07/14/2012 by Colectivo Todo Poder al Pueblo - 0 comments

For Immediate Release: State Assemblyman Das Williams (D-35th District) draws fire for opposing CA Trust Act, supporting S-Comm

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Todo Poder al Pueblo Collective
Tel. (805) 328-4763
poder805@riseup.net

Saturday, July 14, 2012

State Assemblyman Das Williams (D-35^thDistrict) draws fire for opposing CA Trust Act, supporting controversial “SECURE COMMUNITIES” program

Community organizations call for July 28 protest at Assemblyman’s offices in Oxnard and Santa Barbara

(Oxnard, CA) Assemblyman Das Williams (D-35^th District) is walking a tightrope among his constituents in this sensitive election year after provoking outrage among migrant justice advocates and community groups by signaling his opposition to AB1081 (Ammiano), the CA Trust Act, prior to its upcoming review by the Assembly. Williams also expressed support for Secure Communities (S-Comm), a notorious program by the Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (DHS-ICE) agency which mandates the cooperation of local law enforcement with ICE. Following pressure by the Oxnard-based Todo Poder al Pueblo Collective (www.TodoPoderAlPueblo.org) and other community members, however, Williams appears to be in damage control mode.

Dubbed the “nation’s first ‘anti-Arizona law’” in reference to Arizona’s harsh Senate Bill 1070, the CA Trust Act has been making headway at a rapid pace in the State legislature, gaining the approval of the State Senate by a vote of 21-12 on July 5, 2012. It has been greeted warmly by civil rights organizations such as the ACLU of Southern California, the National Day Labor Organizing Network (NDLON), the CA Immigration Policy Center (CIPC), and the Los Angeles, CA-based Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA).

LA WEEKLY: TRUST Act Passes California Senate: Bill Would Override ‘Secure Communities,’ Protect Illegal Immigrants From Deportation

A press release issued by the office of Assemblyman Tom Ammiano (D-13th Assembly) on July 5 stated that “7 in 10 of those deported under S-Comm in the state were deported with either no conviction or for minor offenses. In the worst instances, S-Comm is responsible for placing victims of domestic violence in deportation proceedings and deterring parents from reporting crimes committed against their children.”

However, in an interview with KEYT on July 6, Williams stated that his office “investigated it and we could not find anyone who had committed an infraction or a misdemeanor that had been deported…I don’t feel like I should be voting for a law to stop California’s participation in Secure Communities.”

KEYT: Assemblyman Das Williams Weighs in on California’s Trust Act

The Todo Poder al Pueblo Collective immediately blasted the comments. Elliott Gabriel, a member of the collective, stated that “S-Comm has now led to more deportations per year than at any other time in enforcement history.” Gabriel noted that given the statistics cited by lawmakers and gleaned from publically-available data, “ it is a statistical impossibility that Das is telling the truth. “

“[We] were born at night, but not last night,” Gabriel added.

Todo Poder also released a series of satirical graphics poking fun at Assemblyman Williams’ complacency regarding deportations, instead advocating for inconsequential causes such as “International Surfing Day.”

Todo Poder also cited his previous reliance on Latino and undocumented communities during past electoral efforts, and his May 1, 2010 statement that “[Arizona’s SB1070] legalizes that police can stop someone just based on race and an accent.” S-COMM has led to a cascading amount of discretionary arrests and detentions, leading to charges that it is in practice all too similar to Arizona’s SB1070.

Oxnard School District Trustee Denis O’Leary also remarked, “Das has been disappointing. He talked a good talk to whoever he was in front of during his campaign.”

On Friday, July 13, Williams responded to community members’ concerns in private emails, explaining that “[AB1081] has been amended since I last had the opportunity to vote on it. I will take a look at the new bill and the available data on this issue before voting on this in August.”

The Todo Poder al Pueblo Collective, in a response to Williams, stated that “S-Comm represents an example of living, breathing legislative aggression against the undocumented communities who comprise a major portion of our [District],” adding that “anxiety in our communities regarding Police-[I.C.E.] collaboration is purely natural.”

