housing is built. This 35 minute conversation with Farida was cut down and edited by senior editor Alan Monteceillo. Maria Esquinca is our producer. She scored this episode and added all the tape.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Additional production support from me. Music courtesy of Audio Network. First cut music and Audio Socket. The rest of our podcast team at KQED includes Jen Chien, our director of podcasts, Katie Sprenger, our podcast operations manager, Cesar Saldana, our podcast engagement producer, and Maha Sanad, podcast Engagement Intern. The Bay is a production of member supported KQED in San Francisco. I’m Ericka Cruz Guevarra. Thanks for listening. Talk to you next time.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>"
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"title": "UC Regents Abandon Plan to Open Campus Jobs to Undocumented Students",
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"content": "\u003cp>The University of California regents voted Thursday to suspend consideration of a proposal that would have authorized the university to hire undocumented immigrant students who do not qualify for federal work authorization.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Instead, the regents offered an alternative plan that would expand educational opportunities modeled after the \u003ca href=\"https://www.californiavolunteers.ca.gov/californiansforall-college-corps/\">California College CORPS\u003c/a> program. The program exchanges tuition remission for volunteer work.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have concluded that the proposed legal pathway is not viable at this time and, in fact, carries significant risk for the institution and for those we serve,” UC President Michael Drake announced at the regents meeting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11973813\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11973813 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240125-UC-REGENTS-UNDOCUMENTED-WORK-MD-11-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A bald person with glasses speaks into a microphone at a long table.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240125-UC-REGENTS-UNDOCUMENTED-WORK-MD-11-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240125-UC-REGENTS-UNDOCUMENTED-WORK-MD-11-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240125-UC-REGENTS-UNDOCUMENTED-WORK-MD-11-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240125-UC-REGENTS-UNDOCUMENTED-WORK-MD-11-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240125-UC-REGENTS-UNDOCUMENTED-WORK-MD-11-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240125-UC-REGENTS-UNDOCUMENTED-WORK-MD-11-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">UC President Michael Drake (center) announces the Board of Regents’ decision to suspend consideration of a proposal to allow the university to hire undocumented students at a UC Board of Regents meeting at the UCSF Mission Bay Conference Center on Jan. 25, 2024. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>If it were approved and found in violation of federal law, Drake said the university could be subject to civil fines, criminal penalties or debarment from federal contracting. The board voted to table consideration of the proposal until next year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[pullquote align=\"right\" size=\"medium\" citation=\"Karely Amaya Rios, UCLA graduate student and Opportunity for All lead organizer\"]‘Why do we have the system of separate-but-equal when we have undocumented students struggling and we have in our hands ways to help them?’[/pullquote]Organizers of the campaign for undocumented student employment expressed outrage and sadness at the announcement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Why do we have the system of separate-but-equal when we have undocumented students struggling, and we have in our hands, ways to help them?” said Karely Amaya Rios, a graduate student of public policy at UCLA and lead organizer for the Opportunity for All campaign, which lobbied the regents to consider the hiring proposal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The proposal relied on a legal\u003ca href=\"https://law.ucla.edu/sites/default/files/PDFs/Center_for_Immigration_Law_and_Policy/Opportunity_for_All_Campaign_Law_Scholar_Sign-On_Letter.pdf\"> theory (PDF) \u003c/a>developed by the UCLA Center for Immigration Law and Policy and backed by 29 prominent legal scholars at other universities across the nation. It suggests that the 1986\u003ca href=\"https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/LSB/LSB10550\"> Immigration Reform and Control Act,\u003c/a> a federal law that bars employers from hiring undocumented people without legal work authorization, does not apply to employment by state governments. That’s because the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that “if a federal law does not mention the states explicitly, that federal law does not bind state government entities,” according to UCLA scholars.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11973796\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11973796\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240125-UC-REGENTS-UNDOCUMENTED-WORK-MD-04-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240125-UC-REGENTS-UNDOCUMENTED-WORK-MD-04-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240125-UC-REGENTS-UNDOCUMENTED-WORK-MD-04-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240125-UC-REGENTS-UNDOCUMENTED-WORK-MD-04-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240125-UC-REGENTS-UNDOCUMENTED-WORK-MD-04-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240125-UC-REGENTS-UNDOCUMENTED-WORK-MD-04-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240125-UC-REGENTS-UNDOCUMENTED-WORK-MD-04-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">UCLA student Karely Amaya Rios (left) confronts UC Regent Member Ana Matosantos (right) on her vote at the UCSF Mission Bay Conference Center on Jan. 25, 2024. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Under this legal theory, the University of California could hire undocumented immigrant students for campus jobs, such as graduate researchers and teaching assistants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The only real [legal] risk the university has is the federal government can sue in court to try to stop the program from running,” said Ahilan Arulanantham, a UCLA Law professor who helped advance the legal theory. “Nobody is going to jail or getting fined.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He argued that the regents have a moral obligation to expand work and education opportunities to all of the students.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are 44,000 undocumented college students in California, including nearly 4,000 enrolled in the UC system.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Each year, an additional 14,000 undocumented students graduate high school in the state, but none can apply for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, an Obama-era work authorization program for unauthorized immigrants who came to the United States with their parents as children.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11973795\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11973795 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240125-UC-REGENTS-UNDOCUMENTED-WORK-MD-06-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Several young people crying and hugging in an indoor setting.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240125-UC-REGENTS-UNDOCUMENTED-WORK-MD-06-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240125-UC-REGENTS-UNDOCUMENTED-WORK-MD-06-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240125-UC-REGENTS-UNDOCUMENTED-WORK-MD-06-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240125-UC-REGENTS-UNDOCUMENTED-WORK-MD-06-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240125-UC-REGENTS-UNDOCUMENTED-WORK-MD-06-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240125-UC-REGENTS-UNDOCUMENTED-WORK-MD-06-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Students with the Opportunity for All campaign react to the University of California Regents’ vote to suspend consideration of a proposal to allow the university to hire undocumented students on Jan. 25, 2024. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Though there are currently \u003ca href=\"https://www.migrationpolicy.org/programs/data-hub/deferred-action-childhood-arrivals-daca-profiles\">545,000 people covered by DACA\u003c/a>, in 2021, a federal judge in Texas ruled the program was unlawful and ordered the Biden Administration to stop accepting new applicants. The administration has appealed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The state of California and the UC system have taken\u003ca href=\"https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/student-success/undocumented-students#:~:text=Students%20on%20every%20campus%20are,applicable%20state%20and%20federal%20programs.\"> numerous steps\u003c/a> over the years to support undocumented students, offering them in-state tuition, access to financial aid and free legal support. In 2017, the University of California sued the Trump Administration to prevent it from terminating DACA, a case that went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The student-led Opportunity for All campaign launched in the fall of 2022. It gained widespread support from both students and faculty. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">In a \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://law.ucla.edu/sites/default/files/PDFs/Center_for_Immigration_Law_and_Policy/Opportunity_for_All_Faculty_Support_Letter.pdf\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">letter to the regents\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, faculty members urged the campus leaders to make good on their 2023 promise to implement a plan that would expand educational opportunities to all UC students regardless of immigration status. Nearly 500 faculty members vowed “to hire undocumented students into educational employment positions for which they are qualified for once given authority to do so by the UC.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Last May, the UC Regents\u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://regents.universityofcalifornia.edu/regmeet/may23/b2.pdf\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> created\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> a working group\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> to consider the proposal and provide a path for implementation to University President Michael Drake. But after months of meetings, including with the leaders and legal scholars of the Opportunity for All campaign, the regents missed their self-imposed November deadline, with Drake citing legal concerns. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11973799\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11973799\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240125-UC-REGENTS-UNDOCUMENTED-WORK-MD-05-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240125-UC-REGENTS-UNDOCUMENTED-WORK-MD-05-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240125-UC-REGENTS-UNDOCUMENTED-WORK-MD-05-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240125-UC-REGENTS-UNDOCUMENTED-WORK-MD-05-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240125-UC-REGENTS-UNDOCUMENTED-WORK-MD-05-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240125-UC-REGENTS-UNDOCUMENTED-WORK-MD-05-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240125-UC-REGENTS-UNDOCUMENTED-WORK-MD-05-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">UC Regent Designate Josiah Beharry (right) consoles a student with the Opportunity for All campaign at a UC Board of Regents meeting at the UCSF Mission Bay Conference Center on Jan. 25, 2024. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“The legal considerations are numerous, and after several discussions with the stakeholders involved, we’ve concluded that it is in everyone’s best interest to continue to study the matter further,” Drake said during the November 17th regent meeting. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Those legal concerns included pressure from the Biden Administration to reject the proposal, according to reports from \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/24/biden-undocumented-immigrants-university-of-california-00137449\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">POLITICO.\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Additional pushback came from \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://cis.org/Oped/Sorry-UC-Federal-Law-Says-You-Cant-Hire-Undocumented-Students\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Conservative legal scholars\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and one \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.scribd.com/document/646217319/Issa-letter-on-University-of-California-vote#\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Republican lawmaker\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, who\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> argued the university could risk losing federal funding. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[aside label=\"Related Stories\" postID=\"news_11969685,news_11971102,news_11970802\"]In a statement, UC officials said the university “engages with local, state, and federal partners on numerous issues concerning public education and for maintaining compliance with existing federal law.” \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Student advocates say they believe the university is afraid of being sued by Donald Trump if he were to be reelected president. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“The UC is hiding behind an election year and is hiding behind the threat of right wing extremism,” said Jeffry\u003c/span> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Umaña Muñoz an undergraduate student at UCLA and lead organizer of the Opportunity for All campaign. “When they have the power and the authority to stand up against it and sends a strong message, not just here in California, but across the country, that right wing extremism, that xenophobia can be defeated.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Umaña Muñoz said he already participates in the California College CORPS. He says it’s not an equitable alternative to employment.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“It forces students to have to negotiate with financial aid on how much resources they’re eligible for,” said Umaña Muñoz.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">He says the Opportunity for All campaign will continue pushing for employment for all undocumented university students. \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"headline": "UC Regents Abandon Plan to Open Campus Jobs to Undocumented Students",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>The University of California regents voted Thursday to suspend consideration of a proposal that would have authorized the university to hire undocumented immigrant students who do not qualify for federal work authorization.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Instead, the regents offered an alternative plan that would expand educational opportunities modeled after the \u003ca href=\"https://www.californiavolunteers.ca.gov/californiansforall-college-corps/\">California College CORPS\u003c/a> program. The program exchanges tuition remission for volunteer work.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have concluded that the proposed legal pathway is not viable at this time and, in fact, carries significant risk for the institution and for those we serve,” UC President Michael Drake announced at the regents meeting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11973813\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11973813 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240125-UC-REGENTS-UNDOCUMENTED-WORK-MD-11-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A bald person with glasses speaks into a microphone at a long table.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240125-UC-REGENTS-UNDOCUMENTED-WORK-MD-11-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240125-UC-REGENTS-UNDOCUMENTED-WORK-MD-11-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240125-UC-REGENTS-UNDOCUMENTED-WORK-MD-11-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240125-UC-REGENTS-UNDOCUMENTED-WORK-MD-11-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240125-UC-REGENTS-UNDOCUMENTED-WORK-MD-11-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240125-UC-REGENTS-UNDOCUMENTED-WORK-MD-11-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">UC President Michael Drake (center) announces the Board of Regents’ decision to suspend consideration of a proposal to allow the university to hire undocumented students at a UC Board of Regents meeting at the UCSF Mission Bay Conference Center on Jan. 25, 2024. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>If it were approved and found in violation of federal law, Drake said the university could be subject to civil fines, criminal penalties or debarment from federal contracting. The board voted to table consideration of the proposal until next year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "‘Why do we have the system of separate-but-equal when we have undocumented students struggling and we have in our hands ways to help them?’",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Organizers of the campaign for undocumented student employment expressed outrage and sadness at the announcement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Why do we have the system of separate-but-equal when we have undocumented students struggling, and we have in our hands, ways to help them?” said Karely Amaya Rios, a graduate student of public policy at UCLA and lead organizer for the Opportunity for All campaign, which lobbied the regents to consider the hiring proposal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The proposal relied on a legal\u003ca href=\"https://law.ucla.edu/sites/default/files/PDFs/Center_for_Immigration_Law_and_Policy/Opportunity_for_All_Campaign_Law_Scholar_Sign-On_Letter.pdf\"> theory (PDF) \u003c/a>developed by the UCLA Center for Immigration Law and Policy and backed by 29 prominent legal scholars at other universities across the nation. It suggests that the 1986\u003ca href=\"https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/LSB/LSB10550\"> Immigration Reform and Control Act,\u003c/a> a federal law that bars employers from hiring undocumented people without legal work authorization, does not apply to employment by state governments. That’s because the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that “if a federal law does not mention the states explicitly, that federal law does not bind state government entities,” according to UCLA scholars.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11973796\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11973796\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240125-UC-REGENTS-UNDOCUMENTED-WORK-MD-04-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240125-UC-REGENTS-UNDOCUMENTED-WORK-MD-04-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240125-UC-REGENTS-UNDOCUMENTED-WORK-MD-04-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240125-UC-REGENTS-UNDOCUMENTED-WORK-MD-04-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240125-UC-REGENTS-UNDOCUMENTED-WORK-MD-04-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240125-UC-REGENTS-UNDOCUMENTED-WORK-MD-04-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240125-UC-REGENTS-UNDOCUMENTED-WORK-MD-04-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">UCLA student Karely Amaya Rios (left) confronts UC Regent Member Ana Matosantos (right) on her vote at the UCSF Mission Bay Conference Center on Jan. 25, 2024. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Under this legal theory, the University of California could hire undocumented immigrant students for campus jobs, such as graduate researchers and teaching assistants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The only real [legal] risk the university has is the federal government can sue in court to try to stop the program from running,” said Ahilan Arulanantham, a UCLA Law professor who helped advance the legal theory. “Nobody is going to jail or getting fined.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He argued that the regents have a moral obligation to expand work and education opportunities to all of the students.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are 44,000 undocumented college students in California, including nearly 4,000 enrolled in the UC system.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Each year, an additional 14,000 undocumented students graduate high school in the state, but none can apply for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, an Obama-era work authorization program for unauthorized immigrants who came to the United States with their parents as children.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11973795\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11973795 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240125-UC-REGENTS-UNDOCUMENTED-WORK-MD-06-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Several young people crying and hugging in an indoor setting.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240125-UC-REGENTS-UNDOCUMENTED-WORK-MD-06-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240125-UC-REGENTS-UNDOCUMENTED-WORK-MD-06-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240125-UC-REGENTS-UNDOCUMENTED-WORK-MD-06-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240125-UC-REGENTS-UNDOCUMENTED-WORK-MD-06-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240125-UC-REGENTS-UNDOCUMENTED-WORK-MD-06-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240125-UC-REGENTS-UNDOCUMENTED-WORK-MD-06-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Students with the Opportunity for All campaign react to the University of California Regents’ vote to suspend consideration of a proposal to allow the university to hire undocumented students on Jan. 25, 2024. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Though there are currently \u003ca href=\"https://www.migrationpolicy.org/programs/data-hub/deferred-action-childhood-arrivals-daca-profiles\">545,000 people covered by DACA\u003c/a>, in 2021, a federal judge in Texas ruled the program was unlawful and ordered the Biden Administration to stop accepting new applicants. The administration has appealed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The state of California and the UC system have taken\u003ca href=\"https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/student-success/undocumented-students#:~:text=Students%20on%20every%20campus%20are,applicable%20state%20and%20federal%20programs.\"> numerous steps\u003c/a> over the years to support undocumented students, offering them in-state tuition, access to financial aid and free legal support. In 2017, the University of California sued the Trump Administration to prevent it from terminating DACA, a case that went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The student-led Opportunity for All campaign launched in the fall of 2022. It gained widespread support from both students and faculty. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">In a \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://law.ucla.edu/sites/default/files/PDFs/Center_for_Immigration_Law_and_Policy/Opportunity_for_All_Faculty_Support_Letter.pdf\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">letter to the regents\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, faculty members urged the campus leaders to make good on their 2023 promise to implement a plan that would expand educational opportunities to all UC students regardless of immigration status. Nearly 500 faculty members vowed “to hire undocumented students into educational employment positions for which they are qualified for once given authority to do so by the UC.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Last May, the UC Regents\u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://regents.universityofcalifornia.edu/regmeet/may23/b2.pdf\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> created\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> a working group\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> to consider the proposal and provide a path for implementation to University President Michael Drake. But after months of meetings, including with the leaders and legal scholars of the Opportunity for All campaign, the regents missed their self-imposed November deadline, with Drake citing legal concerns. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11973799\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11973799\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240125-UC-REGENTS-UNDOCUMENTED-WORK-MD-05-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240125-UC-REGENTS-UNDOCUMENTED-WORK-MD-05-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240125-UC-REGENTS-UNDOCUMENTED-WORK-MD-05-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240125-UC-REGENTS-UNDOCUMENTED-WORK-MD-05-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240125-UC-REGENTS-UNDOCUMENTED-WORK-MD-05-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240125-UC-REGENTS-UNDOCUMENTED-WORK-MD-05-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/01/240125-UC-REGENTS-UNDOCUMENTED-WORK-MD-05-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">UC Regent Designate Josiah Beharry (right) consoles a student with the Opportunity for All campaign at a UC Board of Regents meeting at the UCSF Mission Bay Conference Center on Jan. 25, 2024. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“The legal considerations are numerous, and after several discussions with the stakeholders involved, we’ve concluded that it is in everyone’s best interest to continue to study the matter further,” Drake said during the November 17th regent meeting. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Those legal concerns included pressure from the Biden Administration to reject the proposal, according to reports from \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/24/biden-undocumented-immigrants-university-of-california-00137449\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">POLITICO.\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Additional pushback came from \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://cis.org/Oped/Sorry-UC-Federal-Law-Says-You-Cant-Hire-Undocumented-Students\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Conservative legal scholars\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and one \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.scribd.com/document/646217319/Issa-letter-on-University-of-California-vote#\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Republican lawmaker\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, who\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> argued the university could risk losing federal funding. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>In a statement, UC officials said the university “engages with local, state, and federal partners on numerous issues concerning public education and for maintaining compliance with existing federal law.” \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Student advocates say they believe the university is afraid of being sued by Donald Trump if he were to be reelected president. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“The UC is hiding behind an election year and is hiding behind the threat of right wing extremism,” said Jeffry\u003c/span> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Umaña Muñoz an undergraduate student at UCLA and lead organizer of the Opportunity for All campaign. “When they have the power and the authority to stand up against it and sends a strong message, not just here in California, but across the country, that right wing extremism, that xenophobia can be defeated.”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Umaña Muñoz said he already participates in the California College CORPS. He says it’s not an equitable alternative to employment.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">“It forces students to have to negotiate with financial aid on how much resources they’re eligible for,” said Umaña Muñoz.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">He says the Opportunity for All campaign will continue pushing for employment for all undocumented university students. \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"title": "Californian Who Joined Hunger Strike in ICE Detention Seeks $1 million in Complaint",
"headTitle": "Californian Who Joined Hunger Strike in ICE Detention Seeks $1 million in Complaint | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>After 16 months in immigration detention facilities in California and Texas, Jose Ruben Hernandez Gomez returned to his family home in Lodi in April, walking with a cane and saying he suffers from neurological problems and persistent nightmares.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The 33-year-old Mexican-born man — who from toddler age has been a permanent legal resident of California — has reported enduring abuse, unsanitary conditions and threats of force-feeding before his release from immigration detention in April.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I have nightmares of being dragged … that they are going to force-feed me. Then it wakes me up and I’m sweating,” he said during an interview at the home he grew up in. “It’s not an easy thing to process.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID=news_11943030 hero='https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/GettyImages-1210114326-1020x680.jpg']This week attorneys helped him file an \u003ca href=\"https://help.cbp.gov/s/article/Article-178?language=en_US\">administrative tort complaint\u003c/a>, a precursor to a potential lawsuit, against Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the federal agency overseeing immigrant detention.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.advancingjustice-alc.org/media/Programs/Immigrant-Rights/Form95andSupplement_ICEAdminComplaint_IR_12202023_Redacted.pdf\">His complaint (PDF)\u003c/a> seeks at least $1 million in personal injury damages.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It states that in March, while he and other detainees were staging a hunger strike to protest conditions at the Mesa Verde ICE Processing Center in Bakersfield, agents from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) “violently dragged” him and several others and transported them to an immigration detention facility in Texas where he was shackled and a doctor threatened to seek a court order to insert a tube down his nose to his stomach to force-feed him.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Afraid, Hernandez Gomez agreed to end his hunger strike, which had gone 21 days, the complaint said. He suffered serious medical consequences anyway, his complaint says, after immigration agents made him immediately eat solid food and initially delayed medical treatment when he fell ill.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Challenging ICE\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>His complaint follows a class-action lawsuit he and eight other detainees filed in 2022 \u003ca href=\"https://www.classaction.org/media/gomez-et-al-v-the-geo-group-inc.pdf\">alleging forced labor (PDF)\u003c/a> by GEO Group, a corporation operating immigration detention facilities for the federal government. Also several Congress members from California have demanded an investigation or closure of the facilities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“While I keenly understand challenges with ongoing litigation and the separation of powers, there is no excuse for the extremely limited replies and, at times, unresponsiveness from ICE,” said Zoe Lofgren, chair of the California Democratic Congressional Delegation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Members of Congress need more information about these serious matters occurring in our state. Relatedly, I reiterate my call for the closure of privately-owned ICE facilities today, including these two detention centers, because they too often have abusive conditions and are a rip-off to taxpayers.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11970821\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1568px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11970821\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/121823-Mesa-Verde-LV_CM_06-copy.jpg\" alt=\"A sign that says GEO outside a building with a lawn.\" width=\"1568\" height=\"1045\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/121823-Mesa-Verde-LV_CM_06-copy.jpg 1568w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/121823-Mesa-Verde-LV_CM_06-copy-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/121823-Mesa-Verde-LV_CM_06-copy-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/121823-Mesa-Verde-LV_CM_06-copy-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/121823-Mesa-Verde-LV_CM_06-copy-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1568px) 100vw, 1568px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mesa Verde Detention Center in Bakersfield on Dec. 15, 2023. \u003ccite>(Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>According to American Civil Liberties Union Northern California’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.aclunc.org/CA_database#:~:text=On%20June%2023%2C%202023%2C%20ACLU,our%20state's%20immigration%20detention%20facilities.\">database\u003c/a>, the federal contract to operate Mesa Verde in Bakersfield and Golden State Annex in McFarland is worth more than $1.5 billion over 15 years, or $105.4 million per year. The payment is for 560 beds regardless of the actual population count.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2019 \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/2019/10/11/governor-newsom-signs-ab-32-to-halt-private-for-profit-prisons-and-immigration-detention-facilities-in-california/\">signed a bill\u003c/a> banning private prisons and immigration detention facilities from operating in the state, but the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals determined the new \u003ca href=\"https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2022/09/26/20-56172.pdf\">law was unconstitutional (PDF)\u003c/a>, saying “California cannot exert this level of control over the federal government’s detention operations.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>ICE officials did not answer questions from CalMatters, and GEO Group officials referred questions about the allegations to ICE officials. A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, provided a statement about the agency’s grievance process but did not answer other questions by deadline.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The agency takes allegations of misconduct very seriously,” said Leticia Zamarripa, a public affairs officer for Homeland Security. “Personnel are held to the highest standards of professional and ethical behavior, and when a complaint is received, it is investigated thoroughly to determine veracity and ensure comprehensive standards are strictly maintained and enforced.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Prison to immigration detention\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Recently, with the help of a metal cane, Hernandez Gomez walked around his living room, pointing to family photographs. But after a couple of minutes, he sat down and apologized for having to take a break.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I am still surrounded by these feelings,” he said, “a combination of a whole lot: not being able to perform the way I used to perform, everything I used to enjoy and now I don’t.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>His family emigrated from Guanajuato, in central Mexico. As a teen Hernandez Gomez attended Lodi High in San Joaquin County, where he planned to become an electrician. But some arrests followed, he said, and he was convicted of assault and imprisoned at age 27.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11970822\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1568px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11970822\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/121923-Jose-Ruben-Hunger-Strike-FG-CM-13-copy.jpg\" alt=\"A photo of a Latino child in a picture frame.\" width=\"1568\" height=\"1046\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/121923-Jose-Ruben-Hunger-Strike-FG-CM-13-copy.jpg 1568w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/121923-Jose-Ruben-Hunger-Strike-FG-CM-13-copy-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/121923-Jose-Ruben-Hunger-Strike-FG-CM-13-copy-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/121923-Jose-Ruben-Hunger-Strike-FG-CM-13-copy-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/121923-Jose-Ruben-Hunger-Strike-FG-CM-13-copy-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1568px) 100vw, 1568px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A photo of Jose Ruben Hernandez Gomez as a child hangs in the living room of his home in Lodi on Dec. 13, 2023. Hernandez Gomez was one of the hunger strikers at the Mesa Verde detention facility earlier this year. \u003ccite>(Fred Greaves for CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Hernandez Gomez said he made better choices while incarcerated. He volunteered in a fire fighting camp program and participated in a self-help group and vocational classes, which helped shave two years off his six-year sentence. He was released in November 2021.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But he couldn’t go home. He was transferred to federal custody to await legal proceedings that could eventually deport him. He was placed in removal proceedings because of his criminal history and is fighting to stay in the United States.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He was detained at Golden State Annex in McFarland for two months, then Mesa Verde for more than a year. He said the place was infested with mold, water beetles and cockroaches, and the inmates drank rust-colored water from the faucets.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The ACLU NorCal database tallied the complaints detainees filed with ICE and shared with the ACLU. From January through October there were nearly 400 complaints and more than half were about living conditions and mistreatment. The ACLU’s foundation has sued ICE for information on complaints in California facilities.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A show of force\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Last February dozens of the detainees started hunger strikes to protest conditions, Hernandez Gomez among them. He said GEO Group and ICE officers retaliated against the hunger strikers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We were placed in solitary confinement,” he said. “We were threatened with being transferred to a different state.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The complaint says, “On March 7, 2023, at about 6:00 a.m., multiple GEO officers dressed in riot gear entered Mr. Hernandez Gomez’s dorm. They disconnected the dorm’s phones so detained individuals could not call their attorneys or family members. They forcibly removed one of Mr. Hernandez Gomez’s dormmates from the dorm. A short time later, ICE officers dressed in military gear, holding batons, pepper spray, and what looked like automatic rifles, entered the dorm. They ordered Mr. Hernandez Gomez and other detained individuals to get on the floor. The officers did not state the reason for their orders. Instead, without notice or explanation, officers zeroed in on Mr. Hernandez Gomez and surrounded him. He asked to speak with his immigration attorney, but his plea went unanswered.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11970823\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1568px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11970823\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/121823-Mesa-Verde-LV_CM_04-copy.jpg\" alt=\"A gate and fencing outside a detention facility.\" width=\"1568\" height=\"1045\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/121823-Mesa-Verde-LV_CM_04-copy.jpg 1568w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/121823-Mesa-Verde-LV_CM_04-copy-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/121823-Mesa-Verde-LV_CM_04-copy-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/121823-Mesa-Verde-LV_CM_04-copy-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/121823-Mesa-Verde-LV_CM_04-copy-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1568px) 100vw, 1568px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A gate opens at the Mesa Verde Detention Center in Bakersfield on Dec. 15, 2023. \u003ccite>(Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The complaint said officers “threw Mr. Hernandez Gomez on the ground, causing him to strike his shoulder and chest against the ground.” One officer said, “Either you are going to walk, or we are going to drag you,” according to the complaint.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Officers cuffed and shackled him and eventually put him in a van with several other detainees, ultimately driving “many hours” to a private airstrip. Despite Hernandez Gomez requesting to go to a hospital because he felt dizzy, according to his complaint, he was placed on a chartered plane that later landed in Texas.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>ICE has four pages of written standards for \u003ca href=\"https://www.ice.gov/doclib/detention-standards/2011/4-2.pdf\">handling detainees on hunger strike (PDF)\u003c/a>, stating “if medically necessary, the detainee may be transferred to a community hospital or a detention facility appropriately equipped for treatment;” there’s no mention of transferring detainees to an ICE facility out of state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Before boarding the plane, Hernandez Gomez said in the complaint that he endured a sexually abusive pat-down search that included his inner thigh, buttocks and genitals.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Nobody should be touching anybody in any place at any given time, no matter how long, no matter if it’s a millisecond,” he told CalMatters.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘Second hell’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The detainees were driven to ICE’s El Paso Service Processing Center, where the complaint says a Dr. Iglesias informed them that she could seek a court order to force-feed them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK385298/#:~:text=Force%2Dfeeding%20(or%20forcible%2D,eventually%20arriving%20in%20the%20stomach.\">Force-feeding\u003c/a> involves inserting a tube into a patient’s nose, down their throat and esophagus, and into their stomach, then pouring liquid food through the tube. Sometimes it causes patients to gag, choke or vomit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside label=\"Related Stories\" postID=\"news_11942414,news_11941677,news_11962387\"]Force-feeding is legal but controversial. The American Medical Association has said force-feeding prisoners is unethical, while the World Medical Association \u003ca href=\"https://www.wma.net/policy-tags/forced-feeding/\">recently called it torture.\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://www.wma.net/policy-tags/forced-feeding/\">Some judges have said it could be done to keep patients alive.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2019 Dr. Michelle Iglesias, an ICE contract physician with a family practice in El Paso, \u003ca href=\"https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/ice-doctor-force-feeding-detainees-on-hunger-strike/\">testified in federal court\u003c/a> that ICE requires force-feeding if hunger strikers endanger themselves. The judge granted a court order in that case. Iglesias oversaw multiple forced feedings, according to Texas Monthly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>CalMatters left phone messages at Iglesias’ family practice office and emailed her practice but got no response. In 2022, Homeland Security shared a \u003ca href=\"https://youtube.com/shorts/StEpSn5CX6M?feature=share\">video on social media\u003c/a> featuring Iglesias describing her medical experience and motivations for working at Homeland Security.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Afraid of being force-fed and after being placed in solitary confinement, Hernandez Gomez informed health care staff he would break his 21-day hunger strike. But instead of honoring his request to start with vitamins and electrolytes, they gave him two cold cheeseburgers and fries, the complaint said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hernandez Gomez added, “When I consumed that, after 21 days, I just started feeling dizzy. That was the beginning of my second hell.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Refeeding syndrome\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Dizziness, disorientation are common symptoms of refeeding syndrome — “potentially fatal shifts in fluids and electrolytes that may occur in malnourished patients receiving artificial refeeding,” \u003ca href=\"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2440847/\">according to medical research\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hernandez Gomez said he felt disoriented and his vision deteriorated so much he had to wear glasses, but he didn’t receive treatment for his symptoms.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[pullquote align=\"right\" size=\"medium\" citation=\"Jose Ruben Hernandez Gomez\"]‘I am not free, because I’m always having these flashbacks. At times, I cry myself to sleep. And even though it hurts, I don’t want others to go through that any longer.’[/pullquote]On March 14, Hernandez Gomez was flown back to Mesa Verde. That day, he recalled, he continued experiencing headaches and dizziness, so the medical staff at Mesa Verde gave him a cane and a wheelchair. He was later treated at a hospital emergency room in Bakersfield where, for the first time, he was evaluated for refeeding syndrome, the complaint said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The symptoms worsened, the complaint said. Hernandez Gomez was sent to another hospital and hospitalized for five days, with his waist, arms and legs shackled to a bed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I shed tears, because how are they getting away with all this? I am a human being, I shouldn’t be treated that way” Hernandez Gomez said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Weeks later a federal court ordered ICE to a bond hearing, where attorneys representing Hernandez Gomez submitted evidence of neglect and medical mistreatment. An immigration judge found Hernandez Gomez was not a danger to society and ordered his release with a $5,000 bond.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But on April 14, Hernandez Gomez didn’t walk out of Mesa Verde. He was wheeled out in a wheelchair. It was the first time he saw his father cry, he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I am not free,” he said recently, “because I’m always having these flashbacks. At times, I cry myself to sleep. And even though it hurts, I don’t want others to go through that any longer.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Detainee says ICE officers flew him to Texas, where he was threatened with force-feeding and was made to end his fast with solid foods, causing illness.",
