NEW ORLEANS, LA – Yesterday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit issued an order allowing MALDEF’s clients, three mothers from south Texas who intend to apply for Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA), to participate as parties in the appeal recently decided by a Fifth Circuit panel. The women will therefore have party status, with all rights of parties, including briefing, argument, and participation in all case-related matters, as the case moves to the Supreme Court. Today, the United States Department of Justice filed a petition asking the Supreme Court to hear the case on President Obama’s executive actions on immigration. As the appeals process moves to the U.S. Supreme Court, MALDEF will advocate on behalf of the three mothers in Texas v. United States, adding a human dimension to this pivotal case.
News Releases
MALDEF CLIENTS GRANTED INTERVENTION AS APPEAL ON EXECUTIVE ACTION ON IMMIGRATION MOVES TO U.S. SUPREME COURT
NEW ORLEANS, La. – Late last night, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit granted MALDEF’s clients the right to intervene in Texas v. United States, a federal lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the expansion of the existing Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, and the creation of Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA). As the appeals process moves to the U.S. Supreme Court, MALDEF’s clients, three mothers from south Texas who intend to apply for DAPA, will participate as parties in the case, with all of the rights of parties, including briefing, argument, and participation in all matters. The Court ruled against the Obama Administration on a 2-1 vote, upholding a lower court’s preliminary injunction against implementing expanded DACA and DAPA. The United States has indicated that it will seek review by the Supreme Court.
MALDEF AND LATINOJUSTICE PRLDEF FILE U.S. SUPREME COURT BRIEF ON BEHALF OF LATINO ORGANIZATIONS ADDRESSING THE IMPORTANCE OF CAMPUS DIVERSITY IN FISHER V. UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS
WASHINGTON, D.C. – MALDEF (Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund) and LatinoJustice PRLDEF filed an amicus brief in the U.S. Supreme Court last Monday in Fisher v. University of Texas on behalf of 25 Texas and national Latina/o organizations, including UT students in support of the race-conscious college admissions plan.
MALDEF AND TUCSON UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT AGREE ON PROPOSAL TO GIVE MAGNET SCHOOLS NEEDED SUPPORT AND TO DEFER ANY WITHDRAWAL OF MAGNET STATUS
TUCSON, AZ – On Friday of last week, a stipulation to provide Tucson Unified School District (TUSD) magnet schools needed support was filed in the historic desegregation case, Mendoza v. Tucson Unified School District. Under the court-adopted Unitary Status Plan (USP) developed by the parties and Special Master to resolve the 40-year old case, magnet schools are to strengthen their students’ academic achievement and increase integration. Following several magnet schools’ failure to meet integration benchmarks, MALDEF, together with co-counsel Lois D. Thompson, Partner at Proskauer Rose LLP, advanced a proposal to delay any recommendations of magnet status withdrawal and to have TUSD provide magnet schools with additional needed support, including financial support and the filling of teacher vacancies, to close the achievement gap between magnet schools’ white students and their Latino and African American students, and to improve recruitment of students.
CIVIL RIGHTS COALITION CONTINUES BATTLE AGAINST ARIZONA’S NATIVIST LAW, SB 1070
MALDEF PRAISES U.S. CIVIL RIGHTS COMMISSION ON ITS CALL FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF FAMILIES IN DETENTION CENTERS AND AN END TO CONGRESSIONAL FUNDING OF IMMIGRANT FAMILY DETENTION
SAN ANTONIO, TX – Yesterday, the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights (USCCR), an independent and bipartisan agency that advises the President and Congress on civil rights matters, released its report on the state of civil rights at immigration detention centers in the United States. MALDEF testimony is cited throughout the report, which outlines a series of federal and constitutional violations at immigration detention facilities operated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. MALDEF and other groups filed a complaint last year with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) demanding the immediate investigation of and swift response to widespread allegations of sexual abuse and harassment at the detention center in Karnes City.
CALIFORNIA GOV. BROWN SIGNS MALDEF-SPONSORED BILL TO PROTECT CONSUMERS FROM ARBITRARY DISCRIMINATION
SACRAMENTO, CA – Yesterday, California Governor Jerry Brown signed into law SB 600, a bill authored by Senator Richard Pan, barring discrimination based on citizenship, language, or immigration status. MALDEF initiated and sponsored the legislation, and thanks Gov. Brown for signing it into law. The law clarifies the Unruh Civil Rights Act, and provides clear notice to business proprietors that they cannot discriminate in public accommodations.
CALIFORNIA GOV. BROWN SIGNS MALDEF-SPONSORED BILL TO PROTECT CONSUMERS FROM ARBITRARY DISCRIMINATION
SACRAMENTO, CA – Yesterday, California Governor Jerry Brown signed into law SB 600, a bill authored by Senator Richard Pan, barring discrimination based on citizenship, language, or immigration status. MALDEF initiated and sponsored the legislation, and thanks Gov. Brown for signing it into law. The law clarifies the Unruh Civil Rights Act, and provides clear notice to business proprietors that they cannot discriminate in public accommodations.
CALIFORNIA GOV. BROWN SIGNS MALDEF-SPONSORED BILL PROTECTING THE RIGHTS OF CHILD VICTIMS IN COURT
SACRAMENTO, CA – Yesterday, California Governor Jerry Brown signed into law AB 560, a bill authored by Assemblymember Jimmy Gomez barring the consideration of a child’s immigration status in civil actions. MALDEF initiated and sponsored the legislation, and thanks Gov. Brown for signing it into law. The law protects minor children who are victims of torts from having their immigration status exposed, explored, and considered in seeking judicial recourse for the harms that they have suffered.
MALDEF WELCOMES FIFTH CIRCUIT RULING THAT TEXAS VOTER ID LAW VIOLATES THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT
SAN ANTONIO, TX – Yesterday, on the eve of the 50th anniversary of the federal Voting Rights Act, MALDEF—which litigated against Texas Voter ID in the preclearance phase—congratulated the plaintiffs and welcomed the Fifth Circuit ruling that the Texas voter ID law disproportionately impacts Hispanic and African-American voters, violating Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act (VRA).
MALDEF CHALLENGES FULLERTON JOINT UNION HIGH SCHOOL BOARD ELECTORAL PROCESS
FULLERTON, CA – MALDEF today sent a letter to Fullerton Joint Union High School District, demanding that it change its at-large elections system to a district-based system that affords Latino voters an equal opportunity to elect candidates of their choice to the Fullerton Joint Union High School Board, in accordance with the California Voting Rights Act of 2001 (“CVRA”). The District currently elects its Board of Trustees using an at-large method that has denied Latino residents the opportunity to elect candidates of their choice. MALDEF demands the system be changed to a district-based system.
MALDEF ARGUES FOR INTERVENTION IN IMMIGRATION DISCRETION CASE IN FIFTH CIRCUIT
NEW ORLEANS, LA – This morning, MALDEF Vice President of Litigation Nina Perales will present oral argument before a panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit to argue for the intervention of three potential applicants for Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA) in Texas v. United States, a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of DAPA and the expansion of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), which was first implemented in 2012. MALDEF represents three mothers from South Texas who sought to join the case because they intend to apply for DAPA, a form of prosecutorial discretion that would protect parents of U.S. citizens and permanent residents from removal and permit them to work.
MALDEF STATEMENT SUPPORTING NEW VOTING RIGHTS ADVANCEMENT BILL
WASHINGTON, D.C. – MALDEF President and General Counsel, Thomas A. Saenz, released the following statement supporting the bicameral Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2015, introduced today by several Members of the House and Senate. The legislation is the latest action by Congress to restore the federal review of voting changes in states with a history of discriminating against minority voters. MALDEF, and coalition partners, developed a critical new formula in the bill that requires federal preclearance of six suspicious voting change practices that have been historically linked to voter discrimination.
MALDEF SUES FALLBROOK PUBLIC UTILITY DISTRICT FOR VIOLATING CALIFORNIA VOTING RIGHTS ACT
SAN DIEGO, CA – Today, MALDEF filed suit against Fallbrook Public Utility District, in San Diego Superior Court, for violating the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA). The District uses an at-large method to elect its Board Members, and as a result there has been no Latino representation on the Board for decades. MALDEF filed the suit on behalf of Fallbrook registered voters who seek a court order that will block future at-large elections in the District, and require the District to design and implement a by-district election method that would provide voter equity.
POMONA COLLEGE FACES TRIAL IN TENURE DISCRIMINATION CASE
LOS ANGELES, CA – Yesterday, L.A. County Superior Court Judge Ernest Hiroshige denied a Pomona College effort to avoid trial in a lawsuit MALDEF filed against the college in the summer of 2013 for race and gender discrimination. In Martinez v. Pomona College, MALDEF represents Alma Martinez, a former Pomona professor who was denied tenure despite a proven track record of successfully meeting her duties throughout six years of employment with the college, and a unanimous departmental recommendation that she be promoted to a fully-tenured position. The trial is set to begin on July 22, 2015. Trial promises to expose significant evidence of anti-Latina discrimination at Pomona College.