"On October 19th, Donald Trump made public statements regarding the Bay Area – specifically San Francisco – and about sending the National Guard here, as well as ICE agents/troops.. " -AJ morales --8th grade
On October 19th, Donald Trump made public statements regarding the Bay Area – specifically San Francisco – and about sending the National Guard here, as well as ICE agents/troops.. Having spoken to the mayor and following backlash from the tech industry, Trump said on Thursday, October 23rd, that he was calling off plans to deploy federal troops to San Francisco. However, there have already been sightings of federal agents in Oakland, heightening anxiety and anger within the Bay Area community.
Because of this, many citizens have protested against their coming, even blocking their way into the city. “Protesters early Thursday flooded the roadway along the lone entrance to the Coast Guard’s installation on the Oakland Estuary, where more than 100 federal agents were expected to arrive as part of the next phase of Trump’s immigration-enforcement campaign.” The Mercury News reported. Even our senators don't want him here. “San Francisco neither needs nor wants Trump’s personal army on our streets,” state Senator Scott Wiener, a Democratic Senator of San Francisco, said in a statement. “We don’t need Trump’s authoritarian crackdown in our city. Bottom line: stay the hell out of San Francisco.”
Another thing that people from the Bay Area noticed was that a few days ago [as of this being written], Trump said, “I’m going to be strongly recommending, at the request of government officials, which is always nice, that you start looking at San Francisco.” The president didn’t say which government officials had requested his presence. This may be concerning to some, as it shows an official — or a group of government officials — actually told him to come.
Due to the events happening in the Bay Area, people at our school have different opinions and concerns. One 8th-grade student, Cece Burger, thinks Trump threatened to send the National Guard here because “Trump wants more power and fear-mongering over the people.” Another student, 7th grader Paloma Bastos, thinks “...he wants to come to the Bay Area because there's a lot of diversity here, and he wants more immigrants to fill up his ‘goal’” [goal as in how many immigrants he wants to deport].
Parents or students may be concerned about their presence in the Bay Area, but students and teachers do have advice, and can assure you it is safe here. “..to be educated on your rights is definitely very helpful, especially if you know you could be a possible target,” Cece Burger says, regarding students and parents. 6th-grade student Adela Orozco agrees, saying “...kids should keep learning about what's happening and also should just focus on their education, so when they get older and they encounter ICE, they're ready and know what to do, while adults need to spread awareness about it.”
For parents who may be reading this, OSA is safe and has plans in place in case anything were to happen, now or in the future. Literary Arts teacher, Ms. Amelia, says, “There is a pretty clear procedure that's included every week in the Monday Memo faculty receives, that spells out how we should act and what laws there are in California to support us.”
And even though it is less likely right now, she thinks “...it's good for us to have a plan in place and to be prepared because these days, it feels like anything is possible.” and says “it's important to stay vigilant and be ready to keep our community safe.”
As of this writing, ICE agents are still active in San Francisco. Please stay safe, be prepared, and ensure you're well-informed. You have rights–even if you're a citizen, an immigrant, ‘illegal’ or not: educate yourself.
Our school recommends the following resources: Red Card Printable - Immigrant & Refugee Health Alliance, which provides information about what you can do if you're ever in contact with an ICE agent, and shows you printable cards that you can print for yourself or give to anyone who needs it.
The California Department of Education, in its own words, provides “access to education for students from immigrant families during times of increased fear of immigration enforcement".
Centro Legal de la Raza provides free or low-cost, bilingual legal aid and advocacy. Its Immigration Project represents immigrants in removal proceedings, asylum applications, and applications before USCIS.
East Bay Community Law Center offers free legal advice and representation for a wide range of immigration matters, including humanitarian options (DACA, U-visa, VAWA, etc.), family-based petitions, and the immigration effects of criminal history.
Bay Area Legal Aid provides free civil legal services to low-income clients, including immigration-related assistance for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and trafficking.
