MALDEF THREATENS VICTOR VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT WITH LEGAL ACTION OVER AT-LARGE VOTING SYSTEM

LOS ANGELES, CA – In a letter sent today to Victor Valley Community College District officials, MALDEF warned that the current at-large system used to elect the five-member Board of Trustees violates the California Voting Rights Act of 2001 (CVRA). The letter, sent to Victor Valley Community College District Superintendent Roger Wagner, alleges that the election system used by Victor Valley Community College District dilutes the Latino vote and prevents Latino voters from electing candidates of their choice to serve on the Board of Trustees.

MALDEF WARNS CHAFFEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT OF LEGAL ACTION OVER ELECTION SYSTEM

LOS ANGELES, CA – In a letter sent today to Chaffey Community College District President Henry D. Shannon, MALDEF warned that the current at-large system used to elect the five-member Governing Board violates the California Voting Rights Act of 2001 (CVRA) by diluting the Latino vote and preventing Latino voters from electing candidates of their choice to serve on the board.

MALDEF MOURNS THE LOSS OF JACK GREENBERG

LOS ANGELES – MALDEF President and General Counsel Thomas A. Saenz and former President and General Counsel Vilma S. Martinez today issued the following statements in response to the passing of Jack Greenberg, a crusading civil rights attorney who served as the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund’s Director-Counsel from 1961 to 1984, and was instrumental in helping establish MALDEF (Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund).

MALDEF LAUNCHES FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND TOOLKIT TO ASSIST UNDOCUMENTED YOUTH APPLYING FOR DACA

LOS ANGELES, CA – MALDEF (Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund) today released a first-of-its-kind toolkit designed to help undocumented youth obtain the critical records needed to apply for temporary relief from deportation under President Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) initiative. “DACA has already benefitted hundreds of thousands of young immigrants,” said Thomas A. Saenz, MALDEF President and General Counsel. “This toolkit should assist countless others who are eligible but have not applied, perhaps because of the difficulty in obtaining the necessary evidence and documentary proof of eligibility for discretionary DACA relief.” Under DACA, undocumented youths who were born after 1981, came to the United States before age 16, and remained in the country since 2007, are eligible to receive relief from potential removal, work authorization, and a Social Security card.

MALDEF STATEMENT ON SUPREME COURT’S DECISION TO DENY REHEARING OF DAPA/DACA CASE

LOS ANGELES, CA – The United States Supreme Court today denied a petition to rehear United States v. Texas, a case challenging the constitutionality of President Obama’s executive actions on immigration, including the expansion of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and the initiation of Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA).

COURT RULES THAT LAWSUIT CAN MOVE FORWARD ON BEHALF OF LATINO, BLACK STUDENTS FACING DISCRIMINATION IN KERN COUNTY

BAKERSFIELD, CA – A California District Court of Appeal panel has refused to dismiss a lawsuit brought by a coalition of civil rights groups against Kern High School District (KHSD) over disciplinary policies that unlawfully target African American and Latino students. The court summarily denied KHSD’s extraordinary writ request to revisit the trial court’s denial of dismissal.