SAN ANTONIO, TX – Yesterday, the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights (USCCR), an independent and bipartisan agency that advises the President and Congress on civil rights matters, released its report on the state of civil rights at immigration detention centers in the United States. MALDEF testimony is cited throughout the report, which outlines a series of federal and constitutional violations at immigration detention facilities operated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. MALDEF and other groups filed a complaint last year with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) demanding the immediate investigation of and swift response to widespread allegations of sexual abuse and harassment at the detention center in Karnes City.
News Releases
CALIFORNIA GOV. BROWN SIGNS MALDEF-SPONSORED BILL TO PROTECT CONSUMERS FROM ARBITRARY DISCRIMINATION
SACRAMENTO, CA – Yesterday, California Governor Jerry Brown signed into law SB 600, a bill authored by Senator Richard Pan, barring discrimination based on citizenship, language, or immigration status. MALDEF initiated and sponsored the legislation, and thanks Gov. Brown for signing it into law. The law clarifies the Unruh Civil Rights Act, and provides clear notice to business proprietors that they cannot discriminate in public accommodations.
CALIFORNIA GOV. BROWN SIGNS MALDEF-SPONSORED BILL TO PROTECT CONSUMERS FROM ARBITRARY DISCRIMINATION
SACRAMENTO, CA – Yesterday, California Governor Jerry Brown signed into law SB 600, a bill authored by Senator Richard Pan, barring discrimination based on citizenship, language, or immigration status. MALDEF initiated and sponsored the legislation, and thanks Gov. Brown for signing it into law. The law clarifies the Unruh Civil Rights Act, and provides clear notice to business proprietors that they cannot discriminate in public accommodations.
CALIFORNIA GOV. BROWN SIGNS MALDEF-SPONSORED BILL PROTECTING THE RIGHTS OF CHILD VICTIMS IN COURT
SACRAMENTO, CA – Yesterday, California Governor Jerry Brown signed into law AB 560, a bill authored by Assemblymember Jimmy Gomez barring the consideration of a child’s immigration status in civil actions. MALDEF initiated and sponsored the legislation, and thanks Gov. Brown for signing it into law. The law protects minor children who are victims of torts from having their immigration status exposed, explored, and considered in seeking judicial recourse for the harms that they have suffered.
MALDEF WELCOMES FIFTH CIRCUIT RULING THAT TEXAS VOTER ID LAW VIOLATES THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT
SAN ANTONIO, TX – Yesterday, on the eve of the 50th anniversary of the federal Voting Rights Act, MALDEF—which litigated against Texas Voter ID in the preclearance phase—congratulated the plaintiffs and welcomed the Fifth Circuit ruling that the Texas voter ID law disproportionately impacts Hispanic and African-American voters, violating Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act (VRA).
MALDEF CHALLENGES FULLERTON JOINT UNION HIGH SCHOOL BOARD ELECTORAL PROCESS
FULLERTON, CA – MALDEF today sent a letter to Fullerton Joint Union High School District, demanding that it change its at-large elections system to a district-based system that affords Latino voters an equal opportunity to elect candidates of their choice to the Fullerton Joint Union High School Board, in accordance with the California Voting Rights Act of 2001 (“CVRA”). The District currently elects its Board of Trustees using an at-large method that has denied Latino residents the opportunity to elect candidates of their choice. MALDEF demands the system be changed to a district-based system.
MALDEF ARGUES FOR INTERVENTION IN IMMIGRATION DISCRETION CASE IN FIFTH CIRCUIT
NEW ORLEANS, LA – This morning, MALDEF Vice President of Litigation Nina Perales will present oral argument before a panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit to argue for the intervention of three potential applicants for Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA) in Texas v. United States, a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of DAPA and the expansion of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), which was first implemented in 2012. MALDEF represents three mothers from South Texas who sought to join the case because they intend to apply for DAPA, a form of prosecutorial discretion that would protect parents of U.S. citizens and permanent residents from removal and permit them to work.