The Todo Poder al Pueblo Collective has called for a protest to be held in front of Williams’ office at the Oxnard Transportation Center on the corner of East Fourth St. and Oxnard blvd. at 12PM on Saturday, July 28. The action will be held in conjunction with a nationwide call to action for protests against Arizona’s SB1070. There will also be an protest at Das Williams’ office in Santa Barbara at 101 W. Anapamu Street.

07/14/2012 by Colectivo Todo Poder al Pueblo - 0 comments

PARA PUBLICACIÓN INMEDIATA: Asambleísta Das Williams (D-Distrito 35) genera resistencia por oponerse a la ley Trust Act de CA (AB 1081) y apoyar programa Comunidades Seguras (S-Comm)

PARA PUBLICACIÓN INMEDIATA

Colectivo Todo Poder al Pueblo
Tel. (805) 328-4763
poder805@riseup.net

Asambleísta Das Williams (D-Distrito 35) genera resistencia
por oponerse a la ley Trust Act de CA (AB 1081) y apoyar programa Comunidades Seguras (S-Comm)

Sábado, 14 de julio 2012

Williams también afirma apoyar el programa de mandato federal S-Comm que estipula la colaboración entre agencias policiales y la ICE

(Oxnard, CA) Este año electoral el asambleísta Das Williams (D-Distrito 35) camina por una cuerda floja con sus electores después de haber provocado indignación entre grupos comunitarios defensores de los derechos migrantes al señalar su oposición a la ley AB 1081 (Ammiano), Trust Act de CA , poco antes de su revisión y votación por la Asamblea. Williams también expresó apoyar Comunidades Seguras (S-Comm), el programa tristemente célebre del Departamento de Seguridad Nacional de Inmigración y Aduanas (DHS-ICE) que exige la cooperación entre las agencias policiales locales y el ICE. A causa de gran presión por el Colectivo Todo Poder al Pueblo basado en Oxnard (www.TodoPoderAlPueblo.org) y otros miembros de la comunidad, Williams parece estar moderando sus denuncias y vacilando sobre su posición oficial acerca de esta cuestión controversial pero elemental para nuestras comunidades.

Bautizada como “la primera ley nacional anti-Arizona,” en referencia a la ley de Arizona SB 1070, Trust Act de CA (AB 1081) ha conseguido avanzar rápidamente en la legislatura estatal, obteniendo la aprobación del Senado con un voto a favor de 21-12 el 5 de julio de 2012. También ha sido aceptada por las organizaciones de derechos civiles como la ACLU del Sur de California, la Red Nacional de Jornaleros (NDLON), el Centro de California de Póliza de Inmigración (CIPC), y la Coalición para los Derechos Humanos del Inmigrante (CHIRLA) con base en Los Ángeles.

LA WEEKLY: Trust Act de California (AB 1081) aprobada por el Senado: Proyecto de ley que eliminaría el programa “Comunidades Seguras” (S-Comm) y protegería a personas indocumentados de la deportación

Un comunicado de prensa emitido por la oficina del asambleísta Tom Ammiano (D-13 de la Asamblea) el 5 de julio declaró que “7 de cada 10 de las personas deportadas a través del programa S-Comm no tenían cargos o solamente habían cometido delitos menores. En los peores casos, S-Comm es responsable de que víctimas de violencia doméstica caigan en procedimientos de deportación y en evitar que padres denuncien delitos cometidos contra sus hijos.”

En una entrevista con KEYT el 6 de julio Williams dijo lo siguiente, en un lenguaje cuidadosamente redactado, sobre el Trust Act y su posición: “[hemos] investigado el tema y no pudimos encontrar ni un caso de alguien que había cometido una infracción o un delito menor y que halla sido deportada…No siento que deba votar a favor de una ley que impida la participación de California en el programa de Comunidades Seguras (S-Comm).”

KEYT: Asambleísta Das Williams opina sobre Trust Act CA (AB 1081)
El Colectivo Todo Poder al Pueblo inmediatamente difundió los comentarios hechos por Williams. Elliott Gabriel, miembro del Colectivo, afirmó que “S-Comm ha llevado a más deportaciones por año que en cualquier otro momento en la historia,” y que teniendo en cuenta las estadísticas citadas por legisladores como Ammiano y extraídas de bases de datos con información pública,”…es estadísticamente imposible que Das esté diciendo la verdad.”