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"title": "Californian Who Joined Hunger Strike in ICE Detention Seeks $1 million in Complaint | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>After 16 months in immigration detention facilities in California and Texas, Jose Ruben Hernandez Gomez returned to his family home in Lodi in April, walking with a cane and saying he suffers from neurological problems and persistent nightmares.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The 33-year-old Mexican-born man — who from toddler age has been a permanent legal resident of California — has reported enduring abuse, unsanitary conditions and threats of force-feeding before his release from immigration detention in April.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I have nightmares of being dragged … that they are going to force-feed me. Then it wakes me up and I’m sweating,” he said during an interview at the home he grew up in. “It’s not an easy thing to process.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>This week attorneys helped him file an \u003ca href=\"https://help.cbp.gov/s/article/Article-178?language=en_US\">administrative tort complaint\u003c/a>, a precursor to a potential lawsuit, against Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the federal agency overseeing immigrant detention.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.advancingjustice-alc.org/media/Programs/Immigrant-Rights/Form95andSupplement_ICEAdminComplaint_IR_12202023_Redacted.pdf\">His complaint (PDF)\u003c/a> seeks at least $1 million in personal injury damages.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It states that in March, while he and other detainees were staging a hunger strike to protest conditions at the Mesa Verde ICE Processing Center in Bakersfield, agents from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) “violently dragged” him and several others and transported them to an immigration detention facility in Texas where he was shackled and a doctor threatened to seek a court order to insert a tube down his nose to his stomach to force-feed him.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Afraid, Hernandez Gomez agreed to end his hunger strike, which had gone 21 days, the complaint said. He suffered serious medical consequences anyway, his complaint says, after immigration agents made him immediately eat solid food and initially delayed medical treatment when he fell ill.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Challenging ICE\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>His complaint follows a class-action lawsuit he and eight other detainees filed in 2022 \u003ca href=\"https://www.classaction.org/media/gomez-et-al-v-the-geo-group-inc.pdf\">alleging forced labor (PDF)\u003c/a> by GEO Group, a corporation operating immigration detention facilities for the federal government. Also several Congress members from California have demanded an investigation or closure of the facilities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“While I keenly understand challenges with ongoing litigation and the separation of powers, there is no excuse for the extremely limited replies and, at times, unresponsiveness from ICE,” said Zoe Lofgren, chair of the California Democratic Congressional Delegation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Members of Congress need more information about these serious matters occurring in our state. Relatedly, I reiterate my call for the closure of privately-owned ICE facilities today, including these two detention centers, because they too often have abusive conditions and are a rip-off to taxpayers.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11970821\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1568px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11970821\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/121823-Mesa-Verde-LV_CM_06-copy.jpg\" alt=\"A sign that says GEO outside a building with a lawn.\" width=\"1568\" height=\"1045\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/121823-Mesa-Verde-LV_CM_06-copy.jpg 1568w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/121823-Mesa-Verde-LV_CM_06-copy-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/121823-Mesa-Verde-LV_CM_06-copy-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/121823-Mesa-Verde-LV_CM_06-copy-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/121823-Mesa-Verde-LV_CM_06-copy-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1568px) 100vw, 1568px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mesa Verde Detention Center in Bakersfield on Dec. 15, 2023. \u003ccite>(Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>According to American Civil Liberties Union Northern California’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.aclunc.org/CA_database#:~:text=On%20June%2023%2C%202023%2C%20ACLU,our%20state's%20immigration%20detention%20facilities.\">database\u003c/a>, the federal contract to operate Mesa Verde in Bakersfield and Golden State Annex in McFarland is worth more than $1.5 billion over 15 years, or $105.4 million per year. The payment is for 560 beds regardless of the actual population count.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2019 \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/2019/10/11/governor-newsom-signs-ab-32-to-halt-private-for-profit-prisons-and-immigration-detention-facilities-in-california/\">signed a bill\u003c/a> banning private prisons and immigration detention facilities from operating in the state, but the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals determined the new \u003ca href=\"https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2022/09/26/20-56172.pdf\">law was unconstitutional (PDF)\u003c/a>, saying “California cannot exert this level of control over the federal government’s detention operations.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>ICE officials did not answer questions from CalMatters, and GEO Group officials referred questions about the allegations to ICE officials. A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, provided a statement about the agency’s grievance process but did not answer other questions by deadline.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The agency takes allegations of misconduct very seriously,” said Leticia Zamarripa, a public affairs officer for Homeland Security. “Personnel are held to the highest standards of professional and ethical behavior, and when a complaint is received, it is investigated thoroughly to determine veracity and ensure comprehensive standards are strictly maintained and enforced.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Prison to immigration detention\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Recently, with the help of a metal cane, Hernandez Gomez walked around his living room, pointing to family photographs. But after a couple of minutes, he sat down and apologized for having to take a break.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I am still surrounded by these feelings,” he said, “a combination of a whole lot: not being able to perform the way I used to perform, everything I used to enjoy and now I don’t.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>His family emigrated from Guanajuato, in central Mexico. As a teen Hernandez Gomez attended Lodi High in San Joaquin County, where he planned to become an electrician. But some arrests followed, he said, and he was convicted of assault and imprisoned at age 27.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11970822\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1568px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11970822\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/121923-Jose-Ruben-Hunger-Strike-FG-CM-13-copy.jpg\" alt=\"A photo of a Latino child in a picture frame.\" width=\"1568\" height=\"1046\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/121923-Jose-Ruben-Hunger-Strike-FG-CM-13-copy.jpg 1568w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/121923-Jose-Ruben-Hunger-Strike-FG-CM-13-copy-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/121923-Jose-Ruben-Hunger-Strike-FG-CM-13-copy-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/121923-Jose-Ruben-Hunger-Strike-FG-CM-13-copy-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/121923-Jose-Ruben-Hunger-Strike-FG-CM-13-copy-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1568px) 100vw, 1568px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A photo of Jose Ruben Hernandez Gomez as a child hangs in the living room of his home in Lodi on Dec. 13, 2023. Hernandez Gomez was one of the hunger strikers at the Mesa Verde detention facility earlier this year. \u003ccite>(Fred Greaves for CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Hernandez Gomez said he made better choices while incarcerated. He volunteered in a fire fighting camp program and participated in a self-help group and vocational classes, which helped shave two years off his six-year sentence. He was released in November 2021.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But he couldn’t go home. He was transferred to federal custody to await legal proceedings that could eventually deport him. He was placed in removal proceedings because of his criminal history and is fighting to stay in the United States.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He was detained at Golden State Annex in McFarland for two months, then Mesa Verde for more than a year. He said the place was infested with mold, water beetles and cockroaches, and the inmates drank rust-colored water from the faucets.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The ACLU NorCal database tallied the complaints detainees filed with ICE and shared with the ACLU. From January through October there were nearly 400 complaints and more than half were about living conditions and mistreatment. The ACLU’s foundation has sued ICE for information on complaints in California facilities.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A show of force\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Last February dozens of the detainees started hunger strikes to protest conditions, Hernandez Gomez among them. He said GEO Group and ICE officers retaliated against the hunger strikers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We were placed in solitary confinement,” he said. “We were threatened with being transferred to a different state.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The complaint says, “On March 7, 2023, at about 6:00 a.m., multiple GEO officers dressed in riot gear entered Mr. Hernandez Gomez’s dorm. They disconnected the dorm’s phones so detained individuals could not call their attorneys or family members. They forcibly removed one of Mr. Hernandez Gomez’s dormmates from the dorm. A short time later, ICE officers dressed in military gear, holding batons, pepper spray, and what looked like automatic rifles, entered the dorm. They ordered Mr. Hernandez Gomez and other detained individuals to get on the floor. The officers did not state the reason for their orders. Instead, without notice or explanation, officers zeroed in on Mr. Hernandez Gomez and surrounded him. He asked to speak with his immigration attorney, but his plea went unanswered.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11970823\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1568px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11970823\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/121823-Mesa-Verde-LV_CM_04-copy.jpg\" alt=\"A gate and fencing outside a detention facility.\" width=\"1568\" height=\"1045\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/121823-Mesa-Verde-LV_CM_04-copy.jpg 1568w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/121823-Mesa-Verde-LV_CM_04-copy-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/121823-Mesa-Verde-LV_CM_04-copy-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/121823-Mesa-Verde-LV_CM_04-copy-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/121823-Mesa-Verde-LV_CM_04-copy-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1568px) 100vw, 1568px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A gate opens at the Mesa Verde Detention Center in Bakersfield on Dec. 15, 2023. \u003ccite>(Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The complaint said officers “threw Mr. Hernandez Gomez on the ground, causing him to strike his shoulder and chest against the ground.” One officer said, “Either you are going to walk, or we are going to drag you,” according to the complaint.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Officers cuffed and shackled him and eventually put him in a van with several other detainees, ultimately driving “many hours” to a private airstrip. Despite Hernandez Gomez requesting to go to a hospital because he felt dizzy, according to his complaint, he was placed on a chartered plane that later landed in Texas.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>ICE has four pages of written standards for \u003ca href=\"https://www.ice.gov/doclib/detention-standards/2011/4-2.pdf\">handling detainees on hunger strike (PDF)\u003c/a>, stating “if medically necessary, the detainee may be transferred to a community hospital or a detention facility appropriately equipped for treatment;” there’s no mention of transferring detainees to an ICE facility out of state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Before boarding the plane, Hernandez Gomez said in the complaint that he endured a sexually abusive pat-down search that included his inner thigh, buttocks and genitals.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Nobody should be touching anybody in any place at any given time, no matter how long, no matter if it’s a millisecond,” he told CalMatters.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘Second hell’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The detainees were driven to ICE’s El Paso Service Processing Center, where the complaint says a Dr. Iglesias informed them that she could seek a court order to force-feed them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK385298/#:~:text=Force%2Dfeeding%20(or%20forcible%2D,eventually%20arriving%20in%20the%20stomach.\">Force-feeding\u003c/a> involves inserting a tube into a patient’s nose, down their throat and esophagus, and into their stomach, then pouring liquid food through the tube. Sometimes it causes patients to gag, choke or vomit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Force-feeding is legal but controversial. The American Medical Association has said force-feeding prisoners is unethical, while the World Medical Association \u003ca href=\"https://www.wma.net/policy-tags/forced-feeding/\">recently called it torture.\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://www.wma.net/policy-tags/forced-feeding/\">Some judges have said it could be done to keep patients alive.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2019 Dr. Michelle Iglesias, an ICE contract physician with a family practice in El Paso, \u003ca href=\"https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/ice-doctor-force-feeding-detainees-on-hunger-strike/\">testified in federal court\u003c/a> that ICE requires force-feeding if hunger strikers endanger themselves. The judge granted a court order in that case. Iglesias oversaw multiple forced feedings, according to Texas Monthly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>CalMatters left phone messages at Iglesias’ family practice office and emailed her practice but got no response. In 2022, Homeland Security shared a \u003ca href=\"https://youtube.com/shorts/StEpSn5CX6M?feature=share\">video on social media\u003c/a> featuring Iglesias describing her medical experience and motivations for working at Homeland Security.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Afraid of being force-fed and after being placed in solitary confinement, Hernandez Gomez informed health care staff he would break his 21-day hunger strike. But instead of honoring his request to start with vitamins and electrolytes, they gave him two cold cheeseburgers and fries, the complaint said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hernandez Gomez added, “When I consumed that, after 21 days, I just started feeling dizzy. That was the beginning of my second hell.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Refeeding syndrome\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Dizziness, disorientation are common symptoms of refeeding syndrome — “potentially fatal shifts in fluids and electrolytes that may occur in malnourished patients receiving artificial refeeding,” \u003ca href=\"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2440847/\">according to medical research\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hernandez Gomez said he felt disoriented and his vision deteriorated so much he had to wear glasses, but he didn’t receive treatment for his symptoms.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>On March 14, Hernandez Gomez was flown back to Mesa Verde. That day, he recalled, he continued experiencing headaches and dizziness, so the medical staff at Mesa Verde gave him a cane and a wheelchair. He was later treated at a hospital emergency room in Bakersfield where, for the first time, he was evaluated for refeeding syndrome, the complaint said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The symptoms worsened, the complaint said. Hernandez Gomez was sent to another hospital and hospitalized for five days, with his waist, arms and legs shackled to a bed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I shed tears, because how are they getting away with all this? I am a human being, I shouldn’t be treated that way” Hernandez Gomez said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Weeks later a federal court ordered ICE to a bond hearing, where attorneys representing Hernandez Gomez submitted evidence of neglect and medical mistreatment. An immigration judge found Hernandez Gomez was not a danger to society and ordered his release with a $5,000 bond.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But on April 14, Hernandez Gomez didn’t walk out of Mesa Verde. He was wheeled out in a wheelchair. It was the first time he saw his father cry, he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I am not free,” he said recently, “because I’m always having these flashbacks. At times, I cry myself to sleep. And even though it hurts, I don’t want others to go through that any longer.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"slug": "for-undocumented-california-students-missing-out-on-financial-aid-a-new-application-could-help",
"title": "For Undocumented California Students Missing Out on Financial Aid, a New Application Could Help",
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"content": "\u003cp>Each year more than \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/post/total-applications\">35,000 undocumented students\u003c/a> with dreams of earning a college degree in California apply for the state’s marquee financial aid program, the Cal Grant — but \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/post/cal-grant-paid-awards\">only about a third receive it\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With no access to federal financial aid and \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/newsletter/california-democrats-convention/#:~:text=From%20CalMatters%20higher,to%20break%20them.\">few work opportunities\u003c/a>, losing out on state dollars further undermines the ability of undocumented students to pay for school. The Cal Grant, for example, waives tuition at California’s public universities and provides cash awards of about $1,650 to community college students\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, after several years of advocacy and a \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB1540\">state law passed this year\u003c/a>, California financial aid administrators are about to debut a revised application meant to get more college grants for undocumented students.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“What we all recognized was that we’ve asked these students to go through more processes, more forms, unfortunately to receive less financial aid,” said Jake Brymner, deputy director for policy and public affairs for the California Student Aid Commission. He and a commission staff member provided CalMatters with a virtual walkthrough of the new application.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The California Dream Act Application, often called CADAA, will for the first time allow students to also complete a frequently overlooked legal affidavit that’s essential to accessing state aid. The new application \u003ca href=\"https://dream.csac.ca.gov/landing\">will debut by the end of December\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While a seemingly small change, it spares students from having to fill out two documents separately and at different times in the year, which has been the process ever since undocumented students became eligible for state aid through a 2011 state law. That has resulted in many students completing one form but not the other out of confusion or lack of awareness.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[pullquote align=\"right\" size=\"medium\" citation=\"Jake Brymner, deputy director for policy and public affairs, California Student Aid Commission\"]‘What we all recognized was that we’ve asked these students to go through more processes, more forms, unfortunately to receive less financial aid.’[/pullquote]For example, among community college students, about 62,000 completed the affidavit but only around 25,000 finished the dream act application in 2021, according to data from the California Student Aid Commission, the state agency behind the application overhaul.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Without the application and affidavit, undocumented community college students \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/renewing_the_dream_full_report.pdf?1677607402#page=20\">can’t receive the Cal Grant and other related aid (PDF)\u003c/a>, such as a \u003ca href=\"https://icangotocollege.com/financial-aid/student-success-completion-grant\">grant for full-time students\u003c/a> and money in exchange for \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/dsig_faq_for_students.pdf?1696383968\">community service (PDF)\u003c/a>. Those three programs together provide more than $14,000 in possible grants annually. Undocumented students at public universities also lose out on key aid. Most undocumented college students in California \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/renewing_the_dream_full_report.pdf?1677607402#page=23\">attend a community college (PDF)\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now the legal affidavit will be embedded in the California Dream Act Application, the result of a 2023 state law created through \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB1540\">Assembly Bill 1540\u003c/a>, authored by Mike Fong, a Democrat from Monterey Park.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The changes should help students who are in a situation Leo Rodriguez was in when he began college. “When I first enrolled at a community college, I was billed $6,000 because I was incorrectly deemed an international student, a common occurrence for undocumented students,” he wrote in a \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/commentary/2023/05/undocumented-students-college-financial-aid/\">May CalMatters commentary\u003c/a> about affording college as an undocumented student. Though he attended and graduated from a California high school, he didn’t know that he needed the affidavit “to prove eligibility for in-state tuition, and to separately complete a Dream Act application to be considered for financial aid.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A March report by the commission identified many of the hurdles undocumented students face in accessing state aid, including student confusion over the affidavit. All told, only \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/newsletters/whatmatters/2023/03/california-budget-senate-newsom/#:~:text=From%20CalMatters%20higher%20education%20reporter%20Mikhail%20Zinshteyn%3A%C2%A0\">about 14%\u003c/a> of the state’s nearly 100,000 undocumented college students received any state financial aid in 2021–22, in large part because half didn’t take the first step to apply for aid even though many have low incomes. The report \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/renewing_the_dream_full_report.pdf?1677607402#page=13\">called for a state law to allow the affidavit (PDF)\u003c/a> to be a part of the dream act application. About half a year later, Fong’s bill was signed into law.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The affidavit in question stems from a 2001 law that has \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/renewing_the_dream_full_report.pdf?1677607402#page=19\">been amended several times since (PDF)\u003c/a>. It grants \u003ca href=\"https://immigrantsrising.org/wp-content/uploads/Immigrants-Rising_Statewide-AB-540-FAQ.pdf#page=5\">undocumented students, certain visa holders and other college-goers (PDF)\u003c/a> in-state tuition at California’s public universities and community colleges. This is a major perk because students deemed non-residents are charged about three times more in tuition. The in-state designation also makes undocumented students eligible for state grants, such as tuition waivers and cash awards.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside label=\"Related Stories\" postID=\"news_11969685,news_11928582,news_11923249\"]That’s where the California Dream Act Application and the affidavit intersect: One opens the door for aid, the other lets the applicant walk through it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Students who sign the affidavit declare that they’ve either filed an application to legalize their immigration status in the U.S. or will do so once national law creates such a pathway. \u003ca href=\"https://immigrantsrising.org/wp-content/uploads/Immigrants-Rising_AB-540-Quick-Guide.pdf\">It also has students confirm (PDF)\u003c/a> that they’ve had three years of K–12, adult school or community college education in California, as well as a high school diploma, an equivalent certificate, an associate degree or proof that they’ve taken the minimum set courses needed to transfer to a University of California or California State University campus.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Embedding the affidavit in the dream act application is “going to be a big step forward,” but it’s not the only step needed “to ensure that students can receive all the financial aid for whatever they have eligibility for,” said Nancy Jodaitis, director of higher education issues at Immigrants Rising, a San Francisco-based project of \u003ca href=\"https://communityinitiatives.org/project/immigrants-rising/\">a larger nonprofit\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sending the affidavit to the schools the student hopes to attend is the first step, but all UCs and Cal States, and about half of community colleges, require official transcripts and attendance records from the student. How campuses will notify students with outstanding paperwork will be an ongoing issue to monitor, Jodaitis said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Immigrants Rising in May \u003ca href=\"https://immigrantsrising.org/wp-content/uploads/Immigrants-Rising_Statewide-AB-540-FAQ.pdf\">published a comprehensive guide explaining the affidavit process (PDF)\u003c/a> in partnership with the state’s public colleges and universities. It’s now working on a set of recommendations for how campuses can best apprise students of the remaining paperwork they’ll have to submit once they’ve turned in their affidavit through the dream act. That’ll be published in January, she added.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11970805\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1568px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11970805\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/101423_Collge-Info-Berkeley_JY_CM_23-copy.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1568\" height=\"1045\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/101423_Collge-Info-Berkeley_JY_CM_23-copy.jpg 1568w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/101423_Collge-Info-Berkeley_JY_CM_23-copy-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/101423_Collge-Info-Berkeley_JY_CM_23-copy-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/101423_Collge-Info-Berkeley_JY_CM_23-copy-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/101423_Collge-Info-Berkeley_JY_CM_23-copy-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1568px) 100vw, 1568px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">FAFSA fact sheets are displayed at College Information Day at UC Berkeley in Berkeley on Oct. 14, 2023. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada for CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In 2024, UC will ask students to submit the affidavits to the campuses directly, instead of through the dream act application, a spokesperson said. That’s because the UC is \u003ca href=\"https://cshe.berkeley.edu/publications/how-and-why-university-california-got-its-autonomy\">constitutionally independent\u003c/a> of many state laws. \u003ca href=\"https://www.cccco.edu/-/media/CCCCO-Website/docs/report/2023-chaptered-legislation-and-guidance-november-report-a11y.pdf#page=21\">Community colleges (PDF)\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB1540#:~:text=(B)%C2%A0(i)%C2%A0The%20California%20State%20University\">Cal State\u003c/a> have to comply with the law.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Advocates who focus on financial aid for undocumented students say that schools, state agencies and nonprofits that share with students information about college affordability should proactively include the dream act application and its related forms.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I hardly saw financial aid workshops tailored for undocumented students in high school,” wrote Rodriguez. Instead, he mostly encountered information about the federal Free Application for Federal Student Aid, “which sent mixed messages about whether or not I was eligible for financial aid to begin with,” he added.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>State law \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/college-beat/2023/11/high-school-financial-aid-applications-increase/\">now requires that high school seniors\u003c/a> complete a financial aid application, with few exceptions. The more school districts and nonprofits can stress the federal financial aid grant \u003cem>and \u003c/em>the dream act application, the likelier undocumented students will hear the message and apply, Jodaitis said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Information students place in the dream act application isn’t shared with the federal government or with immigration authorities, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/california_dream_act_application_1.pdf?1698767919\">commission and state department of education stressed in a 2022 letter (PDF)\u003c/a>. That’s a message the commission will likely repeat in the face of a presidential election year in which \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2023/12/13/1218935981/republican-candidates-immigration#:~:text=What%20border%20security%20policies%20should%20the%20U.S.%20put%20in%20place%3F\">anti-immigrant sentiment is bound to take center stage\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Students applying for the dream act who intend to enter college in fall 2024 will submit \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/california_dream_act_faq.pdf?1694549553#page=5\">their household’s 2022 income information (PDF)\u003c/a>. Once the application goes live, students pursuing a four-year degree should complete the dream act forms by \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/college-beat/2023/11/high-school-financial-aid-applications-increase/#:~:text=The%20overhauled%20FAFSA,Student%20Aid%20website.\">April 2 or sooner\u003c/a>. Students planning to attend a community college have until early September to file their paperwork.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "The financial aid application for undocumented students is cumbersome and confusing, and many students aren’t completing the forms. A new law streamlines the process.",
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"title": "For Undocumented California Students Missing Out on Financial Aid, a New Application Could Help | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Each year more than \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/post/total-applications\">35,000 undocumented students\u003c/a> with dreams of earning a college degree in California apply for the state’s marquee financial aid program, the Cal Grant — but \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/post/cal-grant-paid-awards\">only about a third receive it\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With no access to federal financial aid and \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/newsletter/california-democrats-convention/#:~:text=From%20CalMatters%20higher,to%20break%20them.\">few work opportunities\u003c/a>, losing out on state dollars further undermines the ability of undocumented students to pay for school. The Cal Grant, for example, waives tuition at California’s public universities and provides cash awards of about $1,650 to community college students\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, after several years of advocacy and a \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB1540\">state law passed this year\u003c/a>, California financial aid administrators are about to debut a revised application meant to get more college grants for undocumented students.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“What we all recognized was that we’ve asked these students to go through more processes, more forms, unfortunately to receive less financial aid,” said Jake Brymner, deputy director for policy and public affairs for the California Student Aid Commission. He and a commission staff member provided CalMatters with a virtual walkthrough of the new application.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The California Dream Act Application, often called CADAA, will for the first time allow students to also complete a frequently overlooked legal affidavit that’s essential to accessing state aid. The new application \u003ca href=\"https://dream.csac.ca.gov/landing\">will debut by the end of December\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While a seemingly small change, it spares students from having to fill out two documents separately and at different times in the year, which has been the process ever since undocumented students became eligible for state aid through a 2011 state law. That has resulted in many students completing one form but not the other out of confusion or lack of awareness.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "‘What we all recognized was that we’ve asked these students to go through more processes, more forms, unfortunately to receive less financial aid.’",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>For example, among community college students, about 62,000 completed the affidavit but only around 25,000 finished the dream act application in 2021, according to data from the California Student Aid Commission, the state agency behind the application overhaul.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Without the application and affidavit, undocumented community college students \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/renewing_the_dream_full_report.pdf?1677607402#page=20\">can’t receive the Cal Grant and other related aid (PDF)\u003c/a>, such as a \u003ca href=\"https://icangotocollege.com/financial-aid/student-success-completion-grant\">grant for full-time students\u003c/a> and money in exchange for \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/dsig_faq_for_students.pdf?1696383968\">community service (PDF)\u003c/a>. Those three programs together provide more than $14,000 in possible grants annually. Undocumented students at public universities also lose out on key aid. Most undocumented college students in California \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/renewing_the_dream_full_report.pdf?1677607402#page=23\">attend a community college (PDF)\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now the legal affidavit will be embedded in the California Dream Act Application, the result of a 2023 state law created through \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB1540\">Assembly Bill 1540\u003c/a>, authored by Mike Fong, a Democrat from Monterey Park.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The changes should help students who are in a situation Leo Rodriguez was in when he began college. “When I first enrolled at a community college, I was billed $6,000 because I was incorrectly deemed an international student, a common occurrence for undocumented students,” he wrote in a \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/commentary/2023/05/undocumented-students-college-financial-aid/\">May CalMatters commentary\u003c/a> about affording college as an undocumented student. Though he attended and graduated from a California high school, he didn’t know that he needed the affidavit “to prove eligibility for in-state tuition, and to separately complete a Dream Act application to be considered for financial aid.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A March report by the commission identified many of the hurdles undocumented students face in accessing state aid, including student confusion over the affidavit. All told, only \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/newsletters/whatmatters/2023/03/california-budget-senate-newsom/#:~:text=From%20CalMatters%20higher%20education%20reporter%20Mikhail%20Zinshteyn%3A%C2%A0\">about 14%\u003c/a> of the state’s nearly 100,000 undocumented college students received any state financial aid in 2021–22, in large part because half didn’t take the first step to apply for aid even though many have low incomes. The report \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/renewing_the_dream_full_report.pdf?1677607402#page=13\">called for a state law to allow the affidavit (PDF)\u003c/a> to be a part of the dream act application. About half a year later, Fong’s bill was signed into law.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The affidavit in question stems from a 2001 law that has \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/renewing_the_dream_full_report.pdf?1677607402#page=19\">been amended several times since (PDF)\u003c/a>. It grants \u003ca href=\"https://immigrantsrising.org/wp-content/uploads/Immigrants-Rising_Statewide-AB-540-FAQ.pdf#page=5\">undocumented students, certain visa holders and other college-goers (PDF)\u003c/a> in-state tuition at California’s public universities and community colleges. This is a major perk because students deemed non-residents are charged about three times more in tuition. The in-state designation also makes undocumented students eligible for state grants, such as tuition waivers and cash awards.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>That’s where the California Dream Act Application and the affidavit intersect: One opens the door for aid, the other lets the applicant walk through it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Students who sign the affidavit declare that they’ve either filed an application to legalize their immigration status in the U.S. or will do so once national law creates such a pathway. \u003ca href=\"https://immigrantsrising.org/wp-content/uploads/Immigrants-Rising_AB-540-Quick-Guide.pdf\">It also has students confirm (PDF)\u003c/a> that they’ve had three years of K–12, adult school or community college education in California, as well as a high school diploma, an equivalent certificate, an associate degree or proof that they’ve taken the minimum set courses needed to transfer to a University of California or California State University campus.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Embedding the affidavit in the dream act application is “going to be a big step forward,” but it’s not the only step needed “to ensure that students can receive all the financial aid for whatever they have eligibility for,” said Nancy Jodaitis, director of higher education issues at Immigrants Rising, a San Francisco-based project of \u003ca href=\"https://communityinitiatives.org/project/immigrants-rising/\">a larger nonprofit\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sending the affidavit to the schools the student hopes to attend is the first step, but all UCs and Cal States, and about half of community colleges, require official transcripts and attendance records from the student. How campuses will notify students with outstanding paperwork will be an ongoing issue to monitor, Jodaitis said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Immigrants Rising in May \u003ca href=\"https://immigrantsrising.org/wp-content/uploads/Immigrants-Rising_Statewide-AB-540-FAQ.pdf\">published a comprehensive guide explaining the affidavit process (PDF)\u003c/a> in partnership with the state’s public colleges and universities. It’s now working on a set of recommendations for how campuses can best apprise students of the remaining paperwork they’ll have to submit once they’ve turned in their affidavit through the dream act. That’ll be published in January, she added.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11970805\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1568px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11970805\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/101423_Collge-Info-Berkeley_JY_CM_23-copy.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1568\" height=\"1045\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/101423_Collge-Info-Berkeley_JY_CM_23-copy.jpg 1568w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/101423_Collge-Info-Berkeley_JY_CM_23-copy-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/101423_Collge-Info-Berkeley_JY_CM_23-copy-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/101423_Collge-Info-Berkeley_JY_CM_23-copy-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/12/101423_Collge-Info-Berkeley_JY_CM_23-copy-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1568px) 100vw, 1568px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">FAFSA fact sheets are displayed at College Information Day at UC Berkeley in Berkeley on Oct. 14, 2023. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada for CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In 2024, UC will ask students to submit the affidavits to the campuses directly, instead of through the dream act application, a spokesperson said. That’s because the UC is \u003ca href=\"https://cshe.berkeley.edu/publications/how-and-why-university-california-got-its-autonomy\">constitutionally independent\u003c/a> of many state laws. \u003ca href=\"https://www.cccco.edu/-/media/CCCCO-Website/docs/report/2023-chaptered-legislation-and-guidance-november-report-a11y.pdf#page=21\">Community colleges (PDF)\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB1540#:~:text=(B)%C2%A0(i)%C2%A0The%20California%20State%20University\">Cal State\u003c/a> have to comply with the law.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Advocates who focus on financial aid for undocumented students say that schools, state agencies and nonprofits that share with students information about college affordability should proactively include the dream act application and its related forms.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I hardly saw financial aid workshops tailored for undocumented students in high school,” wrote Rodriguez. Instead, he mostly encountered information about the federal Free Application for Federal Student Aid, “which sent mixed messages about whether or not I was eligible for financial aid to begin with,” he added.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>State law \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/college-beat/2023/11/high-school-financial-aid-applications-increase/\">now requires that high school seniors\u003c/a> complete a financial aid application, with few exceptions. The more school districts and nonprofits can stress the federal financial aid grant \u003cem>and \u003c/em>the dream act application, the likelier undocumented students will hear the message and apply, Jodaitis said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Information students place in the dream act application isn’t shared with the federal government or with immigration authorities, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/california_dream_act_application_1.pdf?1698767919\">commission and state department of education stressed in a 2022 letter (PDF)\u003c/a>. That’s a message the commission will likely repeat in the face of a presidential election year in which \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2023/12/13/1218935981/republican-candidates-immigration#:~:text=What%20border%20security%20policies%20should%20the%20U.S.%20put%20in%20place%3F\">anti-immigrant sentiment is bound to take center stage\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Students applying for the dream act who intend to enter college in fall 2024 will submit \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/california_dream_act_faq.pdf?1694549553#page=5\">their household’s 2022 income information (PDF)\u003c/a>. Once the application goes live, students pursuing a four-year degree should complete the dream act forms by \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/college-beat/2023/11/high-school-financial-aid-applications-increase/#:~:text=The%20overhauled%20FAFSA,Student%20Aid%20website.\">April 2 or sooner\u003c/a>. Students planning to attend a community college have until early September to file their paperwork.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"slug": "sen-alex-padilla-latino-democrats-oppose-biden-over-concessions-in-border-security-talks",
"title": "Sen. Alex Padilla, Latino Democrats Oppose Biden Over Concessions in Border Security Talks",
