Locality: National

National

FEMA COVID-19 Funeral Assistance Update

FEMA is providing financial assistance for COVID-19 related funeral expenses incurred after January 20, 2020.  The COVID-19 incident period ended on May 11, 2023. FEMA will continue to provide funeral assistance until Sept. 30, 2025, to those who have lost loved ones due to this pandemic.

The death must have occurred in the US, including the US territories, and the District of Columbia.
The death certificate must indicate the death was attributed to COVID-19. The applicant must be a US citizen, non-citizen national, or qualified alien who incurred funeral expenses after 1/20/20.  There is no requirement for the deceased person to have been a US citizen, non-citizen national, or qualified alien.

There is no on line application.  Once you have phoned in, supporting documentation can be emailed, faxed or mailed.  ***COVID-19 Funeral Assistance Line Number 844-684-6333 | TTY: 800-462-7585 ***
FEMA Funeral Application Video   
FAQ   Multi-language:  Spanish |  Chinese |  Vietnamese |  Portuguese |  Creole |  Bengali   Russian     Arabic  

Key Words: Pandemic

Equal Justice Works

Facilitating Fellowships for public interest lawyers and law students to serve at legal services organizations across the nation to increase equal access to justice for communities in need.
Educating law students and lawyers about options to manage their student debt and advocating for loan repayment assistance programs (LRAPs) and Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF).

For immigrants, IDs prove to be a barrier to a dose of protection

4/11/21 The life-or-death race to get as many people vaccinated as possible before the coronavirus spawns more viral mutations, like the one that emerged in Brazil, started slowly but has accelerated as many of those crossing the finish line possess the wherewithal and inclination to navigate a mazelike system. As the nation nears the point where supply soon outpaces demand, the unvaccinated will increasingly be people who are reluctant or who are rebuffed by barriers blocking their way. Key Words: COVID-19, Pandemic

The safety of health care for ethnic minority patients: a systematic review

7/8/20 A multitude of factors contribute to health inequity amongst ethnic minority populations including limited social support, lower health literacy, lower socio-economic status, greater incidence of ill health and a sense of disempowerment [1,2,3,4]. Access to care and language barriers have been the predominant focus of research, with evidence of failure to provide qualified interpreting services to people with limited English proficiency (LEP) as a key contributor to poor care outcomes

Mortgage help from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

There is free foreclosure help. If anyone tries to charge you in advance for help or guarantees that they can stop your foreclosure, they’re not legitimate.
If you’re behind on your mortgage, or having a hard time making payments, we want to get you in touch with a HUD-approved housing counselor”they’ve been sponsored by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Your counselor can develop a tailored plan of action for your situation and help you work with your mortgage company. They’re experienced in all of the available programs and a variety of financial situations. They can help you organize your finances, understand your mortgage options, and find a solution that works for you.

Recording of Discussion on Accessibility of Red Cross Disaster Services

3/15/21 American Red Cross (ARC) provides disaster relief services all day, every day, where ever needed, so people can have clean water, safe shelter and hot meals when they need them the most. The purpose of ARC is to meet the immediate disaster-caused needs of individuals, families, and communities. This session addresses the mission and services of American Red Cross and how those service look amidst COVID a concurrent disaster. This session will also address inclusive practices, and discuss functional and access needs for individuals and families seeking supports and how ARC can accommodate.
This training is part of the first-ever Disaster Resilience Awareness by Disability Rights Texas.
Key Words: AFN, disabilities

Asian Americans face attacks during pandemic

3/15/21 Stop AAPI Hate began tracking violence and harassment against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders on March 19 last year.
From then through the end of 2020, Stop AAPI Hate received a total of 3,292 complaints from all 50 states and Washington, DC, according to a Stop AAPI Hate news release. The coalition, which had previously reported a lower number of complaints for 2020, said some incidents that took place in 2020 were not reported until earlier this year.

5 lessons COVID-19 has taught us for the next pandemic

3/16/21 The pandemic that launched the nation’s first and most ambitious experiment to slow the spread of COVID-19 ” stay-home orders for 7.6 million Bay Area residents ” is easing. It’s left behind shattered lives, economic upset and widened racial inequities, but also valuable lessons which could strengthen our future response to outbreaks of deadly contagion. “Despite these enormous hardships, we have so many reasons for hope and a better future now” said Dr. Dan Lowenstein, executive vice chancellor and provost of UC San Francisco.

