California Attorney General Rob Bonta has introduced new "Know Your Rights" guidance for immigrant communities in an effort to inform and protect vulnerable populations amid concerns over potential deportation policies under the incoming administration.
The initiative aims to educate immigrants about their legal rights while addressing the prevalence of fraudulent immigration services and is the latest in a series of recent efforts to "Trump-proof" California.
During an event in Los Angeles, Bonta emphasized that immigrants, regardless of their legal status, have fundamental rights under California and federal law, as reported by Cal Matters.
These rights, which can be accessed in full at the Attorney General's official website, include the right to emergency medical care, a workplace free from harassment and discrimination, and access to housing without disclosing immigration status, except in federally funded affordable housing applications.
Furthermore, employers are prohibited from retaliating against workers by threatening to contact immigration authorities, and housing providers cannot harass tenants or share immigration-related information with government agencies.
The guidance also highlights that all children in California have the right to a free public education without needing to disclose citizenship or immigration status and schools are required to accept various forms of documentation to verify age and residency. Schools also cannot demand social security numbers or immigration documents for enrollment or school meal programs.
As for immigrants detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which is a hot topic given the upcoming administration's expected immigration policies, they have the right to consult with a lawyer. Even though the government is not obligated to provide one, resources are available for free or low-cost legal assistance through LawHelpCA.org. Additionally, state and local law enforcement agencies are prohibited from inquiring about immigration status for enforcement purposes or assisting ICE in immigration enforcement, with limited exceptions.
"Immigrants are currently expressing fears they will be separated from their family members, lose their homes and assets, and be deported back to a country where they may face danger -- or even death" said Gina Amato Lough, Immigrants' Rights Project's Directing Attorney, to The Latin Times. "This is incredibly important information in times like these, where there is fear, uncertainty, and rapid policy changes impacting the immigrant community."
Amato and Public Counsel, which is Los Angeles' largest pro bono law firm, organized Know Your Rights training earlier this week and are aware of similar initiatives happening all over the country.
Besides providing information about their rights, these workshops also caution against relying on unauthorized individuals, such as notarios, for legal help, warning that such fraud is common and often underreported in immigrant communities.
"Immigrants need to know the dangers associated with seeking legal services from notarios, what they can do to protect themselves from notario fraud, and the steps they can take if they do fall victim to notario fraud," added Amato. "This is incredibly important information in times like these, where there is fear, uncertainty, and rapid policy changes impacting the immigrant community."
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