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"headTitle": "Sen. Alex Padilla, Latino Democrats Oppose Biden Over Concessions in Border Security Talks | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>Prominent Latinos in Congress looked on quietly, at first, privately raising concerns with the Biden administration over the direction of border security talks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla of California was on the phone constantly with administration officials questioning why the \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/congress-ukraine-border-security-961a10ceb958e88c3c8d76cb04d225ce\">Senate negotiations\u003c/a> did not include any meaningful consideration of providing pathways to citizenship for longtime immigrants lacking the proper legal documents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>New Mexico Democrat Sen. Ben Ray Luján made similar arguments as he tried to get meetings with top-level White House officials.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But when the talks didn’t seem to make enough difference, the influential lawmakers started leading the open opposition.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“A return to Trump-era policies is not the fix,” Padilla said. “In fact, it will make the problem worse.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Padilla even pulled President \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden\">Joe Biden\u003c/a> aside at a fundraiser last weekend in California to warn him “to be careful” of being dragged into “harmful policy.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Latino senators have found themselves on \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-immigration-asylum-border-congress-7507034034ba49a8f170777600cad46e\">shifting ground\u003c/a> in the debate over immigration as the Democratic president, who is reaching for a border deal as part of his $110 billion package for Ukraine, Israel and other national security needs, has tried to reduce the historic numbers of people arriving at the U.S. border with Mexico.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The negotiations, which are expected to continue this weekend at the Capitol, come as the Biden administration has increasingly endured criticism over its handling of border and immigration issues — not just from Republicans, but from members of the president’s own party as well. Democratic cities and states have been vocal about the financial toll that they say migrants have been taking on their resources.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[pullquote align=\"right\" size=\"medium\" citation=\"US Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)\"]‘A return to Trump-era policies is not the fix. In fact, it will make the problem worse.’[/pullquote]But left off the table in the talks are pro-immigration changes, such as granting permanent legal status to thousands of immigrants who were brought to the U.S. \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/biden-health-access-to-care-business-ca0fad2cc4af777044c1e61b5ec5372e\">illegally as children,\u003c/a> often referred to as “Dreamers,” based on the DREAM Act that would have provided similar protections for young immigrants but was never approved.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A few days after his conversation with the president, Padilla, Luján and Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), aired their concerns prominently at a Congressional Hispanic Caucus news conference in front of the Capitol.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They slammed Senate Republicans for demanding the border policy changes in exchange for Ukraine aid, and they criticized Biden for making concessions that they say ultimately undermine the United States’ standing as a country that welcomes immigrants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Padilla said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has promised him and several other senators to allow them to see \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/biden-ukraine-israel-funding-us-mexico-border-e1da808689aeef52308d19010a5e3cfa\">proposals before there is a final agreement.\u003c/a> But Latino lawmakers have largely been left outside the core negotiating group, even as they consistently proposed progressive fixes to the U.S. immigration system.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Biden is facing pressure from all sides. He has been criticized about the record numbers of migrants at the border and he is also trying to address the political weakness before a potential campaign rematch next year with Donald Trump, the former Republican president, who has promised to enact far-right immigration measures.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside label=\"Related Stories\" postID=\"news_11958372,news_11937017,news_11957568,news_11949678,news_11910789\"]And the issue is now tied to a top Biden foreign policy goal: providing robust support for Ukraine’s defense against Russia.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The White House and Senate leaders are pushing for a framework of the border deal by Sunday, according to one person granted anonymity to discuss the situation. But others cautioned it may take longer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Recently during the negotiations, the White House has pushed to include provisions that would legalize young immigrants who came to the U.S. illegally as children, according to two people with knowledge of the closed-door talks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Republicans have demanded several asylum restrictions that Democrats have so far resisted, but the protections for “Dreamers” would be one way for Democrats to secure one of their long-standing immigration priorities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s still disagreements and we continue to work at them,” Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) told reporters after a round of talks Friday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The bipartisan group negotiating the package has acknowledged that it expects to lose votes from both the left and right wings of either party.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Regardless of people’s political persuasions, this is a crisis,” said Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, an Arizona independent who is part of the core negotiating group. “There is nothing that is humane about having thousands of individuals sitting in the desert without access to restrooms or food or water, no shade, just waiting for days to interact with a Border Patrol agent. That’s what’s happening in southern Arizona.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But immigration advocates have been rallying opposition to the \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/immigration-border-congress-humanitarian-parole-asylum-trump-5b5808183c1642bae520b7d9456cc36d\">proposed changes\u003c/a> — often comparing them to Trump-era measures.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Using words like “draconian” and “betrayal,” advocates argued during a Friday call with reporters that the proposals would undermine U.S. commitments to accepting people fleeing persecution and do little to stop people from making the long, dangerous journey to the border.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of the policies under consideration would allow border officials to easily send migrants back to Mexico without letting them seek asylum in America, but advocates argue it could just place them into the hands of dangerous cartels that prey on migrants in northern Mexico.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Advocates also say that when the Trump and Biden administrations previously used the expulsion authority on public health grounds during the pandemic, migrants sent back to Mexico didn’t return home. Instead they tried over and over again to enter the U.S. because there were no repercussions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[pullquote align=\"right\" size=\"medium\" citation=\"US Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)\"]‘To think that concessions are going to be made without benefiting a single Dreamer, a single farm worker, a single undocumented essential worker is unconscionable.’[/pullquote]Greg Chen, senior director of government relations for the American Immigration Lawyers Association, said it would just make the border region “more chaotic, more dangerous.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The policies under consideration would also be difficult to implement. Detaining migrants or families would lead to hundreds of thousands of people in custody — at a huge cost — and could force the Department of Homeland Security to divert staff from other duties to the border.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“These are all things that are extremely, extremely worrying,” said Jason Houser, the former chief of staff at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If the legislation comes to a vote, Padilla and other prominent House Democrats, such as Reps. Nanette Barragán of California, the chair of the Hispanic Caucus, and Pramila Jayapal of Washington state, chair of the Progressive Caucus, will likely lead opposition from the left.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Immigration advocates were also heartened to see support from prominent House members like Rep. Veronica Escobar of Texas, who is a co-chair of Biden’s reelection campaign, and Rep. Jerry Nadler of New York, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, at the Hispanic Caucus news conference in front of the Capitol this past week.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Padilla warned that Biden’s concessions on border restrictions could have lasting impact on his support from Latino voters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“To think that concessions are going to be made without benefiting a single Dreamer, a single farm worker, a single undocumented essential worker is unconscionable,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Associated Press writer Seung Min Kim contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Prominent Latinos in Congress looked on quietly, at first, privately raising concerns with the Biden administration over the direction of border security talks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla of California was on the phone constantly with administration officials questioning why the \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/congress-ukraine-border-security-961a10ceb958e88c3c8d76cb04d225ce\">Senate negotiations\u003c/a> did not include any meaningful consideration of providing pathways to citizenship for longtime immigrants lacking the proper legal documents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>New Mexico Democrat Sen. Ben Ray Luján made similar arguments as he tried to get meetings with top-level White House officials.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But when the talks didn’t seem to make enough difference, the influential lawmakers started leading the open opposition.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“A return to Trump-era policies is not the fix,” Padilla said. “In fact, it will make the problem worse.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Padilla even pulled President \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden\">Joe Biden\u003c/a> aside at a fundraiser last weekend in California to warn him “to be careful” of being dragged into “harmful policy.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Latino senators have found themselves on \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-immigration-asylum-border-congress-7507034034ba49a8f170777600cad46e\">shifting ground\u003c/a> in the debate over immigration as the Democratic president, who is reaching for a border deal as part of his $110 billion package for Ukraine, Israel and other national security needs, has tried to reduce the historic numbers of people arriving at the U.S. border with Mexico.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The negotiations, which are expected to continue this weekend at the Capitol, come as the Biden administration has increasingly endured criticism over its handling of border and immigration issues — not just from Republicans, but from members of the president’s own party as well. Democratic cities and states have been vocal about the financial toll that they say migrants have been taking on their resources.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>But left off the table in the talks are pro-immigration changes, such as granting permanent legal status to thousands of immigrants who were brought to the U.S. \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/biden-health-access-to-care-business-ca0fad2cc4af777044c1e61b5ec5372e\">illegally as children,\u003c/a> often referred to as “Dreamers,” based on the DREAM Act that would have provided similar protections for young immigrants but was never approved.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A few days after his conversation with the president, Padilla, Luján and Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), aired their concerns prominently at a Congressional Hispanic Caucus news conference in front of the Capitol.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They slammed Senate Republicans for demanding the border policy changes in exchange for Ukraine aid, and they criticized Biden for making concessions that they say ultimately undermine the United States’ standing as a country that welcomes immigrants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Padilla said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has promised him and several other senators to allow them to see \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/biden-ukraine-israel-funding-us-mexico-border-e1da808689aeef52308d19010a5e3cfa\">proposals before there is a final agreement.\u003c/a> But Latino lawmakers have largely been left outside the core negotiating group, even as they consistently proposed progressive fixes to the U.S. immigration system.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Biden is facing pressure from all sides. He has been criticized about the record numbers of migrants at the border and he is also trying to address the political weakness before a potential campaign rematch next year with Donald Trump, the former Republican president, who has promised to enact far-right immigration measures.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>And the issue is now tied to a top Biden foreign policy goal: providing robust support for Ukraine’s defense against Russia.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The White House and Senate leaders are pushing for a framework of the border deal by Sunday, according to one person granted anonymity to discuss the situation. But others cautioned it may take longer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Recently during the negotiations, the White House has pushed to include provisions that would legalize young immigrants who came to the U.S. illegally as children, according to two people with knowledge of the closed-door talks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Republicans have demanded several asylum restrictions that Democrats have so far resisted, but the protections for “Dreamers” would be one way for Democrats to secure one of their long-standing immigration priorities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s still disagreements and we continue to work at them,” Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) told reporters after a round of talks Friday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The bipartisan group negotiating the package has acknowledged that it expects to lose votes from both the left and right wings of either party.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Regardless of people’s political persuasions, this is a crisis,” said Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, an Arizona independent who is part of the core negotiating group. “There is nothing that is humane about having thousands of individuals sitting in the desert without access to restrooms or food or water, no shade, just waiting for days to interact with a Border Patrol agent. That’s what’s happening in southern Arizona.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But immigration advocates have been rallying opposition to the \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/immigration-border-congress-humanitarian-parole-asylum-trump-5b5808183c1642bae520b7d9456cc36d\">proposed changes\u003c/a> — often comparing them to Trump-era measures.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Using words like “draconian” and “betrayal,” advocates argued during a Friday call with reporters that the proposals would undermine U.S. commitments to accepting people fleeing persecution and do little to stop people from making the long, dangerous journey to the border.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of the policies under consideration would allow border officials to easily send migrants back to Mexico without letting them seek asylum in America, but advocates argue it could just place them into the hands of dangerous cartels that prey on migrants in northern Mexico.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Advocates also say that when the Trump and Biden administrations previously used the expulsion authority on public health grounds during the pandemic, migrants sent back to Mexico didn’t return home. Instead they tried over and over again to enter the U.S. because there were no repercussions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Greg Chen, senior director of government relations for the American Immigration Lawyers Association, said it would just make the border region “more chaotic, more dangerous.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The policies under consideration would also be difficult to implement. Detaining migrants or families would lead to hundreds of thousands of people in custody — at a huge cost — and could force the Department of Homeland Security to divert staff from other duties to the border.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“These are all things that are extremely, extremely worrying,” said Jason Houser, the former chief of staff at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If the legislation comes to a vote, Padilla and other prominent House Democrats, such as Reps. Nanette Barragán of California, the chair of the Hispanic Caucus, and Pramila Jayapal of Washington state, chair of the Progressive Caucus, will likely lead opposition from the left.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Immigration advocates were also heartened to see support from prominent House members like Rep. Veronica Escobar of Texas, who is a co-chair of Biden’s reelection campaign, and Rep. Jerry Nadler of New York, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, at the Hispanic Caucus news conference in front of the Capitol this past week.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Padilla warned that Biden’s concessions on border restrictions could have lasting impact on his support from Latino voters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“To think that concessions are going to be made without benefiting a single Dreamer, a single farm worker, a single undocumented essential worker is unconscionable,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Associated Press writer Seung Min Kim contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cp>A fatal strain of bird flu is tearing through Sonoma County poultry populations, leading to mass euthanization efforts as farmers work to stop the spread of the virus.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In less than a month, four Sonoma County farms have detected the highly pathogenic avian influenza strain that’s been found in bird populations across the state, country and world. [pullquote size=\"medium\" align=\"right\" citation=\"Jennifer Reichardt, chief operating officer, Liberty Ducks\"]‘There was never going to be a good time for this to hit, but during the holidays, it is especially hard.’[/pullquote]More than half a million ducks and hens have been affected at those four farms experiencing outbreaks, according to an \u003ca href=\"https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-disease-information/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-2022/2022-hpai-commercial-backyard-flocks\">online infection tracker by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.\u003c/a> Across California, the number is more than 1.3 million.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dayna Ghirardelli, executive director of the Sonoma County Farm Bureau, said the outbreaks are a devastating hit to farms in the area.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Everyone’s doing all they can and just praying daily and losing sleep, hoping that we’ve seen the worst of it and, you know, that it doesn’t continue to spread in our area or anywhere for that matter,” Ghirardelli said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Because of the highly contagious nature of the virus, all birds in a commercial flock where avian flu is detected must be euthanized. According to the USDA, commercial flocks are operations with 1,000 or more birds (domestic poultry).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bill Mattos, president of the California Poultry Federation, says prices could go up soon as hundreds of thousands of birds are euthanized and others at nearby farms are quarantined.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Because we’ve lost so many ducks and we have a small duck population in California, that could affect pricing more at restaurants than anywhere else,” Mattos said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The first reported outbreak occurred in late November at a duck breeding facility where nearly 170,000 ducks were affected. [pullquote size=\"medium\" align=\"right\" citation=\"Bill Mattos, president, California Poultry Federation\"]‘Because we’ve lost so many ducks and we have a small duck population in California, that could affect pricing more at restaurants than anywhere else.’[/pullquote]Then last week, Liberty Ducks Chief Operating Officer Jennifer Reichardt announced on\u003ca href=\"https://www.gofundme.com/f/save-the-liberty-ducks-family-farm\"> a GoFundMe page\u003c/a> that one of their farm locations detected the virus among a population of nearly 5,000 ducks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Liberty Ducks is a supplier to several fine dining restaurants in Sonoma and other parts of the Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There was never going to be a good time for this to hit, but during the holidays, it is especially hard,” Reichardt said in an email. “These should have been our biggest three weeks of the year, and it’s been severely crippled with the outbreak.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mattos also warned about the possibility of rising egg prices, as has occurred in previous years when avian flu numbers were high.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The price of eggs could change if we lose more [egg] layers in California. … We just saw 3 million layer chickens in Ohio have bird flu and have to be depopulated,” Mattos said. “And a lot of the Ohio birds come into California because they meet our cage-free standards. So the price will depend on if this affects more than California.” [aside label='More Stories on Farmworkers' tag='farmworkers']Mattos made those remarks before the discovery of the latest Sonoma County outbreak at an unnamed egg-laying operation where 270,000 birds were affected, the largest single outbreak in California in the past two months.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This Eurasian H5N1 strain of the avian flu has been in California since 2022 and was first detected among waterfowl populations, which are often responsible for spreading the virus to new areas. Now, cases are on the rise again as wild birds embark on their annual migration south, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Peter Tira, a CDFW public information officer, said infection numbers among wild bird populations don’t seem to be as high as last fall. But he added that the migration is beginning later than usual this year, meaning more birds, possibly more infected birds, are on the way.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tira said once the winter passes and birds begin to migrate north again, the disease should begin to dissipate again.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Though even if cases subside, this avian flu strain could be sticking around for a while. [pullquote size=\"medium\" align=\"right\" citation=\"Maurice Pitesky, professor, UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine-Cooperative Extension\"]‘… We’re probably going to be in some kind of persistent cycle with this specific strain of influenza for a while.’[/pullquote]Maurice Pitesky, a professor at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine-Cooperative Extension, said the outbreak is akin to a global pandemic among poultry.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-disease-information/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-2022/2022-hpai-commercial-backyard-flocks\">USDA\u003c/a>, over 4.6 million birds have been killed so far this year compared to the almost 58 million birds killed last year when the outbreak began. The disease has been found in dozens of countries across five continents, according to the World Health Organization.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think most people at this point view the virus as somewhat endemic in the waterfowl population,” Pitesky said. “As long as the virus infects the ducklings and goslings that these adults are hatching, we’re probably going to be in some kind of persistent cycle with this specific strain of influenza for a while.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>More than half a million ducks and hens have been affected at those four farms experiencing outbreaks, according to an \u003ca href=\"https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-disease-information/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-2022/2022-hpai-commercial-backyard-flocks\">online infection tracker by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.\u003c/a> Across California, the number is more than 1.3 million.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dayna Ghirardelli, executive director of the Sonoma County Farm Bureau, said the outbreaks are a devastating hit to farms in the area.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Everyone’s doing all they can and just praying daily and losing sleep, hoping that we’ve seen the worst of it and, you know, that it doesn’t continue to spread in our area or anywhere for that matter,” Ghirardelli said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Because of the highly contagious nature of the virus, all birds in a commercial flock where avian flu is detected must be euthanized. According to the USDA, commercial flocks are operations with 1,000 or more birds (domestic poultry).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bill Mattos, president of the California Poultry Federation, says prices could go up soon as hundreds of thousands of birds are euthanized and others at nearby farms are quarantined.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Because we’ve lost so many ducks and we have a small duck population in California, that could affect pricing more at restaurants than anywhere else,” Mattos said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The first reported outbreak occurred in late November at a duck breeding facility where nearly 170,000 ducks were affected. \u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "‘Because we’ve lost so many ducks and we have a small duck population in California, that could affect pricing more at restaurants than anywhere else.’",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Then last week, Liberty Ducks Chief Operating Officer Jennifer Reichardt announced on\u003ca href=\"https://www.gofundme.com/f/save-the-liberty-ducks-family-farm\"> a GoFundMe page\u003c/a> that one of their farm locations detected the virus among a population of nearly 5,000 ducks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Liberty Ducks is a supplier to several fine dining restaurants in Sonoma and other parts of the Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There was never going to be a good time for this to hit, but during the holidays, it is especially hard,” Reichardt said in an email. “These should have been our biggest three weeks of the year, and it’s been severely crippled with the outbreak.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mattos also warned about the possibility of rising egg prices, as has occurred in previous years when avian flu numbers were high.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The price of eggs could change if we lose more [egg] layers in California. … We just saw 3 million layer chickens in Ohio have bird flu and have to be depopulated,” Mattos said. “And a lot of the Ohio birds come into California because they meet our cage-free standards. So the price will depend on if this affects more than California.” \u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Mattos made those remarks before the discovery of the latest Sonoma County outbreak at an unnamed egg-laying operation where 270,000 birds were affected, the largest single outbreak in California in the past two months.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This Eurasian H5N1 strain of the avian flu has been in California since 2022 and was first detected among waterfowl populations, which are often responsible for spreading the virus to new areas. Now, cases are on the rise again as wild birds embark on their annual migration south, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Peter Tira, a CDFW public information officer, said infection numbers among wild bird populations don’t seem to be as high as last fall. But he added that the migration is beginning later than usual this year, meaning more birds, possibly more infected birds, are on the way.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tira said once the winter passes and birds begin to migrate north again, the disease should begin to dissipate again.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Though even if cases subside, this avian flu strain could be sticking around for a while. \u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "‘… We’re probably going to be in some kind of persistent cycle with this specific strain of influenza for a while.’",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Maurice Pitesky, a professor at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine-Cooperative Extension, said the outbreak is akin to a global pandemic among poultry.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-disease-information/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-2022/2022-hpai-commercial-backyard-flocks\">USDA\u003c/a>, over 4.6 million birds have been killed so far this year compared to the almost 58 million birds killed last year when the outbreak began. The disease has been found in dozens of countries across five continents, according to the World Health Organization.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think most people at this point view the virus as somewhat endemic in the waterfowl population,” Pitesky said. “As long as the virus infects the ducklings and goslings that these adults are hatching, we’re probably going to be in some kind of persistent cycle with this specific strain of influenza for a while.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>A state occupational safety board on Thursday approved new temporary emergency regulations to stall a surge of silicosis, an irreversible lung disease disabling and killing countertop fabrication workers who handle engineered stone.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The factory-made material, commonly used to make kitchen countertops, is \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11969381/california-regulators-to-vote-on-emergency-rules-for-stonecutters-safety\">uniquely hazardous to workers\u003c/a> because of the toxic silica dust it releases when cut or drilled.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The state \u003ca href=\"https://www.dir.ca.gov/oshsb/oshsb.html\">Occupational Safety & Health Standards Board\u003c/a>, a seven-member body appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, voted to simplify and strengthen current protections in the industry.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Clearly, this is a seriously hazardous material similar to what asbestos is,” said Laura Stock, a board member who supported the regulation changes. “Can we, in fact, create a circumstance where we use this hazardous material, but workers are protected? That’s what we can learn.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The vote came a day after Australia announced it \u003ca href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/dec/13/engineered-stone-bench-top-ban-confirmed-begin-2024-when\">would ban\u003c/a> the use and imports of all engineered stone products starting next year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Inhaling tiny, airborne silica particles has led to silicosis among builders, miners and stonemasons for centuries. But cutting engineered stone is linked to an accelerated and more aggressive form of the disease because it may contain more than 93% silica, much more than natural stones.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>No silicosis cases were associated with artificial stone recorded before 2010 in California, according to the state’s Department of Public Health. The agency has now identified 100 stonecutters who contracted the disease in the last five years. At least 10 have died.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside label=\"more on silicosis\" tag=\"silicosis\"]Nearly all of the workers are young to middle-aged Latino immigrants. Some must rely on oxygen machines to breathe while they await lung transplants, including a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11956246/california-fast-tracks-rules-to-protect-stonecutters-from-horrible-deaths\">27-year-old man profiled by KQED\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“No amount of business is worth the lives lost and the suffering this is generating,” Dr. Jane Fazio, a pulmonologist at Olive View-UCLA Medical Center who has diagnosed and treated dozens of silicosis patients, said during public comment. “Almost weekly, I have to sit down with able-bodied men in my clinic, and give them a death sentence.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I take away their livelihoods, and I watch as their wives and children try to understand that they will lose their loved one,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hundreds more cases are expected if harmful exposure continues, according to officials with the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health, known as Cal/OSHA.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The agency estimates that most of the roughly 800 stone fabrication shops in the state don’t comply with current safety rules, which require employers to monitor permissible silica levels before taking protective steps.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.dir.ca.gov/OSHSB/Respirable-Crystalline-Silica-Emergency.html\">new emergency regulations\u003c/a> effectively prohibit the dry cutting of engineered stone with 0.1% or more silica or natural stone with 10% or more. High-risk tasks such as drilling and polishing require wet-cutting saws or other tools that spread water on the material to suppress dust.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some industry representatives urged the board to postpone its vote and said the new requirements would be too costly and drive businesses out of state. But several medical professionals countered that California could not afford to wait.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cal/OSHA officials said they plan to conduct proactive inspections of stone fabrication shops and will also gain new enforcement tools. Inspectors who observe the dry cutting of engineered stone must issue an \u003ca href=\"https://www.dir.ca.gov/DOSHPol/P&PC-8.pdf\">order prohibiting the use\u003c/a> of employees’ labor until the hazards are fixed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Adoption of the silica emergency temporary standard will absolutely save lives,” Cal/OSHA Chief Jeff Killip told board members.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The standard goes into effect on Dec. 29 and lasts for one year. Cal/OSHA officials said they will work to craft permanent silica regulations.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>A state occupational safety board on Thursday approved new temporary emergency regulations to stall a surge of silicosis, an irreversible lung disease disabling and killing countertop fabrication workers who handle engineered stone.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The factory-made material, commonly used to make kitchen countertops, is \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11969381/california-regulators-to-vote-on-emergency-rules-for-stonecutters-safety\">uniquely hazardous to workers\u003c/a> because of the toxic silica dust it releases when cut or drilled.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The state \u003ca href=\"https://www.dir.ca.gov/oshsb/oshsb.html\">Occupational Safety & Health Standards Board\u003c/a>, a seven-member body appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, voted to simplify and strengthen current protections in the industry.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Clearly, this is a seriously hazardous material similar to what asbestos is,” said Laura Stock, a board member who supported the regulation changes. “Can we, in fact, create a circumstance where we use this hazardous material, but workers are protected? That’s what we can learn.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The vote came a day after Australia announced it \u003ca href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/dec/13/engineered-stone-bench-top-ban-confirmed-begin-2024-when\">would ban\u003c/a> the use and imports of all engineered stone products starting next year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Nearly all of the workers are young to middle-aged Latino immigrants. Some must rely on oxygen machines to breathe while they await lung transplants, including a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11956246/california-fast-tracks-rules-to-protect-stonecutters-from-horrible-deaths\">27-year-old man profiled by KQED\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“No amount of business is worth the lives lost and the suffering this is generating,” Dr. Jane Fazio, a pulmonologist at Olive View-UCLA Medical Center who has diagnosed and treated dozens of silicosis patients, said during public comment. “Almost weekly, I have to sit down with able-bodied men in my clinic, and give them a death sentence.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I take away their livelihoods, and I watch as their wives and children try to understand that they will lose their loved one,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hundreds more cases are expected if harmful exposure continues, according to officials with the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health, known as Cal/OSHA.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The agency estimates that most of the roughly 800 stone fabrication shops in the state don’t comply with current safety rules, which require employers to monitor permissible silica levels before taking protective steps.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.dir.ca.gov/OSHSB/Respirable-Crystalline-Silica-Emergency.html\">new emergency regulations\u003c/a> effectively prohibit the dry cutting of engineered stone with 0.1% or more silica or natural stone with 10% or more. High-risk tasks such as drilling and polishing require wet-cutting saws or other tools that spread water on the material to suppress dust.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some industry representatives urged the board to postpone its vote and said the new requirements would be too costly and drive businesses out of state. But several medical professionals countered that California could not afford to wait.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cal/OSHA officials said they plan to conduct proactive inspections of stone fabrication shops and will also gain new enforcement tools. Inspectors who observe the dry cutting of engineered stone must issue an \u003ca href=\"https://www.dir.ca.gov/DOSHPol/P&PC-8.pdf\">order prohibiting the use\u003c/a> of employees’ labor until the hazards are fixed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Adoption of the silica emergency temporary standard will absolutely save lives,” Cal/OSHA Chief Jeff Killip told board members.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The standard goes into effect on Dec. 29 and lasts for one year. Cal/OSHA officials said they will work to craft permanent silica regulations.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "Many California College Employees With DACA Protections Lack Backup Plans If Program Ends",
"headTitle": "Many California College Employees With DACA Protections Lack Backup Plans If Program Ends | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>Iveth Díaz has spent much of her career helping undocumented immigrant students navigate college. But when her own application to renew her work permit and temporary protection from deportation was delayed because of backlogs, she had to resign from her job for three months.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It was extremely stressful. It was a time when I suffered from anxiety and depression, which is unfortunately very common within our community,” Díaz said.[pullquote align=\"right\" size=\"medium\" citation=\"Iveth Díaz, a student counselor at Cerritos College\"]‘Are we waiting until the program is canceled altogether, or are institutions being proactive in creating ways to retain their employees?[/pullquote]Díaz and other college and university employees with work permits and protection under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program are calling on universities to do more to help them prepare for alternative employment plans in case the program ends. Some proposals include helping employees become independent consultants, preparing a severance package or sponsoring work visas.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>DACA offers temporary protection from deportation and work permits to about \u003ca class=\"external\" href=\"https://www.migrationpolicy.org/programs/data-hub/deferred-action-childhood-arrivals-daca-profiles\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">579,000\u003c/a> young people who were brought to the U.S. as children and graduated from high school, completed a GED or are veterans of the U.S. military. Every two years, recipients must apply for renewal. But the program could end at any time. It was \u003ca href=\"https://edsource.org/updates/advocates-urge-permanent-immigration-solution-after-another-daca-ruling\">found to be illegal\u003c/a> by a federal judge in Texas, and that case will likely end up in the U.S. Supreme Court.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The program, launched during the Obama administration, has long been associated with high school and college students, but most recipients are now working adults. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has not accepted new applications since 2017, making the youngest DACA recipients currently 21 years old and the oldest now 42.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The DACA generation are not kids anymore,” said Madeleine Villanueva, higher education manager of Immigrants Rising, an organization based in San Francisco that helps undocumented people achieve career and educational goals, and published \u003ca class=\"external\" href=\"https://immigrantsrising.org/resource/building-effective-support-for-undocueducators-in-higher-education-action-plans/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">a guide for colleges and universities\u003c/a> to support undocumented employees. “A lot of us are in our 30s and 40s. We’re doing this work so that the future generation of undocumented students doesn’t have such a hard time like we did when we were going to school.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hundreds of faculty and staff at California colleges and universities are DACA recipients, although the exact total is unclear. According to the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration’s\u003ca class=\"external\" href=\"https://www.higheredimmigrationportal.org/state/california/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> Higher Ed Immigration Portal\u003c/a>, about 9,211 recipients work in education in California, from elementary school to college. The University of California estimates it has more than 400 employee recipients, some of them students. Spokespersons for the California State University and California Community Colleges said they did not have data on how many employees are temporarily protected from deportation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Díaz worked for over eight years at CSU San Bernardino as an administrative support coordinator for graduate researchers and an admissions counselor. She now leads a program for Cerritos College students living in the country illegally. As a fellow at Immigrants Rising, she surveyed about 65 employees of California colleges and universities who, at one time, were living in the U.S. without permission, most of whom now have DACA protections. The employees included faculty, counselors, researchers and financial aid and admissions workers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She said most respondents said their colleges and universities have not prepared them for what to do if the program ends.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Are we waiting until the program is canceled altogether, or are institutions being proactive in creating ways to retain their employees?” Díaz said. “I found that 70% of respondents stated that their institutions have not even brought it up, have not even had a conversation to their knowledge about what a response plan would be, which is really worrisome.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Laura Bohórquez García, the director of the AB 540 and Undocumented Student Center at UC Davis, decided to start her own business, Inner Work Collective Freedom, to employ herself if the program ends and she loses her work permit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’m like, OK, how do I prepare? Because I don’t feel like the university would be ready to jump in,” Bohórquez García said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In addition to plans in case DACA ends, concerned university employees and advocates recommended that universities offer more mental health benefits and that supervisors check in on their employees’ mental health.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many recipients working in colleges and universities are employed in positions dedicated to supporting immigrant students on their campuses, helping them get legal services or mental health counseling. But many of these positions are part-time and don’t offer health benefits, which are crucial when living with the uncertainty of losing temporary protection from deportation, advocates said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“So much of what they’re doing and the fires they’re turning off when it comes to students, it impacts them as well,” said Luz Bertadillo Rodríguez, director of campus engagement at the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, a group of college and university leaders dedicated to increasing public understanding of how immigration policies and practices impact students. “The constant word or feeling I hear when there’s a new DACA update is, ‘I’m exhausted.’ They’re just like, ‘I’m tired of living my life two years at a time and then even that not being certain.’”[aside label=\"more on DACA\" tag=\"daca\"]Whenever a new court decision comes out about the program, employees in the immigrant resource centers often find themselves holding workshops or trainings to help explain the decision to students. Yet, they are also processing the decision themselves.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You have to check in with the students, but sometimes no one is checking in with you,” said Eric Yang, a recipient who has worked with immigrant students at two different California universities. “How can we help others if we can’t even advocate for ourselves?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>University of California officials are currently examining ways to support employees if the temporary deportation protections are terminated, according to UC Office of the President spokesperson Stett Holbrook. He added that the UC Immigrant Legal Services Center offered immigration consultation workshops for recipient employees last summer, “many of which identified eligibility for employment, family or humanitarian relief.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The University of California has a long record of support for DACA recipients, and we will continue to support our students, staff and faculty regardless of their immigration status,” Holbrook said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The University of California is also currently \u003ca href=\"https://edsource.org/2023/uc-signals-support-for-hiring-of-undocumented-students-following-six-month-study/690855\">considering a proposal\u003c/a> to allow the university to hire students who do not have work permits under DACA. A coalition of immigrant students and allies, including legal scholars at UCLA and elsewhere, have argued that a federal law barring hiring immigrants living in the country without permission doesn’t apply to state entities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California State University and California Community Colleges offer free legal services to employees with temporary work permits. However, advocates said many faculty and staff are unaware that these services are not just for students.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Melissa Villarin, spokesperson for the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, said the community colleges have also recently included resources for staff and faculty during the annual Undocumented Student Action Week.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Díaz also recommended more training for university staff about DACA recipients. She said survey respondents said there was a lack of awareness or understanding among other staff and faculty about their colleagues living in the country illegally.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There was just no knowledge by institutions of higher ed about even having undocumented staff and faculty on campus,” Díaz said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She said lack of awareness can lead to insensitivity. At one point, for example, she said a human resources director asked her why she didn’t just fix her status or apply for a green card, not understanding that Díaz, like most immigrants who entered or stayed in the U.S. illegally, didn’t have a way to apply for a green card without leaving the country and possibly having to stay out for up to 10 years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yang said universities should do more to highlight the stories of staff covered by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program “so that people in the public know that there are professional staff who are also potentially without any protection or support.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite the challenges these immigrants face, Rodríguez, from the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, said they should be commended for their work. “They’re very involved in the students’ lives because they’re able to create such strong bonds with the students,” she said. “They’re some of the most exceptional and brilliant practitioners that I’ve come across in higher education.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://edsource.org/2023/faculty-staff-urge-california-colleges-to-make-backup-plans-in-case-daca-ends/702129\">This story was originally published by EdSource.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "Some university employees who have work permits and protection under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program are calling on their institutions to do more to help them prepare for alternative employment plans in case the program ends.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Iveth Díaz has spent much of her career helping undocumented immigrant students navigate college. But when her own application to renew her work permit and temporary protection from deportation was delayed because of backlogs, she had to resign from her job for three months.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It was extremely stressful. It was a time when I suffered from anxiety and depression, which is unfortunately very common within our community,” Díaz said.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "‘Are we waiting until the program is canceled altogether, or are institutions being proactive in creating ways to retain their employees?",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Díaz and other college and university employees with work permits and protection under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program are calling on universities to do more to help them prepare for alternative employment plans in case the program ends. Some proposals include helping employees become independent consultants, preparing a severance package or sponsoring work visas.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>DACA offers temporary protection from deportation and work permits to about \u003ca class=\"external\" href=\"https://www.migrationpolicy.org/programs/data-hub/deferred-action-childhood-arrivals-daca-profiles\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">579,000\u003c/a> young people who were brought to the U.S. as children and graduated from high school, completed a GED or are veterans of the U.S. military. Every two years, recipients must apply for renewal. But the program could end at any time. It was \u003ca href=\"https://edsource.org/updates/advocates-urge-permanent-immigration-solution-after-another-daca-ruling\">found to be illegal\u003c/a> by a federal judge in Texas, and that case will likely end up in the U.S. Supreme Court.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The program, launched during the Obama administration, has long been associated with high school and college students, but most recipients are now working adults. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has not accepted new applications since 2017, making the youngest DACA recipients currently 21 years old and the oldest now 42.