Biden admin to end Trump policy that let DHS deport caregivers for migrant children

3/12/21 The Biden administration said Friday it will end a Trump-era policy that let U.S. border agents collect information about the immigration status of people who came forward to care for unaccompanied migrant children so it could potentially deport them.
The policy, which began in 2018, allowed the Department of Homeland Security to identify and deport those would-be caregivers who were in the country illegally. It meant that immigrant parents who came to the U.S. and then later sent for their children to cross the border faced possible deportation when they tried to pick up their children from Health and Human Services custody.

Right to Be (previously Hollaback!) Anti-Harrassment Training and Tool Kits

Right to Be is a global, people-powered movement to end harassment ” in all its forms. We believe that we all deserve to be who we are, wherever we are.
We believe we all have a role to play in disrupting harassment and building a culture where it is no longer seen as “just the price you have to pay” for being a woman, LGBTQ+, a person of color, or any other marginalized identity. We teach people to take action, and to reach across their own identities to ally with others and establish a united front against harassment each time we witness it. Key Words: Free Bystander Intervention Intervention Training, Hate Crime

Biden rolls back Trump’s tougher citizenship test

2/22/21 The Biden administration will offer the option for applicants to select the 2008 civics examination. Announced in a Policy Alert on Monday, the civics examination requirement implemented in December 2020 will switch to an earlier version implemented in 2008. The 2020 civic exam featured 128 possible questions on the exam. With Biden’s new order, it will switch to the 100 possible questions seen in the 2008 version.
Some content will be altered as well. The policy alert did not specify what these changes would be.

Executive Order on Restoring Faith in Our Legal Immigration Systems and Strengthening Integration and Inclusion Efforts for New Americans

2/2/21 …Consistent with our character as a Nation of opportunity and of welcome, it is essential to ensure that our laws and policies encourage full participation by immigrants, including refugees, in our civic life; that immigration processes and other benefits are delivered effectively and efficiently; and that the Federal Government eliminates sources of fear and other barriers that prevent immigrants from accessing government services available to them.

Archive – A Comcast Employee Was Told to Upsell Internet to Low-Income People. So He Quit.

1/29/21 I didn’t like how Xfinity/Comcast were positioning themselves as caring and helping and doing everything they can. When I was like, that’s not what you’re doing. It’s business as usual……
Xfinity/Comcast got rid of data limits for the first two months of the pandemic. Then, I don’t know why, they just got reinstated. The pandemic didn’t end and school didn’t reopen, but they said, now we’re charging everybody again

Give an Hour®

GAH exists for those who don’t have access to compassionate mental health care. Licensed mental health providers have joined Give an Hour® to change the direction of mental health and volunteer to provide direct services.
Nationally we support: Those currently serving in the military, veterans (regardless of discharge status, deployment status, or era of service), and their families *** Those affected by natural disasters or man-made traumas
Provides free mental health services to those in need by reaching out to partner organizations to identify groups in need as well as partnering with California based mental health associations to offer the opportunity to providers across the state to join us in this effort. Multi-language: Spanish

How to master the vaccine-appointment website- A guide for everyone

2/10/21 Scheduling coronavirus vaccine shots online is causing panic for eligible Americans and the children and grandchildren helping them. That includes me and my parents, hunting for scraps of information on supply and pressing reload at all hours on poorly designed websites. By the time you type in all the required information, available appointments have vanished.
An estimated 42 percent of Americans over the age of 65 don’t even have a wired broadband Internet connection at home, according to a new report. Online vaccine appointment systems are particularly under-serving minority and low-income communities.
2021 has made being a computer whiz a matter of life and death. Shame on America for asking seniors to beta test bad vaccine logistics software.Key Words: Pandemic, COVID-19, Vaccination

As COVID-19 relief vote nears, undocumented immigrants struggle with no aid

3/4/21 There are approximately 7 million undocumented immigrants working in the United States, making up 4.4% of the workforce, according to a 2020 Center for American Progress report. Because of their immigration status, they do not qualify for unemployment benefits if they lose their job.
But it’s not just undocumented immigrants themselves who have faced difficulty receiving aid. There are around 16.7 million people in America who have at least one undocumented family member living with them, according to the Center For American Progress. People in these mixed-status families, such as when some are citizens and some are DACA recipients but file taxes with a family member who doesn’t have a Social Security number, also have struggled to receive benefits.