“Nacimos en la noche, pero no nacimos anoche” agregó Gabriel.

Todo Poder al Pueblo también lanzó una serie de imágenes satíricas burlándose de la complacencia del asambleísta Williams sobre la deportación de residentes que han respetado la ley, en lugar de abogar por causas tan frívolas como “Día Internacional del Surfeo.”

Todo Poder al Pueblo citó también la dependencia de Williams en las comunidades Latinas y personas indocumentadas durante su último esfuerzo electorales, y su declaración el 1ero de mayo del 2010: “[la ley SB1070 de Arizona] legaliza que la policía detenga a alguien simplemente por la raza que aparente y su acento.” S-Comm ha resultado en una inmensa cantidad de arrestos y detenciones discrecionales, dando lugar a las acusaciones de que en la práctica es muy similar a la ley SB1070 de Arizona.

El representante del Distrito Escolar de Oxnard Denis O’Leary también comentó: “Das ha sido decepcionante. Habló muy bien con quienquiera que estaba frente de el durante su campaña.”

El viernes 13 de julio, Williams respondió a las preocupaciones de los miembros de la comunidad a través de correos electrónicos privados, explicando que “[La ley AB 1081] ha sido modificada desde la última vez que tuve la oportunidad de votar. Voy repasar la nueva ley y los datos disponibles sobre este tema antes de votar este agosto.”

En una respuesta a Williams, Todo Poder al Pueblo declaró que “S-Comm es un ejemplo viviente de la agresión legal contra las comunidad e personas indocumentadas que forman una parte importante de nuestro [Distrito]”, y, agregaron, “la ansiedad en nuestras comunidades a causa la colaboración entre la Policía y la [ICE] es natural.”

El Colectivo Todo Poder al Pueblo ha convocado una manifestación en frente de la oficina de Williams en el Centro de Transporte de Oxnard, esquina de East 4th Street y Oxnard Boulevard, a las 12 PM de la tarde el sábado, 28 de julio. Este evento se llevará a cabo en conjunto con una llamada nacional para protestas en contra la ley SB 1070 de Arizona. También habrá una protesta el mismo día en la oficina de Santa Bárbara de Das Williams: 101 West Anapamu Street, Santa Bárbara.

07/13/2012 by Colectivo Todo Poder al Pueblo - 0 comments

An exchange with Das Williams (D-35th District) re: CA Trust Act, Secure Communities

Our response:

Thank you Assemblyman Williams.

We do hope that you reconsider your opposition to the CA Trust Act, AB1081, and vote in a manner which is beneficial to the interests of your constituents in the district. We are confident, based on the tone of your last email, that this may possibly be the case.

Indeed, we are sure that you hate to see unlicensed drivers, victims of domestic abuse, and other hard-working non-criminals and nonviolent offenders in our neighborhoods see their fingerprints, addresses, and bio-metric data get turned over to federal immigration authorities as a result of Secure Communities (S-COMM), just as we do. We feel that SCOMM represents an example of living, breathing legislative aggression against the undocumented communities who comprise a major portion of our communities — our family, friends, loved ones, co-workers, and neighbors. Like the ACLU of Southern California, the California Immigrant Policy Center (CIPC), the National Day Labor Organizing Network (NDLON), and countless other advocates for the rights of undocumented residents across our state, we view the CA Trust Act as a needed remedy to the major problems with this DHS-ICE program.

http://articles.latimes.com/2011/apr/25/local/la-me-secure-communities-20110425

Anxiety in our communities regarding Police-Migra collaboration is purely natural, especially when looked at in light of the recent FOIA discoveries of the significant number of innocents who have been caught in the crossfire of S-COMM’s indiscriminate dragnet .

http://ndlon.org/en/pressroom/press-releases/item/532-scomm-foia-doj-objects

As NDLON states in their recent press release:
“The emails—which were obtained as a result of Freedom of Information Act litigation brought by the National Day Laborer Organizing Network, the Center for Constitutional Rights, and the Cardozo Immigration Justice Clinic—show that people who are unable to satisfactorily identify themselves at drivers’ license checkpoints, but are not suspected of any criminal conduct, are nonetheless processed for deportation through Secure Communities.”