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The DACA generation are not kids anymore,” said Madeleine Villanueva, higher education manager of Immigrants Rising, an organization based in San Francisco that helps undocumented people achieve career and educational goals, and published \u003ca class=\"external\" href=\"https://immigrantsrising.org/resource/building-effective-support-for-undocueducators-in-higher-education-action-plans/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">a guide for colleges and universities\u003c/a> to support undocumented employees. “A lot of us are in our 30s and 40s. We’re doing this work so that the future generation of undocumented students doesn’t have such a hard time like we did when we were going to school.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hundreds of faculty and staff at California colleges and universities are DACA recipients, although the exact total is unclear. According to the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration’s\u003ca class=\"external\" href=\"https://www.higheredimmigrationportal.org/state/california/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> Higher Ed Immigration Portal\u003c/a>, about 9,211 recipients work in education in California, from elementary school to college. The University of California estimates it has more than 400 employee recipients, some of them students. Spokespersons for the California State University and California Community Colleges said they did not have data on how many employees are temporarily protected from deportation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Díaz worked for over eight years at CSU San Bernardino as an administrative support coordinator for graduate researchers and an admissions counselor. She now leads a program for Cerritos College students living in the country illegally. As a fellow at Immigrants Rising, she surveyed about 65 employees of California colleges and universities who, at one time, were living in the U.S. without permission, most of whom now have DACA protections. The employees included faculty, counselors, researchers and financial aid and admissions workers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She said most respondents said their colleges and universities have not prepared them for what to do if the program ends.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Are we waiting until the program is canceled altogether, or are institutions being proactive in creating ways to retain their employees?” Díaz said. “I found that 70% of respondents stated that their institutions have not even brought it up, have not even had a conversation to their knowledge about what a response plan would be, which is really worrisome.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Laura Bohórquez García, the director of the AB 540 and Undocumented Student Center at UC Davis, decided to start her own business, Inner Work Collective Freedom, to employ herself if the program ends and she loses her work permit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’m like, OK, how do I prepare? Because I don’t feel like the university would be ready to jump in,” Bohórquez García said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In addition to plans in case DACA ends, concerned university employees and advocates recommended that universities offer more mental health benefits and that supervisors check in on their employees’ mental health.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many recipients working in colleges and universities are employed in positions dedicated to supporting immigrant students on their campuses, helping them get legal services or mental health counseling. But many of these positions are part-time and don’t offer health benefits, which are crucial when living with the uncertainty of losing temporary protection from deportation, advocates said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“So much of what they’re doing and the fires they’re turning off when it comes to students, it impacts them as well,” said Luz Bertadillo Rodríguez, director of campus engagement at the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, a group of college and university leaders dedicated to increasing public understanding of how immigration policies and practices impact students. “The constant word or feeling I hear when there’s a new DACA update is, ‘I’m exhausted.’ They’re just like, ‘I’m tired of living my life two years at a time and then even that not being certain.’”\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Whenever a new court decision comes out about the program, employees in the immigrant resource centers often find themselves holding workshops or trainings to help explain the decision to students. Yet, they are also processing the decision themselves.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You have to check in with the students, but sometimes no one is checking in with you,” said Eric Yang, a recipient who has worked with immigrant students at two different California universities. “How can we help others if we can’t even advocate for ourselves?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>University of California officials are currently examining ways to support employees if the temporary deportation protections are terminated, according to UC Office of the President spokesperson Stett Holbrook. He added that the UC Immigrant Legal Services Center offered immigration consultation workshops for recipient employees last summer, “many of which identified eligibility for employment, family or humanitarian relief.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The University of California has a long record of support for DACA recipients, and we will continue to support our students, staff and faculty regardless of their immigration status,” Holbrook said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The University of California is also currently \u003ca href=\"https://edsource.org/2023/uc-signals-support-for-hiring-of-undocumented-students-following-six-month-study/690855\">considering a proposal\u003c/a> to allow the university to hire students who do not have work permits under DACA. A coalition of immigrant students and allies, including legal scholars at UCLA and elsewhere, have argued that a federal law barring hiring immigrants living in the country without permission doesn’t apply to state entities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California State University and California Community Colleges offer free legal services to employees with temporary work permits. However, advocates said many faculty and staff are unaware that these services are not just for students.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Melissa Villarin, spokesperson for the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, said the community colleges have also recently included resources for staff and faculty during the annual Undocumented Student Action Week.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Díaz also recommended more training for university staff about DACA recipients. She said survey respondents said there was a lack of awareness or understanding among other staff and faculty about their colleagues living in the country illegally.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There was just no knowledge by institutions of higher ed about even having undocumented staff and faculty on campus,” Díaz said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She said lack of awareness can lead to insensitivity. At one point, for example, she said a human resources director asked her why she didn’t just fix her status or apply for a green card, not understanding that Díaz, like most immigrants who entered or stayed in the U.S. illegally, didn’t have a way to apply for a green card without leaving the country and possibly having to stay out for up to 10 years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yang said universities should do more to highlight the stories of staff covered by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program “so that people in the public know that there are professional staff who are also potentially without any protection or support.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite the challenges these immigrants face, Rodríguez, from the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, said they should be commended for their work. “They’re very involved in the students’ lives because they’re able to create such strong bonds with the students,” she said. “They’re some of the most exceptional and brilliant practitioners that I’ve come across in higher education.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"title": "California Regulators to Vote on Emergency Rules for Stonecutters' Safety",
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"headTitle": "California Regulators to Vote on Emergency Rules for Stonecutters’ Safety | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>Jorge Estrella Moreno remembers the day he arrived at the studio apartment he shares with his wife and collapsed on the bed, weighed down by sadness and worry.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>His wife asked him what was wrong. “I have bad news,” he recalled telling her as he cried.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That day nearly a year ago, a doctor had diagnosed him with silicosis, an often fatal lung disease. Estrella Moreno, who lives in San Francisco, had unknowingly inhaled toxic silica dust for years while power-cutting slabs of engineered stone to make kitchen countertops and floor panelings. [pullquote size=\"medium\" align=\"right\" citation=\"Jorge Estrella Moreno, stonecutter, San Francisco\"]‘It felt like my world fell apart. It’s very sad to live with this disease because I’m alive today, but tomorrow, who knows? And my family still needs me.’[/pullquote]His lungs were irreversibly damaged, he remembers the doctor saying. There was no cure.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It felt like my world fell apart,” the 48-year-old father of three told KQED in Spanish. “It’s very sad to live with this disease because I’m alive today, but tomorrow, who knows? And my family still needs me.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Thursday, a California occupational safety board is \u003ca href=\"https://www.dir.ca.gov/OSHSB/Respirable-Crystalline-Silica-Emergency.html\">set to vote\u003c/a> on approving new emergency regulations to protect countertop fabrication workers handling engineered stone, a factory-made product that can have a much higher silica content than natural stone. The material has been linked to an accelerated and more aggressive form of silicosis with a \u003ca href=\"https://www.dir.ca.gov/OSHSB/documents/Respirable-Crystalline-Silica-Emergency-FOE.pdf\">fatality rate of 19%\u003c/a> in the industry, according to state workplace regulators.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Medical professionals have known the health risks of inhaling silica dust for centuries. Silica is a mineral found in the earth’s crust. Cutting granite, sandstone and other stones releases \u003ca href=\"https://depts.washington.edu/silica/silica.html#:~:text=The%20most%20common%20form%20of,%2C%20silicon%20carbide%2C%20and%20silicone.\">crystalline silica\u003c/a> into the air. When inhaled, tiny particles can get lodged in the lungs and, over decades, lead to scarring and difficulty breathing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But artificial stone, a popular and relatively new material in the U.S. market, is \u003ca href=\"https://www.dir.ca.gov/oshsb/documents/petition-597-CalOSHAeval.pdf\">uniquely hazardous\u003c/a> to stonecutters because it may contain more than 93% silica, according to officials with the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health, or Cal/OSHA.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dozens of young to middle-aged countertop fabrication workers in California, overwhelmingly Latino immigrants, have been disabled or killed by the disease in recent years. Some died while awaiting lung transplants. Others must rely on oxygen machines, including a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11956246/california-fast-tracks-rules-to-protect-stonecutters-from-horrible-deaths\">27-year-old man\u003c/a> featured in a KQED story in July.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nationwide, 165 people died from silicosis between 2018 and 2021, said Nick Spinelli, a spokesperson for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, though the data is not specific to the countertop fabrication industry. [pullquote size=\"medium\" align=\"right\" citation=\"Dr. Sheiphali Gandhi, occupational pulmonologist, UCSF\"]‘It’s a public health disaster. We will keep seeing patients because a lot of people have already been exposed. So I think that, really, we are looking to improve things like five to 10 years down the road.’[/pullquote]There were no silicosis cases associated with artificial stone recorded before 2010 in California, according to the state’s Department of Public Health. However, the agency identified 93 stone workers who had contracted the disease in the last five years. As of Nov. 30, at least 10 had died.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hundreds more are expected to be diagnosed with silicosis if harmful exposures continue. That’s partly because most of the roughly 800 stone fabrication shops in California are small and often don’t have the capacity to comply with existing safety regulations, Cal/OSHA officials said. The agency is now working to streamline and strengthen rules to stall the risk of silica exposure, which can also cause lung cancer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s a public health disaster,” said Dr. Sheiphali Gandhi, an occupational pulmonologist at UCSF who participated in a Cal/OSHA advisory committee to bolster existing silica standards. “We will keep seeing patients because a lot of people have already been exposed. So I think that, really, we are looking to improve things like five to 10 years down the road.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.dir.ca.gov/OSHSB/Respirable-Crystalline-Silica-Emergency.html\">emergency regulations\u003c/a>, if approved by the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board, would restrict the dry cutting of artificial stone with more than 0.1% crystalline silica and natural stone that contains more than 10%. Tasks such as power cutting or drilling would require the use of wet-cutting saws or other tools that cover a material’s surface with water to suppress the dust. Employers would also be required to provide workers with powered air-purifying respirators or other highly protective masks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Current \u003ca href=\"https://www.dir.ca.gov/title8/1532_3.html#:~:text=(1)%20Permissible%20exposure%20limit%20(,as%20an%208%2Dhour%20TWA.\">rules\u003c/a> say employers must first complete sophisticated air monitoring of permissible silica levels before determining required protective steps.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The fact that we’re actually defining high risk based on the type of work rather than the air monitoring is a huge step in the right direction,” said Gandhi, who has diagnosed several silicosis patients, including Estrella Moreno. “Ideally, the best thing is to eliminate the toxic substance altogether. But if we are working with it, how can we do it safely?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Estrella Moreno began working as a stonecutter in San Francisco shortly after immigrating from Mexico more than two decades ago. He liked using his hands to carve stone and install projects in kitchens and living rooms.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11964918\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11964918\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-003-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A hand holds a phone showing the photo of a stone fireplace.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-003-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-003-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-003-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-003-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-003-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-003-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jorge Moreno holds a photo on his phone of stonecutting work from his job at his home in San Francisco on Oct. 17, 2023. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>At his home in the Lower Nob Hill neighborhood, Estrella Moreno’s eyes lit up as he pointed to the smooth stone tables he had made. He proudly pulled up photographs on his phone of modern chimney panels and kitchen countertops he had also crafted.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s an “honest job” that allowed him to raise his three kids in the U.S., he said, even though he doesn’t know how to read and write. His parents never sent him to school as a child. Even before Estrella Moreno was orphaned by age 11, he worked in agricultural fields sowing corn and other crops in Michoacan. He’s provided for himself ever since. [pullquote size=\"medium\" align=\"right\" citation=\"Jorge Estrella Moreno, stonecutter, San Francisco\"]‘One comes to this country to support one’s family, to get ahead. Unfortunately, this turned out to be a dangerous job.’[/pullquote]“One comes to this country to support one’s family, to get ahead. Unfortunately, this turned out to be a dangerous job,” Estrella Moreno said before burying his head in his hands.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Silicosis makes him feel like he’s asphyxiating when walking uphill. Talking requires loud breaths in between words. Exertion can make him dizzy, Estrella Moreno said. His family has been warned that he might need an oxygen machine or a lung transplant as the disease progresses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yet, Estrella Moreno has refused to quit his job as a stonecutter, where he earns about $28 an hour.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I have no other option. I have to work to support my family and pay rent,” said Estrella Moreno, adding that one of his sons is struggling with mental illness and can’t work. He needs money to pay for his son’s care.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11964920\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11964920\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-012-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A hand holds a photo of an adult with three children.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-012-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-012-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-012-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-012-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-012-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-012-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jorge Moreno holds a photo of his family when his kids were younger at their home in San Francisco on Oct. 17, 2023. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Estrella Moreno’s eldest daughter, Rosa Estrella, told KQED she has pleaded with her father to stop working. A medical assistant, she said she has watched in anguish as her dad can no longer do things they enjoyed together, like a carefree walk in the park.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She said she wanted to save money to pay for college and eventually become a nurse. Instead, she is looking for a second job to help her parents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I have to think of them first,” Rosa Estrella, 29, said. “It’s so hard to be in this situation and watch my dad go through this and struggle so much.” [pullquote size=\"medium\" align=\"right\" citation=\"Rosa Estrella, daughter of Jorge Estrella Moreno\"]‘It’s so hard to be in this situation and watch my dad go through this and struggle so much.’[/pullquote]Artificial stone workers in Israel, Spain, Australia and other countries have contracted a rapid onset of silicosis, which \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/silica/risks.html#:~:text=The%20type%20with%20the%20quickest,causing%20severe%20illness%20or%20death.\">can start developing\u003c/a> after only a few months of very high exposure.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In Australia, occupational safety authorities recently \u003ca href=\"https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-10/decision_ris_-_prohibition_on_the_use_of_engineered_stone_-_27_october_2023.pdf\">recommended\u003c/a> a national ban on using all engineered stone, including newer products manufacturers have developed with 50% or less silica content.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cal/OSHA officials \u003ca href=\"https://www.dir.ca.gov/oshsb/documents/petition-597-CalOSHAeval.pdf\">warned\u003c/a> that if widespread non-compliance with safety rules continues, the state should also develop plans to prohibit the use of engineered stone products, something major manufacturers and distributors vehemently oppose.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Public health officials in Los Angeles County, the state’s silicosis epicenter, recently \u003ca href=\"https://file.lacounty.gov/SDSInter/bos/bc/1150183_SilicosisPreventionandCareItem10BoardAgendaof6.6.2023.pdf\">concluded\u003c/a> that a local ban, which would only apply to the county’s unincorporated areas, could help protect workers and encourage safer alternatives.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Major artificial stone manufacturers maintain the material is being handled safely when appropriate measures, such as wet cutting and ventilation, are followed and that a ban would unnecessarily kill jobs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11964919\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11964919 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-009-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A person wearing a baseball cap lies down on a bed.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-009-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-009-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-009-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-009-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-009-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-009-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jorge Estrella Moreno rests while his wife Maria Valencia reads the bible at their home in San Francisco on Oct. 17, 2023. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Silicosis is entirely preventable,” said Eric Rose, a spokesman with the Stone Coalition, which represents manufacturers, distributors and fabricators. “Any contractor that follows Cal/OSHA’s guidelines ensures that any product cutting is done safely and with little risk to workers. Almost all experts agree that what is being cut matters less than how the stone is cut.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Top manufacturers, such as Cosentino, a company based in Spain, and the Israel-based Caesarstone, have told California regulators that they support creating a licensing program to sell engineered stone slabs only to fabrication businesses equipped to handle them safely.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Engineered stone, also known as quartz, is made of crushed stone bonded with adhesives and resins compacted into slabs in factories. Demand for it \u003ca href=\"https://www.freedoniagroup.com/industry-study/engineered-stone-countertops-4395.htm\">skyrocketed\u003c/a> in the U.S. over the last decade, becoming the top countertop material with a market size of \u003ca href=\"https://www.dir.ca.gov/OSHSB/documents/Respirable-Crystalline-Silica-Emergency-FOE.pdf\">$17.7 billion\u003c/a>, according to a Cal/OSHA review.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Consumers prefer it because it’s usually cheaper than natural stones such as marble. Its nonporous surface makes it easy to clean and difficult to stain, and it comes in a variety of colors and patterns. [pullquote size=\"medium\" align=\"right\" citation=\"James Nevin, attorney for Jorge Estrella Moreno and other plaintiffs\"]‘These companies knew they were selling a deadly product that was going to kill workers who have to fabricate it before it gets to the consumer.’[/pullquote]Estrella Moreno said he first cut engineered stone slabs in 2007. But he said he didn’t know until his diagnosis about the risk of inhaling the fine dust clouds as he worked. He said he wore an N95 mask, but those are less efficient at filtering silica particles than other respirators.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Estrella Moreno blames the manufacturers and suppliers of engineered stone that he and his wife have sued for damages. Almost 60 fabrication workers with silicosis in California are also suing, according to James Nevin, an attorney for Estrella Moreno and other plaintiffs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The lawsuits allege that the largest manufacturers — Caesarstone, Cosentino and Cambria, which is based in the U.S. — failed to adequately label and warn of the hazards of their products and didn’t issue effective instructions on how to use them safely.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“These companies knew they were selling a deadly product that was going to kill workers who have to fabricate it before it gets to the consumer,” Nevin said. “If there’s not a more clear case for a lawsuit, I don’t know what is.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Maria Valencia, Estrella Moreno’s wife, said she and her husband hope that by speaking up, they help prevent others from going through the suffering their family is experiencing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The companies that are producing those materials that are so toxic, that have so much silica, they just want to enrich themselves at the expense of so many people they are going to kill,” said Valencia, 49, who works as a manager at a fast food restaurant. “For me, it’s an injustice that they are putting people in that risk. It’s inhumane.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Caesarstone, Cosentino and Cambria declined to comment on the lawsuits.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Earlier this year, the owner of Cosentino \u003ca href=\"https://www.reuters.com/business/owner-spains-cosentino-admits-concealing-cause-silicosis-1900-workers-2023-02-07/\">admitted negligence\u003c/a> in a Spanish court for hiding the health risks of one of its best-selling artificial stone products, which allegedly led to nearly 1,900 workers developing silicosis. He agreed to pay 1.1 million euros to five stonemasons, one of whom had died and was given a six-month suspended sentence as part of a plea deal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the Bay Area, the father and son duo, who run a well-established stone fabrication facility in Santa Clara, are also calling for solutions, including a more regulated distribution market, stricter enforcement, and the sale of engineered stone products developed with a lower silica content. [aside label='More Stories on Workers’ Rights' tag='workers-rights']Manny De Oliveira, who founded United Marble & Granite Inc. in 1998, and his son, Shawn, lamented what they described as a proliferation of slab yards and stone distributors along nearby highways that sell engineered stone to “anyone with a credit card.” That’s led to “poor guys that don’t even speak English that get taken advantage of” laboring in the back of a truck or store “with just a T-shirt pulled up to cover their nose,” said De Oliveira, 67.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The De Oliveiras estimate that a small fabrication shop, with just two or three workers, would need to invest hundreds of thousands of dollars in basic equipment and other measures to keep workers safe.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On a recent visit to the company’s cavernous workspace, a KQED reporter observed employees in hardhats operating large robotic saws neatly slicing stone slabs layered in water from a computer screen. Others held smaller tools, releasing a water flow as they cut pieces. And in a blocked-off area, two workers wearing white industrial coveralls and powered air-purifying respirators finished the edges of a countertop as a ventilation system sucked dust into a duct with a running water curtain.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If you go to a lot of other shops, you’ll see this activity without the machines, without the suit. That’s the problem — guys are working dry without engineering controls, the equipment or protection,” Shawn De Oliveira, 42, said. “Everybody wants to be a fabricator, but nobody wants to do the safety part because it’s expensive. And the customer doesn’t even know what’s going on.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Jorge Estrella Moreno remembers the day he arrived at the studio apartment he shares with his wife and collapsed on the bed, weighed down by sadness and worry.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>His wife asked him what was wrong. “I have bad news,” he recalled telling her as he cried.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That day nearly a year ago, a doctor had diagnosed him with silicosis, an often fatal lung disease. Estrella Moreno, who lives in San Francisco, had unknowingly inhaled toxic silica dust for years while power-cutting slabs of engineered stone to make kitchen countertops and floor panelings. \u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>His lungs were irreversibly damaged, he remembers the doctor saying. There was no cure.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It felt like my world fell apart,” the 48-year-old father of three told KQED in Spanish. “It’s very sad to live with this disease because I’m alive today, but tomorrow, who knows? And my family still needs me.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Thursday, a California occupational safety board is \u003ca href=\"https://www.dir.ca.gov/OSHSB/Respirable-Crystalline-Silica-Emergency.html\">set to vote\u003c/a> on approving new emergency regulations to protect countertop fabrication workers handling engineered stone, a factory-made product that can have a much higher silica content than natural stone. The material has been linked to an accelerated and more aggressive form of silicosis with a \u003ca href=\"https://www.dir.ca.gov/OSHSB/documents/Respirable-Crystalline-Silica-Emergency-FOE.pdf\">fatality rate of 19%\u003c/a> in the industry, according to state workplace regulators.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Medical professionals have known the health risks of inhaling silica dust for centuries. Silica is a mineral found in the earth’s crust. Cutting granite, sandstone and other stones releases \u003ca href=\"https://depts.washington.edu/silica/silica.html#:~:text=The%20most%20common%20form%20of,%2C%20silicon%20carbide%2C%20and%20silicone.\">crystalline silica\u003c/a> into the air. When inhaled, tiny particles can get lodged in the lungs and, over decades, lead to scarring and difficulty breathing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But artificial stone, a popular and relatively new material in the U.S. market, is \u003ca href=\"https://www.dir.ca.gov/oshsb/documents/petition-597-CalOSHAeval.pdf\">uniquely hazardous\u003c/a> to stonecutters because it may contain more than 93% silica, according to officials with the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health, or Cal/OSHA.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dozens of young to middle-aged countertop fabrication workers in California, overwhelmingly Latino immigrants, have been disabled or killed by the disease in recent years. Some died while awaiting lung transplants. Others must rely on oxygen machines, including a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11956246/california-fast-tracks-rules-to-protect-stonecutters-from-horrible-deaths\">27-year-old man\u003c/a> featured in a KQED story in July.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nationwide, 165 people died from silicosis between 2018 and 2021, said Nick Spinelli, a spokesperson for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, though the data is not specific to the countertop fabrication industry. \u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "‘It’s a public health disaster. We will keep seeing patients because a lot of people have already been exposed. So I think that, really, we are looking to improve things like five to 10 years down the road.’",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>There were no silicosis cases associated with artificial stone recorded before 2010 in California, according to the state’s Department of Public Health. However, the agency identified 93 stone workers who had contracted the disease in the last five years. As of Nov. 30, at least 10 had died.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hundreds more are expected to be diagnosed with silicosis if harmful exposures continue. That’s partly because most of the roughly 800 stone fabrication shops in California are small and often don’t have the capacity to comply with existing safety regulations, Cal/OSHA officials said. The agency is now working to streamline and strengthen rules to stall the risk of silica exposure, which can also cause lung cancer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s a public health disaster,” said Dr. Sheiphali Gandhi, an occupational pulmonologist at UCSF who participated in a Cal/OSHA advisory committee to bolster existing silica standards. “We will keep seeing patients because a lot of people have already been exposed. So I think that, really, we are looking to improve things like five to 10 years down the road.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.dir.ca.gov/OSHSB/Respirable-Crystalline-Silica-Emergency.html\">emergency regulations\u003c/a>, if approved by the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board, would restrict the dry cutting of artificial stone with more than 0.1% crystalline silica and natural stone that contains more than 10%. Tasks such as power cutting or drilling would require the use of wet-cutting saws or other tools that cover a material’s surface with water to suppress the dust. Employers would also be required to provide workers with powered air-purifying respirators or other highly protective masks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Current \u003ca href=\"https://www.dir.ca.gov/title8/1532_3.html#:~:text=(1)%20Permissible%20exposure%20limit%20(,as%20an%208%2Dhour%20TWA.\">rules\u003c/a> say employers must first complete sophisticated air monitoring of permissible silica levels before determining required protective steps.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The fact that we’re actually defining high risk based on the type of work rather than the air monitoring is a huge step in the right direction,” said Gandhi, who has diagnosed several silicosis patients, including Estrella Moreno. “Ideally, the best thing is to eliminate the toxic substance altogether. But if we are working with it, how can we do it safely?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Estrella Moreno began working as a stonecutter in San Francisco shortly after immigrating from Mexico more than two decades ago. He liked using his hands to carve stone and install projects in kitchens and living rooms.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11964918\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11964918\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-003-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A hand holds a phone showing the photo of a stone fireplace.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-003-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-003-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-003-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-003-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-003-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-003-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jorge Moreno holds a photo on his phone of stonecutting work from his job at his home in San Francisco on Oct. 17, 2023. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>At his home in the Lower Nob Hill neighborhood, Estrella Moreno’s eyes lit up as he pointed to the smooth stone tables he had made. He proudly pulled up photographs on his phone of modern chimney panels and kitchen countertops he had also crafted.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s an “honest job” that allowed him to raise his three kids in the U.S., he said, even though he doesn’t know how to read and write. His parents never sent him to school as a child. Even before Estrella Moreno was orphaned by age 11, he worked in agricultural fields sowing corn and other crops in Michoacan. He’s provided for himself ever since. \u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“One comes to this country to support one’s family, to get ahead. Unfortunately, this turned out to be a dangerous job,” Estrella Moreno said before burying his head in his hands.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Silicosis makes him feel like he’s asphyxiating when walking uphill. Talking requires loud breaths in between words. Exertion can make him dizzy, Estrella Moreno said. His family has been warned that he might need an oxygen machine or a lung transplant as the disease progresses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yet, Estrella Moreno has refused to quit his job as a stonecutter, where he earns about $28 an hour.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I have no other option. I have to work to support my family and pay rent,” said Estrella Moreno, adding that one of his sons is struggling with mental illness and can’t work. He needs money to pay for his son’s care.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11964920\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11964920\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-012-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A hand holds a photo of an adult with three children.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-012-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-012-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-012-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-012-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-012-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-012-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jorge Moreno holds a photo of his family when his kids were younger at their home in San Francisco on Oct. 17, 2023. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Estrella Moreno’s eldest daughter, Rosa Estrella, told KQED she has pleaded with her father to stop working. A medical assistant, she said she has watched in anguish as her dad can no longer do things they enjoyed together, like a carefree walk in the park.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She said she wanted to save money to pay for college and eventually become a nurse. Instead, she is looking for a second job to help her parents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I have to think of them first,” Rosa Estrella, 29, said. “It’s so hard to be in this situation and watch my dad go through this and struggle so much.” \u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Artificial stone workers in Israel, Spain, Australia and other countries have contracted a rapid onset of silicosis, which \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/silica/risks.html#:~:text=The%20type%20with%20the%20quickest,causing%20severe%20illness%20or%20death.\">can start developing\u003c/a> after only a few months of very high exposure.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In Australia, occupational safety authorities recently \u003ca href=\"https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-10/decision_ris_-_prohibition_on_the_use_of_engineered_stone_-_27_october_2023.pdf\">recommended\u003c/a> a national ban on using all engineered stone, including newer products manufacturers have developed with 50% or less silica content.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cal/OSHA officials \u003ca href=\"https://www.dir.ca.gov/oshsb/documents/petition-597-CalOSHAeval.pdf\">warned\u003c/a> that if widespread non-compliance with safety rules continues, the state should also develop plans to prohibit the use of engineered stone products, something major manufacturers and distributors vehemently oppose.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Public health officials in Los Angeles County, the state’s silicosis epicenter, recently \u003ca href=\"https://file.lacounty.gov/SDSInter/bos/bc/1150183_SilicosisPreventionandCareItem10BoardAgendaof6.6.2023.pdf\">concluded\u003c/a> that a local ban, which would only apply to the county’s unincorporated areas, could help protect workers and encourage safer alternatives.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Major artificial stone manufacturers maintain the material is being handled safely when appropriate measures, such as wet cutting and ventilation, are followed and that a ban would unnecessarily kill jobs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11964919\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11964919 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-009-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A person wearing a baseball cap lies down on a bed.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-009-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-009-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-009-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-009-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-009-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231017-StonecutterSilicosis-009-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jorge Estrella Moreno rests while his wife Maria Valencia reads the bible at their home in San Francisco on Oct. 17, 2023. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Silicosis is entirely preventable,” said Eric Rose, a spokesman with the Stone Coalition, which represents manufacturers, distributors and fabricators. “Any contractor that follows Cal/OSHA’s guidelines ensures that any product cutting is done safely and with little risk to workers. Almost all experts agree that what is being cut matters less than how the stone is cut.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Top manufacturers, such as Cosentino, a company based in Spain, and the Israel-based Caesarstone, have told California regulators that they support creating a licensing program to sell engineered stone slabs only to fabrication businesses equipped to handle them safely.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Engineered stone, also known as quartz, is made of crushed stone bonded with adhesives and resins compacted into slabs in factories. Demand for it \u003ca href=\"https://www.freedoniagroup.com/industry-study/engineered-stone-countertops-4395.htm\">skyrocketed\u003c/a> in the U.S. over the last decade, becoming the top countertop material with a market size of \u003ca href=\"https://www.dir.ca.gov/OSHSB/documents/Respirable-Crystalline-Silica-Emergency-FOE.pdf\">$17.7 billion\u003c/a>, according to a Cal/OSHA review.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Consumers prefer it because it’s usually cheaper than natural stones such as marble. Its nonporous surface makes it easy to clean and difficult to stain, and it comes in a variety of colors and patterns. \u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "‘These companies knew they were selling a deadly product that was going to kill workers who have to fabricate it before it gets to the consumer.’",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Estrella Moreno said he first cut engineered stone slabs in 2007. But he said he didn’t know until his diagnosis about the risk of inhaling the fine dust clouds as he worked. He said he wore an N95 mask, but those are less efficient at filtering silica particles than other respirators.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Estrella Moreno blames the manufacturers and suppliers of engineered stone that he and his wife have sued for damages. Almost 60 fabrication workers with silicosis in California are also suing, according to James Nevin, an attorney for Estrella Moreno and other plaintiffs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The lawsuits allege that the largest manufacturers — Caesarstone, Cosentino and Cambria, which is based in the U.S. — failed to adequately label and warn of the hazards of their products and didn’t issue effective instructions on how to use them safely.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“These companies knew they were selling a deadly product that was going to kill workers who have to fabricate it before it gets to the consumer,” Nevin said. “If there’s not a more clear case for a lawsuit, I don’t know what is.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Maria Valencia, Estrella Moreno’s wife, said she and her husband hope that by speaking up, they help prevent others from going through the suffering their family is experiencing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The companies that are producing those materials that are so toxic, that have so much silica, they just want to enrich themselves at the expense of so many people they are going to kill,” said Valencia, 49, who works as a manager at a fast food restaurant. “For me, it’s an injustice that they are putting people in that risk. It’s inhumane.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Caesarstone, Cosentino and Cambria declined to comment on the lawsuits.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Earlier this year, the owner of Cosentino \u003ca href=\"https://www.reuters.com/business/owner-spains-cosentino-admits-concealing-cause-silicosis-1900-workers-2023-02-07/\">admitted negligence\u003c/a> in a Spanish court for hiding the health risks of one of its best-selling artificial stone products, which allegedly led to nearly 1,900 workers developing silicosis. He agreed to pay 1.1 million euros to five stonemasons, one of whom had died and was given a six-month suspended sentence as part of a plea deal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the Bay Area, the father and son duo, who run a well-established stone fabrication facility in Santa Clara, are also calling for solutions, including a more regulated distribution market, stricter enforcement, and the sale of engineered stone products developed with a lower silica content. \u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Manny De Oliveira, who founded United Marble & Granite Inc. in 1998, and his son, Shawn, lamented what they described as a proliferation of slab yards and stone distributors along nearby highways that sell engineered stone to “anyone with a credit card.” That’s led to “poor guys that don’t even speak English that get taken advantage of” laboring in the back of a truck or store “with just a T-shirt pulled up to cover their nose,” said De Oliveira, 67.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The De Oliveiras estimate that a small fabrication shop, with just two or three workers, would need to invest hundreds of thousands of dollars in basic equipment and other measures to keep workers safe.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On a recent visit to the company’s cavernous workspace, a KQED reporter observed employees in hardhats operating large robotic saws neatly slicing stone slabs layered in water from a computer screen. Others held smaller tools, releasing a water flow as they cut pieces. And in a blocked-off area, two workers wearing white industrial coveralls and powered air-purifying respirators finished the edges of a countertop as a ventilation system sucked dust into a duct with a running water curtain.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If you go to a lot of other shops, you’ll see this activity without the machines, without the suit. That’s the problem — guys are working dry without engineering controls, the equipment or protection,” Shawn De Oliveira, 42, said. “Everybody wants to be a fabricator, but nobody wants to do the safety part because it’s expensive. And the customer doesn’t even know what’s going on.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"title": "Can US Senate Candidates Motivate Latino Californians to Vote?",