USCIS – Public Charge Update

3/12/21 USCIS is no longer applying the August 2019 Public Charge Final Rule. As a consequence, among other changes, USCIS will apply the public charge inadmissibility statute consistent with the 1999 Interim Field Guidance. In other words, USCIS is not considering an applicant’s receipt of Medicaid (except for long-term institutionalization at the government’s expense), public housing, or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits as part of the public charge inadmissibility determination. Multi-language: Spanish

Social Stigma associated with COVID-19

A guide to preventing and addressing social stigma –
Target audience: Government, media and local organisations working on the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The current COVID-19 outbreak has provoked social stigma and discriminatory behaviours against people of certain ethnic backgrounds as well as anyone perceived to have been in contact with the virus.

New Stanford research: Why Zoom can wipe you out

2/23/21 COVID-19 pandemic has moved our lives into a virtual space. Why is that so exhausting?
The tiredness doesn’t feel earned. We’re not flying an airplane, teaching toddlers or rescuing people trapped in burning buildings. Still, by the end of the day, the feeling is so universal that it has its own name: Zoom Fatigue.
Stanford researchers find four causes for ‘Zoom fatigue’ and propose simple fixes

Archive – BUILDING IMMIGRANT POWER FROM CALIFORNIA TO NEW YORK

2/21 CIPC Blueprint for the Nation includes a vision along with concrete policy priorities for five issue areas in New York and California that are critical to immigrant communities: Creating Healthy Communities; Building Political Power and Guaranteed Civil Rights; Ending State Support for Detention, Deportation and Mass Incarceration; Ensuring Economic Justice and Good Jobs; and Quality Education. Key Words: Demographics, legal,

‘I Will Not Stand Silent.’ 10 Asian Americans Reflect on Racism During the Pandemic and the Need for Equality

6/25/20 Today, as the U.S. struggles to combat a global pandemic that has taken the lives of more than 120,000 Americans and put millions out of work, President Donald Trump, who has referred to COVID-19 as the “Chinese virus” and more recently the “kung flu” has helped normalize anti-Asian xenophobia, stoking public hysteria and racist attacks. And now, as in the past, it’s not just Chinese Americans receiving the hatred. Racist aggressors don’t distinguish between different ethnic subgroups”anyone who is Asian or perceived to be Asian at all can be a victim. Even wearing a face mask, an act associated with Asians before it was recommended in the U.S., could be enough to provoke an attack. Key Words: Hate Crimes

ARC 2020 COVID-19 Partner Brief

2/1/21 Covid Act Now is a multidisciplinary team of technologists, epidemiologists, health experts, and public policy leaders working to provide disease intelligence and data analysis on COVID in the U.S.
Covid Act Now works in partnership with the Georgetown University Center for Global Health Science and Security, Stanford University Clinical Excellence Research Center, and Grand Rounds. Key Words: Pandemic, American Red Cross

CISA Faith Based Community Cybersecurity Resources

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is committed to supporting efforts to maintain safe and secure houses of worship and related facilities while sustaining an open and welcoming environment. In partnership with the Department of Homeland Security Center for Faith and Opportunity Initiatives and the Faith-Based Information Sharing and Analysis Organization, CISA provides resources that assist in securing physical and cyber infrastructure.

Archive – U.S. Legalization and the Unauthorized Immigrant Groups that Could Factor in the Debate

2/1/21 The Biden administration has unveiled a framework for a pathway to citizenship for unauthorized
immigrants, urging Congress to take up legalization. This Migration Policy Institute (MPI) report provides an analysis of the composition and characteristics of the unauthorized immigrant population in the US today. It also takes stock of the legalization options that exist, particularly amid growing calls to recognize the role immigrants, including the unauthorized, have played in providing essential
services during the COVID-19 pandemic and their
outsized vulnerability to the disease. Key Words: Demographics, Undocumented

The Impact of the Coronavirus on Food Insecurity in 2020

Update: October 2020 – Feeding America analysis of how food insecurity may increase in 2020 due to COVID-19 for the overall population and children at the national, state, county, and congressional district levels.
In 2020, the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic
threatens the lives and livelihoods of people
throughout the world. Decisions are being made that
weigh economic cost against the lives of people in the
United States, and no matter the outcome, the most
vulnerable members of society are in position to fare
the worst. Key Words: Report

Immigration Policy Tracking Project

2/21 This “TrumpTracker” Immigration Policy Tracking Project catalogues every known Trump-era immigration policy from January 2017 through the end of the administration.
Entries describing Trump policies contain the official source documents, are catalogued by date under “view all policies,” and are searchable by subject area, agency affected, type of action, and other categories.
Biden administration actions that affect or rescind Trump-era policies are prominently noted under the individual policy entries. An overview of Biden announcements appears on the summaries page.