Many of us were present at Plaza Park in Oxnard on the afternoon of May 1, 2010, when you stirringly stated your support for the struggle against SB1070, the notorious AZ law which declared “open season” on migrantes in that state. S-COMM similarly opens the door to discretionary arrests and incidents of racial profiling.

We sincerely hope that you do the right thing — that you further consider the CA Trust Act, and that you further research the effects of the S-COMM overlapping of federal and local agencies’ duties regarding immigration enforcement (“PoliMigra partnership”), especially but not limited to the automatic data-sharing aspects of the law.

It’s not too late to make the right decision for your constituents and our communities. We simply want an end to the separation of families and deportation of our neighbors and loved ones.

with appreciation,

Colectivo Todo Poder al Pueblo
http://www.TodoPoderAlPueblo.org

07/12/2012 by Colectivo Todo Poder al Pueblo - 0 comments

Robert Ramirez News Roundup

CBS LA 2 – Oxnard Family Wants Answers In Death Of Son In Police Custody

VENTURA COUNTY STAR – Family claims Oxnard police beat man before he died

Attorney Ron Bamieh (left) stands besides family members of Robert Ramirez during a news conference Thursday in Ventura. Ramirez died after a struggle with Oxnard police last month.

EXCERPTS:

Relatives of a 26-year-old Oxnard man who died after a police struggle last month are claiming he was beaten by officers and are demanding an independent investigation.
Robert Ramirez’s family became concerned after viewing his body and hired attorney Ron Bamieh. The family and Bamieh held a news conference Thursday on the issue.
Ramirez died June 23 after police responded to a report of a man suffering from a possible drug overdose in the 1100 block of South L Street in Oxnard.

The incident is being investigated by the Oxnard police homicide unit and Ventura County District Attorney’s Office, which is standard procedure. The seven officers involved were placed on administrative leave but returned to work June 27, said Monica Munoz, Oxnard police spokeswoman.

During the news conference, Ramirez’s mother, Teresa, said her son was loved by his family. While he struggled with drugs and was once in prison, the family is trying to find out what led to his death.
“It is easy to discount the lives of those who have issues like Robert did,” she said while sitting alongside her daughter, son, niece and grandson. “However, we … will not be silent and diminish the life of our son by excusing inappropriate behavior that may have caused or led to his death.”
She said she hopes the officers involved in the incident will speak up about what happened that night.
“I would hope that those involved in Robert’s death would have the courage to speak the truth about their actions and the actions of their fellow officers,” she said.
Private investigators working for Bamieh examined evidence and reviewed video and audio from witnesses, the attorney said. They found Ramirez had bruises all over his body at the time of his death, Bamieh said.

Bamieh said the FBI is investigating the case.
“The FBI is aware of the allegations and is reviewing the matter to determine if a federal investigation is warranted,” Ari DeKofsky, a spokeswoman in the FBI’s Los Angeles office, said Thursday.

Justice for Robert Ramirez!

We send our most sincere condolences to the family of Robert Ramirez and join them in demanding justice for this young man’s death at the hands of the Oxnard Police Department (OPD).
VIGIL: August 4, Plaza Park

Enviamos nuestro más sentido pésame a la familia de Robert Ramírez y nos unimos en exigir justicia para este joven que murió a causa del departamento de policía de Oxnard (OPD).

VIGILIA: 4 de Agosto, Parque La Placita

(photo credit: CTPaP Media Ops)

06/26/2012 by Colectivo Todo Poder al Pueblo - 0 comments

Stranded: Why is the VISTA bus service ending on July 1, 2012?

On July 1, 2012, VISTA (Ventura Intercity Service Transit Authority), which serves the basic needs of working-class Ventura County commuters, is scheduled for a “possible service disruption.” All 7 routes will grind to a halt and the buses we now use will permanently end service in the region.

These buses provide an essential service and economic lifeline for thousands of workers, students, disabled, and elderly who will be stranded in their cities if the service is grounded. Commuting in Ventura County without a car is already difficult enough, but the threatened disruption will force commuters both inside and outside of the county to resort to expensive trains and charter buses. The city of Santa Paula provides one example where commuters will become almost completely isolated from neighboring cities.

