In Charlotte, North Carolina, a young man who came to the United States at the age of 11 worries that he could soon face deportation to El Salvador, the country he was born in, reports Naomi Kowles of WBTV.
He has lived a normal life, he has worked and paid taxes in the United States for most of his life. Now, he is one of thousands of reopened immigration cases.
“I consider myself an American, you know, regardless of whether I’m legal or not,” said the man in an interview. “I pledge allegiance to the flag as soon as I stepped in this country because I understood, I came for a better life.”
In Arizona, a 27-year-old DACA recipient was arrested while driving with his wife, reports Alexandra Rangel of Arizona’s Family.
“They said DACA is no longer considered a legal status in the U.S. I told them he has a work permit, that he’s working. They said it doesn’t matter. They opened the car door and detained him,” said Jose Valdovinos’ wife, describing the arrest.
Separately, as thousands of immigration cases are reopened, immigration courts remain understaffed, reports Ximena Bustillo of NPR.
Welcome to Wednesday’s edition of The Forum Daily. I’m Clara Villatoro, the Forum’s assistant VP of strategic communications, and the great Forum Daily team also includes Jillian Clark and Callie Jacobson. If you have a story to share from your own community, please send it to me at [email protected].
INTERVIEWS — The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently sent a notice informing shelter providers that federal law enforcement will be interviewing unaccompanied children in government custody, reports Laura Romero of ABC News. According to the notice sent via email, the interviews started on August 4. Advocates are raising concerns about the administration's focus on unaccompanied migrant children.
CHILDREN’S REALITIES — Children discussed immigration concerns in a summer leadership program by TODEC, a legal center serving immigrants in California, reports Kate Sequeira of the Los Angeles Times. The serious tone of the annual camp shows the impact of the recent immigration shift, Sequeira notes. Meanwhile, Sonia Baker of the Nevada Current reports on serious long-term implications of ICE raids on learning outcomes, mental health, and public school funding.
More on community impact:
HELPING HANDS — While Latino communities navigate an atmosphere of uncertainty, Catholic parishes throughout the Archdiocese of Los Angeles are offering support, report Mike Cisneros and Kimmy Chacón of OSV News. At Presentation of Mary Church in South LA, young congregants have taken charge of the church’s food bank, assisting families and older congregants that are afraid to leave their homes.
SPECIAL ALLIANCE — Setting aside their political differences, Republican Lisa Everett and progressive activist Brent Peak are united in a shared effort to prevent their neighbor Kelly Yu’s deportation, reports Stephanie Murray of the Arizona Republic. Yu, originally from China, is a mother and restaurant owner who was detained in May at a regular check-in meeting. Peak emphasizes that he hopes the alliance to help a community member will demonstrate “that people are in agreement that this needs to stop.”
