Updated 5/30/17

Navigating a New Landscape 

In the wake of recent changes to national immigration policy, many residents in Contra Costa are feeling fearful about how to protect the life they have built for themselves and their families, and uncertain about whom they can trust.

In response, trusted local community-based organizations and faith congregations are exploring ways to support the residents they work with and serve. During the past few weeks, there have been an outpouring of actions that range from publicizing organizational “welcoming” policies, to providing Know Your Rights workshops, to asking local governments to declare sanctuary status for their jurisdictions.

The Ensuring Opportunity Campaign is supporting this response by coordinating and sharing information about local events, policy changes and resources that can help support immigrants and the organizations that work with them.

On this page, you will find information about:

• A survey of Contra Costa nonprofits that we conducted in mid-March, asking them what steps they are taking to protect immigrants in their organization and community, and what additional potential actions they are eager to learn more about.
• A summary of what’s happening in Contra Costa County, including which jurisdictions and organizations have adopted sanctuary or welcoming policies, and a list of organizations and coalitions that are working on immigration issues.
• A calendar of upcoming events throughout the county, including Know Your Rights trainings and forums for community-based organizations.
• A list of resources covering everything from sanctuary spaces to immigrants’ rights.

Here’s how you can help:

• Educate yourself. Make sure your good intentions lead to right actions. The resources below provide guidance on how to most effectively help immigrants in our community.
• Educate others. Please share this page widely within your organization and community networks
• Educate us: Send us information on additional events and resources you are aware of, so that we can add them to our list. Please email information to Zuleika Godinez, Policy Coordinator for Ensuring Opportunity.
• Keep it going: Check back here frequently, as we will update the page continually with new information and resources in this fast-moving policy landscape.

Survey Findings: How Contra Costa community-based nonprofits are protecting immigrant clients, staff and residents

The Ensuring Opportunity Campaign created a short survey to learn about what changes organizations are seeing in the participation of immigrants in their programs, what they are doing or considering doing to protect clients, and what potential action steps they would like to learn more about. The survey results were fascinating and can help guide nonprofit organizations and funders in allocating their resources where they are most needed. Click here to learn more.

What’s happening in Contra Costa County

Residents packed San Pablo city council chambers on March 6 to support the city’s proposed resolution in support of all city residents, regardless of immigration status.

Sanctuary and Welcoming Policies

Cities, counties and organizations that have adopted sanctuary or welcoming policies

The following government entities and community organizations have adopted sanctuary, safe space or welcoming policies or statements:

Immigration Resources and Support

• DACA and California Driver’s Licenses, published by Immigrant Legal Resource Center.
• Immigration Legal Services Providers
• Resources for Immigrant Children and Families compiled by First 5 Contra Costa
• Plan Familiar En Caso de Emergencia/Family Plan In Case of Emergency, published by Immigrant Legal Resource Center
• Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County’s Immigration Legal Services division produced Know Your Rights videos to help educate the community.

Upcoming Immigration Events

All of the events below are free of charge. Please promote these events to your community networks. Let us know of other events to add to this list.

Event: Immigration Town Hall and Resource Fair. Details here.
Location: Richmond
Event Organizer: Congressman DeSaulnier
Date and Time: Thursday, June 1 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM

Event: Oakley Citizenship Workshop. Details here.
Location: Oakley
Event Organizer: International Institute of the Bay Area
Date and Time: Saturday, June 17 10:00 AM

Additional Resources

Sanctuary policies

• What Does Sanctuary Look Like
  Published by the Faith Alliance for Moral Economy (FAME) and the Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity. If you know of a faith community that would like to explore becoming a Sanctuary congregation, please contact Rev. Deb Lee (dlee@im4humanintegrity.org) for West County or, for East or Central County Bob Lane (boblane01@aol.com) or David Brazil (david@workingeastbay.org), Coordinator for FAME.
• Sanctuary, Safety and Community: Tools for Welcoming and Protecting Immigrants Through Local Democracy
  Published by Demos and LatinoJustice
• Searching for Sanctuary: An Analysis of America’s Counties & Their Voluntary Assistance with Deportations
  Published by Immigrant Legal Resource Center
• What You Should Know About Sanctuary Cities
  Published by Third Way
• Understanding the Sanctuary School & Safe Zone Movement: A Quick Guide for Educators
  Published by Educators for Fair Consideration

Federal and State Policies

Federal

• The Lawsuit Against Trump’s Threat to Defund Sanctuary Cities. Published by Immigrant Legal Resource Center.
• FAQ on Trump’s Executive Order on Sanctuary Cities. Published by Immigrant Legal Resource Center.
• Executive Order 13768: Withholding Federal Funds from Sanctuary Jurisdictions
• Sanctuary Cities and Federal Funds: How Will California Be Affected?
  Published by California Budget & Policy Center
• Letter from Law Professors in Opposition to Executive Order 13768

State

• SB 54 – California Values Act