How did this situation come to pass? Well, the outside contractor for the Ventura County Transit Commission (VCTC), Coach USA, decided to declare bankruptcy. Unlike Gold Coast Transit, LA Metro, TO Transit, and most other systems, Vista buses are NOT owned by the County or a local municipality. Instead, the service has been outsourced to a major investment group headquartered in the UK. Coach USA, the holding company which operates VISTA, is owned by the private New York-based investment managers Fenway Partners, who act on behalf of an international corporation called Stagecoach Group. The CEO of Stagecoach is “transport tycoon” Sir Brian Souter, a deeply conservative Knight of the British Crown.

Apparently, Coach has auctioned off its VISTA buses to two companies: one being Transportation Management Systems… and the other being Stagecoach.

Stagecoach’s Sir Brian Souter is worth over $625 million USD. His political power in his home country of Scotland is a result of the buying of politicians by the bus-load. They, in turn, have rewarded him with not only his knighthood but also with deep cuts in municipal transportation budgets, allowing Sir Brian to “rescue” local services with his own private fleet of high-fare buses staffed with low wage-earners. The result has been the swallowing-up of local public transit services by Sir Brian.

Souter’s “Coach USA” recently signed a yearlong contract with the Ventura County — an agreement to provide full, uninterrupted service. Now that Coach has abruptly broken the contract, residents are stuck with the results of VCTC’s short-sighted attempt at cutting costs.

Here are some questions that we need to ask: Why is our bus system not owned and controlled by the County itself? Why was it left in the hands of cheapskate businessmen with “Coach USA” and multimillionaire “vulture capitalists” from Europe?

We need to hold the County accountable and demand that the VCTC not only ensures uninterrupted service, but that they find a permanent solution to this problem. Our community’s needs can’t be ignored, and our economic lifelines should remain free from the threat of “disruptions” resulting from a total lack of planning.

More info:

http://www.goventura.org/ , http://www.coachusa.com/ http://www.stagecoach.com/investors.aspx

6/18/12 VISTA bus lines could stop running July 1, leaving 1,500 riders in lurch http://bit.ly/L1yoWT

6/18/12 Bus company bankruptcy could end Ventura County service http://bit.ly/Ml4FWD

4/1/12: Scottish Government refuse to publish secret correspondence with tycoon Brian Souter http://bit.ly/HHsYKf

4/6/12 EDINBURGH AND GLASGOW LEADERS UNITE TO URGE CHANGE ON BUS CUTS http://bit.ly/M3gdPG

2/13/12 Souter donation makes the election much more interesting http://bit.ly/MqWeVJ

1/14/00 Boycott call in Stagecoach ‘anti-gay’ row http://bbc.in/Ndcpee

06/25/2012 by Colectivo Todo Poder al Pueblo - 0 comments

¿DEJARÁN A NUESTRAS COMUNIDADES ABANDONADAS?

El 1 de julio de 2012 VISTA (la Autoridad de Servicio de Tránsito Interurbano de Ventura) está planeando una “posible interrupción de servicio.” Las 7 rutas en total se detendrán definitivamente, resultando en negligencia de las necesidades básicas de transporte para la clase trabajadora y los viajeros del Condado de Ventura.

Estos camiones ofrecen un servicio esencial para la sobrevivencia económica de nuestras comunidades. Con la eliminación de estos camiones miles de trabajadores, estudiantes, discapacitados y ancianos se verán abandonados en su hogar. Sin acceso a un automóvil, y con la eliminación del transporte público, será imposible viajar dentro del condado de Ventura tanto como entre los condados de Los Ángeles y Santa Bárbara. Los métodos de transporte se limitarán a trenes costosos y autobuses privados, y la ciudad de Santa Paula estará completamente aislada.

¿Por qué está pasando esto? El contratista privado Coach USA, que opera por medio de la Comisión de Tránsito del Condado de Ventura (VCTC), se ha declarado en bancarrota. A diferencia de la mayoría de los sistemas de transporte público, los autobuses de VISTA NO SON propiedad del condado ni municipio local. Coach USA (la compañía que opera los camiones VISTA) es propiedad del grupo de inversionistas Fenway Partners, basados en Nueva York y que actúan en nombre de la corporación internacional Stagecoach Group. El director ejecutivo de esta compañía es el “chantajista de transporte” Sir Brian Souter, un conservador extremo de la Corona británica.