Frequently Requested Statistics on Immigrants and Immigration in the US

2/11/21 Key Statistics on Immigrants in the US ted in One Useful Resource
The Migration Policy Institute (MPI) today published the latest version of its perennially popular resource, Frequently Requested Statistics on Immigrants and Immigration in the United States, which features a wealth of data about the U.S. immigrant population as well as current and historic migration to the United States. Key Words: Disaster

Free File Alliance Tax Assistance

The Free File Alliance is a nonprofit coalition of industry-leading tax software companies partnered with the IRS to help millions of Americans prepare and e-file their federal tax returns for free. Free File is the fast, safe and free way to do your federal tax return online. Free File Alliance member companies provide brand name tax software options at no cost.

DIGITAL SECURITY for Protesters & Activists

Equality Labs is an Ambedkarite South Asian organization that uses community research, political base-building, culture-shifting art, and digital security to end the oppression of caste apartheid, Islamophobia, white supremacy, and religious intolerance. Through these methods, we provide practical tools for communities to make new interventions in longstanding systems of oppression of South Asian caste oppressed, queer and religious minority communities in the US, and in our home countries, from India, Nepal, Pakistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Maldives, Sri Lanka, West Indies, Trinidad, Guyana, Suriname, and Afghanistan. Membership includes Dalit (formerly known as “Untouchable” people), Adivasi (indigenous people of South Asia), Bahujan, Muslim, Buddhist, Sikh, and Christians.
Equality Labs has created videos, quickquides, and a curriculum for digital security which is accessible as well as extensive.

How Biden Can Restore Humanitarian Protection at the Border

1/5/21 Asylum seekers represent a small fraction of the people who come to the United States each year, yet previous administrations have feared their arrival.
This crisis-based mindset has fueled ever-increasing brutality at the border, with family detention eventually metastasizing into family separation. But despite the Trump administration’s torturous and cruel policies, people have continued to seek protection at our border. Keu Words: Immigrants, Immigrants

REAL ID Frequently Asked Questions

After the May 7, 2025 deadline, Federal agencies, including DHS and TSA, may only accept state-issued driver’s licenses and ID cards as identification to access federal facilities – including TSA airport security checkpoints – if it was issued by a REAL ID compliant state (meaning the license or card must include the REAL ID compliant star marking). Additional questions may be sent to the Department of Homeland Security at REALID@hq.dhs.gov

Civics Questions and Answers (2008 version) English/Spanish

Beginning on April 19, 2021, USCIS is administering only the 2008 civics test to N-400 applicants at their initial interview appointment, regardless of their filing date. USCIS will no longer offer the 2020 civics test at the initial interview, but will continue to provide study materials for the 2020 test for those applicants who are eligible to choose between the 2008 or 2020 civics test at their re-exam or N-336 hearing.
Spanish

KIND Report- Concrete Steps to Protect Unaccompanied Children on the Move

2020 The KIND (Kids in Need of Defense) Blueprint for the protection of unaccompanied children provides guidance on how the U.S. government
should uphold its responsibility to treat these children humanely and in accordance with the law and this country’s ideals. Their unique vulnerabilities require a legal and policy framework that provides enhanced procedural safeguards and protection mechanisms essential to helping unaccompanied children overcome daunting obstacles to relief. Key Words: Advocacy

GUIDE TO ALLYSHIP

An open source starter guide to help you become a more thoughtful and effective ally. Anyone has the potential to be an ally. Allies recognize that though they’re not a member of the underinvested and oppressed communities they support, they make a concerted effort to better understand the struggle, every single day.
Because an ally might have more privilege and recognizes said privilege, they are powerful voices alongside oppressed ones.

Mental Health Stigma in the Muslim Community

2012 Report – The possibility that cultural normative beliefs may be mislabeled or unidentified due to cultural insensitivity also need to be addressed, particularly insofar as such mislabeling may lead to both the unnecessary stigmatization of those who, in fact, do not have psychiatric problems, and the failure to help individuals who do need it. Further, anti-stigma interventionists must take care to not inadvertently undermine strengths of Muslim attitudes toward mental illness, potentially including less blame placed on patients (at least in some contexts) and greater hope regarding prognosis.