MALDEF STATEMENT SUPPORTING NEW VOTING RIGHTS ADVANCEMENT BILL
WASHINGTON, D.C. – MALDEF President and General Counsel, Thomas A. Saenz, released the following statement supporting the bicameral Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2015, introduced today by several Members of the House and Senate. The legislation is the latest action by Congress to restore the federal review of voting changes in states with a history of discriminating against minority voters. MALDEF, and coalition partners, developed a critical new formula in the bill that requires federal preclearance of six suspicious voting change practices that have been historically linked to voter discrimination.
MALDEF SUES FALLBROOK PUBLIC UTILITY DISTRICT FOR VIOLATING CALIFORNIA VOTING RIGHTS ACT
SAN DIEGO, CA – Today, MALDEF filed suit against Fallbrook Public Utility District, in San Diego Superior Court, for violating the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA). The District uses an at-large method to elect its Board Members, and as a result there has been no Latino representation on the Board for decades. MALDEF filed the suit on behalf of Fallbrook registered voters who seek a court order that will block future at-large elections in the District, and require the District to design and implement a by-district election method that would provide voter equity.
POMONA COLLEGE FACES TRIAL IN TENURE DISCRIMINATION CASE
LOS ANGELES, CA – Yesterday, L.A. County Superior Court Judge Ernest Hiroshige denied a Pomona College effort to avoid trial in a lawsuit MALDEF filed against the college in the summer of 2013 for race and gender discrimination. In Martinez v. Pomona College, MALDEF represents Alma Martinez, a former Pomona professor who was denied tenure despite a proven track record of successfully meeting her duties throughout six years of employment with the college, and a unanimous departmental recommendation that she be promoted to a fully-tenured position. The trial is set to begin on July 22, 2015. Trial promises to expose significant evidence of anti-Latina discrimination at Pomona College.
EXPERT HIRED BY KERN HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT FINDS EVIDENCE OF BIAS AGAINST AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDENTS
BAKERSFIELD, CA – African American and Latino Plaintiffs suing Kern High School District and other state and county officials in a civil rights action were not surprised to hear that an expert, Dr. Jon Eyler, presented a report to the Kern High School District indicating that African American students are subject to double the rates of discipline as white students. The Discipline Analysis Report presented data about discipline and suspension rates Monday night at the Kern High School District board meeting.
MALDEF DEMANDS SYSTEMIC ELECTORAL CHANGES IN CITY OF GARDEN GROVE, CALIFORNIA
GARDEN GROVE, CA – Today, MALDEF sent a letter to the City Manager and City Attorney for the City of Garden Grove, demanding that the system for electing city council members be changed to comply with the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA). Garden Grove currently elects city council members using an at-large method that has denied Latino residents the opportunity to elect candidates of their choice. MALDEF demands the system be changed to a district-based system.
MALDEF FILES SUIT ON BEHALF OF AIRPLANE CLEANERS FACING HARASSMENT FOR SPEAKING SPANISH IN THE WORKPLACE
LOS ANGELES, CA – Today, MALDEF filed a lawsuit against Gate Gourmet for unlawful employment practices. Gate Gourmet, a contracted cleaning service for Delta Airlines at LAX, illegally prohibited its employees, including those who only speak Spanish, from using Spanish during work hours, including rest and meal breaks, and threatened to replace employees who complained about management. The lawsuit alleges that this is unlawful harassment of employees, in violation of California Government Code sections 12951 and 12940.
MALDEF VICTORIOUS AS STATE COURT DECLARES MARICOPA COUNTY DREAMERS ELIGIBLE FOR ARIZONA IN-STATE TUITION
PHOENIX, AZ – Late Tuesday, Judge Arthur T. Anderson of the Superior Court of Arizona ruled that students granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) are eligible for in-state tuition at the Maricopa County Community College District. As part of its campaign against immigrants and DACA recipients, the State of Arizona sued one of its own community college districts to prevent it from offering in-state tuition to DACA recipients.
STATEMENT ON BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP HEARING IN U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
WASHINGTON, D.C. – MALDEF President and General Counsel Thomas A. Saenz released the following statement in response to today’s hearing in the Judiciary Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives, which questioned the role of “birthright citizenship,” a longstanding emblem of equality and inclusion: