Immigration Law: Defending Immigrant Rights and Keeping Families Together

Vanguard Court Watch 8th Annual Fundraiser

Immigration Law: Defending Immigrant Rights and Keeping Families Together

Immigration is a huge issue this year with questions about the policy of family separation at the border, the ORR program, the effect of immigration on crime, and the impact of ICE in local courts and the potential chilling effect it will have on people coming forward to cooperate with authorities.

This event features two speakers who have been on the front lines of defending the rights of immigrants and their families.

Matt Gonzalez is the Chief Attorney with the San Francisco Public Defeders Office. He was the lead attorney in the political charged murder trial of immigrant, Jose Garcia Zarate, who was acquitted of murder and manslaughter charges in the fall of 2017. In 2000, Matt Gonzalez was elected to the SF Board of Supervisors. Two years later he would become president of that 11 member body. He ran for Mayor of San Francisco in 2003, and lost a close race to Gavin Newsom. In 2008, he ran for vice president as the running mate of candidate Ralph Nader.

Holly Cooper, Co-director of the Immigration Law Clinic, has extensive litigation experience defending the rights of immigrants and is a nationally recognized expert on immigration detention issues and on the immigration consequences of criminal convictions.

Last year in a nationally publicized case, Ms. Cooper represented "GE" a 14-year-old unaccompanied minor who has apparently cleared asylum but has still been housed indefinitely at the Yolo County Juvenile Detention Facility despite having no criminal record. In an article in the SF Chronicle Ms. Cooper expressed concern that unaccompanied minors have few legal remedies, and “can find themselves indefinitely detained.” But she said “G.E.’s case is particularly disturbing because he remains locked up despite facing no criminal charges and no pending deportation order.

Chuck Pacheco, is a defense attorney located in Sacramento. In late August, his client was taken into custody by ICE Agents in a Sacramento Court Room. He will speak on this incident.

We have 73 sponsors so far... HERE is a current list of some of the elected officials:

Senator Bill Dodd
Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Supervisor Jim Provenza
Supervisor Don Saylor
Supervisor Oscar Villegas
Davis Mayor Brett Lee
Davis Mayor Pro Tem Gloria Partida
Councilmember Will Arnold
Councilmember Dan Carson
Councilmember Lucas Frerichs
Former Mayor Robb Davis
DJUSD Board President Tom Adams
School Board member Alan Fernandes
School Board member Bob Poppenga

for good measure:
School Board candidate Joe DiNunzio
School Board candidate Cindy Pickett
City Council Candidate Linda Deos
City Council Candidate Ezra Beeman
City Council Candidate Mary Jo Bryan

Proceeds from this event funds the Vanguard Court Watch - a program that monitors and reports on the Yolo County Courts.

You can also purchase tickets via check: P.O. Box 4715, Davis, CA 95617 - makes all checks payable to "Davis Vanguard"