DHS Statement on the Suspension of New Enrollments in the Migrant Protection Protocols Program

1/20/21 DHS announced the suspension of new enrollments in the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) program. Effective January 21, the Department will cease adding individuals into the program. However, current COVID-19 non-essential travel restrictions, both at the border and in the region, remain in place at this time. All current MPP participants should remain where they are, pending further official information from U.S. government officials. Multi-languagel:
Spanish
Key Words: Asylum

How Joe Biden’s immigration plan works, and what it would mean for California

President Joe Biden on his first day in office sent Congress an extensive immigration proposal that could have big implications for California, which is home to the largest undocumented immigrant population in the nation.
The plan, known as the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021, would provide a pathway to citizenship to the 11 million unauthorized immigrants living in the United States. About 2 million of them live in California.

Senate Democrats introduce legislation to grant Temporary Protected Status to Venezuelans

1/25/21 Democratic senators introduced legislation to grant Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, to Venezuelans in the U.S., saying the actions former President Donald Trump took on his last day in office to shield Venezuelans from deportation fall short.
Biden said during the presidential campaign that he would extend TPS protections for Venezuelans. TPS can be granted by Congress or through a presidential executive order. Key Words: Immigration, law,

Amid Covid Health Worker Shortage, Foreign-Trained Professionals Sit on Sidelines

1/27/21 As hospitals nationwide struggle with the latest covid-19 surge, it’s not so much beds or ventilators in short supply. It’s the people to care for the sick.
Yet a large, highly skilled workforce of foreign-educated doctors, nurses and other health practitioners is going largely untapped due to licensing and credentialing barriers. According to the Migration Policy Institute think tank in Washington, D.C., some 165,000 foreign-trained immigrants in the U.S. hold degrees in health-related fields but are unemployed or underemployed in the midst of the health crisis.
Many of these workers have invaluable experience dealing with infectious disease epidemics such as SARS, Ebola or HIV in other countries yet must sit out the covid pandemic.

Immigration Data Matters

This useful online guide links users directly to the most credible, high-quality data on immigrants and immigration in the United States and internationally. The easy-to-use publication includes more than 250 data resources compiled by governmental and authoritative nongovernmental sources. Key Words: Demographics

DOJ Rescinds Trump ‘Zero Tolerance’ Rule That Separated Thousands of Migrant Families

1/26/21 The Justice Department on Tuesday rescinded a Trump-era memo that established a “zero tolerance” enforcement policy for migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border illegally, which resulted in thousands of family separations.
Acting Attorney General Monty Wilkinson issued the new memo to federal prosecutors across the nation, saying the department would return to its longstanding previous policy and instructing prosecutors to act on the merits of individual cases.

An equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccine must include noncitizens

1/26/21 On Dec. 14, 2020, with the initiation of COVID-19 vaccine distribution, the nation saw its first glimmer of hope during the pandemic. However, that sense of hope is not necessarily shared by a vital segment of the population: noncitizens. Noncitizens work in high-risk, essential industries but have been overlooked in the pandemic response. To protect both the lives and livelihoods of all people in the United States, it is critical that noncitizens are equitably included in COVID-19 vaccine distribution. Key Words: Undocumented

Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies

The only U.S. disability-led organization with a focused mission on equal access, disability rights and full inclusion of people with disabilities, older adults, and people with access and functional needs before, during, and after disasters and emergencies.
Disability Rights in Shelters and in Disaster/Emergency Response |
Sus Derechos en un Desastre |
Disaster Hotline: (800) 626-4959
Spanish Key Words: AFN

Protecting Immigrants When Decriminalizing or Legalizing Marijuana

9/9/20 Though federal legal reforms may be the only way to completely eradicate the immigration consequences of marijuana-related conduct and convictions, reforms at the state level can nevertheless help stop the arrest-to-deportation pipeline. Drawing from our experience with state and municipal efforts across the country, this resource, jointly produced by the Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC), the Immigrant Defense Project, and the Drug Policy Alliance, lists best practices for municipalities and states looking to decriminalize in a way that lessens the immigration-related harms of marijuana criminalization.

Archive – The Effect of COVID-19 on Immigrants and Nonimmigrants Abroad

9/3020 Tens of thousands of people remain in immigration detention despite the high risk of COVID-19 transmission in crowded jails, prisons, and detention centers that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) uses to hold noncitizens. The pandemic led to the suspension of many immigration court hearings and limited the functioning of the few courts which remain open or were reopened. Meanwhile, Congress left millions of immigrants and their families out of legislative relief, leaving many people struggling to stay afloat in a time of economic uncertainty.
This report seeks to provide a comprehensive overview of the impact of COVID-19 across the immigration system in the United States.