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"headTitle": "Can US Senate Candidates Motivate Latino Californians to Vote? | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>For six generations since emigrating from Mexico to America, Clarissa Renteria’s family never voted.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If any campaign mailers arrived during election season, Renteria’s parents — who both worked as warehouse workers in Woodlake, an agricultural town of 7,600 in California’s citrus belt — would throw them away. When their neighbor was elected mayor of Woodlake, Renteria’s father shrugged it off. “Look at him trying to fit in,” Renteria remembers her father saying.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“My family just didn’t feel included in the politics, didn’t feel seen,” Renteria, 25, said in an interview at a voter registration event in Tulare. “It was just like, ‘You guys obviously don’t care about me. I don’t care about you, and I’m not going to vote. I’m just going to work to live, and that’s it.’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lack of engagement is shared by millions of eligible Latino Californians who miss out on voting each year. Latinos are \u003ca href=\"https://latino.ucla.edu/research/voter-turnout-gaps-2020/\">the least likely to vote\u003c/a>, though they comprise the single largest racial and ethnic group statewide, research shows. They account for just 25% of the state’s likely voters despite making up 36% of the adult population statewide, \u003ca href=\"https://www.ppic.org/publication/californias-likely-voters/\">according to the Public Policy Institute of California\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But they could hold the key to the 2024 U.S. Senate race since they’re a voting bloc largely untapped by the leading candidates.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Whoever wins over Latino voters is going to win the March primary in 2024,” said \u003ca href=\"https://latinocf.org/our-team/christian-arana/\">Christian Arana\u003c/a>, vice president of policy at the Latino Community Foundation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But who’s that going to be? With less than four months until the March 5 primary, many Latino voters are still unsure.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[pullquote size=\"medium\" align=\"right\" citation=\"Mindy Romero, founder and director, Center for Inclusive Democracy\"]‘We know that often in the Latino community … that you need to make the case and build trust and use trusted messengers.’[/pullquote]The leading Democratic candidates — U.S. Reps. Barbara Lee, Katie Porter and Adam Schiff — are mainly polling less than 20% among Latino voters, while 30% to 40% remain undecided, according to surveys \u003ca href=\"https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5gk3z8qc\">conducted this year\u003c/a>. In an \u003ca href=\"https://bspresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Toplines-LCF-Survey-of-Latinos-in-California-October-2023.pdf\">October Latino Community Foundation and BSP Research poll\u003c/a> of 900 Latino voters, roughly half said they did not have an opinion about the Senate candidates yet or did know enough about them to form one.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We are not seeing yet any of the Latino electorate connect with any particular candidates for U.S. Senate,” said \u003ca href=\"http://mattbarreto.com/\">Matt Barreto\u003c/a>, founder of BSP Research and the Latino Policy and Politics Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think all of these candidates who are running right now are behind.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Among all voters, Schiff and Porter are the \u003ca href=\"https://escholarship.org/uc/item/4ss4k2bj\">frontrunners in polls in the past two months\u003c/a>, well ahead of Lee and Republicans, though roughly one-third of those surveyed are still undecided. Regardless of party, the top two vote-getters on March 5 advance to the November general election.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Candidates have met with Latino leaders, conducted listening tours in communities of color and visited Latino business owners around the state, some as early as \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/katieporteroc/status/1625200808718639104\">February\u003c/a>, according to the campaigns. They have also been racking up endorsements from Latino leaders locally and nationally. On Nov. 4, the three top Democrats — Lee, Porter and Schiff — participated in \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDjXgqoxigY\">a forum on immigration issues\u003c/a> hosted by The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights Action Fund.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But political experts say gaining support from Latino voters requires much more: Early, consistent and aggressive campaign outreach, but more importantly, issues that resonate enough to persuade Latinos to not only vote but vote for them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Low voter turnout is almost as significant an indicator of a lack of appeal of a message as voting for another party,” said Mike Madrid, former political director for the California Republican Party and a political strategist with expertise on Latino voting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I don’t care how early you start. If you don’t have a message that resonates, it doesn’t matter.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https://flo.uri.sh/visualisation/15765630/embed#?secret=XfA4wgFgKs\" width=\"800\" height=\"800\" scrolling=\"yes\" class=\"iframe-class\" frameborder=\"0\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Population-wise, the potential political power of Latinos in California seems unmatched.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/CA/PST045222\">They are the biggest racial and ethnic group, accounting for 40% of the state’s population.\u003c/a> California is also home to 8 million — or one quarter — of the nation’s eligible Latino voters, more than any other state, \u003ca href=\"https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2022/10/12/key-facts-about-hispanic-eligible-voters-in-2022/#:~:text=California%20is%20home%20to%20about,state%20of%20California%20in%202020.\">according to the Pew Research Center\u003c/a>. And that number is growing as young Latinos come of age, \u003ca href=\"https://www.ppic.org/blog/californias-changing-immigration-is-reshaping-its-electorate/\">increasing their share of the state’s eligible voting population. \u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, Latinos are significantly underrepresented in voter registration and turnout statewide and nationwide.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They made up just 14% of “frequent voters” (those who voted in at least five of the seven most recent elections), while white voters made up 71%, according to an August poll from the \u003ca href=\"https://escholarship.org/uc/item/8s0525pm\">University of California Berkeley Institute of Government Studies\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Latinos also had the lowest turnout rate of all groups in the 2020 election statewide and nationwide, \u003ca href=\"https://latino.ucla.edu/research/voter-turnout-gaps-2020/\">according to a 2022 analysis by the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute\u003c/a>. Just 60% of eligible Latinos in California registered to vote, and just 55% of eligible Latinos voted, the data shows. They accounted for 32% of California’s eligible voters but only 27% of those who voted that year.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Poorer + younger = less engaged\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Why are Latinos less likely to vote?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One contributing factor: Latinos are disproportionately poorer, especially in California, \u003ca href=\"https://statehealthcompare.shadac.org/map/82/income-inequality-gini-coefficient#a/42/119\">which is among states with the highest income inequality\u003c/a>, Madrid noted.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.ppic.org/publication/poverty-in-california/#:~:text=The%20Latino%20poverty%20rate%20increased,but%2039.7%25%20of%20all%20Californians.\">More than half of Californians living in poverty\u003c/a> are Latinos, according to data from the Public Policy Institute of California. \u003ca href=\"https://www.car.org/aboutus/mediacenter/newsreleases/2023-News-Releases/2022haibyethnicity\">Only 1 in 10 Latino households\u003c/a> can afford a median-priced home in the state — a percentage lower than their white and Asian counterparts, according to the California Association of Realtors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID=\"news_11957686\" label=\"Related Story\"]“When you have no upward economic mobility … that’s a very big problem for turnout,” Madrid said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jovonna Renteria, a 26-year-old Latino voter in Tulare County, said working-class Latinos in her neighborhood prioritize their immediate needs — such as housing, food and childcare — over voting. Her mother works in a warehouse, and she is a first-generation college student majoring in social work.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When people are so focused on just trying to survive, (voting) gets pushed to the side,” said Jovonna Renteria, who is not related to Clarissa Renteria.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Latinos in California also \u003ca href=\"https://latino.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/15-facts-about-Latino-Well-Being-R11.pdf\">tend to be younger\u003c/a>, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.ppic.org/publication/californias-population/\">more than half of the state’s population ages 24 and younger are Latinos\u003c/a>, research shows. Nationwide, \u003ca href=\"https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/growing-latino-vote-factor-2024-election/story?id=103641807\">34 million young Latinos will be qualified to vote\u003c/a> next year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But younger voters are less likely to participate, political experts say. They tend to be less affluent and motivated to vote not by habit but by issues that matter to them, said \u003ca href=\"https://www.ppic.org/person/mark-baldassare/\">Mark Baldassare\u003c/a>, survey director at the Public Policy Institute of California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Youths also have a lower “stake in society” since they are less likely to be parents or homeowners, who tend to be more invested in local politics such as property taxes or school bonds, Madrid said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If you don’t do that, you have a very transient mobile society, and that is a very civically disengaged one, which is not good for democracy,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘Disenfranchised’ and disconnected\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Mateo Fernandez, 17, will be a first-time voter next year. While he is excited, the San Diego native said no one around him talked about voting until he was in eighth grade.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“A lot of people will tell you: ‘I just don’t know … how that works.’ Or they feel hopeless like they have no power in what’s going on around them because everyone else seems so much more powerful,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jovonna Renteria saw the same in her community. She said Latinos feel “disenfranchised” and have “lost faith in the system” since they don’t see how they can benefit from those elections.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The feeling of disconnect is partly due to a historical and current lack of outreach from political campaigns, said \u003ca href=\"https://priceschool.usc.edu/people/mindy-romero/\">Mindy Romero\u003c/a>, founder and director of the Center for Inclusive Democracy and a political scientist who studies voting and underrepresentation among communities of color.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s a chicken-and-egg problem \u003ca href=\"https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2020/09/23/study-says-many-latinos-dont-vote-because-they-arent-sought-and-they-arent-sought-because-they-dont-vote/\">echoed in other states such as Texas\u003c/a>: Latinos are less likely to vote because campaigns rarely reach out to them, but campaigns are less inclined to reach out to them because they focus on likely voters, Romero noted.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We know that often in the Latino community … that you need to make the case and build trust and use trusted messengers,” she said. “We still don’t see candidates doing it, or at least not in a sustained way.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But when campaigns do reach out, some rely on stereotypes about the Latino communities, holding events featuring mariachi bands, sprinkling in a few Spanish words and “parachuting” in and out, Romero said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11968102\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/110123-Voters-Registration-Tulare-ZS-CM-118.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11968102\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/110123-Voters-Registration-Tulare-ZS-CM-118-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"A woman dressed in green talks to a woman wearing glasses sitting on the other side of a table with people walking around in the background.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/110123-Voters-Registration-Tulare-ZS-CM-118-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/110123-Voters-Registration-Tulare-ZS-CM-118-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/110123-Voters-Registration-Tulare-ZS-CM-118-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/110123-Voters-Registration-Tulare-ZS-CM-118-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/110123-Voters-Registration-Tulare-ZS-CM-118-1920x1280.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/110123-Voters-Registration-Tulare-ZS-CM-118.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">In Tulare, organizers inform attendees about their rights as voters and the available resources within the community on Nov. 1, 2023. \u003ccite>(Zaydee Sanchez/CalMatters.)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Presidential campaigns are also known to hold events at taco shops to rally the Latino vote, running the risk of what Barreto called \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-11-23/2020-elections-mexican-restaurants\">“Hispandering.”\u003c/a> Both Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden dined at King Taco — a famous Los Angeles joint — during their presidential bids.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“But there’s so much more to our community than that one particular taco shop in East L.A.,” Arana said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The inconsistent outreach makes Latino voters feel ignored, said \u003ca href=\"https://lulac.org/about/board/\">Jose Barrera\u003c/a>, national vice president for the Far West at the League of United Latin American Citizens.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Come every four years, it seems like everybody wants our vote,” he said. “But once elected, candidates seem to forget about us. …Why should we as a community support some people who really promise everything but never deliver?”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A wide-open race\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>When asked by CalMatters how they have connected with Latino voters, the leading U.S. Senate candidates pointed to their outreach efforts, endorsements and track record.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lee, Porter and Schiff have all met with Latino business owners and leaders in Southern California, the Central Valley and the Bay area, holding most events in San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Fresno or nearby areas, according to their campaigns.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All three campaigns pointed to their advocacy in Congress for a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants and for expanding health care coverage. They are all \u003ca href=\"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/1511?s=1&r=94&q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22hr+6%22%5D%7D\">co-sponsors of the House version of the “Registry Act,”\u003c/a> which would allow some undocumented immigrants to qualify for lawful status.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Schiff’s campaign highlighted his support for expanded child tax credits, affordable housing, clean energy and more, as well as his role in leading the first impeachment trial against former President Donald Trump. He also introduced the Head Start Expansion and Improvement Act, which would invest billions in providing services to children from low-income families.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Porter’s campaign also noted that she pushed for more language assistance for non-English-speaking voters and advocated for free COVID-19 testing for all. She was also the first Senate candidate to launch her campaign website in multiple languages, including Spanish, her campaign said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lee — who responded to CalMatters after the story was published — mainly touted her stance on immigration issues, noting she is the only candidate to have \u003ca href=\"https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/107-2002/h367\">voted against the creation of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in 2002\u003c/a> and said she now wants to slash Customs and Border Protection funding in half. Schiff, then in his first term, voted in favor of creating ICE. Lee also noted her long history of supporting Medicare for All and said she supports canceling all student debts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lexi Reese, a Democratic candidate who is barely registering in polls, said her background as a business owner helps her understand the struggles of small businesses. She said she is the only fluent Spanish speaker in the race and conducted listening tours in both languages.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A spokesperson for Eric Early, a top GOP contender, said that Latino voters he spoke to want a lower cost of living, tougher regulations on violent crimes and a stop to “the indoctrination of our children in schools” and “the flood of illegal immigration and fentanyl across the southern border.” He also touted his lawsuit against the Santa Barbara Unified School District for diversity training, \u003ca href=\"https://law.justia.com/cases/california/court-of-appeal/2021/b309248.html\">which was thrown out\u003c/a> in federal court.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Republican Steve Garvey, the L.A. Dodgers legend who \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/newsletters/whatmatters/2023/10/mental-health-newsom/#wm-story-1\">entered the race last month\u003c/a>, did not respond to a CalMatters inquiry.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While Latino advocacy groups haven’t announced endorsements or have no plans for them, some notable community leaders have made up their minds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Schiff, who has received dozens of endorsements from Latino lawmakers and leaders, gained support from state Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, U.S. Rep. Nanette Barragán, chairperson of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and recently from former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. Porter’s campaign stressed her support from nearly a dozen Latino leaders, including U.S. Rep. and former Long Beach mayor Robert Garcia, as well as Eddie Martinez, executive director of Latino Equality Alliance and mayor of Huntington Park. Lee also received endorsements from Dolores Huerta, longtime activist and co-founder of United Farm Workers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11968103\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/110123-Voters-Registration-Tulare-ZS-CM-131.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11968103\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/110123-Voters-Registration-Tulare-ZS-CM-131-800x533.jpg\" alt='A side view of a woman wearing glasses seated next to other people with a sign that reads \"Register to Vote\" on the floor.' width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/110123-Voters-Registration-Tulare-ZS-CM-131-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/110123-Voters-Registration-Tulare-ZS-CM-131-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/110123-Voters-Registration-Tulare-ZS-CM-131-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/110123-Voters-Registration-Tulare-ZS-CM-131-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/110123-Voters-Registration-Tulare-ZS-CM-131-1920x1280.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/110123-Voters-Registration-Tulare-ZS-CM-131.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Rosalinda Avitia, 73, listens to organizers as they review voter registration information in Tulare on Nov. 1, 2023. \u003ccite>(Zaydee Sanchez/CalMatters.)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>But despite the monthslong outreach by some campaigns, a sizable portion of Latino voters are still undecided, polls show. That’s partly because none of the top candidates have been on a statewide ballot and, therefore, have low name recognition, some experts say.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I don’t think that any of the candidates come with a natural advantage,” Baldassare said. “(Schiff) has been high-profile in Washington, but that doesn’t mean he’s high-profile with the California voters.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Additionally, campaigns must expand beyond immigration as a top issue, which is a “relic of the past,” Madrid said. A fast-growing portion of the electorate are U.S.-born Latinos who are not as motivated by the issue, and \u003ca href=\"https://bspresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/LCF-October-2023-Survey-Crosstab-Results.pdf\">polls have shown\u003c/a> that the economy, inflation and joblessness — not immigration — are consistently the top issue among Latinos, he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“How do you have the largest ethnic group in the state with the lowest voter turnout rates when they are telling you … that the No. 1 issue they have is jobs and the economy, and yet, all the Latino advocacy groups are talking about is immigration?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Nov. 4 forum was focused almost exclusively on immigration. Madrid argues that while the issue was important, it shouldn’t be all there is.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Fatima Flores, a spokesperson for the coalition that hosted the forum, said it was to “uplift the intersections of other issues within immigration” so members could “walk away informed and knowledgeable.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And Angelica Salas, the coalition’s executive director, said it wants to see a “torch bearer” on immigration issues among the Senate candidates seeking to succeed the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who Salas deemed a “vanguard” of immigration reform.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Yes, they are all supportive,” Salas said of top Democrats in the race. “But we are looking for the leader who is going to advance this cause, but more importantly, is going to finally be part of the leadership that’s going to get immigration reform over the finish line.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Arana said he is glad candidates have been out engaging Latino voters. But they must make sure the outreach is consistent and the message is on point, he said, pointing to \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/elections/2020/04/bernie-california-vote-update-primary-results-charts/\">Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders’ win in the California presidential primary in 2020\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sanders proposed debt-free public colleges and universal health care, which resonated with young Latino voters, Arana said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“He opened offices in areas where campaigns … normally wouldn’t,” he said. “Not only did he open that office, he hired people from the community, so it almost made it seem like it was a partnership to change the country.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11968104\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/110123-Voters-Registration-Tulare-ZS-CM-137.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11968104\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/110123-Voters-Registration-Tulare-ZS-CM-137-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"A woman wearing face paint and a green, floral print dress stands next to a window.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/110123-Voters-Registration-Tulare-ZS-CM-137-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/110123-Voters-Registration-Tulare-ZS-CM-137-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/110123-Voters-Registration-Tulare-ZS-CM-137-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/110123-Voters-Registration-Tulare-ZS-CM-137-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/110123-Voters-Registration-Tulare-ZS-CM-137-1920x1280.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/110123-Voters-Registration-Tulare-ZS-CM-137.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Clarissa Renteria, 25, a resident of Tulare County at the voter registration event in downtown Tulare on Nov. 1, 2023. \u003ccite>(Zaydee Sanchez/CalMatters.)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>As for now, things have mostly been quiet in the city of Tulare.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the local voter registration drive and Día de Los Muertos celebration hosted by several Latino advocacy groups, including the League of United Latin American Citizens, two dozen residents showed up, some drawn by the free food. Half a block away, a train whooshed by every few minutes on the railway track that sliced through the city, the blaring horn contrasting with the sleepy downtown.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I thought it was not real,” Clarissa Renteria said outside the event venue, joking about when she first heard about it. Such events are rare in Tulare, she said. No one has knocked on her door for the Senate candidates, and she has seen no signs of campaign outreach in the area.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We don’t really have a lot of that around here,” she said. “But I feel like as soon as you get other people who are also Mexican, like myself, to see: ‘Hey, I’m talking about these issues,’ maybe they’ll get more engaged. I think that’s what we need to see.”\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "Latino voters are up for grabs in the 2024 California election and could help decide who wins the U.S. Senate seat. But will the campaigns do enough outreach to convince them?",
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"title": "Can US Senate Candidates Motivate Latino Californians to Vote? | KQED",
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"headline": "Can US Senate Candidates Motivate Latino Californians to Vote?",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>For six generations since emigrating from Mexico to America, Clarissa Renteria’s family never voted.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If any campaign mailers arrived during election season, Renteria’s parents — who both worked as warehouse workers in Woodlake, an agricultural town of 7,600 in California’s citrus belt — would throw them away. When their neighbor was elected mayor of Woodlake, Renteria’s father shrugged it off. “Look at him trying to fit in,” Renteria remembers her father saying.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“My family just didn’t feel included in the politics, didn’t feel seen,” Renteria, 25, said in an interview at a voter registration event in Tulare. “It was just like, ‘You guys obviously don’t care about me. I don’t care about you, and I’m not going to vote. I’m just going to work to live, and that’s it.’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lack of engagement is shared by millions of eligible Latino Californians who miss out on voting each year. Latinos are \u003ca href=\"https://latino.ucla.edu/research/voter-turnout-gaps-2020/\">the least likely to vote\u003c/a>, though they comprise the single largest racial and ethnic group statewide, research shows. They account for just 25% of the state’s likely voters despite making up 36% of the adult population statewide, \u003ca href=\"https://www.ppic.org/publication/californias-likely-voters/\">according to the Public Policy Institute of California\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But they could hold the key to the 2024 U.S. Senate race since they’re a voting bloc largely untapped by the leading candidates.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Whoever wins over Latino voters is going to win the March primary in 2024,” said \u003ca href=\"https://latinocf.org/our-team/christian-arana/\">Christian Arana\u003c/a>, vice president of policy at the Latino Community Foundation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But who’s that going to be? With less than four months until the March 5 primary, many Latino voters are still unsure.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>The leading Democratic candidates — U.S. Reps. Barbara Lee, Katie Porter and Adam Schiff — are mainly polling less than 20% among Latino voters, while 30% to 40% remain undecided, according to surveys \u003ca href=\"https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5gk3z8qc\">conducted this year\u003c/a>. In an \u003ca href=\"https://bspresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Toplines-LCF-Survey-of-Latinos-in-California-October-2023.pdf\">October Latino Community Foundation and BSP Research poll\u003c/a> of 900 Latino voters, roughly half said they did not have an opinion about the Senate candidates yet or did know enough about them to form one.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We are not seeing yet any of the Latino electorate connect with any particular candidates for U.S. Senate,” said \u003ca href=\"http://mattbarreto.com/\">Matt Barreto\u003c/a>, founder of BSP Research and the Latino Policy and Politics Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think all of these candidates who are running right now are behind.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Among all voters, Schiff and Porter are the \u003ca href=\"https://escholarship.org/uc/item/4ss4k2bj\">frontrunners in polls in the past two months\u003c/a>, well ahead of Lee and Republicans, though roughly one-third of those surveyed are still undecided. Regardless of party, the top two vote-getters on March 5 advance to the November general election.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Candidates have met with Latino leaders, conducted listening tours in communities of color and visited Latino business owners around the state, some as early as \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/katieporteroc/status/1625200808718639104\">February\u003c/a>, according to the campaigns. They have also been racking up endorsements from Latino leaders locally and nationally. On Nov. 4, the three top Democrats — Lee, Porter and Schiff — participated in \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDjXgqoxigY\">a forum on immigration issues\u003c/a> hosted by The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights Action Fund.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But political experts say gaining support from Latino voters requires much more: Early, consistent and aggressive campaign outreach, but more importantly, issues that resonate enough to persuade Latinos to not only vote but vote for them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Low voter turnout is almost as significant an indicator of a lack of appeal of a message as voting for another party,” said Mike Madrid, former political director for the California Republican Party and a political strategist with expertise on Latino voting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I don’t care how early you start. If you don’t have a message that resonates, it doesn’t matter.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https://flo.uri.sh/visualisation/15765630/embed#?secret=XfA4wgFgKs\" width=\"800\" height=\"800\" scrolling=\"yes\" class=\"iframe-class\" frameborder=\"0\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Population-wise, the potential political power of Latinos in California seems unmatched.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/CA/PST045222\">They are the biggest racial and ethnic group, accounting for 40% of the state’s population.\u003c/a> California is also home to 8 million — or one quarter — of the nation’s eligible Latino voters, more than any other state, \u003ca href=\"https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2022/10/12/key-facts-about-hispanic-eligible-voters-in-2022/#:~:text=California%20is%20home%20to%20about,state%20of%20California%20in%202020.\">according to the Pew Research Center\u003c/a>. And that number is growing as young Latinos come of age, \u003ca href=\"https://www.ppic.org/blog/californias-changing-immigration-is-reshaping-its-electorate/\">increasing their share of the state’s eligible voting population. \u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, Latinos are significantly underrepresented in voter registration and turnout statewide and nationwide.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They made up just 14% of “frequent voters” (those who voted in at least five of the seven most recent elections), while white voters made up 71%, according to an August poll from the \u003ca href=\"https://escholarship.org/uc/item/8s0525pm\">University of California Berkeley Institute of Government Studies\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Latinos also had the lowest turnout rate of all groups in the 2020 election statewide and nationwide, \u003ca href=\"https://latino.ucla.edu/research/voter-turnout-gaps-2020/\">according to a 2022 analysis by the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute\u003c/a>. Just 60% of eligible Latinos in California registered to vote, and just 55% of eligible Latinos voted, the data shows. They accounted for 32% of California’s eligible voters but only 27% of those who voted that year.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Poorer + younger = less engaged\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Why are Latinos less likely to vote?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One contributing factor: Latinos are disproportionately poorer, especially in California, \u003ca href=\"https://statehealthcompare.shadac.org/map/82/income-inequality-gini-coefficient#a/42/119\">which is among states with the highest income inequality\u003c/a>, Madrid noted.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.ppic.org/publication/poverty-in-california/#:~:text=The%20Latino%20poverty%20rate%20increased,but%2039.7%25%20of%20all%20Californians.\">More than half of Californians living in poverty\u003c/a> are Latinos, according to data from the Public Policy Institute of California. \u003ca href=\"https://www.car.org/aboutus/mediacenter/newsreleases/2023-News-Releases/2022haibyethnicity\">Only 1 in 10 Latino households\u003c/a> can afford a median-priced home in the state — a percentage lower than their white and Asian counterparts, according to the California Association of Realtors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“When you have no upward economic mobility … that’s a very big problem for turnout,” Madrid said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jovonna Renteria, a 26-year-old Latino voter in Tulare County, said working-class Latinos in her neighborhood prioritize their immediate needs — such as housing, food and childcare — over voting. Her mother works in a warehouse, and she is a first-generation college student majoring in social work.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When people are so focused on just trying to survive, (voting) gets pushed to the side,” said Jovonna Renteria, who is not related to Clarissa Renteria.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Latinos in California also \u003ca href=\"https://latino.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/15-facts-about-Latino-Well-Being-R11.pdf\">tend to be younger\u003c/a>, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.ppic.org/publication/californias-population/\">more than half of the state’s population ages 24 and younger are Latinos\u003c/a>, research shows. Nationwide, \u003ca href=\"https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/growing-latino-vote-factor-2024-election/story?id=103641807\">34 million young Latinos will be qualified to vote\u003c/a> next year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But younger voters are less likely to participate, political experts say. They tend to be less affluent and motivated to vote not by habit but by issues that matter to them, said \u003ca href=\"https://www.ppic.org/person/mark-baldassare/\">Mark Baldassare\u003c/a>, survey director at the Public Policy Institute of California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Youths also have a lower “stake in society” since they are less likely to be parents or homeowners, who tend to be more invested in local politics such as property taxes or school bonds, Madrid said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If you don’t do that, you have a very transient mobile society, and that is a very civically disengaged one, which is not good for democracy,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘Disenfranchised’ and disconnected\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Mateo Fernandez, 17, will be a first-time voter next year. While he is excited, the San Diego native said no one around him talked about voting until he was in eighth grade.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“A lot of people will tell you: ‘I just don’t know … how that works.’ Or they feel hopeless like they have no power in what’s going on around them because everyone else seems so much more powerful,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jovonna Renteria saw the same in her community. She said Latinos feel “disenfranchised” and have “lost faith in the system” since they don’t see how they can benefit from those elections.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The feeling of disconnect is partly due to a historical and current lack of outreach from political campaigns, said \u003ca href=\"https://priceschool.usc.edu/people/mindy-romero/\">Mindy Romero\u003c/a>, founder and director of the Center for Inclusive Democracy and a political scientist who studies voting and underrepresentation among communities of color.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s a chicken-and-egg problem \u003ca href=\"https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2020/09/23/study-says-many-latinos-dont-vote-because-they-arent-sought-and-they-arent-sought-because-they-dont-vote/\">echoed in other states such as Texas\u003c/a>: Latinos are less likely to vote because campaigns rarely reach out to them, but campaigns are less inclined to reach out to them because they focus on likely voters, Romero noted.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We know that often in the Latino community … that you need to make the case and build trust and use trusted messengers,” she said. “We still don’t see candidates doing it, or at least not in a sustained way.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But when campaigns do reach out, some rely on stereotypes about the Latino communities, holding events featuring mariachi bands, sprinkling in a few Spanish words and “parachuting” in and out, Romero said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11968102\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/110123-Voters-Registration-Tulare-ZS-CM-118.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11968102\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/110123-Voters-Registration-Tulare-ZS-CM-118-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"A woman dressed in green talks to a woman wearing glasses sitting on the other side of a table with people walking around in the background.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/110123-Voters-Registration-Tulare-ZS-CM-118-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/110123-Voters-Registration-Tulare-ZS-CM-118-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/110123-Voters-Registration-Tulare-ZS-CM-118-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/110123-Voters-Registration-Tulare-ZS-CM-118-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/110123-Voters-Registration-Tulare-ZS-CM-118-1920x1280.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/110123-Voters-Registration-Tulare-ZS-CM-118.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">In Tulare, organizers inform attendees about their rights as voters and the available resources within the community on Nov. 1, 2023. \u003ccite>(Zaydee Sanchez/CalMatters.)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Presidential campaigns are also known to hold events at taco shops to rally the Latino vote, running the risk of what Barreto called \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-11-23/2020-elections-mexican-restaurants\">“Hispandering.”\u003c/a> Both Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden dined at King Taco — a famous Los Angeles joint — during their presidential bids.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“But there’s so much more to our community than that one particular taco shop in East L.A.,” Arana said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The inconsistent outreach makes Latino voters feel ignored, said \u003ca href=\"https://lulac.org/about/board/\">Jose Barrera\u003c/a>, national vice president for the Far West at the League of United Latin American Citizens.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Come every four years, it seems like everybody wants our vote,” he said. “But once elected, candidates seem to forget about us. …Why should we as a community support some people who really promise everything but never deliver?”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A wide-open race\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>When asked by CalMatters how they have connected with Latino voters, the leading U.S. Senate candidates pointed to their outreach efforts, endorsements and track record.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lee, Porter and Schiff have all met with Latino business owners and leaders in Southern California, the Central Valley and the Bay area, holding most events in San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Fresno or nearby areas, according to their campaigns.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All three campaigns pointed to their advocacy in Congress for a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants and for expanding health care coverage. They are all \u003ca href=\"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/1511?s=1&r=94&q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22hr+6%22%5D%7D\">co-sponsors of the House version of the “Registry Act,”\u003c/a> which would allow some undocumented immigrants to qualify for lawful status.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Schiff’s campaign highlighted his support for expanded child tax credits, affordable housing, clean energy and more, as well as his role in leading the first impeachment trial against former President Donald Trump. He also introduced the Head Start Expansion and Improvement Act, which would invest billions in providing services to children from low-income families.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Porter’s campaign also noted that she pushed for more language assistance for non-English-speaking voters and advocated for free COVID-19 testing for all. She was also the first Senate candidate to launch her campaign website in multiple languages, including Spanish, her campaign said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lee — who responded to CalMatters after the story was published — mainly touted her stance on immigration issues, noting she is the only candidate to have \u003ca href=\"https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/107-2002/h367\">voted against the creation of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in 2002\u003c/a> and said she now wants to slash Customs and Border Protection funding in half. Schiff, then in his first term, voted in favor of creating ICE. Lee also noted her long history of supporting Medicare for All and said she supports canceling all student debts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lexi Reese, a Democratic candidate who is barely registering in polls, said her background as a business owner helps her understand the struggles of small businesses. She said she is the only fluent Spanish speaker in the race and conducted listening tours in both languages.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A spokesperson for Eric Early, a top GOP contender, said that Latino voters he spoke to want a lower cost of living, tougher regulations on violent crimes and a stop to “the indoctrination of our children in schools” and “the flood of illegal immigration and fentanyl across the southern border.” He also touted his lawsuit against the Santa Barbara Unified School District for diversity training, \u003ca href=\"https://law.justia.com/cases/california/court-of-appeal/2021/b309248.html\">which was thrown out\u003c/a> in federal court.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Republican Steve Garvey, the L.A. Dodgers legend who \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/newsletters/whatmatters/2023/10/mental-health-newsom/#wm-story-1\">entered the race last month\u003c/a>, did not respond to a CalMatters inquiry.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While Latino advocacy groups haven’t announced endorsements or have no plans for them, some notable community leaders have made up their minds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Schiff, who has received dozens of endorsements from Latino lawmakers and leaders, gained support from state Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, U.S. Rep. Nanette Barragán, chairperson of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and recently from former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. Porter’s campaign stressed her support from nearly a dozen Latino leaders, including U.S. Rep. and former Long Beach mayor Robert Garcia, as well as Eddie Martinez, executive director of Latino Equality Alliance and mayor of Huntington Park. Lee also received endorsements from Dolores Huerta, longtime activist and co-founder of United Farm Workers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11968103\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/110123-Voters-Registration-Tulare-ZS-CM-131.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11968103\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/110123-Voters-Registration-Tulare-ZS-CM-131-800x533.jpg\" alt='A side view of a woman wearing glasses seated next to other people with a sign that reads \"Register to Vote\" on the floor.' width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/110123-Voters-Registration-Tulare-ZS-CM-131-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/110123-Voters-Registration-Tulare-ZS-CM-131-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/110123-Voters-Registration-Tulare-ZS-CM-131-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/110123-Voters-Registration-Tulare-ZS-CM-131-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/110123-Voters-Registration-Tulare-ZS-CM-131-1920x1280.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/110123-Voters-Registration-Tulare-ZS-CM-131.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Rosalinda Avitia, 73, listens to organizers as they review voter registration information in Tulare on Nov. 1, 2023. \u003ccite>(Zaydee Sanchez/CalMatters.)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>But despite the monthslong outreach by some campaigns, a sizable portion of Latino voters are still undecided, polls show. That’s partly because none of the top candidates have been on a statewide ballot and, therefore, have low name recognition, some experts say.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I don’t think that any of the candidates come with a natural advantage,” Baldassare said. “(Schiff) has been high-profile in Washington, but that doesn’t mean he’s high-profile with the California voters.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Additionally, campaigns must expand beyond immigration as a top issue, which is a “relic of the past,” Madrid said. A fast-growing portion of the electorate are U.S.-born Latinos who are not as motivated by the issue, and \u003ca href=\"https://bspresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/LCF-October-2023-Survey-Crosstab-Results.pdf\">polls have shown\u003c/a> that the economy, inflation and joblessness — not immigration — are consistently the top issue among Latinos, he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“How do you have the largest ethnic group in the state with the lowest voter turnout rates when they are telling you … that the No. 1 issue they have is jobs and the economy, and yet, all the Latino advocacy groups are talking about is immigration?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Nov. 4 forum was focused almost exclusively on immigration. Madrid argues that while the issue was important, it shouldn’t be all there is.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Fatima Flores, a spokesperson for the coalition that hosted the forum, said it was to “uplift the intersections of other issues within immigration” so members could “walk away informed and knowledgeable.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And Angelica Salas, the coalition’s executive director, said it wants to see a “torch bearer” on immigration issues among the Senate candidates seeking to succeed the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who Salas deemed a “vanguard” of immigration reform.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Yes, they are all supportive,” Salas said of top Democrats in the race. “But we are looking for the leader who is going to advance this cause, but more importantly, is going to finally be part of the leadership that’s going to get immigration reform over the finish line.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Arana said he is glad candidates have been out engaging Latino voters. But they must make sure the outreach is consistent and the message is on point, he said, pointing to \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/elections/2020/04/bernie-california-vote-update-primary-results-charts/\">Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders’ win in the California presidential primary in 2020\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sanders proposed debt-free public colleges and universal health care, which resonated with young Latino voters, Arana said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“He opened offices in areas where campaigns … normally wouldn’t,” he said. “Not only did he open that office, he hired people from the community, so it almost made it seem like it was a partnership to change the country.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11968104\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/110123-Voters-Registration-Tulare-ZS-CM-137.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11968104\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/110123-Voters-Registration-Tulare-ZS-CM-137-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"A woman wearing face paint and a green, floral print dress stands next to a window.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/110123-Voters-Registration-Tulare-ZS-CM-137-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/110123-Voters-Registration-Tulare-ZS-CM-137-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/110123-Voters-Registration-Tulare-ZS-CM-137-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/110123-Voters-Registration-Tulare-ZS-CM-137-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/110123-Voters-Registration-Tulare-ZS-CM-137-1920x1280.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/110123-Voters-Registration-Tulare-ZS-CM-137.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Clarissa Renteria, 25, a resident of Tulare County at the voter registration event in downtown Tulare on Nov. 1, 2023. \u003ccite>(Zaydee Sanchez/CalMatters.)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>As for now, things have mostly been quiet in the city of Tulare.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the local voter registration drive and Día de Los Muertos celebration hosted by several Latino advocacy groups, including the League of United Latin American Citizens, two dozen residents showed up, some drawn by the free food. Half a block away, a train whooshed by every few minutes on the railway track that sliced through the city, the blaring horn contrasting with the sleepy downtown.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I thought it was not real,” Clarissa Renteria said outside the event venue, joking about when she first heard about it. Such events are rare in Tulare, she said. No one has knocked on her door for the Senate candidates, and she has seen no signs of campaign outreach in the area.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We don’t really have a lot of that around here,” she said. “But I feel like as soon as you get other people who are also Mexican, like myself, to see: ‘Hey, I’m talking about these issues,’ maybe they’ll get more engaged. I think that’s what we need to see.”\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "how-central-valley-farmworker-communities-are-tackling-climate-change",
