Events

VACOLAO – VIRGINIA LATINO/IMMIGRANT ADVOCACY DAY

Thursday, January 18, 2018, Richmond, Virginia (Scholarships available)

WHAT: Join the Virginia Coalition of Latino Organizations (VACOLAO)’s annual Immigrant Advocacy Day to meet with elected representatives and advocate for legislation and issues important to Virginia’s immigrant communities. The top priorities of VACOLAO’s legislative agenda are: Driver’s License Access for all immigrants in Virginia, expanding in-state tuition for immigrant students regardless of their legal status, passing a resolution for the General Assembly condemning “hate speech” and celebrating diversity and welcoming community, closing the Gap on Medicaid among others.

WHEN: Thursday, January 18, 2018 from 8:30 a.m. to 3.00 p.m. (We will provide light breakfast and lunch)

Transportation available from Falls Church. It will leave from 6066 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041 at 6:30am that morning. Please arrive by 6:15am. We will be returning to northern Virginia at 5:00pm.

WHERE: We will convene at 919 E. Main Street, Richmond, VA 23219 (Tidewater Room) and will meet of our representatives at the new building of the Virginia General Assembly.

REGISTRATION INFORMATION:

Registration fee: $ 20.00. Please register at https://vaimmigrantadvocacyday.eventbrite.com

If you pay by check, please make payable to the order of VACOLAO and send us at 6066 Leesburg Pike, suite 520, Falls Church, VA 22041

SCHOLARSHIPS: Limited scholarship assistance is available to cover the event registration fee. To apply for a scholarship, please proceed with your registration and choose “scholarship”. Applications will be evaluated on a first-come first-serve basis.

CONTACT: Contact us at [email protected] or by phone at 703-772-1555.

For more information, please visit www.vacolao.org

NOVA ADVOCACY DAY TRAINING:

WHAT: Every year before the Immigrant Advocacy Day, VACOLAO organizes a training where we provide information on our legislative agenda that we will be advocates for during the general assembly as well as provide tools on how to become an effective advocate with state elected officials. This meeting will also provide an overview of what to expect during the actual advocacy day in Richmond.

WHERE: 4444 Arlington Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22204 (UUCA)

WHEN:  Thursday, January 11^th at 7pm. 2018

VACOLAO WEEKLY STATEWIDE CONFERENCE CALL: As in past years, VACOLAO will hold weekly statewide conference calls to talk about the development of the bills on VACOLAO’s legislative agenda at the General Assembly and discuss advocacy efforts.

WHEN: Our first call will be Tuesday, January 10th at 02:00 p.m. If you want to be part of these weekly conference calls, please fill out this form:  https://goo.gl/forms/xV26E9aglKoM7l8E2

Best regards

Edgar Aranda-Yanoc, LLM

Chair, Virginia Coalition of Latino Organizations (VACOLAO)

Senior Lead Organizer, Legal Aid Justice Center’s Immigrant Advocacy Program

6066 Leesburg Pike, suite 520

Falls Church, VA 22041

Telephone 703-778-3450

Fax 703-778-3454

www.justice4all.org

8th Virginia Immigrant Advocates Summit

Community Strategy Meeting in Culpeper: Sheriff Jenkins application for 287(g) program

As many of you are now aware, Culpeper’s Sheriff Jenkins has applied to join the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) 287(g) program. As seen in Prince William County, the 287(g) program is very divisive and wasteful program that will likely cost tax payers millions of dollars and make the county less safe. It will erode the trust between police and the immigrant community. We also believe this program will create a chilling effect with the community and increase racial profiling.

See attachment for more information about the program generally.  On November 14^th DHS will decide on currently pending applications for this program. The DHS Advisory Board has requested information or testimonials of abuse, mistreatment, or any specific instances which would demonstrate why the Culpeper Sheriff department should not be approved for this program.

We will be holding a meeting on Thursday Nov 2^nd at the Culpeper County Library to discuss this issue and how the community can combat and oppose the Sheriff’s application.

Please join us on Thursday November 2^nd at 5:30pm a 101 South West Street in Culpeper

Immigration Clinic – Immigration Relief DACA

FREE IMMIGRATION CLINIC – DACA RENEWAL

On September 5th, President Trump’s administration announced that they would be winding down the DACA program. As such, DACA holders who hold DACA status with an expiration date on or before March 5th, 2018 must file a renewal before October 5, 2017 to extend their status one last time. If it is not renewed, they will lose their work authorization, driver’s license in some states including Virginia, in-state tuition in Virginia and protection from deportation.

Considering the huge stakes in play and short deadline to file a renewal application, Legal Aid Justice Center’s Immigrant Advocacy Program is organizing this free clinic to help DACA holders renew their application. AGAIN, DACA HOLDERS WHOSE STATUS EXPIRES BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 5, 2017 AND MARCH 5, 2018 MUST RENEW THEIR STATUS BEFORE THE OCTOBER 5th DEADLINE.

If you plan on attending this free clinic, you MUST bring the following with you:

1) Two Passport Sized Photos
2) Any criminal records (e.g. police report, charging document, disposition, etc.)
3) If you have traveled abroad, bring your passport and advanced parole documentation
4) Money order for $495 made out to “US Department of Homeland Security” (PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE ARE ORGANIZATIONS WHO MAY BE ABLE TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO HELP PAY FOR THIS APPLICATION FEE. PLEASE INQUIRE ABOUT THIS ASSISTANCE AT THE CLINC YOU ATTEND.
5) Photocopy of DACA Work Permit (both sides)

Please Bring: Copies of all prior DACA applications and renewals.