Update: Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals

On July 16, 2021, a Texas judge issued a ruling partially ending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. While USCIS can accept first-time applications, this decision prevents USCIS from approving or processing them. Therefore, if you choose to submit a first-time application, you will not get a response on this application or be refunded for the $495 application fee. You should consult with an accredited representative or lawyer if you have additional questions about submitting a first-time application.

Civil Rights Victory in Texas is a Model for Environmental Progress Nationwide

12/11/20 In a win for civil rights and environmental protection in Texas, the state has agreed to guarantee access to information and opportunities for Spanish-language and other non-English dominant communities to participate in decisions that affect their environment and health, including the siting of polluting facilities and infrastructure.

THE ANTI-OPPRESSION NETWORK

The Anti-Oppression Network is a coalition of individuals, grassroots groups, and community organizations dedicated to grounding our work towards liberation in the principles of decolonization, anti-oppression and intersectionality.
The aim of the Network is to provide resources, support, solidarity, and mutual aid in helping individuals, collectives, community organizations and society as a whole re-evaluate, unlearn, disrupt and transform cycles of oppression, and develop meaningful strategies for more effective, long-term, and sustainable organizing.
Key Words: Canada, Indigenous, tolerance, racism

Surgeon general- Immigration status should not be barrier to receiving COVID-19 vaccine

12/20/20 Surgeon General Jerome Adams encouraged undocumented immigrants across the U.S. to get vaccinated for COVID-19 when shots become available, saying during an interview on Sunday that it is a public health priority to see as many people vaccinated as possible.
Speaking on CBS’s “Face the Nation,” the nation’s top doctor said that a person’s immigration status should not serve as a barrier between them and a COVID-19 vaccine.

California students rush to apply for DACA for the first time in 3 years

12/22/20 With the door to apply for DACA open for the first time in more than three years, hundreds of high school and college students in California are rushing to apply, fearful it will be slammed shut again.
“We’re on a mad dash to put out as much educational content for folks as possible” said Juliana Macedo do Nascimento, the state and local policy manager for United We Dream, the largest immigrant youth-led organization in the country. “We know that this window is open, but we don’t know for how long.”

Free COVID-19 Contact Tracing Course

2022 In this free, 7 hour virtual course, students will learn about the science of SARS-CoV-2 , including the infectious period, and why contact tracing can be effective. How contact tracing is done, including how to build rapport with cases, identify their contacts, and support both cases and their contacts to stop transmission. Also cover several important ethical considerations around isolation, and quarantine. Identify some of the most common barriers — along with strategies to overcome them. English with Subtitles: Arabic, French, Portuguese (European), Chinese (Simplified), Italian, Portuguese (Brazilian), Vietnamese, Korean, German, Russian, Turkish, English, Hebrew, Spanish, Nepali  Key Words: Pandemic, Coronavirus

Coronavirus Advice for Consumers

AVOID CORONAVIRUS SCAMS with advice from the FTC: learn how to tell the difference between a real contact tracer and a scammer. Legitimate tracers need health information, not money or personal financial information. *** Don’t respond to texts, emails or calls about checks from the government. Here’s what you need to know.*** Ignore offers for vaccinations and miracle treatments or cures. Scammers are selling products to treat or prevent COVID-19 without proof that they work.

Multi-language COVID-19 Videos and Quickguides

Disinformation during COVID-19 is more than just fake news ” it can mean life or death in terms of how people take care of themselves and their loved ones. We designed these cards to be shared widely through social media and encourage you to share them, but as a set. Sharing just one card out of the whole set could lead to confusion. Multi-language:
, in English, Hindi, Punjabi, Tamil, Malayalam, Telegu, Bengali, Urdu, Marathi, Nepali, Kannada, Burmese, Key Words: Indian, international

CBP Refuses to Tell Congress How it is Tracking Americans Without a Warrant

10/23/20 The CBP is buying location data harvested from ordinary apps installed on peoples’ phones.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is refusing to tell Congress what legal authority the agency is following to use commercially bought location data to track Americans without a warrant, according to the office of Senator Ron Wyden. The agency is buying location data from Americans all over the country, not just in border areas. Key Words: KYR, Privacy, ICE, Deportation, immigrant

A Muslim prayer app was doing more than reminding users to pray. It was selling their info

11/20/20 Users of the popular Muslim prayer app Muslim Pro are posting negative reviews and taking to Twitter to discuss their disappointment after a news report revealed the app was selling users’ information to companies and government agencies. An investigation and report by Vice’s Motherboard found that the app sold location data and other personal information to a third-party broker called X-Mode. X-Mode later sold that same data to defense contractors that provide information to agencies like the U.S. military.

ACTION: Stop AAPI Hate Reporting Center

We encourage all who have witnessed or experienced micro-aggressions, bullying, harassment, hate speech, or violence to help us document. The more information we have, the better we can respond and prevent further incidents from occurring.
Submit an Incident Report Form in:
English,Chinese-Traditional, Chinese-Simplified,
Korean, Thai, Japanese, Vietnamese, Khmer, Punjabi, Tagalog, Hmong, Hindi
Key Words: Hate Crime, Asian

RedRover Animal Rescue

RedRover helps animals rescued from disasters or neglect, domestic violence victims seeking safety with their pets, and animals with life-threatening illnesses. We use innovative solutions to prevent cruelty. Links to pet friendly hotels and shelters.

Promising Alternatives to Detention in the Era of COVID-19

Oct/2020 The impacts of COVID-19 have been far-reaching for people in migration-related detention or at-risk of being detained. Amidst the many issues of concern that have been highlighted by the IDC (International Detention Coalition), there are also a number of promising responses and practices that demonstrate how alternatives to detention (ATD) can be utilized to reduce public health concerns, while supporting compliance with human rights standards and the provision of, and access to essential services.
This Briefing Note was informed by data made available between April-August 2020. Multi-language:
Spanish |
French |
Arabic |

AirNow Interactive National Air Quality Map

AirNow is your one-stop source for air quality data. Our recently redesigned site highlights air quality in your local area first, while still providing air quality information at state, national, and world views. A new interactive map even lets you zoom out to get the big picture or drill down to see data for a single air quality monitor.
AirNow reports air quality using the official U.S. Air Quality Index (AQI), a color-coded index designed to communicate whether air quality is healthy or unhealthy for you. When you know the AQI in your area, you can take steps to protect your health.

USCIS Fee Rule Halted in Its Entirety in Response to Litigation Filed by AILA and Sidley Austin LLP

9/30/20 AILA applauds the Court’s expeditious order to set aside USCIS’s unprecedented attempt to dramatically raise fees prior to November’s Presidential Election. The DHS’s Fee Rule, which would have doubled or tripled application fees for many essential immigration benefits, was set to go into effect on October 2, 2020. Not only did Judge White carefully identify that DHS leadership did not have the authority to issue the rule, Judge White recognized that the government pushed to increase fees arbitrarily without considering important concerns identified by plaintiffs and thousands of commenters in opposition to the rule, including the negative impact the rule would have on low-income immigrant populations and those seeking asylum.
Current Fees 10/16/20

ALA (LA Homeshare for Seniors)

We are a group of passionate individuals committed to supporting homeless and at-risk seniors with affordable housing, resources and services.
One-third of Los Angeles’ 1.2 million older adults are facing housing instability today and that number is expected to double in ten years. With your support, ALA will be able to profoundly impact this crisis and give seniors in Los Angeles secure home environments and the affordable housing they need and deserve.
Key Words: LA,

Disaster Food Stamps  (D-SNAP)

Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP or Disaster CalFresh) gives food assistance to low-income households with food loss or damage caused by a natural disaster. D-SNAP uses different standards than normal SNAP. If you would not normally qualify for SNAP, you may qualify for D-SNAP. Disaster Calfresh Eligibility
Current SNAP clients may also request replacement benefits for food that was lost in the disaster and bought with SNAP benefits.
Disaster Relief is not subject to Public Charge.

CDC Social Vulnerability Index

Social vulnerability refers to the potential negative effects on communities caused by external stresses on human health. Such stresses include natural or human-caused disasters, or disease outbreaks. Reducing social vulnerability can decrease both human suffering and economic loss.
CDC Social Vulnerability Index (CDC SVI) uses 15 U.S. census variables to help local officials identify communities that may need support before, during, or after disasters.

CA Same Day Voter Registration

Same Day Voter Registration, known as Conditional Voter Registration in state law, is a safety net for Californians who miss the deadline to register to vote or update their voter registration information for an election.
Eligible citizens who need to register or re-register to vote within 14 days of an election can complete this process to register and vote at their county elections office, polling place, or vote center. Their ballots will be processed and counted once the county elections office has completed the voter registration verification process.
Visit caearlyvoting.sos.ca.gov for a list of early voting locations where you can complete the Same Day Voter Registration Process.
Need to register on Election Day? Use our polling place lookup tool to find your local polling location.