"title": "How Central Valley Farmworker Communities Are Tackling Climate Change",
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"headTitle": "How Central Valley Farmworker Communities Are Tackling Climate Change | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>A rural community on the banks of the San Joaquin River was spared from flooding during last winter’s powerful storms after hundreds of acres of former farmland were \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11965257/california-looks-to-restore-floodplains-to-protect-communities-from-impacts-of-climate-change\">restored to their natural state as floodplains\u003c/a>, giving the rising water a place to go.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>An immigrant family in the Central Valley city of Tulare got relief from 100-degree heat and sky-high energy bills with insulation and energy retrofits installed under a state program to weatherize the homes of low-income farmworkers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A small town mayor in a region with some of the most polluted air in the nation launched a free rideshare program with a fleet of electric vehicles — the first step in his goal of creating hundreds of green jobs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These are a few of the climate resilience strategies emerging in hard-hit agricultural communities in California’s Central Valley, supported by state and federal funds that could enable local initiatives to scale up. But the very places that need help the most may have the hardest time accessing the funding available, \u003ca href=\"https://protect-us.mimecast.com/s/aYv2COYZQzi2BvYEskPu2V?domain=next10.org\">research shows\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Residents of San Joaquin Valley face a barrage of challenges as the planet warms and weather patterns shift, often with catastrophic results. Land development has been engineered over decades to maximize agricultural productivity, with little attention to environmental resilience. And low-income immigrant workers, who are the backbone of this economy, are on the front lines, living in communities that lack resources and critical infrastructure to cope.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Summer temperatures throughout the valley routinely spike into triple digits, making outdoor work dangerous and shoddily built homes stifling. Wildfires repeatedly blanket the region with smoke, exacerbating the air pollution that leads to the state’s worst rates of asthma.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11966814\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11966814\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231108-CLIMATE-FLOODPLAIN-TH-02-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A dry field with an irrigation channel alongside it.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231108-CLIMATE-FLOODPLAIN-TH-02-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231108-CLIMATE-FLOODPLAIN-TH-02-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231108-CLIMATE-FLOODPLAIN-TH-02-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231108-CLIMATE-FLOODPLAIN-TH-02-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231108-CLIMATE-FLOODPLAIN-TH-02-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231108-CLIMATE-FLOODPLAIN-TH-02-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An irrigation channel carries water to new plantings in the recently restored floodplain on the banks of the San Joaquin River near Grayson, Calif., on Aug. 31. The restoration work was conducted by the nonprofit River Partners to allow the fast-moving river to spread out over a wider expanse, diminishing its destructive force and preventing catastrophic flooding. \u003ccite>(Tyche Hendricks/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Violent floods wash away homes and livelihoods in communities with neglected levees and insufficient storm drains. And recurring drought contributes to the fact that most of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.auditor.ca.gov/reports/2021-118/index.html\">nearly 1 million Californians who lack access to safe drinking water\u003c/a> live in the Central Valley. [pullquote size=\"medium\" align=\"right\" citation=\"Pablo Ortiz-Partida, senior water and climate scientist, Union of Concerned Scientists\"]‘The biggest problem is the combination of things: farmworker communities not having a rest from one climate impact to another.’[/pullquote]“The biggest problem is the combination of things: farmworker communities not having a rest from one climate impact to another,” said Pablo Ortiz-Partida, senior water and climate scientist with the Union of Concerned Scientists. “All these things start interconnecting.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ortiz-Partida said policymakers must listen to those who live with these impacts daily.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There needs to be some top-down solutions, but also some bottom-up solutions,” he said. “How can we start that process of equitable transition to cleaner energies? … How can we start bringing a new, more sustainable vision of agriculture in the San Joaquin Valley?”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Left behind in the clean energy transition\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>California has established itself as a national leader in climate policy. The \u003ca href=\"https://www.nrdc.org/bio/merrian-borgeson/ca-climate-energy-policy-update-summer-2023\">Natural Resources Defense Council estimates\u003c/a> the state has committed to spend more than $52 billion over the next several years to \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/our-work/programs/ab-32-climate-change-scoping-plan/2022-scoping-plan-documents\">transition off fossil fuels\u003c/a> and tackle the effects of climate change. That’s in addition to the hundreds of millions of dollars from President Joe Biden’s Infrastructure Act and \u003ca href=\"https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/California.pdf\">Inflation Reduction Act\u003c/a> that will soon flow to the state to fight climate change.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yet low-income immigrant communities in rural areas that are among the most impacted have not always seen the benefit — and could be at risk of losing out again. [aside postID=news_11943590 hero='https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/03/CalMatters_01-1020x680.jpg'] A \u003ca href=\"https://www.next10.org/publications/local-climate\">new report\u003c/a> from UC Berkeley’s Center for Law, Energy, & the Environment, and two nonprofits — the Institute for Local Government and Next 10 — found that many California municipalities, especially smaller ones, need to staff up and develop detailed climate action plans if they want a shot at competitive grants for the unprecedented funding.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“As the state faces worsening impacts from climate change, local governments are the front-line defense for our communities,” said F. Noel Perry, founder of Next 10. “We need to identify the barriers cities and counties face so we can take full advantage of the historic federal and state funding available to better protect ourselves now and in the future.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>State Sen. Anna Caballero represents some of the San Joaquin Valley’s poorest places and said climate policies don’t work if they only benefit wealthier residents of coastal cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She’s seen plenty of well-intentioned climate programs miss the mark for her Central Valley constituents. One example is rebates for purchasing electric cars and solar panels, which require paying the full price upfront and getting the discount later.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The urgency of getting this right and including rural communities in our discussion about climate change is that we’re going to end up with two separate worlds,” she said. “If you can afford it, you have an electric vehicle and a solar rooftop. And if you can’t, there’s nothing for you. There’s no job. There’s no way to pay your bills. And your community has no way of sustaining itself.” [pullquote size=\"medium\" align=\"right\" citation=\"State Sen. Anna Caballero\"]‘If you can afford it, you have an electric vehicle and a solar rooftop. And if you can’t, there’s nothing for you.’[/pullquote]The region’s economy is dominated by agriculture and fossil fuel extraction industries, whose leaders trend Republican and have often resisted Democratic moves to slash carbon emissions and protect water and ecosystems.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, 55% of the San Joaquin Valley’s 4.3 million residents live in disadvantaged communities, according to \u003ca href=\"https://www.energy.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2022-01/CA4_CCA_SJ_Region_Eng_ada.pdf\">California’s Fourth Climate Change Assessment\u003c/a> for the region. \u003ca href=\"https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ETA/naws/pdfs/NAWS%20Research%20Report%2015.pdf\">Among California farmworkers, 9 in 10 are immigrants\u003c/a>, and 8 in 10 are not citizens. Though their labor is essential, and many have lived here for decades, they can’t vote, so their voices and experiences aren’t always represented.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yet Caballero, a Democrat, and many other lawmakers and advocates have been pushing for equitable solutions, and some are beginning to bear fruit.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘The river is their backyard’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The unincorporated community of Grayson, on the west bank of the San Joaquin River, is just five-by-six blocks. The only business, The One-Stop, is a gas station, convenience store, lunch counter and laundromat rolled into one. Residents rely on wells for drinking water that are often contaminated with agricultural chemicals from surrounding fields. Flooding has long been a risk.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lilia Lomelí-Gil, who runs the Grayson United Community Center, pointed out some older homes on Charles Street, where the water rose ominously as rain pounded the region last winter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11966813\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11966813\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231108-CLIMATE-FLOODPLAIN-TH-01-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A person with long hair stands in front of a dry field.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231108-CLIMATE-FLOODPLAIN-TH-01-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231108-CLIMATE-FLOODPLAIN-TH-01-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231108-CLIMATE-FLOODPLAIN-TH-01-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231108-CLIMATE-FLOODPLAIN-TH-01-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231108-CLIMATE-FLOODPLAIN-TH-01-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231108-CLIMATE-FLOODPLAIN-TH-01-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Lilia Lomelí-Gil walks along the recently restored floodplain on the banks of the San Joaquin River near her home in Grayson, Calif., on Aug. 31. Lomelí-Gil, who runs the Grayson United Community Center, said the natural floodplain protected Grayson from flooding last winter and creates a place where community residents can get closer to nature. \u003ccite>(Tyche Hendricks/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“The river is their backyard,” she said. “The lady that lives right there in that little house was at risk of getting flooded. It did go up to their yard.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lomelí-Gil, 71, knows that risk firsthand. Back in 1997, she was living in nearby Modesto when \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXEza6kPyFk\">a massive flood hit on New Year’s Day\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I lost my home,” she said. “Because the waters came in 4-feet high. And since we were downriver from the sewage plant, of course, it was all contaminated waters.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She salvaged what she could and moved back to Grayson, where she’d grown up the daughter of farmworkers from Mexico. [pullquote size=\"medium\" align=\"right\" citation=\"Lilia Lomelí-Gil, co-founder, Grayson United Community Center\"]‘Going back to nature … It works with mental health and your physical health and your spiritual health. I think that triangle is the key to facing life’s challenges.’[/pullquote]During last winter’s storms, levees failed and catastrophic floods devastated other farmworker communities, like Pajaro and Planada.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In Grayson, the San Joaquin River surged, but the outcome was very different: the town did not flood. One reason? A \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2023/05/28/1178441292/flood-protection-california\">recent floodplain restoration project\u003c/a> allowed the fast-moving river to spread over a wider expanse, diminishing its destructive force.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The work was done by \u003ca href=\"https://riverpartners.org\">River Partners\u003c/a>, a nonprofit organization that restores riverside habitats around California. The group purchased unused farmland abutting the river, then removed the earthen berms holding the water in its channel. Dozens of people from the local community, including Lomelí-Gil, got involved in planting native tree saplings and grasses to restore wildlife habitat in the new floodplain.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On a recent weekday, Lomelí-Gil tramped down an abandoned road at the end of Minnie Street to show off the plantings. Once the work is complete, she said, she’s looking forward to taking kids and seniors from the community center out to walk along trails by the river.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Going back to nature … It works with mental health and your physical health and your spiritual health,” she said, stopping to listen to the sound of the birds and the babbling water. “I think that triangle is the key to facing life’s challenges.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Removing levees to allow floods to flow across fallow farmland is a low-tech solution with significant payoffs, River Partners executive director Julie Rentner said. It not only reduces flood risk and expands wildlife habitat and space for recreation, but it refills underground aquifers that have been depleted by decades of over-pumping — and that should lead to cleaner drinking water for Lomelí-Gil and her neighbors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Similar projects will soon break ground. In the wake of last winter’s storms, state lawmakers budgeted nearly half a billion dollars to shore up levees and rebuild damaged communities. Tucked in there was $40 million for River Partners to restore natural floodplains on 2,500 more acres elsewhere along the San Joaquin River.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That money is only a downpayment on what’s ultimately needed, Rentner said, but it’s an important step that could be a game-changer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s thinking more holistically about how we manage our water and our soil and our communities,” she said. ”So that we can find solutions to climate resilience that benefit us all.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘Weatherization on steroids’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Extreme heat is another consequence of climate change hitting the San Joaquin Valley hard. Scientists calculate that annual average maximum \u003ca href=\"https://www.energy.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2022-01/CA4_CCA_SJ_Region_Eng_ada.pdf\">temperatures increased by 1F from 1950 to 2020\u003c/a>. In 2021, Fresno experienced \u003ca href=\"https://www.weather.gov/media/hnx/SEPTEMBER%202021%20WEATHER%20SUMMARY.pdf\">a record 69 straight days with temperatures over 100F\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Outside the little city of Tulare, nearly three hours south of Grayson, Arturo Yañez, 55, unloads crates of kiwis and pomegranates. He said in the three decades he’s lived in the valley, he’s felt it get a little hotter each year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11966816\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11966816\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231108-CLIMATE-FLOODPLAIN-TH-04-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A person in a baseball cap looks at photos on a shelf inside a home.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231108-CLIMATE-FLOODPLAIN-TH-04-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231108-CLIMATE-FLOODPLAIN-TH-04-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231108-CLIMATE-FLOODPLAIN-TH-04-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231108-CLIMATE-FLOODPLAIN-TH-04-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231108-CLIMATE-FLOODPLAIN-TH-04-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231108-CLIMATE-FLOODPLAIN-TH-04-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Arturo Yañez looks at family photos at his home in Tulare on Aug. 31. He received home weatherization and solar panels through a state program for green energy retrofits for farmworkers’ households. \u003ccite>(Tyche Hendricks/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“This year, too, it was extremely hot,” he said in Spanish. “To work in these temperatures is tough.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To help mitigate the heat, California uses funds from the state’s \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/our-work/programs/california-climate-investments\">cap-and-trade program\u003c/a> to weatherize homes of low-income families, with some of that money \u003ca href=\"https://www.csd.ca.gov/Pages/Farmworker-Housing-Component.aspx\">carved out for the small percentage of farmworkers who are homeowners\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yañez is one of them. On a late summer afternoon, he showed where a crew had laid insulation in his attic and installed ceiling fans. An efficient, electric air-conditioning system was on the way.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With the thermometer outdoors still reading 103 F at 5 p.m., those measures would make the house more comfortable, he said, and keep his energy costs more manageable.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Sometimes, it’s tough to cover all the bills,” he said, adding that when it’s too hot to safely work outside, farmworkers are sent home early, costing them hours on their paychecks. [pullquote size=\"medium\" align=\"right\" citation=\"Arturo Yañez, San Joaquin Valley resident\"]‘We’ll be saving energy. And we can help reduce global warming too.’[/pullquote]Yañez had also applied for solar panels through the weatherization program, and that afternoon he learned that he’d qualified. His face lit up in relief.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That’s wonderful!” he said. “We’ll be saving energy. And we can help reduce global warming too.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Caballero said efforts like these are exactly what the valley needs but they must expand rapidly, to include hundreds of thousands of farmworker families who rent, often in shoddy homes with poor insulation and no air conditioning.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s kind of ‘weatherization on steroids,’” she said. “The benefits could be very, very powerful.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last year, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office published an \u003ca href=\"https://resources.ca.gov/-/media/CNRA-Website/Files/Initiatives/Climate-Resilience/2022-Final-Extreme-Heat-Action-Plan.pdf\">extreme heat action plan\u003c/a>, and the legislature budgeted $1.1 billion for “decarbonization” retrofits in the homes of low- and moderate-income Californians, such as electric appliances and heat pumps for heating and cooling.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This year, Caballero wrote a bill, signed by Gov. Newsom, to monitor where those funds are spent.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We wanted to make sure that, with limited funds, we started with the communities that had the worst extreme heat,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Building a greener economy\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>In the town of Huron, becoming more climate resilient is also about creating new jobs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Surrounded by tomato fields and almond orchards, the Fresno County town of about 6,000 is not the kind of place you’d expect to see Teslas and Chevy Volts. The poverty rate is 40%, and just 3 in 10 adults have finished high school.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11960228\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11960228\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/09/RS68672_230901-CentralValleyClimateSolutions-50-BL-KQED-1.jpg\" alt=\"A person with a moustache and wearing a baseball cap stands in front of a white car.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/09/RS68672_230901-CentralValleyClimateSolutions-50-BL-KQED-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/09/RS68672_230901-CentralValleyClimateSolutions-50-BL-KQED-1-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/09/RS68672_230901-CentralValleyClimateSolutions-50-BL-KQED-1-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/09/RS68672_230901-CentralValleyClimateSolutions-50-BL-KQED-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/09/RS68672_230901-CentralValleyClimateSolutions-50-BL-KQED-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/09/RS68672_230901-CentralValleyClimateSolutions-50-BL-KQED-1-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Huron Mayor Rey León stands near an electric vehicle outside the Latino Equity Advocacy & Policy Institute offices, known as LEAP, in Huron, Calif., on Sept. 1, 2023. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Yet, from a former diesel garage on an alley behind the struggling main street, a busy rideshare service dispatches drivers in shiny electric cars to ferry Huron residents to the doctor and other appointments.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The free program is called \u003ca href=\"https://greenraiteros.org\">Green Raiteros\u003c/a>, a play on the Spanish slang for someone who gives rides. The five-year-old project is the brainchild of Rey León, founding director of the nonprofit \u003ca href=\"https://theleapinstitute.org\">Latino Equity Advocacy & Policy Institute\u003c/a>, or LEAP. Green Raiteros is funded with state grants. And drivers are employees, not gig workers, with pay starting at $18 per hour, according to LEAP staff.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>León, who’s also Huron’s mayor, said the program is part of his vision of meeting basic needs like transportation while leaning into the green economy. The hope is to both reduce emissions and create jobs, preparing the workforce as climate change-induced drought disrupts the agricultural economy of the Central Valley. [pullquote size=\"medium\" align=\"right\" citation=\"Huron Mayor Rey León\"]‘Huron is in an area that’s been not just drought-stricken, but poverty-stricken for a very long time.’[/pullquote]“Huron is in an area that’s been not just drought-stricken, but poverty-stricken for a very long time,” said León, sitting in his office upstairs from the dispatchers. “We hope we can make the investments necessary to employ, empower and really animate folks from the community to advance their economy — with innovative technologies so that we can simultaneously fight the climate crisis.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>León sees the physical health of his community as intertwined with its economic health — and both as inextricably linked with the health of the environment where they live: \u003ca href=\"https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/california-has-some-of-the-worst-air-quality-in-the-country-the-problem-is-rooted-in-the-san-joaquin-valley\">one of the most contaminated air basins in the nation\u003c/a>. Huron residents breathe air that carries dust from the fields, pesticides and smog from nearby Interstate 5.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Among other efforts, León has installed 30 EV charging stations around town, planted 300 street trees and enacted measures to promote water conservation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, León is aware that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kvpr.org/environment/2022-11-03/amid-californias-three-year-drought-a-san-joaquin-valley-farmworker-considers-seeking-work-outside-the-region\">tens of thousands of agricultural jobs could dry up\u003c/a> in coming years, as climate-change-fueled drought persists and environmental laws to restore depleted aquifers take effect. The LEAP headquarters on the alley is an incubator for projects he hopes will eventually lead to hundreds of well-paying jobs in manufacturing and environmental stewardship.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11960224\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11960224\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/09/RS68646_230901-CentralValleyClimateSolutions-13-BL-KQED-1.jpg\" alt=\"A person wearing a baseball cap looks out the window from the backseat of a car.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/09/RS68646_230901-CentralValleyClimateSolutions-13-BL-KQED-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/09/RS68646_230901-CentralValleyClimateSolutions-13-BL-KQED-1-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/09/RS68646_230901-CentralValleyClimateSolutions-13-BL-KQED-1-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/09/RS68646_230901-CentralValleyClimateSolutions-13-BL-KQED-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/09/RS68646_230901-CentralValleyClimateSolutions-13-BL-KQED-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/09/RS68646_230901-CentralValleyClimateSolutions-13-BL-KQED-1-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Enrique Contreras gets a ride in an all-electric vehicle from the Green Raiteros rideshare program in Huron, Calif., to a doctor’s appointment on Sept. 1, 2023. The program is run by Latino Equity Advocacy & Policy Institute offices, known as Leap. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In one bay of the garage, several men were building prototypes of portable trailers with solar panels on top, that the \u003ca href=\"https://www.grants.ca.gov/grants/gfo-20-310-mobile-renewable-backup-generation-morbugs/\">California Energy Commission hopes can serve as emergency shelters\u003c/a> and power stations, to deploy during wildfires or other disasters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And in a greenhouse behind the garage, two workers are running an experiment, funded by the USDA, to test a liquid organic fertilizer on tomatoes — with hopes of scaling up production and using local agricultural waste.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As Huron’s mayor, León is also \u003ca href=\"https://www.grants.ca.gov/grants/gfo-20-310-mobile-renewable-backup-generation-morbugs/\">scoping the possibility of developing a park\u003c/a> and nature conservancy on 3,000 acres of overgrown federal land just outside of town. He envisions replenishing the underground aquifer there using the town’s treated wastewater, and employing residents to build trails and plant native trees grown in LEAP greenhouses.\u003cbr>\n[pullquote size=\"medium\" align=\"right\" citation=\"Solange Gould, co-director, Human Impact Partners\"]‘There’s a lot of funding, but the state needs to provide more technical assistance to Central Valley groups to be able to access that money.’[/pullquote]León’s dreams are big, but they’ll take more money, political muscle and capacity building to realize. He knows they won’t happen overnight and, for now, he’s experimenting at a small scale. The Green Raiteros fleet in Huron has 11 cars, but state grants are funding an expansion, with five additional vehicles in Fresno and three more in the Salinas Valley town of Pajaro. In a poor community like his, León said, such government funding has been essential.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If not for the resources provided by state agencies, it really wouldn’t be possible,” he said. “We’re farmworkers and, traditionally, farmworkers have never been afforded the privilege of being able to build up wealth. … We hope that with the projects we’re doing, they could see them as pilots for what could be done in similar communities throughout the state.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Small farming towns like Huron have had some success winning competitive grants. But even with all the new money flowing from state and federal governments, it often goes to big cities and large nonprofits with sophisticated fundraising operations, leaving small, rural places at a disadvantage — even if their need is intense, some advocates say.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There are dire inequities on every measure of human wellbeing in the Central Valley because of past and current policies and disinvestment,” said Solange Gould, co-director of Human Impact Partners, a nonprofit that advocates for health equity. “There’s a lot of funding, but the state needs to provide more technical assistance to Central Valley groups to be able to access that money.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>A rural community on the banks of the San Joaquin River was spared from flooding during last winter’s powerful storms after hundreds of acres of former farmland were \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11965257/california-looks-to-restore-floodplains-to-protect-communities-from-impacts-of-climate-change\">restored to their natural state as floodplains\u003c/a>, giving the rising water a place to go.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>An immigrant family in the Central Valley city of Tulare got relief from 100-degree heat and sky-high energy bills with insulation and energy retrofits installed under a state program to weatherize the homes of low-income farmworkers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A small town mayor in a region with some of the most polluted air in the nation launched a free rideshare program with a fleet of electric vehicles — the first step in his goal of creating hundreds of green jobs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These are a few of the climate resilience strategies emerging in hard-hit agricultural communities in California’s Central Valley, supported by state and federal funds that could enable local initiatives to scale up. But the very places that need help the most may have the hardest time accessing the funding available, \u003ca href=\"https://protect-us.mimecast.com/s/aYv2COYZQzi2BvYEskPu2V?domain=next10.org\">research shows\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Residents of San Joaquin Valley face a barrage of challenges as the planet warms and weather patterns shift, often with catastrophic results. Land development has been engineered over decades to maximize agricultural productivity, with little attention to environmental resilience. And low-income immigrant workers, who are the backbone of this economy, are on the front lines, living in communities that lack resources and critical infrastructure to cope.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Summer temperatures throughout the valley routinely spike into triple digits, making outdoor work dangerous and shoddily built homes stifling. Wildfires repeatedly blanket the region with smoke, exacerbating the air pollution that leads to the state’s worst rates of asthma.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11966814\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11966814\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231108-CLIMATE-FLOODPLAIN-TH-02-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A dry field with an irrigation channel alongside it.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231108-CLIMATE-FLOODPLAIN-TH-02-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231108-CLIMATE-FLOODPLAIN-TH-02-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231108-CLIMATE-FLOODPLAIN-TH-02-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231108-CLIMATE-FLOODPLAIN-TH-02-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231108-CLIMATE-FLOODPLAIN-TH-02-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231108-CLIMATE-FLOODPLAIN-TH-02-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An irrigation channel carries water to new plantings in the recently restored floodplain on the banks of the San Joaquin River near Grayson, Calif., on Aug. 31. The restoration work was conducted by the nonprofit River Partners to allow the fast-moving river to spread out over a wider expanse, diminishing its destructive force and preventing catastrophic flooding. \u003ccite>(Tyche Hendricks/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Violent floods wash away homes and livelihoods in communities with neglected levees and insufficient storm drains. And recurring drought contributes to the fact that most of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.auditor.ca.gov/reports/2021-118/index.html\">nearly 1 million Californians who lack access to safe drinking water\u003c/a> live in the Central Valley. \u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "‘The biggest problem is the combination of things: farmworker communities not having a rest from one climate impact to another.’",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“The biggest problem is the combination of things: farmworker communities not having a rest from one climate impact to another,” said Pablo Ortiz-Partida, senior water and climate scientist with the Union of Concerned Scientists. “All these things start interconnecting.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ortiz-Partida said policymakers must listen to those who live with these impacts daily.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There needs to be some top-down solutions, but also some bottom-up solutions,” he said. “How can we start that process of equitable transition to cleaner energies? … How can we start bringing a new, more sustainable vision of agriculture in the San Joaquin Valley?”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Left behind in the clean energy transition\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>California has established itself as a national leader in climate policy. The \u003ca href=\"https://www.nrdc.org/bio/merrian-borgeson/ca-climate-energy-policy-update-summer-2023\">Natural Resources Defense Council estimates\u003c/a> the state has committed to spend more than $52 billion over the next several years to \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/our-work/programs/ab-32-climate-change-scoping-plan/2022-scoping-plan-documents\">transition off fossil fuels\u003c/a> and tackle the effects of climate change. That’s in addition to the hundreds of millions of dollars from President Joe Biden’s Infrastructure Act and \u003ca href=\"https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/California.pdf\">Inflation Reduction Act\u003c/a> that will soon flow to the state to fight climate change.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yet low-income immigrant communities in rural areas that are among the most impacted have not always seen the benefit — and could be at risk of losing out again. \u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp> A \u003ca href=\"https://www.next10.org/publications/local-climate\">new report\u003c/a> from UC Berkeley’s Center for Law, Energy, & the Environment, and two nonprofits — the Institute for Local Government and Next 10 — found that many California municipalities, especially smaller ones, need to staff up and develop detailed climate action plans if they want a shot at competitive grants for the unprecedented funding.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“As the state faces worsening impacts from climate change, local governments are the front-line defense for our communities,” said F. Noel Perry, founder of Next 10. “We need to identify the barriers cities and counties face so we can take full advantage of the historic federal and state funding available to better protect ourselves now and in the future.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>State Sen. Anna Caballero represents some of the San Joaquin Valley’s poorest places and said climate policies don’t work if they only benefit wealthier residents of coastal cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She’s seen plenty of well-intentioned climate programs miss the mark for her Central Valley constituents. One example is rebates for purchasing electric cars and solar panels, which require paying the full price upfront and getting the discount later.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The urgency of getting this right and including rural communities in our discussion about climate change is that we’re going to end up with two separate worlds,” she said. “If you can afford it, you have an electric vehicle and a solar rooftop. And if you can’t, there’s nothing for you. There’s no job. There’s no way to pay your bills. And your community has no way of sustaining itself.” \u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>The region’s economy is dominated by agriculture and fossil fuel extraction industries, whose leaders trend Republican and have often resisted Democratic moves to slash carbon emissions and protect water and ecosystems.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, 55% of the San Joaquin Valley’s 4.3 million residents live in disadvantaged communities, according to \u003ca href=\"https://www.energy.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2022-01/CA4_CCA_SJ_Region_Eng_ada.pdf\">California’s Fourth Climate Change Assessment\u003c/a> for the region. \u003ca href=\"https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ETA/naws/pdfs/NAWS%20Research%20Report%2015.pdf\">Among California farmworkers, 9 in 10 are immigrants\u003c/a>, and 8 in 10 are not citizens. Though their labor is essential, and many have lived here for decades, they can’t vote, so their voices and experiences aren’t always represented.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yet Caballero, a Democrat, and many other lawmakers and advocates have been pushing for equitable solutions, and some are beginning to bear fruit.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘The river is their backyard’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The unincorporated community of Grayson, on the west bank of the San Joaquin River, is just five-by-six blocks. The only business, The One-Stop, is a gas station, convenience store, lunch counter and laundromat rolled into one. Residents rely on wells for drinking water that are often contaminated with agricultural chemicals from surrounding fields. Flooding has long been a risk.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lilia Lomelí-Gil, who runs the Grayson United Community Center, pointed out some older homes on Charles Street, where the water rose ominously as rain pounded the region last winter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11966813\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11966813\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231108-CLIMATE-FLOODPLAIN-TH-01-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A person with long hair stands in front of a dry field.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231108-CLIMATE-FLOODPLAIN-TH-01-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231108-CLIMATE-FLOODPLAIN-TH-01-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231108-CLIMATE-FLOODPLAIN-TH-01-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231108-CLIMATE-FLOODPLAIN-TH-01-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231108-CLIMATE-FLOODPLAIN-TH-01-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231108-CLIMATE-FLOODPLAIN-TH-01-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Lilia Lomelí-Gil walks along the recently restored floodplain on the banks of the San Joaquin River near her home in Grayson, Calif., on Aug. 31. Lomelí-Gil, who runs the Grayson United Community Center, said the natural floodplain protected Grayson from flooding last winter and creates a place where community residents can get closer to nature. \u003ccite>(Tyche Hendricks/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“The river is their backyard,” she said. “The lady that lives right there in that little house was at risk of getting flooded. It did go up to their yard.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lomelí-Gil, 71, knows that risk firsthand. Back in 1997, she was living in nearby Modesto when \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXEza6kPyFk\">a massive flood hit on New Year’s Day\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I lost my home,” she said. “Because the waters came in 4-feet high. And since we were downriver from the sewage plant, of course, it was all contaminated waters.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She salvaged what she could and moved back to Grayson, where she’d grown up the daughter of farmworkers from Mexico. \u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>During last winter’s storms, levees failed and catastrophic floods devastated other farmworker communities, like Pajaro and Planada.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In Grayson, the San Joaquin River surged, but the outcome was very different: the town did not flood. One reason? A \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2023/05/28/1178441292/flood-protection-california\">recent floodplain restoration project\u003c/a> allowed the fast-moving river to spread over a wider expanse, diminishing its destructive force.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The work was done by \u003ca href=\"https://riverpartners.org\">River Partners\u003c/a>, a nonprofit organization that restores riverside habitats around California. The group purchased unused farmland abutting the river, then removed the earthen berms holding the water in its channel. Dozens of people from the local community, including Lomelí-Gil, got involved in planting native tree saplings and grasses to restore wildlife habitat in the new floodplain.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On a recent weekday, Lomelí-Gil tramped down an abandoned road at the end of Minnie Street to show off the plantings. Once the work is complete, she said, she’s looking forward to taking kids and seniors from the community center out to walk along trails by the river.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Going back to nature … It works with mental health and your physical health and your spiritual health,” she said, stopping to listen to the sound of the birds and the babbling water. “I think that triangle is the key to facing life’s challenges.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Removing levees to allow floods to flow across fallow farmland is a low-tech solution with significant payoffs, River Partners executive director Julie Rentner said. It not only reduces flood risk and expands wildlife habitat and space for recreation, but it refills underground aquifers that have been depleted by decades of over-pumping — and that should lead to cleaner drinking water for Lomelí-Gil and her neighbors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Similar projects will soon break ground. In the wake of last winter’s storms, state lawmakers budgeted nearly half a billion dollars to shore up levees and rebuild damaged communities. Tucked in there was $40 million for River Partners to restore natural floodplains on 2,500 more acres elsewhere along the San Joaquin River.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That money is only a downpayment on what’s ultimately needed, Rentner said, but it’s an important step that could be a game-changer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s thinking more holistically about how we manage our water and our soil and our communities,” she said. ”So that we can find solutions to climate resilience that benefit us all.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘Weatherization on steroids’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Extreme heat is another consequence of climate change hitting the San Joaquin Valley hard. Scientists calculate that annual average maximum \u003ca href=\"https://www.energy.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2022-01/CA4_CCA_SJ_Region_Eng_ada.pdf\">temperatures increased by 1F from 1950 to 2020\u003c/a>. In 2021, Fresno experienced \u003ca href=\"https://www.weather.gov/media/hnx/SEPTEMBER%202021%20WEATHER%20SUMMARY.pdf\">a record 69 straight days with temperatures over 100F\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Outside the little city of Tulare, nearly three hours south of Grayson, Arturo Yañez, 55, unloads crates of kiwis and pomegranates. He said in the three decades he’s lived in the valley, he’s felt it get a little hotter each year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11966816\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11966816\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231108-CLIMATE-FLOODPLAIN-TH-04-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A person in a baseball cap looks at photos on a shelf inside a home.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231108-CLIMATE-FLOODPLAIN-TH-04-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231108-CLIMATE-FLOODPLAIN-TH-04-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231108-CLIMATE-FLOODPLAIN-TH-04-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231108-CLIMATE-FLOODPLAIN-TH-04-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231108-CLIMATE-FLOODPLAIN-TH-04-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/231108-CLIMATE-FLOODPLAIN-TH-04-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Arturo Yañez looks at family photos at his home in Tulare on Aug. 31. He received home weatherization and solar panels through a state program for green energy retrofits for farmworkers’ households. \u003ccite>(Tyche Hendricks/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“This year, too, it was extremely hot,” he said in Spanish. “To work in these temperatures is tough.