Alameda County Immigration Legal and Education Partnership (ACILEP) is a collaborative effort to provide legal, educational, and emergency support to the undocumented community facing detention or deportation.
Immigration Institute of the Bay Area (IIBA) offers high-quality, affordable legal services, including citizenship, DACA renewal, and family reunification.
Because of this, many citizens have protested against their coming, even blocking their way into the city. “Protesters early Thursday flooded the roadway along the lone entrance to the Coast Guard’s installation on the Oakland Estuary, where more than 100 federal agents were expected to arrive as part of the next phase of Trump’s immigration-enforcement campaign.” The Mercury News reported. Even our senators don't want him here. “San Francisco neither needs nor wants Trump’s personal army on our streets,” state Senator Scott Wiener, a Democratic Senator of San Francisco, said in a statement. “We don’t need Trump’s authoritarian crackdown in our city. Bottom line: stay the hell out of San Francisco.”
Another thing that people from the Bay Area noticed was that a few days ago [as of this being written], Trump said, “I’m going to be strongly recommending, at the request of government officials, which is always nice, that you start looking at San Francisco.” The president didn’t say which government officials had requested his presence. This may be concerning to some, as it shows an official — or a group of government officials — actually told him to come.
Due to the events happening in the Bay Area, people at our school have different opinions and concerns. One 8th-grade student, Cece Burger, thinks Trump threatened to send the National Guard here because “Trump wants more power and fear-mongering over the people.” Another student, 7th grader Paloma Bastos, thinks “...he wants to come to the Bay Area because there's a lot of diversity here, and he wants more immigrants to fill up his ‘goal’” [goal as in how many immigrants he wants to deport].
Parents or students may be concerned about their presence in the Bay Area, but students and teachers do have advice, and can assure you it is safe here. “..to be educated on your rights is definitely very helpful, especially if you know you could be a possible target,” Cece Burger says, regarding students and parents. 6th-grade student Adela Orozco agrees, saying “...kids should keep learning about what's happening and also should just focus on their education, so when they get older and they encounter ICE, they're ready and know what to do, while adults need to spread awareness about it.”
For parents who may be reading this, OSA is safe and has plans in place in case anything were to happen, now or in the future. Literary Arts teacher, Ms. Amelia, says, “There is a pretty clear procedure that's included every week in the Monday Memo faculty receives, that spells out how we should act and what laws there are in California to support us.”
And even though it is less likely right now, she thinks “...it's good for us to have a plan in place and to be prepared because these days, it feels like anything is possible.” and says “it's important to stay vigilant and be ready to keep our community safe.”
As of this writing, ICE agents are still active in San Francisco. Please stay safe, be prepared, and ensure you're well-informed. You have rights–even if you're a citizen, an immigrant, ‘illegal’ or not: educate yourself.
Our school recommends the following resources: Red Card Printable - Immigrant & Refugee Health Alliance, which provides information about what you can do if you're ever in contact with an ICE agent, and shows you printable cards that you can print for yourself or give to anyone who needs it.
The California Department of Education, in its own words, provides “access to education for students from immigrant families during times of increased fear of immigration enforcement".
Centro Legal de la Raza provides free or low-cost, bilingual legal aid and advocacy. Its Immigration Project represents immigrants in removal proceedings, asylum applications, and applications before USCIS.
East Bay Community Law Center offers free legal advice and representation for a wide range of immigration matters, including humanitarian options (DACA, U-visa, VAWA, etc.), family-based petitions, and the immigration effects of criminal history.
Bay Area Legal Aid provides free civil legal services to low-income clients, including immigration-related assistance for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and trafficking.
Alameda County Immigration Legal and Education Partnership (ACILEP) is a collaborative effort to provide legal, educational, and emergency support to the undocumented community facing detention or deportation.
Immigration Institute of the Bay Area (IIBA) offers high-quality, affordable legal services, including citizenship, DACA renewal, and family reunification.
