The San Joaquin Valley Coalition for Immigrants
Rights
The San Joaquin Valley Coalition for immigrant Rights
is a collaboration of community organizations, unions,
churches, cultural centers and individuals from across
the San Joaquin Valley. The Coalition was formed in
2001 to continue the organizing initiated through The
Northern California Coalition for Immigrant Rights (NCCIR)
in partnership with Comite no Nos Vamos, Frente Indegina
Oaxaqueno Binacional, Fresno Salvadorian Community,
the Menonite Central Committee, MAPA del Valle, CAFE,
SEIU 250, Carpenters Union L701, UFW, Centro Bellas
Artes, Arte del Pueblo, Iglesia Catolica de Fowler,
Proyecto Campesino, WILPF, Reedley Social Services,
Pan Valley Institute, and the Union de Exbraceros.
This coalition united forces to promote, protect,
provide, and advocate for the rights of immigrants in
the San Joaquin Valley and created the Center For Immigrant
and Workers Rights with the purpose of becoming a 501
(c) 3. The SJVCIR and the Center for Immigrant and Worker
Rights are working together to advocate for changes
in immigration laws and to educate our immigrant community
about laws and policies that impact them.
SJVCIR coordinates activities with national organizations
like the National Network and Movimiento Nacional Por
Legalizacion. At the state level, we collaborate with
a variety of organizations on campaigns including:
•
Effort to create
a policy to stop the collaboration between the INS-and
the Police Departments and to protect the rights of
the immigrant community in the context of interactions
with the police, the INS, CIA and FBI. SJVCIR and collaborative
partners conduct "Know Your Rights Presentations"
across the San Joaquin Valley and organize small committees
to protect local immigrants’ rights.
•
Outreach campaign
to inform immigrant students of the AB540 law that grants
undocumented students the right to pay in-state tuition.
In collaboration with student organizations like Club
Azteca, HOLAESE, and Migrant Student Alliance SJVCIR
conducts presentations in several high school, colleges
and Universities. SJVCIR is also organizing a campaign
to support a federal legislation to help immigrant students
to become legal.
•
SJVCIR is actively
organizing and educating around a campaign to advocate
for safety issues facing California drivers. This effort
proposes to give an ID or a Driver License for all drivers
in California who pass a driven test, regardless of
citizenship status.
•
Legalization
campaign to help all immigrants become legal United
States citizens.
•
Effort to support
Old Braceros in a lawsuit to obtain funds from a savings
account that was kept for Bracero workers during 1942-1964.
This money was earned but never paid to many ex-Braceros
still living in the Valley. We are investigating and
organizing Bracero committees across the SJV Valley,
have registered more than 2000 Braceros, and conduct
local meetings to educate them about their rights and
citizenship.
SJVCIR also provides technical assistance and support
to students and small community organizations.
Office Address:
328 N. Fresno St. Fresno, CA 93701
Tel (559) 498-6033 Fax (559) 497-0213
Contact:
Leonel Flores: Coordinator
(559) 498-6033
sjvcoalition@aol.com
Aurora Heredia: Coalition Fellow
(559) 498-6033
aurorafellow@aol.com
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