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To help mitigate the heat, California uses funds from the state’s \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/our-work/programs/california-climate-investments\">cap-and-trade program\u003c/a> to weatherize homes of low-income families, with some of that money \u003ca href=\"https://www.csd.ca.gov/Pages/Farmworker-Housing-Component.aspx\">carved out for the small percentage of farmworkers who are homeowners\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yañez is one of them. On a late summer afternoon, he showed where a crew had laid insulation in his attic and installed ceiling fans. An efficient, electric air-conditioning system was on the way.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With the thermometer outdoors still reading 103 F at 5 p.m., those measures would make the house more comfortable, he said, and keep his energy costs more manageable.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Sometimes, it’s tough to cover all the bills,” he said, adding that when it’s too hot to safely work outside, farmworkers are sent home early, costing them hours on their paychecks. \u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Yañez had also applied for solar panels through the weatherization program, and that afternoon he learned that he’d qualified. His face lit up in relief.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That’s wonderful!” he said. “We’ll be saving energy. And we can help reduce global warming too.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Caballero said efforts like these are exactly what the valley needs but they must expand rapidly, to include hundreds of thousands of farmworker families who rent, often in shoddy homes with poor insulation and no air conditioning.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s kind of ‘weatherization on steroids,’” she said. “The benefits could be very, very powerful.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last year, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office published an \u003ca href=\"https://resources.ca.gov/-/media/CNRA-Website/Files/Initiatives/Climate-Resilience/2022-Final-Extreme-Heat-Action-Plan.pdf\">extreme heat action plan\u003c/a>, and the legislature budgeted $1.1 billion for “decarbonization” retrofits in the homes of low- and moderate-income Californians, such as electric appliances and heat pumps for heating and cooling.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This year, Caballero wrote a bill, signed by Gov. Newsom, to monitor where those funds are spent.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We wanted to make sure that, with limited funds, we started with the communities that had the worst extreme heat,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Building a greener economy\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>In the town of Huron, becoming more climate resilient is also about creating new jobs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Surrounded by tomato fields and almond orchards, the Fresno County town of about 6,000 is not the kind of place you’d expect to see Teslas and Chevy Volts. The poverty rate is 40%, and just 3 in 10 adults have finished high school.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11960228\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11960228\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/09/RS68672_230901-CentralValleyClimateSolutions-50-BL-KQED-1.jpg\" alt=\"A person with a moustache and wearing a baseball cap stands in front of a white car.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/09/RS68672_230901-CentralValleyClimateSolutions-50-BL-KQED-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/09/RS68672_230901-CentralValleyClimateSolutions-50-BL-KQED-1-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/09/RS68672_230901-CentralValleyClimateSolutions-50-BL-KQED-1-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/09/RS68672_230901-CentralValleyClimateSolutions-50-BL-KQED-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/09/RS68672_230901-CentralValleyClimateSolutions-50-BL-KQED-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/09/RS68672_230901-CentralValleyClimateSolutions-50-BL-KQED-1-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Huron Mayor Rey León stands near an electric vehicle outside the Latino Equity Advocacy & Policy Institute offices, known as LEAP, in Huron, Calif., on Sept. 1, 2023. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Yet, from a former diesel garage on an alley behind the struggling main street, a busy rideshare service dispatches drivers in shiny electric cars to ferry Huron residents to the doctor and other appointments.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The free program is called \u003ca href=\"https://greenraiteros.org\">Green Raiteros\u003c/a>, a play on the Spanish slang for someone who gives rides. The five-year-old project is the brainchild of Rey León, founding director of the nonprofit \u003ca href=\"https://theleapinstitute.org\">Latino Equity Advocacy & Policy Institute\u003c/a>, or LEAP. Green Raiteros is funded with state grants. And drivers are employees, not gig workers, with pay starting at $18 per hour, according to LEAP staff.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>León, who’s also Huron’s mayor, said the program is part of his vision of meeting basic needs like transportation while leaning into the green economy. The hope is to both reduce emissions and create jobs, preparing the workforce as climate change-induced drought disrupts the agricultural economy of the Central Valley. \u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "‘Huron is in an area that’s been not just drought-stricken, but poverty-stricken for a very long time.’",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“Huron is in an area that’s been not just drought-stricken, but poverty-stricken for a very long time,” said León, sitting in his office upstairs from the dispatchers. “We hope we can make the investments necessary to employ, empower and really animate folks from the community to advance their economy — with innovative technologies so that we can simultaneously fight the climate crisis.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>León sees the physical health of his community as intertwined with its economic health — and both as inextricably linked with the health of the environment where they live: \u003ca href=\"https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/california-has-some-of-the-worst-air-quality-in-the-country-the-problem-is-rooted-in-the-san-joaquin-valley\">one of the most contaminated air basins in the nation\u003c/a>. Huron residents breathe air that carries dust from the fields, pesticides and smog from nearby Interstate 5.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Among other efforts, León has installed 30 EV charging stations around town, planted 300 street trees and enacted measures to promote water conservation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, León is aware that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kvpr.org/environment/2022-11-03/amid-californias-three-year-drought-a-san-joaquin-valley-farmworker-considers-seeking-work-outside-the-region\">tens of thousands of agricultural jobs could dry up\u003c/a> in coming years, as climate-change-fueled drought persists and environmental laws to restore depleted aquifers take effect. The LEAP headquarters on the alley is an incubator for projects he hopes will eventually lead to hundreds of well-paying jobs in manufacturing and environmental stewardship.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11960224\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11960224\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/09/RS68646_230901-CentralValleyClimateSolutions-13-BL-KQED-1.jpg\" alt=\"A person wearing a baseball cap looks out the window from the backseat of a car.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/09/RS68646_230901-CentralValleyClimateSolutions-13-BL-KQED-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/09/RS68646_230901-CentralValleyClimateSolutions-13-BL-KQED-1-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/09/RS68646_230901-CentralValleyClimateSolutions-13-BL-KQED-1-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/09/RS68646_230901-CentralValleyClimateSolutions-13-BL-KQED-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/09/RS68646_230901-CentralValleyClimateSolutions-13-BL-KQED-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/09/RS68646_230901-CentralValleyClimateSolutions-13-BL-KQED-1-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Enrique Contreras gets a ride in an all-electric vehicle from the Green Raiteros rideshare program in Huron, Calif., to a doctor’s appointment on Sept. 1, 2023. The program is run by Latino Equity Advocacy & Policy Institute offices, known as Leap. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In one bay of the garage, several men were building prototypes of portable trailers with solar panels on top, that the \u003ca href=\"https://www.grants.ca.gov/grants/gfo-20-310-mobile-renewable-backup-generation-morbugs/\">California Energy Commission hopes can serve as emergency shelters\u003c/a> and power stations, to deploy during wildfires or other disasters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And in a greenhouse behind the garage, two workers are running an experiment, funded by the USDA, to test a liquid organic fertilizer on tomatoes — with hopes of scaling up production and using local agricultural waste.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As Huron’s mayor, León is also \u003ca href=\"https://www.grants.ca.gov/grants/gfo-20-310-mobile-renewable-backup-generation-morbugs/\">scoping the possibility of developing a park\u003c/a> and nature conservancy on 3,000 acres of overgrown federal land just outside of town. He envisions replenishing the underground aquifer there using the town’s treated wastewater, and employing residents to build trails and plant native trees grown in LEAP greenhouses.\u003cbr>\n\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "‘There’s a lot of funding, but the state needs to provide more technical assistance to Central Valley groups to be able to access that money.’",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>León’s dreams are big, but they’ll take more money, political muscle and capacity building to realize. He knows they won’t happen overnight and, for now, he’s experimenting at a small scale. The Green Raiteros fleet in Huron has 11 cars, but state grants are funding an expansion, with five additional vehicles in Fresno and three more in the Salinas Valley town of Pajaro. In a poor community like his, León said, such government funding has been essential.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If not for the resources provided by state agencies, it really wouldn’t be possible,” he said. “We’re farmworkers and, traditionally, farmworkers have never been afforded the privilege of being able to build up wealth. … We hope that with the projects we’re doing, they could see them as pilots for what could be done in similar communities throughout the state.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Small farming towns like Huron have had some success winning competitive grants. But even with all the new money flowing from state and federal governments, it often goes to big cities and large nonprofits with sophisticated fundraising operations, leaving small, rural places at a disadvantage — even if their need is intense, some advocates say.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There are dire inequities on every measure of human wellbeing in the Central Valley because of past and current policies and disinvestment,” said Solange Gould, co-director of Human Impact Partners, a nonprofit that advocates for health equity. “There’s a lot of funding, but the state needs to provide more technical assistance to Central Valley groups to be able to access that money.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"slug": "labor-rights-ice-and-self-driving-trucks-the-biggest-bills-vetoed-by-newsom-so-far",
"title": "Psychedelics, Caste, High School Condoms and Jury Pay: The Biggest Bills Vetoed by Newsom So Far",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cem>Updated 1:41 p.m. Tuesday\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This is the time of year when Californians learn which bills their governor has decided to take forward to become state law — and which will be rejected in the process known as vetoing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11963061/newsom-rejects-bill-to-give-unemployment-checks-to-striking-workers\">Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed several bills in September\u003c/a>, with two specifically about labor concerns that have been in heated discussion in California. And \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/brief/news/politics/gov-newsom-vetoed-three-bills-including-wide-supported-proposal-against-ice-transfers-of-non-citizen-prisoners\">Newsom has hundreds of more bills to look over by October 14\u003c/a>, either to sign them in or veto them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>More bills were vetoed by the governor on\u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/2023/10/07/governor-newsom-issues-legislative-update-10-7-23/\"> October 7\u003c/a>, including a bill that would have banned discrimination on grounds of caste, and one that would have decriminalized the possession and use of psychedelic substances for those over the age of 21.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.senate.ca.gov/legislativeprocess#:~:text=If%20the%20Governor%20vetoes%20the,needed%20to%20override%20the%20veto.\">If a bill is vetoed by a governor, it goes back to the state Legislature\u003c/a> where it needs a two-thirds vote in both chambers to override the veto. However,\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11963061/newsom-rejects-bill-to-give-unemployment-checks-to-striking-workers\"> it has been decades since that has happened in California.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Keep reading for an overview of some of the most notable vetoes Newsom has made so far, starting with his latest. \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/2023/10/\">You can follow a complete list of Newsom’s vetoes on the state’s website\u003c/a> under “Governor Newsom Legislative Updates,” which includes a variety of topics such as hazing in schools, providing broadband access and a cap on campaign finances.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A bill that would have required more mental health training for school staff\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>When did this veto happen?\u003c/strong> October 13\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Who does this affect?\u003c/strong> School staff, students, parents\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What’s the deeper dive? \u003c/strong>State Senator Anthony Portantino (D-Burbank) \u003ca href=\"https://sd25.senate.ca.gov/news/2023-02-14/senator-portantino-introduces-bill-implement-mental-health-education-and-training\">introduced this bill\u003c/a> to address \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/61186/what-parents-need-to-know-about-their-teens-mental-health\">the growing mental health crisis among young Californians\u003c/a>. SB 509 would have mandated youth behavioral health training for all certified staff and for 40 percent of classified employees who interact with students.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/SB-509-Veto-Message.pdf\">his veto message\u003c/a>, Newsom said he had concerns with aspects of the bill, including the scope of the training and the “the lack of an appropriate mechanism to fund the bill via the Gun Violence Prevention and School Safety Fund.” He referred to the Department of Finance to propose new language – meaning there is a chance for the bill in January’s state budget proposal.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A bill that would have prevented counties from taking foster kids’ money\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>When did this veto happen?\u003c/strong> October 8\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Who does this affect?\u003c/strong> Foster children or people once in the foster care system\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What’s the deeper dive?\u003c/strong> After \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2021/04/22/988806806/state-foster-care-agencies-take-millions-of-dollars-owed-to-children-in-their-ca\">an investigation by criminal justice outlet The Marshall Project and NPR\u003c/a>, states like Arizona, New Mexico and Oregon have been cracking down on agencies who have been taking benefits from \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/california-divide/2023/10/california-foster-kids-money/\">foster children’s Social Security checks\u003c/a>. California’s AB 1512 would have prevented counties from using those benefits to pay for the cost of foster care, instead of going to the children directly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Newsom, however, said changing this reimbursement practice would cost the state too much.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“…This bill creates implementation challenges that should be considered as part of the annual budget process,” he \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/AB-1512-VETO.pdf\">wrote in his veto message\u003c/a>. “Both Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and foster care benefits are intended to provide for the daily care and supervision of youth, including costs for housing and food. If counties are not permitted to use SSI to cover the cost of providing care to foster youth, the General Fund will need to offset those costs.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A bill that would have allowed cannabis cafes in California\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>When did this veto happen?\u003c/strong> October 8\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Who does this affect?\u003c/strong> Businesses, people who use cannabis recreationally[aside postID=news_11963827 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/12/RS61679_GettyImages-1241629214-qut.jpg']\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What’s the deeper dive?\u003c/strong> This bill would have allowed\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11963827/newsom-vetoes-more-bills-including-bill-that-would-have-legalized-cannabis-cafes\"> “Amsterdam-style” cannabis cafes in California\u003c/a>, with food and live music. In his message vetoing the bill, Newsom said he was concerned about its conflict with California’s smoke-free workplace protections. The governor said he nonetheless “appreciates the author’s intent to provide cannabis retailers with increased business opportunities.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A bill that would have expanded benefits to Californians, regardless of immigration status\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>When did this veto happen?\u003c/strong> October 8\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Who does this affect?\u003c/strong> Undocumented Californians\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What’s the deeper dive?\u003c/strong> \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB1536\">AB 1536 would have extended a state-funded, monthly cash assistance to lower-income aged, blind, or disabled immigrants in California\u003c/a> – regardless of whether they are undocumented or not.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Newsom vetoed the bill, saying that despite supporting the goal of the bill, he couldn’t approve the policy without funding.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A bill that would have paid lower-income jurors $100 for their service\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>When did this happen?\u003c/strong> October 8\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Who does this affect?\u003c/strong> Lower-income California residents\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What’s the deeper dive?\u003c/strong> Expanding on \u003ca href=\"https://sfgov.org/financialjustice/files/2022-11/Be%20the%20Jury%20Report_Final.pdf\">a San Francisco pilot program called Be the Jury\u003c/a>, this bill would have paid lower-to-moderate income jurors $100 for each day of service, in hopes of making jury duty more accessible and diverse. \u003ca href=\"https://abc7.com/sf-be-the-jury-ca-duty-pay-la-county-alameda/13434126/\">Californians are currently given $15 a day to serve on a jury.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>San Francisco Mayor London Breed called the concept “groundbreaking” in a report about the pilot program.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In our country’s history, laws barred certain communities from serving on juries,” said Breed, according to the release. “…Even when those discriminatory laws changed, low-income jurors — many being Black, Asian, Latino — struggled to be able to serve because they couldn’t give up their wages.” Breed called the SF pilot program “the kind of smart, innovative change that will create a more equitable and fair criminal justice system.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/AB-881-VETO.pdf\">Newsom vetoed this for a statewide measure\u003c/a>, citing budget concerns.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A bill that would have enforced a nurse-to-patient ratio\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>When did this veto happen?\u003c/strong> October 8\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Who does this affect?\u003c/strong> Healthcare workers\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What’s the deeper dive?\u003c/strong> Encino Democrat Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel introduced a bill that would ask the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) to annually review its enforcement of hospital nurse-to-patient ratio and \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/AB-1063-VETO.pdf\">submit a public report to the state legislature in January\u003c/a>. Every two years, the CDPH would also have to hold a public hearing to receive input from nurses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Newsroom vetoed the bill – amidst\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11963568/kaiser-strike-to-end-saturday-but-negotiations-will-continue\"> labor discussions among healthcare workers\u003c/a> at one of California’s largest private insurers, Kaiser Permanente – writing in his message that since the \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/AB-1063-VETO.pdf\">CDPH already “prioritizes open engagement with stakeholders,”\u003c/a> a biennial public hearing would be unnecessary for the state to make changes, and that the information the bill seeks is publicly available.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A bill that would have prevented public agencies from selling firearms\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>When did this happen?\u003c/strong> October 8\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Who does this affect?\u003c/strong> Proponents of gun control\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What’s the deeper dive?\u003c/strong> AB 733 aimed to prohibit public agencies – like police departments – from selling firearms, ammunition and body armor. Newsom wrote in his veto message that while \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/AB-733-VETO.pdf\">he applauded the author’s efforts to curb gun violence\u003c/a>, he was “concerned about the cost implications of this legislation” writing that “law enforcement agencies, both local and state, oftentimes sell their firearms to a dealer when they upgrade.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I am concerned that this bill, which limits these sales to a dealer who contractually agrees to resell only to a law enforcement agency, will restrict the ability to trade in these firearms and will cost law enforcement agencies across the state millions of dollars,” wrote Newsom – saying that this bill was being proposed “at a time when resources are limited, and staffing is low.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A bill that would have allowed condoms to be sold to high schoolers\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>When did this veto happen?\u003c/strong> October 8\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Who does this affect?\u003c/strong> Proponents of sex-ed, high school age Californians\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What’s the deeper dive?\u003c/strong> Senate Bill 541 would require all public high schools to make free condoms available – and prohibit retailers from refusing to sell to teenagers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Newsom said while evidence showed that increasing access to contraceptives improve adolescent sexual health, the bill would cause economic uncertainty for the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“With our state facing continuing economic risk and revenue uncertainty,\u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/SB-541-Veto-Message.pdf\"> it is important to remain disciplined when considering bills with significant fiscal implications\u003c/a>, such as this measure,” he wrote in his veto message.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A bill that would have capped insulin costs at $35\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>When did this veto happen?\u003c/strong> October 7\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Who does this affect?\u003c/strong> Diabetes patients\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What’s the deeper dive?\u003c/strong> Insulin – \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/health-prices-diabetes-congress-a2f9986b7bf3500b81d1ec80a01e5abb\">an important medication for most people with diabetes that helps control glucose levels\u003c/a> – is uniquely expensive in America, with \u003ca href=\"https://www.vox.com/2019/4/3/18293950/why-is-insulin-so-expensive\">insulin costs tripling in the past decade\u003c/a>. SB90 aimed to cap these costs at $35.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/SB-90-Veto.pdf\">Newsom said bringing down costs of prescription drugs is a priority\u003c/a> in his veto message. However, he said the state is creating its own line of CalRX biosimilar insulins, which will cost around $30.[aside postID=forum_2010101892595 hero='https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/43/2023/03/Prescription-shelves-George-Frey-via-Getty-Images-1020x680.jpg']\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is a fraction of the current price for most insulins, and CalRx biosimilar insulins will be available to insured and uninsured patients nationwide,” he wrote. “With CalRx, we are getting at the underlying cost, which is the true sustainable solution to high-cost pharmaceuticals. With copay caps however, the long-term costs are still passed down to consumers through higher premiums from health plans.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>A bill that would have decriminalized the possession and use of psychedelics for people over 21\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>When did this veto happen?\u003c/strong> October 7.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Who does this affect?\u003c/strong> Those over age 21 who use, or are interested in using, psychedelic treatments for therapeutic purposes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What’s the deeper dive?\u003c/strong> Senate Bill 58, which was introduced by state Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), would’ve decriminalized the possession and ingesting of certain quantities of mescaline; ibogaine; dimethyltryptamine (DMT); and the psychoactive ingredients — psilocybin and psilocin — in hallucinogenic mushrooms.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/SB-58-Veto-1.pdf\">statement (PDF) \u003c/a>Saturday, Gov. Newsom said “peer-reviewed science and powerful personal anecdotes” have led him to believe psychedelics can relieve people suffering from conditions such as depression, PTSD, traumatic brain injury, and other addictive personality traits and that this was “an exciting frontier and California will be on the front-end of leading it.” But Newsom refused to sign the bill, saying that it doesn’t have guidelines for the drugs’ therapeutic use.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At an Assembly Health Committee hearing in July, Sen. Wiener argued that a “huge number” of people have already been using psychedelics despite the ban, and that decriminalizing these substances would promote responsible use. Numerous clinical trials have also shown \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11959628/california-advocates-push-to-decriminalize-psychedelics-with-therapeutic-benefits\">promising results\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Gov. Newsom left the door open for compromise.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I urge the legislature to send me legislation next year that includes therapeutic guidelines,” read Newsom’s statement. “I am, additionally, committed to working with the legislature and sponsors of this bill to craft legislation that would authorize permissible uses and consider a framework for potential broader decriminalization in the future, once the impacts, dosing, best practice, and safety guardrails are thoroughly contemplated and put in place.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a \u003ca href=\"https://www.psychiatry.org/getattachment/d5c13619-ca1f-491f-a7a8-b7141c800904/Position-Use-of-Psychedelic-Empathogenic-Agents.pdf\">position statement from July 2022 (PDF)\u003c/a>, the American Psychiatric Association stated “There is currently inadequate scientific evidence for endorsing the use of psychedelics to treat any psychiatric disorder except within the context of approved investigational studies.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>A bill that would’ve banned discrimination based on caste\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>When did this veto happen?\u003c/strong> October 7.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Who does this affect?\u003c/strong> Members of South Asian communities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What’s the deeper dive? \u003c/strong>Gov. Newsom vetoed SB 403 from state Sen. Aisha Wahab, which would have made California the first state in the nation to ban discrimination on the basis of caste.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In his \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/SB-403-Veto-1.pdf\">veto message (PDF)\u003c/a>, Newsom said the bill is “unnecessary” because caste discrimination is already prohibited under existing civil rights protections that “shall be liberally construed.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But supporters of the bill argue that further legislation is needed in light of the emergence of several high profile discrimination claims in Silicon Valley’s South Asian community that were brought by Dalits, who belong to the lowest stratum of the castes in the Indian subcontinent, and who say they faced blatant prejudice from coworkers and were punished when they tried to speak out. The issue has led to \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/EqualityLabs/status/1710340631682564401?s=20\">protests and a hunger strike\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11963801\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11963801\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/GettyImages-1246541284-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"A South Asian woman in a gray suit speaks into a mic.\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/GettyImages-1246541284-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/GettyImages-1246541284-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/GettyImages-1246541284-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/GettyImages-1246541284-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/GettyImages-1246541284-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/GettyImages-1246541284-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/GettyImages-1246541284-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">State Sen. Aisha Wahab (D-10) speaks during the 50th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade at San Francisco, City Hall on Jan. 25, 2023. \u003ccite>(Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“It’s incredibly important to civil rights,” said Sen. Wahab, who represents California’s 10th district, including a large South Asian population. “It’s incredibly important to the state of California as we grow more and more diverse. Our laws need to go further and deeper to protect more people.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Seattle was the first city to pass a caste discrimination ordinance earlier this year, and last month Fresno in the Central Valley also passed a city ordinance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Opponents of the bill question the prevalence of caste discrimination in the United States and say the legal focus fuels negative stereotypes of South Asians and Hindus.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A bill that would have offered unemployment to striking workers\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>When did this veto happen?\u003c/strong> September 30.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Who does this affect?\u003c/strong> Workers who are on strike.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What’s the deeper dive?\u003c/strong> Inspired by the widespread strikes in Hollywood and the hotel industry, Senate Bill 799 — sponsored by Burbank Democratic Sen. Anthony Portantino — aimed to\u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240SB799\"> provide Unemployment Insurance to workers\u003c/a> who have been on strike for more than two weeks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/SB-799-Veto-Message.pdf\">Newsom said he supported the workers, but vetoed the bill (PDF)\u003c/a> over concerns that the bill could significantly increase the number of people receiving unemployment insurance benefits, which are financed by taxes on employers. California borrowed billions of dollars from the federal government to keep the UI fund afloat after \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11893715/californias-unemployment-fraud-balloons-to-20-billion#:~:text=California%20has%20given%20away%20at,the%20start%20of%20the%20pandemic\">the state paid fraudulent claims during the pandemic.\u003c/a>[aside postID=news_11963061 hero='https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/GettyImages-1532794346-1020x680.jpg']\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Any expansion of eligibility for (Unemployment Insurance) benefits could increase California’s outstanding federal UI debt projected to be nearly $20 billion by the end of the year and could jeopardize California’s Benefit Cost Ratio add-on waiver application, significantly increasing taxes on employers,” he wrote in a statement.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A bill that would have extended OSHA protections for domestic workers\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>When did this veto happen?\u003c/strong> September 30.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Who does this affect?\u003c/strong> An estimated 350,000 domestic workers in California, including nannies, housecleaners and home care aides\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What’s the deeper dive?\u003c/strong> The California Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1973 requires that employers comply with standards that ensure healthy and safe working conditions. However, \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240SB686\">domestic workers are not included in the act’s definition of employment\u003c/a>. Senate Bill 686 is the third attempt by Los Angeles Democrat Sen. María Elena Durazo to change that — and this is the second time Newsom has vetoed it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In his most recent veto, Newsom said while his administration approved an education grant and advisory committee for domestic workers, \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/SB-686-Veto-Message.pdf\">current OSHA regulations were meant for businesses (PDF),\u003c/a> not private individuals. If this bill were to pass, private households employers would need to follow certain obligations, like an eyewash station if workers were using bleach, the governor said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The households that employ domestic workers include middle- and low-income families and older Californians who require daily assistance, ranging from personal care to home cleaning to childcare,” Newsom wrote. “I am particularly concerned given that approximately 44% of the households that employ domestic workers are low-income themselves, that this bill creates severe cost burdens and penalties for many people who cannot afford them.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a texted statement, Durazo told KQED she was “deeply disappointed that the Governor does not recognize the inherent worth and dignity of the women who care for our homes and families by vetoing SB 686.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kimberly Alvarenga, who directs the California Domestic Workers Coalition, said that without the inclusion of domestic workers in health and safety protections, this workforce will continue to face the risk of injury and illness at their jobs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have worked tirelessly over the last four years to create a framework to bring California forward, and the Governor’s office has been unwilling to recognize the women who make up this workforce as equal to other workers,” she wrote in a statement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We will not back down from this fight,” wrote Alvarenga.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11963529\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11963529\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231005-TRUCK-GETTY-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A big rig tractor trailer semi truck on a freeway.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231005-TRUCK-GETTY-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231005-TRUCK-GETTY-KQED-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231005-TRUCK-GETTY-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231005-TRUCK-GETTY-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231005-TRUCK-GETTY-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231005-TRUCK-GETTY-KQED-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A semitruck on a freeway. \u003ccite>(Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>A bill that would have banned driverless testing of autonomous trucks\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>When did this veto happen?\u003c/strong> September 22.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Who does this affect?\u003c/strong> The Teamsters Union, which represents workers like freight drivers and warehouse employees.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What’s the deeper dive?\u003c/strong> This bill, introduced by Winters Democratic Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, aimed to require a human driver on board of a self-driving truck. The Teamsters heavily supported this bill, saying the bill is not a ban on self-driving trucks themselves.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Rather,\u003ca href=\"https://teamster.org/2023/08/teamsters-call-on-gov-newsom-to-put-safety-before-big-tech-by-supporting-autonomous-vehicle-bill-ab-316/\"> it protects good jobs and keeps roads safe by requiring a trained human operator behind the wheel\u003c/a> of autonomous vehicles weighing over 10,000 pounds,” a Teamsters’ news release from last month reads, pleading with Newsom to end his opposition to the bill and his support of “Big Tech.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, in his veto \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/AB-316-Veto-Message.pdf\">Newsom wrote that Assembly Bill 316 was “unnecessary,” (PDF)\u003c/a> and that existing law provides sufficient regulations for self-driving vehicles. Newsom highlights the Department of Motor Vehicles as the body to monitor the testing and operations of automated vehicles.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A bill that would have included a parental recognition of a child’s gender identity in custody disputes\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>When did this veto happen?\u003c/strong> September 22.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Who does this affect?\u003c/strong> Parents in custody battles, transgender children.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What’s the deeper dive?\u003c/strong> Assembly Bill 957 — introduced by Suisun City Democratic Assemblymember Lori Wilson — would require that as the court determined the best interest of a child in a custody proceeding, it should determine a parent’s affirmation of their gender identity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The bill attracted misinformation online, with \u003ca href=\"https://www.thedailybeast.com/elon-musk-slams-california-bill-aimed-at-protecting-trans-kids\">critics like Tesla and X (formerly Twitter) owner Elon Musk claiming it would take away custody\u003c/a> from parents who chose not to affirm their child’s gender identity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/misinformation-lgbtq-transgender-california-custody-3cc6d2b5282d6b0e8ba9d1ffc55edeb7\">the bill does not actually suggest this, according to The Associated Press\u003c/a> — and California prioritizes legal joint custody when parents can cooperate with decision-making. When it comes to parent affirmation,\u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billAnalysisClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB957\"> the “bill does not compel the court to come to a particular outcome,”\u003c/a> a state Senate analysis reads.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In his veto, Newsom wrote that he appreciated the passion behind the bill, and shared the commitment to advancing the rights of transgender Californians. However, he said the existing law already takes a child’s health into consideration, and that would include a child’s gender identity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“\u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/AB-957-Veto-Message.pdf\">That said, I urge caution (PDF)\u003c/a> when the Executive and Legislative branches of state government attempt to dictate — in prescriptive terms that single out one characteristic — legal standards for the Judicial branch to apply,” Newsom wrote. “Other-minded elected officials, in California and other states, could very well use this strategy to diminish the civil rights of vulnerable communities.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A bill that would have prevented state prisons from releasing information to ICE in some cases\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>When did this veto happen?\u003c/strong> September 22.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Who does this affect?\u003c/strong> Incarcerated non-citizens who are set to be released under recent criminal justice reforms.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What’s the deeper dive?\u003c/strong> Assembly Bill 1306 — by Los Angeles Democratic Assemblymember Wendy Carrillo — aimed to prohibit the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) from providing any information facilitating transfers to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), of non-citizens who win release under recent laws aimed at reducing mass incarceration.[aside postID=news_11960794 hero='https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/09/GettyImages-450371241-qut-1020x680.jpg']\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I believe current law strikes the right balance on limiting interaction to support community trust and cooperation between law enforcement and local communities,” \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/AB-1306-Veto-Message.pdf\">Newsom wrote in his veto (PDF)\u003c/a>. “For this reason, I cannot sign this bill.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Newsom also wrote that “as an Administration, we recognize that improvements in this process are important,” and as part of this, CDCR would “limit how it communicates with ICE as a federal law enforcement agency, so information is only provided to ICE when a non-citizen individual enters prison and is approaching their release date.” At that point, ICE would then “determine how it will proceed with its enforcement of federal law.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://a52.asmdc.org/press-releases/20230922-assemblywoman-wendy-carrillos-statement-governor-newsom-vetoing-ab-1306#:~:text=%E2%80%9CI%20am%20disappointed%20in%20Governor,immigrants%20who%20have%20earned%20parole.\">Assemblymember Carrillo expressed her disappointment\u003c/a> at the veto, saying it was never the intention of the Legislature to exclude immigrants from restorative justice reform policies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In her statement, Carrillo referred to public records obtained by the ACLU that give a window into CDCR practices. In two months, the agency transferred over 200 people from CDCR facilities to ICE, according to the ACLU.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“\u003ca href=\"https://www.aclunc.org/news/california-prisons-systematically-profile-and-report-suspected-immigrants-ice-new-report\">Emails between CDCR and ICE reveal that prison staff ignore their own records \u003c/a>to flag people for ICE based on racist assumptions about their names, the languages they speak, and where they were born,” the ACLU report reads. “When marked with a ‘potential ICE hold’ — a category invented by CDCR — people are denied rehabilitation, training, education, and credit-earning opportunities, and have little to no recourse to challenge their treatment.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In one exchange, an official at Avenal State Prison joked ‘should we just put US citizen on a piece of paper fold it up and put it in a hat, and then write on another piece of paper Mexican, fold it up and also throw that in the hat and pick one,’” the ACLU release reads.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/2023/09/30/governor-newsom-issues-legislative-update-9-30-23/\">Read more of Newsom’s veto messages on the Office of the Governor’s website\u003c/a>. We’ll be updating this story with more notable vetoes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s Farida Jhabvala Romero, Tyche Hendricks, Lakshmi Sarah and Attila Pelit contributed to this story.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Gov. Newsom vetoed more bills Saturday, including one that would ban discrimination based on caste and another that would decriminalize some psychedelics. Here's a look at some of the most notable vetoes Newsom has made so far.",
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"title": "Psychedelics, Caste, High School Condoms and Jury Pay: The Biggest Bills Vetoed by Newsom So Far | KQED",
"description": "Gov. Newsom vetoed more bills Saturday, including one that would ban discrimination based on caste and another that would decriminalize some psychedelics. Here's a look at some of the most notable vetoes Newsom has made so far.",
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"headline": "Psychedelics, Caste, High School Condoms and Jury Pay: The Biggest Bills Vetoed by Newsom So Far",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cem>Updated 1:41 p.m. Tuesday\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This is the time of year when Californians learn which bills their governor has decided to take forward to become state law — and which will be rejected in the process known as vetoing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11963061/newsom-rejects-bill-to-give-unemployment-checks-to-striking-workers\">Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed several bills in September\u003c/a>, with two specifically about labor concerns that have been in heated discussion in California. And \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/brief/news/politics/gov-newsom-vetoed-three-bills-including-wide-supported-proposal-against-ice-transfers-of-non-citizen-prisoners\">Newsom has hundreds of more bills to look over by October 14\u003c/a>, either to sign them in or veto them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>More bills were vetoed by the governor on\u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/2023/10/07/governor-newsom-issues-legislative-update-10-7-23/\"> October 7\u003c/a>, including a bill that would have banned discrimination on grounds of caste, and one that would have decriminalized the possession and use of psychedelic substances for those over the age of 21.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.senate.ca.gov/legislativeprocess#:~:text=If%20the%20Governor%20vetoes%20the,needed%20to%20override%20the%20veto.\">If a bill is vetoed by a governor, it goes back to the state Legislature\u003c/a> where it needs a two-thirds vote in both chambers to override the veto. However,\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11963061/newsom-rejects-bill-to-give-unemployment-checks-to-striking-workers\"> it has been decades since that has happened in California.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Keep reading for an overview of some of the most notable vetoes Newsom has made so far, starting with his latest. \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/2023/10/\">You can follow a complete list of Newsom’s vetoes on the state’s website\u003c/a> under “Governor Newsom Legislative Updates,” which includes a variety of topics such as hazing in schools, providing broadband access and a cap on campaign finances.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A bill that would have required more mental health training for school staff\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>When did this veto happen?\u003c/strong> October 13\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Who does this affect?\u003c/strong> School staff, students, parents\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What’s the deeper dive? \u003c/strong>State Senator Anthony Portantino (D-Burbank) \u003ca href=\"https://sd25.senate.ca.gov/news/2023-02-14/senator-portantino-introduces-bill-implement-mental-health-education-and-training\">introduced this bill\u003c/a> to address \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/61186/what-parents-need-to-know-about-their-teens-mental-health\">the growing mental health crisis among young Californians\u003c/a>. SB 509 would have mandated youth behavioral health training for all certified staff and for 40 percent of classified employees who interact with students.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/SB-509-Veto-Message.pdf\">his veto message\u003c/a>, Newsom said he had concerns with aspects of the bill, including the scope of the training and the “the lack of an appropriate mechanism to fund the bill via the Gun Violence Prevention and School Safety Fund.” He referred to the Department of Finance to propose new language – meaning there is a chance for the bill in January’s state budget proposal.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A bill that would have prevented counties from taking foster kids’ money\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>When did this veto happen?\u003c/strong> October 8\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Who does this affect?\u003c/strong> Foster children or people once in the foster care system\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What’s the deeper dive?\u003c/strong> After \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2021/04/22/988806806/state-foster-care-agencies-take-millions-of-dollars-owed-to-children-in-their-ca\">an investigation by criminal justice outlet The Marshall Project and NPR\u003c/a>, states like Arizona, New Mexico and Oregon have been cracking down on agencies who have been taking benefits from \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/california-divide/2023/10/california-foster-kids-money/\">foster children’s Social Security checks\u003c/a>. California’s AB 1512 would have prevented counties from using those benefits to pay for the cost of foster care, instead of going to the children directly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Newsom, however, said changing this reimbursement practice would cost the state too much.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“…This bill creates implementation challenges that should be considered as part of the annual budget process,” he \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/AB-1512-VETO.pdf\">wrote in his veto message\u003c/a>. “Both Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and foster care benefits are intended to provide for the daily care and supervision of youth, including costs for housing and food. If counties are not permitted to use SSI to cover the cost of providing care to foster youth, the General Fund will need to offset those costs.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A bill that would have allowed cannabis cafes in California\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>When did this veto happen?\u003c/strong> October 8\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Who does this affect?\u003c/strong> Businesses, people who use cannabis recreationally\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What’s the deeper dive?\u003c/strong> This bill would have allowed\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11963827/newsom-vetoes-more-bills-including-bill-that-would-have-legalized-cannabis-cafes\"> “Amsterdam-style” cannabis cafes in California\u003c/a>, with food and live music. In his message vetoing the bill, Newsom said he was concerned about its conflict with California’s smoke-free workplace protections. The governor said he nonetheless “appreciates the author’s intent to provide cannabis retailers with increased business opportunities.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A bill that would have expanded benefits to Californians, regardless of immigration status\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>When did this veto happen?\u003c/strong> October 8\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Who does this affect?\u003c/strong> Undocumented Californians\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What’s the deeper dive?\u003c/strong> \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB1536\">AB 1536 would have extended a state-funded, monthly cash assistance to lower-income aged, blind, or disabled immigrants in California\u003c/a> – regardless of whether they are undocumented or not.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Newsom vetoed the bill, saying that despite supporting the goal of the bill, he couldn’t approve the policy without funding.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A bill that would have paid lower-income jurors $100 for their service\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>When did this happen?\u003c/strong> October 8\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Who does this affect?\u003c/strong> Lower-income California residents\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What’s the deeper dive?\u003c/strong> Expanding on \u003ca href=\"https://sfgov.org/financialjustice/files/2022-11/Be%20the%20Jury%20Report_Final.pdf\">a San Francisco pilot program called Be the Jury\u003c/a>, this bill would have paid lower-to-moderate income jurors $100 for each day of service, in hopes of making jury duty more accessible and diverse. \u003ca href=\"https://abc7.com/sf-be-the-jury-ca-duty-pay-la-county-alameda/13434126/\">Californians are currently given $15 a day to serve on a jury.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>San Francisco Mayor London Breed called the concept “groundbreaking” in a report about the pilot program.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In our country’s history, laws barred certain communities from serving on juries,” said Breed, according to the release. “…Even when those discriminatory laws changed, low-income jurors — many being Black, Asian, Latino — struggled to be able to serve because they couldn’t give up their wages.” Breed called the SF pilot program “the kind of smart, innovative change that will create a more equitable and fair criminal justice system.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/AB-881-VETO.pdf\">Newsom vetoed this for a statewide measure\u003c/a>, citing budget concerns.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A bill that would have enforced a nurse-to-patient ratio\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>When did this veto happen?\u003c/strong> October 8\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Who does this affect?\u003c/strong> Healthcare workers\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What’s the deeper dive?\u003c/strong> Encino Democrat Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel introduced a bill that would ask the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) to annually review its enforcement of hospital nurse-to-patient ratio and \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/AB-1063-VETO.pdf\">submit a public report to the state legislature in January\u003c/a>. Every two years, the CDPH would also have to hold a public hearing to receive input from nurses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Newsroom vetoed the bill – amidst\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11963568/kaiser-strike-to-end-saturday-but-negotiations-will-continue\"> labor discussions among healthcare workers\u003c/a> at one of California’s largest private insurers, Kaiser Permanente – writing in his message that since the \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/AB-1063-VETO.pdf\">CDPH already “prioritizes open engagement with stakeholders,”\u003c/a> a biennial public hearing would be unnecessary for the state to make changes, and that the information the bill seeks is publicly available.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A bill that would have prevented public agencies from selling firearms\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>When did this happen?\u003c/strong> October 8\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Who does this affect?\u003c/strong> Proponents of gun control\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What’s the deeper dive?\u003c/strong> AB 733 aimed to prohibit public agencies – like police departments – from selling firearms, ammunition and body armor. Newsom wrote in his veto message that while \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/AB-733-VETO.pdf\">he applauded the author’s efforts to curb gun violence\u003c/a>, he was “concerned about the cost implications of this legislation” writing that “law enforcement agencies, both local and state, oftentimes sell their firearms to a dealer when they upgrade.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I am concerned that this bill, which limits these sales to a dealer who contractually agrees to resell only to a law enforcement agency, will restrict the ability to trade in these firearms and will cost law enforcement agencies across the state millions of dollars,” wrote Newsom – saying that this bill was being proposed “at a time when resources are limited, and staffing is low.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A bill that would have allowed condoms to be sold to high schoolers\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>When did this veto happen?\u003c/strong> October 8\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Who does this affect?\u003c/strong> Proponents of sex-ed, high school age Californians\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What’s the deeper dive?\u003c/strong> Senate Bill 541 would require all public high schools to make free condoms available – and prohibit retailers from refusing to sell to teenagers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Newsom said while evidence showed that increasing access to contraceptives improve adolescent sexual health, the bill would cause economic uncertainty for the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“With our state facing continuing economic risk and revenue uncertainty,\u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/SB-541-Veto-Message.pdf\"> it is important to remain disciplined when considering bills with significant fiscal implications\u003c/a>, such as this measure,” he wrote in his veto message.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A bill that would have capped insulin costs at $35\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>When did this veto happen?\u003c/strong> October 7\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Who does this affect?\u003c/strong> Diabetes patients\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What’s the deeper dive?\u003c/strong> Insulin – \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/health-prices-diabetes-congress-a2f9986b7bf3500b81d1ec80a01e5abb\">an important medication for most people with diabetes that helps control glucose levels\u003c/a> – is uniquely expensive in America, with \u003ca href=\"https://www.vox.com/2019/4/3/18293950/why-is-insulin-so-expensive\">insulin costs tripling in the past decade\u003c/a>. SB90 aimed to cap these costs at $35.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/SB-90-Veto.pdf\">Newsom said bringing down costs of prescription drugs is a priority\u003c/a> in his veto message. However, he said the state is creating its own line of CalRX biosimilar insulins, which will cost around $30.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is a fraction of the current price for most insulins, and CalRx biosimilar insulins will be available to insured and uninsured patients nationwide,” he wrote. “With CalRx, we are getting at the underlying cost, which is the true sustainable solution to high-cost pharmaceuticals. With copay caps however, the long-term costs are still passed down to consumers through higher premiums from health plans.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>A bill that would have decriminalized the possession and use of psychedelics for people over 21\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>When did this veto happen?\u003c/strong> October 7.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Who does this affect?\u003c/strong> Those over age 21 who use, or are interested in using, psychedelic treatments for therapeutic purposes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What’s the deeper dive?\u003c/strong> Senate Bill 58, which was introduced by state Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), would’ve decriminalized the possession and ingesting of certain quantities of mescaline; ibogaine; dimethyltryptamine (DMT); and the psychoactive ingredients — psilocybin and psilocin — in hallucinogenic mushrooms.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/SB-58-Veto-1.pdf\">statement (PDF) \u003c/a>Saturday, Gov. Newsom said “peer-reviewed science and powerful personal anecdotes” have led him to believe psychedelics can relieve people suffering from conditions such as depression, PTSD, traumatic brain injury, and other addictive personality traits and that this was “an exciting frontier and California will be on the front-end of leading it.” But Newsom refused to sign the bill, saying that it doesn’t have guidelines for the drugs’ therapeutic use.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At an Assembly Health Committee hearing in July, Sen. Wiener argued that a “huge number” of people have already been using psychedelics despite the ban, and that decriminalizing these substances would promote responsible use. Numerous clinical trials have also shown \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11959628/california-advocates-push-to-decriminalize-psychedelics-with-therapeutic-benefits\">promising results\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Gov. Newsom left the door open for compromise.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I urge the legislature to send me legislation next year that includes therapeutic guidelines,” read Newsom’s statement. “I am, additionally, committed to working with the legislature and sponsors of this bill to craft legislation that would authorize permissible uses and consider a framework for potential broader decriminalization in the future, once the impacts, dosing, best practice, and safety guardrails are thoroughly contemplated and put in place.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a \u003ca href=\"https://www.psychiatry.org/getattachment/d5c13619-ca1f-491f-a7a8-b7141c800904/Position-Use-of-Psychedelic-Empathogenic-Agents.pdf\">position statement from July 2022 (PDF)\u003c/a>, the American Psychiatric Association stated “There is currently inadequate scientific evidence for endorsing the use of psychedelics to treat any psychiatric disorder except within the context of approved investigational studies.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>A bill that would’ve banned discrimination based on caste\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>When did this veto happen?\u003c/strong> October 7.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Who does this affect?\u003c/strong> Members of South Asian communities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What’s the deeper dive? \u003c/strong>Gov. Newsom vetoed SB 403 from state Sen. Aisha Wahab, which would have made California the first state in the nation to ban discrimination on the basis of caste.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In his \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/SB-403-Veto-1.pdf\">veto message (PDF)\u003c/a>, Newsom said the bill is “unnecessary” because caste discrimination is already prohibited under existing civil rights protections that “shall be liberally construed.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But supporters of the bill argue that further legislation is needed in light of the emergence of several high profile discrimination claims in Silicon Valley’s South Asian community that were brought by Dalits, who belong to the lowest stratum of the castes in the Indian subcontinent, and who say they faced blatant prejudice from coworkers and were punished when they tried to speak out. The issue has led to \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/EqualityLabs/status/1710340631682564401?s=20\">protests and a hunger strike\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11963801\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11963801\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/GettyImages-1246541284-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"A South Asian woman in a gray suit speaks into a mic.\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/GettyImages-1246541284-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/GettyImages-1246541284-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/GettyImages-1246541284-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/GettyImages-1246541284-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/GettyImages-1246541284-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/GettyImages-1246541284-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/GettyImages-1246541284-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">State Sen. Aisha Wahab (D-10) speaks during the 50th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade at San Francisco, City Hall on Jan. 25, 2023. \u003ccite>(Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“It’s incredibly important to civil rights,” said Sen. Wahab, who represents California’s 10th district, including a large South Asian population. “It’s incredibly important to the state of California as we grow more and more diverse. Our laws need to go further and deeper to protect more people.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Seattle was the first city to pass a caste discrimination ordinance earlier this year, and last month Fresno in the Central Valley also passed a city ordinance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Opponents of the bill question the prevalence of caste discrimination in the United States and say the legal focus fuels negative stereotypes of South Asians and Hindus.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A bill that would have offered unemployment to striking workers\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>When did this veto happen?\u003c/strong> September 30.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Who does this affect?\u003c/strong> Workers who are on strike.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What’s the deeper dive?\u003c/strong> Inspired by the widespread strikes in Hollywood and the hotel industry, Senate Bill 799 — sponsored by Burbank Democratic Sen. Anthony Portantino — aimed to\u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240SB799\"> provide Unemployment Insurance to workers\u003c/a> who have been on strike for more than two weeks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/SB-799-Veto-Message.pdf\">Newsom said he supported the workers, but vetoed the bill (PDF)\u003c/a> over concerns that the bill could significantly increase the number of people receiving unemployment insurance benefits, which are financed by taxes on employers. California borrowed billions of dollars from the federal government to keep the UI fund afloat after \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11893715/californias-unemployment-fraud-balloons-to-20-billion#:~:text=California%20has%20given%20away%20at,the%20start%20of%20the%20pandemic\">the state paid fraudulent claims during the pandemic.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Any expansion of eligibility for (Unemployment Insurance) benefits could increase California’s outstanding federal UI debt projected to be nearly $20 billion by the end of the year and could jeopardize California’s Benefit Cost Ratio add-on waiver application, significantly increasing taxes on employers,” he wrote in a statement.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A bill that would have extended OSHA protections for domestic workers\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>When did this veto happen?\u003c/strong> September 30.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Who does this affect?\u003c/strong> An estimated 350,000 domestic workers in California, including nannies, housecleaners and home care aides\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What’s the deeper dive?\u003c/strong> The California Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1973 requires that employers comply with standards that ensure healthy and safe working conditions. However, \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240SB686\">domestic workers are not included in the act’s definition of employment\u003c/a>. Senate Bill 686 is the third attempt by Los Angeles Democrat Sen. María Elena Durazo to change that — and this is the second time Newsom has vetoed it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In his most recent veto, Newsom said while his administration approved an education grant and advisory committee for domestic workers, \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/SB-686-Veto-Message.pdf\">current OSHA regulations were meant for businesses (PDF),\u003c/a> not private individuals. If this bill were to pass, private households employers would need to follow certain obligations, like an eyewash station if workers were using bleach, the governor said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The households that employ domestic workers include middle- and low-income families and older Californians who require daily assistance, ranging from personal care to home cleaning to childcare,” Newsom wrote. “I am particularly concerned given that approximately 44% of the households that employ domestic workers are low-income themselves, that this bill creates severe cost burdens and penalties for many people who cannot afford them.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a texted statement, Durazo told KQED she was “deeply disappointed that the Governor does not recognize the inherent worth and dignity of the women who care for our homes and families by vetoing SB 686.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kimberly Alvarenga, who directs the California Domestic Workers Coalition, said that without the inclusion of domestic workers in health and safety protections, this workforce will continue to face the risk of injury and illness at their jobs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have worked tirelessly over the last four years to create a framework to bring California forward, and the Governor’s office has been unwilling to recognize the women who make up this workforce as equal to other workers,” she wrote in a statement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We will not back down from this fight,” wrote Alvarenga.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11963529\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11963529\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231005-TRUCK-GETTY-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A big rig tractor trailer semi truck on a freeway.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231005-TRUCK-GETTY-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231005-TRUCK-GETTY-KQED-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231005-TRUCK-GETTY-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231005-TRUCK-GETTY-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231005-TRUCK-GETTY-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/231005-TRUCK-GETTY-KQED-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A semitruck on a freeway. \u003ccite>(Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>A bill that would have banned driverless testing of autonomous trucks\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>When did this veto happen?\u003c/strong> September 22.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Who does this affect?\u003c/strong> The Teamsters Union, which represents workers like freight drivers and warehouse employees.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What’s the deeper dive?\u003c/strong> This bill, introduced by Winters Democratic Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, aimed to require a human driver on board of a self-driving truck. The Teamsters heavily supported this bill, saying the bill is not a ban on self-driving trucks themselves.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Rather,\u003ca href=\"https://teamster.org/2023/08/teamsters-call-on-gov-newsom-to-put-safety-before-big-tech-by-supporting-autonomous-vehicle-bill-ab-316/\"> it protects good jobs and keeps roads safe by requiring a trained human operator behind the wheel\u003c/a> of autonomous vehicles weighing over 10,000 pounds,” a Teamsters’ news release from last month reads, pleading with Newsom to end his opposition to the bill and his support of “Big Tech.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, in his veto \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/AB-316-Veto-Message.pdf\">Newsom wrote that Assembly Bill 316 was “unnecessary,” (PDF)\u003c/a> and that existing law provides sufficient regulations for self-driving vehicles. Newsom highlights the Department of Motor Vehicles as the body to monitor the testing and operations of automated vehicles.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A bill that would have included a parental recognition of a child’s gender identity in custody disputes\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>When did this veto happen?\u003c/strong> September 22.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Who does this affect?\u003c/strong> Parents in custody battles, transgender children.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What’s the deeper dive?\u003c/strong> Assembly Bill 957 — introduced by Suisun City Democratic Assemblymember Lori Wilson — would require that as the court determined the best interest of a child in a custody proceeding, it should determine a parent’s affirmation of their gender identity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The bill attracted misinformation online, with \u003ca href=\"https://www.thedailybeast.com/elon-musk-slams-california-bill-aimed-at-protecting-trans-kids\">critics like Tesla and X (formerly Twitter) owner Elon Musk claiming it would take away custody\u003c/a> from parents who chose not to affirm their child’s gender identity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/misinformation-lgbtq-transgender-california-custody-3cc6d2b5282d6b0e8ba9d1ffc55edeb7\">the bill does not actually suggest this, according to The Associated Press\u003c/a> — and California prioritizes legal joint custody when parents can cooperate with decision-making. When it comes to parent affirmation,\u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billAnalysisClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB957\"> the “bill does not compel the court to come to a particular outcome,”\u003c/a> a state Senate analysis reads.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In his veto, Newsom wrote that he appreciated the passion behind the bill, and shared the commitment to advancing the rights of transgender Californians. However, he said the existing law already takes a child’s health into consideration, and that would include a child’s gender identity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“\u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/AB-957-Veto-Message.pdf\">That said, I urge caution (PDF)\u003c/a> when the Executive and Legislative branches of state government attempt to dictate — in prescriptive terms that single out one characteristic — legal standards for the Judicial branch to apply,” Newsom wrote. “Other-minded elected officials, in California and other states, could very well use this strategy to diminish the civil rights of vulnerable communities.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A bill that would have prevented state prisons from releasing information to ICE in some cases\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>When did this veto happen?\u003c/strong> September 22.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Who does this affect?\u003c/strong> Incarcerated non-citizens who are set to be released under recent criminal justice reforms.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What’s the deeper dive?\u003c/strong> Assembly Bill 1306 — by Los Angeles Democratic Assemblymember Wendy Carrillo — aimed to prohibit the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) from providing any information facilitating transfers to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), of non-citizens who win release under recent laws aimed at reducing mass incarceration.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I believe current law strikes the right balance on limiting interaction to support community trust and cooperation between law enforcement and local communities,” \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/AB-1306-Veto-Message.pdf\">Newsom wrote in his veto (PDF)\u003c/a>. “For this reason, I cannot sign this bill.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Newsom also wrote that “as an Administration, we recognize that improvements in this process are important,” and as part of this, CDCR would “limit how it communicates with ICE as a federal law enforcement agency, so information is only provided to ICE when a non-citizen individual enters prison and is approaching their release date.” At that point, ICE would then “determine how it will proceed with its enforcement of federal law.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://a52.asmdc.org/press-releases/20230922-assemblywoman-wendy-carrillos-statement-governor-newsom-vetoing-ab-1306#:~:text=%E2%80%9CI%20am%20disappointed%20in%20Governor,immigrants%20who%20have%20earned%20parole.\">Assemblymember Carrillo expressed her disappointment\u003c/a> at the veto, saying it was never the intention of the Legislature to exclude immigrants from restorative justice reform policies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In her statement, Carrillo referred to public records obtained by the ACLU that give a window into CDCR practices. In two months, the agency transferred over 200 people from CDCR facilities to ICE, according to the ACLU.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“\u003ca href=\"https://www.aclunc.org/news/california-prisons-systematically-profile-and-report-suspected-immigrants-ice-new-report\">Emails between CDCR and ICE reveal that prison staff ignore their own records \u003c/a>to flag people for ICE based on racist assumptions about their names, the languages they speak, and where they were born,” the ACLU report reads. “When marked with a ‘potential ICE hold’ — a category invented by CDCR — people are denied rehabilitation, training, education, and credit-earning opportunities, and have little to no recourse to challenge their treatment.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In one exchange, an official at Avenal State Prison joked ‘should we just put US citizen on a piece of paper fold it up and put it in a hat, and then write on another piece of paper Mexican, fold it up and also throw that in the hat and pick one,’” the ACLU release reads.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/2023/09/30/governor-newsom-issues-legislative-update-9-30-23/\">Read more of Newsom’s veto messages on the Office of the Governor’s website\u003c/a>. We’ll be updating this story with more notable vetoes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s Farida Jhabvala Romero, Tyche Hendricks, Lakshmi Sarah and Attila Pelit contributed to this story.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "/californiareportmagazine",
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"order": 10
},
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM3NjkwNjk1OTAz",
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},
"city-arts": {
"id": "city-arts",
"title": "City Arts & Lectures",
"info": "A one-hour radio program to hear celebrated writers, artists and thinkers address contemporary ideas and values, often discussing the creative process. Please note: tapes or transcripts are not available",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/05/cityartsandlecture-300x300.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.cityarts.net/",
"airtime": "SUN 1pm-2pm, TUE 10pm, WED 1am",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "City Arts & Lectures"
},
"link": "https://www.cityarts.net",
"subscribe": {
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/City-Arts-and-Lectures-p692/",
"rss": "https://www.cityarts.net/feed/"
}
},
"closealltabs": {
"id": "closealltabs",
"title": "Close All Tabs",
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"info": "Close All Tabs breaks down how digital culture shapes our world through thoughtful insights and irreverent humor.",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/closealltabs",
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"order": 1
},
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"id": "code-switch-life-kit",
"title": "Code Switch / Life Kit",
"info": "\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em>, which listeners will hear in the first part of the hour, has fearless and much-needed conversations about race. Hosted by journalists of color, the show tackles the subject of race head-on, exploring how it impacts every part of society — from politics and pop culture to history, sports and more.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em>, which will be in the second part of the hour, guides you through spaces and feelings no one prepares you for — from finances to mental health, from workplace microaggressions to imposter syndrome, from relationships to parenting. The show features experts with real world experience and shares their knowledge. Because everyone needs a little help being human.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510312/codeswitch\">\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/lifekit\">\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />",
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"meta": {
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnByLm9yZy9yc3MvcG9kY2FzdC5waHA_aWQ9NTEwMzEy",
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"id": "commonwealth-club",
"title": "Commonwealth Club of California Podcast",
"info": "The Commonwealth Club of California is the nation's oldest and largest public affairs forum. As a non-partisan forum, The Club brings to the public airwaves diverse viewpoints on important topics. The Club's weekly radio broadcast - the oldest in the U.S., dating back to 1924 - is carried across the nation on public radio stations and is now podcasting. Our website archive features audio of our recent programs, as well as selected speeches from our long and distinguished history. This podcast feed is usually updated twice a week and is always un-edited.",
"airtime": "THU 10pm, FRI 1am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Commonwealth-Club-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
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"meta": {
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"source": "Commonwealth Club of California"
},
"link": "/radio/program/commonwealth-club",
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5jb21tb253ZWFsdGhjbHViLm9yZy9hdWRpby9wb2RjYXN0L3dlZWtseS54bWw",
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},
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"id": "forum",
"title": "Forum",
"tagline": "The conversation starts here",
"info": "KQED’s live call-in program discussing local, state, national and international issues, as well as in-depth interviews.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 9am-11am, 10pm-11pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Forum-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Forum with Mina Kim and Alexis Madrigal",
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"meta": {
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"source": "kqed",
"order": 9
},
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM5NTU3MzgxNjMz",
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"id": "freakonomics-radio",
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"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/05/freakonomicsRadio.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://freakonomics.com/",
"airtime": "SUN 1am-2am, SAT 3pm-4pm",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "WNYC"
},
"link": "/radio/program/freakonomics-radio",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/4s8b",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/freakonomics-radio/id354668519",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/WNYC-Podcasts/Freakonomics-Radio-p272293/",
"rss": "https://feeds.feedburner.com/freakonomicsradio"
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},
"fresh-air": {
"id": "fresh-air",
"title": "Fresh Air",
"info": "Hosted by Terry Gross, \u003cem>Fresh Air from WHYY\u003c/em> is the Peabody Award-winning weekday magazine of contemporary arts and issues. One of public radio's most popular programs, Fresh Air features intimate conversations with today's biggest luminaries.",
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"link": "/radio/program/fresh-air",
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"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=214089682&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
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"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/381444908/podcast.xml"
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"info": "A live production of NPR and WBUR Boston, in collaboration with stations across the country, Here & Now reflects the fluid world of news as it's happening in the middle of the day, with timely, in-depth news, interviews and conversation. Hosted by Robin Young, Jeremy Hobson and Tonya Mosley.",
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"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510051/podcast.xml"
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},
"hidden-brain": {
"id": "hidden-brain",
"title": "Hidden Brain",
"info": "Shankar Vedantam uses science and storytelling to reveal the unconscious patterns that drive human behavior, shape our choices and direct our relationships.",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/series/423302056/hidden-brain",
"airtime": "SUN 7pm-8pm",
"meta": {
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"source": "NPR"
},
"link": "/radio/program/hidden-brain",
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},
"how-i-built-this": {
"id": "how-i-built-this",
"title": "How I Built This with Guy Raz",
"info": "Guy Raz dives into the stories behind some of the world's best known companies. How I Built This weaves a narrative journey about innovators, entrepreneurs and idealists—and the movements they built.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/05/howIBuiltThis.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510313/how-i-built-this",
"airtime": "SUN 7:30pm-8pm",
"meta": {
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"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/how-i-built-this",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/3zxy",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-built-this-with-guy-raz/id1150510297?mt=2",
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"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510313/podcast.xml"
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},
"hyphenacion": {
"id": "hyphenacion",
"title": "Hyphenación",
"tagline": "Where conversation and cultura meet",
"info": "What kind of no sabo word is Hyphenación? For us, it’s about living within a hyphenation. Like being a third-gen Mexican-American from the Texas border now living that Bay Area Chicano life. Like Xorje! Each week we bring together a couple of hyphenated Latinos to talk all about personal life choices: family, careers, relationships, belonging … everything is on the table. ",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Hyphenacion_FinalAssets_PodcastTile.png",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/hyphenacion",
"meta": {
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"source": "kqed",
"order": 15
},
"link": "/podcasts/hyphenacion",
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"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/2p3Fifq96nw9BPcmFdIq0o?si=39209f7b25774f38",
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"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC2275451163"
}
},
"jerrybrown": {
"id": "jerrybrown",
"title": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown",
"tagline": "Lessons from a lifetime in politics",
"info": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown brings listeners the wisdom of the former Governor, Mayor, and presidential candidate. Scott Shafer interviewed Brown for more than 40 hours, covering the former governor's life and half-century in the political game – and Brown has some lessons he'd like to share. ",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Political-Mind-of-Jerry-Brown-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/jerrybrown",
"meta": {
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"source": "kqed",
"order": 18
},
"link": "/podcasts/jerrybrown",
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"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id1492194549",
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}
},
"latino-usa": {
"id": "latino-usa",
"title": "Latino USA",
"airtime": "MON 1am-2am, SUN 6pm-7pm",
"info": "Latino USA, the radio journal of news and culture, is the only national, English-language radio program produced from a Latino perspective.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/latinoUsa.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://latinousa.org/",
"meta": {
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"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/latino-usa",
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"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=79681317&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
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"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510016/podcast.xml"
}
},
"marketplace": {
"id": "marketplace",
"title": "Marketplace",
"info": "Our flagship program, helmed by Kai Ryssdal, examines what the day in money delivered, through stories, conversations, newsworthy numbers and more. Updated Monday through Friday at about 3:30 p.m. PT.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 4pm-4:30pm, MON-WED 6:30pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Marketplace-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.marketplace.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "American Public Media"
},
"link": "/radio/program/marketplace",
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"rss": "https://feeds.publicradio.org/public_feeds/marketplace-pm/rss/rss"
}
},
"masters-of-scale": {
"id": "masters-of-scale",
"title": "Masters of Scale",
"info": "Masters of Scale is an original podcast in which LinkedIn co-founder and Greylock Partner Reid Hoffman sets out to describe and prove theories that explain how great entrepreneurs take their companies from zero to a gazillion in ingenious fashion.",
"airtime": "Every other Wednesday June 12 through October 16 at 8pm (repeats Thursdays at 2am)",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "https://mastersofscale.com/",
"meta": {
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"source": "WaitWhat"
},
"link": "/radio/program/masters-of-scale",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "http://mastersofscale.app.link/",
"rss": "https://rss.art19.com/masters-of-scale"
}
},
"mindshift": {
"id": "mindshift",
"title": "MindShift",
"tagline": "A podcast about the future of learning and how we raise our kids",
"info": "The MindShift podcast explores the innovations in education that are shaping how kids learn. Hosts Ki Sung and Katrina Schwartz introduce listeners to educators, researchers, parents and students who are developing effective ways to improve how kids learn. We cover topics like how fed-up administrators are developing surprising tactics to deal with classroom disruptions; how listening to podcasts are helping kids develop reading skills; the consequences of overparenting; and why interdisciplinary learning can engage students on all ends of the traditional achievement spectrum. This podcast is part of the MindShift education site, a division of KQED News. KQED is an NPR/PBS member station based in San Francisco. You can also visit the MindShift website for episodes and supplemental blog posts or tweet us \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MindShiftKQED\">@MindShiftKQED\u003c/a> or visit us at \u003ca href=\"/mindshift\">MindShift.KQED.org\u003c/a>",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Mindshift-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED MindShift: How We Will Learn",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/mindshift/",
"meta": {
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"source": "kqed",
"order": 12
},
"link": "/podcasts/mindshift",
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM1NzY0NjAwNDI5",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/464615685/mind-shift-podcast",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/stories-teachers-share",
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}
},
"morning-edition": {
"id": "morning-edition",
"title": "Morning Edition",
"info": "\u003cem>Morning Edition\u003c/em> takes listeners around the country and the world with multi-faceted stories and commentaries every weekday. Hosts Steve Inskeep, David Greene and Rachel Martin bring you the latest breaking news and features to prepare you for the day.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 3am-9am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Morning-Edition-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/morning-edition/",
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"link": "/radio/program/morning-edition"
},
"onourwatch": {
"id": "onourwatch",
"title": "On Our Watch",
"tagline": "Deeply-reported investigative journalism",
"info": "For decades, the process for how police police themselves has been inconsistent – if not opaque. In some states, like California, these proceedings were completely hidden. After a new police transparency law unsealed scores of internal affairs files, our reporters set out to examine these cases and the shadow world of police discipline. On Our Watch brings listeners into the rooms where officers are questioned and witnesses are interrogated to find out who this system is really protecting. Is it the officers, or the public they've sworn to serve?",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/On-Our-Watch-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "On Our Watch from NPR and KQED",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/onourwatch",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 11
},
"link": "/podcasts/onourwatch",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1567098962",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5ucHIub3JnLzUxMDM2MC9wb2RjYXN0LnhtbD9zYz1nb29nbGVwb2RjYXN0cw",
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"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510360/podcast.xml"
}
},
"on-the-media": {
"id": "on-the-media",
"title": "On The Media",
"info": "Our weekly podcast explores how the media 'sausage' is made, casts an incisive eye on fluctuations in the marketplace of ideas, and examines threats to the freedom of information and expression in America and abroad. For one hour a week, the show tries to lift the veil from the process of \"making media,\" especially news media, because it's through that lens that we see the world and the world sees us",
"airtime": "SUN 2pm-3pm, MON 12am-1am",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/onTheMedia.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/otm",
"meta": {
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"source": "wnyc"
},
"link": "/radio/program/on-the-media",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/on-the-media/id73330715?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/On-the-Media-p69/",
"rss": "http://feeds.wnyc.org/onthemedia"
}
},
"pbs-newshour": {
"id": "pbs-newshour",
"title": "PBS NewsHour",
"info": "Analysis, background reports and updates from the PBS NewsHour putting today's news in context.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 3pm-4pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/PBS-News-Hour-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "pbs"
},
"link": "/radio/program/pbs-newshour",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/pbs-newshour-full-show/id394432287?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/PBS-NewsHour---Full-Show-p425698/",
"rss": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/feeds/rss/podcasts/show"
}
},
"perspectives": {
"id": "perspectives",
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