San Jose legislator Zoe Lofgren pushes for immigration reforms amid COVID-19

9/25/20 Rep. Zoe Lofgren called for immigration reform this week during a congressional hearing examining the role of undocumented immigrants in the essential workforce.
The San Jose Democrat said essential workers, such as those working in agriculture or food processing, have risked their lives by continuing to work in-person throughout the coronavirus pandemic.
“Many immigrant essential workers are undocumented and live under the constant threat of removal” she said. “Many others are protected by temporary programs, such as the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals or the Temporary Protected Status, but they too live in fear as a result of the (Trump) administration’s efforts to terminate these programs. They deserve better.”

Insurance Advocacy – United Policyholders Roadmap to Recovery

Since 1991 our Roadmap to Recovery program has been improving disaster recovery by providing free insurance and decision-making guidance, tools and resources to people, businesses and communities. The program includes our online library of claim tips, sample letters, reports, instructional videos, professional help directory, and articles written by leading experts in personal finance, construction and the law. Key Words: Wildfire

Maintaining effective U.S. labor standards enforcement through the coronavirus recession

9/3/20 Evidence from the Great Recession of 2007″2009 indicates that high levels of unemployment weaken the labor market power of those low-wage workers who remain employed. Minimum wage violations increased dramatically during the Great Recession, disproportionately impacting Latinx, Black, and female workers. We anticipate the coronavirus recession will result in increased violations, yet as high unemployment adds to workers’ desperation to maintain any job, the likelihood that low-wage workers will file complaints with an enforcement agency will decrease.

Health Care Advance Directive.- Guide with an Easy-to-Use, Multi-State Form for All Adults

8-26-20 A Guide with an Easy-to-Use, Multi-State Form for All Adults produced by the Commission on Law and Aging, American Bar Association. The form in this guide is a simple version of a Health Care Advance Directive. It allows you to choose someone to make health care decisions for you if you can’t. If you name a health care agent when you are healthy, you will make sure that someone you trust can make health care decisions for you if you become too ill or injured to make them yourself. Multi-language:
Spanish

USAHello Resources for Newcomers to America

USAHello is a free online center for information and education for refugees, asylum seekers, immigrants and welcoming communities. In the USAHello classroom, we offer our GED classes in English and in manually translated Spanish. Our Citizenship class is in manually translated Spanish, Arabic, Vietnamese and Swahili. The classroom is also automatically translated into several other languages to help newcomers study and learn English at the same time.Multi-language:
Arabic
French
Spanish

USCIS Wants To Increase the Amount of Biometric Data It Collects by Over 60%

9/9/20 The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced plans to dramatically expand the personal information that it collects in support of immigration petitions and applications. This new rule will increase the total number of people who are required to submit biometric data from 3.9 million currently to 6.07 million”an increase of more than 60%.
The proposed rule increases the pool of people who must provide biometrics to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) by requiring biometrics from individuals of any age. This will further scrutinize children, and discourage victims of crime from being able to navigate the complex U.S. immigration system.

Emergency Preparedness: Plan (ASL)

This 6-minute video from the Arizona DEMA’s Emergency Preparedness series encourages community members to create a plan for what to do in the case of an emergency. It emphasizes the need for separate versions of this plan for different places you spend time (such as home, work and school), choosing a meeting place out of the area as well as nearby, and discussing with your family the steps to take in either an evacuation or staying in place. It gives advice such creating pre-written messages as it may be easier for those who are deaf or hard of hearing to communicate, and checking with local emergency management agency to see if they keep a record of those with access and functional needs.
This video gives a lot of information and details every step of preparing for an emergency situation. Key Words: communication, AFN, Translation, Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Coronavirus, Pandemic, Disaster, Language Access

Sign Language for First Responders (Evacuate)

Simple, 3-minute video that shows first responders key words in American Sign Language (ASL) that would be helpful in communicating with those who are deaf or hard of hearing in an evacuation. Words include emergency, help, wait, go, sit, let’s communicate through writing, etc. Overall a well-done video. She repeats the signs a few times to help ingrain them in your head and points out how signs are different if they are similar to one another. Key Words: communication, Language Access

Disability Rights Videos

Rooted in Rights – Videos on accessibility, alt text, and AFN Tools and resources. Redefining narratives around disability, mental health and chronic illness. As part of Disability Rights Washington, our Seattle-based team of disabled video producers, editors and digital organizers partner with both local coalitions and national advocacy campaigns to fight for concrete changes for our community. Key Words: AFN, Access & Functional Needs, BLM, KYR