MALDEF is committed to ensuring that public schools do not ignore the needs of students with limited English proficiency and creating opportunities for all students to succeed academically. In its landmark 1974 decision in Lau v. Nichols, the United States Supreme Court held that public schools cannot fail to provide for the needs of their non-English speaking students, reasoning that “students who do not understand English are effectively foreclosed from any meaningful education,” and that “[b]asic English skills are at the very core of what these public schools teach.”
Public Policy
AB 540 — Access to College for ALL!
AB 540 allows qualified undocumented students to be exempt from paying significantly higher out-of-state tuition at public colleges and universities in California. By making college more affordable, AB 540 has had a significant impact on the lives of many undocumented students who have dreams of attending college.
United States and CRUCIAL v. Ector County Independent School District
Civil Rights Groups Call On Congress To Assist Homeowners In Its Economic Recovery Package
Court Blocks Local Arizona Anti-Solicitation Law
Immigrant Integration
MALDEF strongly supports proactive efforts by Congress and state legislatures to welcome new immigrants and weave them into the fabric of their new communities. As immigrants continue to be a growing portion of our nation’s schools and workforce, it is critical that investments are made to train and educate English language learners (ELL) and assist them transition into their new communities. To this end, MALDEF has led a coalition of over 200 local and national organizations in support of legislation that invests in English language acquisition opportunities for adults and children; creates incentives for businesses to educate their workers and be a part of the integration of immigrants; and provides resources to help communities bring together key stakeholders.
Language Access
MALDEF recognizes that learning English is critical to participating in, contributing to, and succeeding in American society. However, English-only and Official English laws do nothing constructive to advance the important goal of English proficiency. Instead, such laws are discriminatory and carry with them the potential to jeopardize the health, safety, and well-being not only of English Language Learners (ELLs), but of our communities as a whole. Laws that interfere with or undermine the government’s ability to communicate quickly and effectively are simply bad public policy.
MALDEF Calls on U.S. Attorney General Mukasey To Initiate Federal Civil Rights Investigation Into Brutal Beating Death Of Mexican Immigrant
Truth in Immigration
SAVE Act — H.R. 4088
MALDEF opposes the Shuler-Tancredo Secure America through Verification and Enforcement Act (“SAVE Act”), H.R. 4088. The SAVE Act puts Americans in danger of losing their jobs by forcing all U.S. employers to participate in a deeply flawed employment verification system known as EEVS or E-Verify. Studies of E-Verify suggest that nearly 13 million U.S.-born workers and 10% of naturalized citizens are in danger of being fired because of database errors. Most of these errors would affect U.S. citizens.
Department Of Homeland Security’s New SSA “No-Match” Letter Rules Will Lead To Further Inappropriate Targeting Of Hispanic Businesses And Legal Employees
The Electronic Employment Verification System (E-Verify)
MALDEF Denounces LAPD Officers’ Use of Force During May 1st Peaceful Marches at MacArthur Park
MALDEF Regional Counsel Testifies Before Congress on Promise and Shortcomings of NCLB for English Language Learners
No Child Left Behind
The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) is among our nation’s most critical federal civil rights measures. NCLB was signed into law on January 8, 2002 and reauthorized a number of federal programs aimed at improving the performance of U.S. primary and secondary schools. It helps promote equity in U.S. public education by holding schools, school districts, and states accountable for the academic achievement of all students, including English language learners (ELLs).