El valor de Souter equivale a más de $625 millones de dólares. Este hombre ha logrado acumular poder en su país natal de Escocia mediante la corrupción y la compra de docenas de políticos. Ellos, a su vez, le han recompensado con profundos recortes a los presupuestos de transporte público, y así le han permitido a Sir Brian “rescatar” estos servicios. De esta forma la compañía privada implementa su propia flota de autobuses con altas tarifas, empleando a personal con salarios bajos, y así remplazando los servicios locales de transporte público.

Souter (Coach USA) recientemente firmó un contrato con el VCTC que poco después rompió sin un aviso previo razonable. Ahora nos vemos obligados a solucionar los problemas causados por los vagos intentos de VCTC en ahorrarse los costos a través de la privatización de este servicio público. Las necesidades fundamentales de transporte quedan en las manos de esta nombrada empresa privada.

Los camiones VISTA se han vendido a dos empresas una de las cuales es Stagecoach Group. El 25 de junio, 2012, Scotsman.com publicó un artículo titulado “Director de Stagecoach espera que esta vez Coach USA arrase”. Sir Brian ahora está “arrasando” con nuestros camiones y tenemos que exigir que se investigue este negocio corrupto.

Ahora los jefes del condado dicen que la mala planificación por su parte debe solucionarse “razonablemente” lo cual significa que “los pasajeros compartan algunos de los costos”.

Estas son algunas preguntas que no debemos hacer: ¿Por qué nuestro sistema de camiones no pertenece y es mantenido por el propio Condado? ¿Por qué fue dejado en las manos de hombres de negocios corruptos con Coach USA y multimillonarios “buitres capitalistas” basados en Europa? ¿Ahora qué?

Tenemos que presionar al Condado para que rinda cuentas a esta compañía y demandar que Ventura VCTC no sólo garantice servicio ininterrumpido, pero que encuentre una solución permanente al problema que ellos crearon sin hacernos pagar a nosotros. Debemos organizarnos para evitar que nuestras comunidades sean engañadas e impedir que nuestras necesidades sean ignoradas. El transporte público es necesario para nuestra subsistencia económica y no merecemos “interrupciones” inesperadas.

Robert Ramirez News Roundup

CBS LA 2 – Oxnard Family Wants Answers In Death Of Son In Police Custody

VENTURA COUNTY STAR – Family claims Oxnard police beat man before he died

EXCERPTS:

Read more at VCStar

Our community demands justice — an independent investigation of the murder of Ramirez, and the punishment of those guilty of this crime!

Stop the militarization of our communities — killer cops, off our streets!
VIGIL: Saturday, August 4, 6pm, Plaza Park

Justice for Robert Ramirez!

We send our most sincere condolences to the family of Robert Ramirez and join them in demanding justice for this young man’s death at the hands of the Oxnard Police Department (OPD).
VIGIL: August 4, Plaza Park

Enviamos nuestro más sentido pésame a la familia de Robert Ramírez y nos unimos en exigir justicia para este joven que murió a causa del departamento de policía de Oxnard (OPD).

VIGILIA: 4 de Agosto, Parque La Placita

Stranded: Why is the VISTA bus service ending on July 1, 2012?

¿DEJARÁN A NUESTRAS COMUNIDADES ABANDONADAS?

Williams también afirma apoyar el programa de mandato federal S-Comm que estipula la colaboración entre agencias policiales y la ICE

CBS LA 2 – Oxnard Family Wants Answers In Death Of Son In Police Custody

EXCERPTS:

Our community demands justice — an independent investigation of the murder of Ramirez, and the punishment of those guilty of this crime!

Stop the militarization of our communities — killer cops, off our streets! VIGIL: Saturday, August 4, 6pm, Plaza Park

We send our most sincere condolences to the family of Robert Ramirez and join them in demanding justice for this young man’s death at the hands of the Oxnard Police Department (OPD). VIGIL: August 4, Plaza Park

Enviamos nuestro más sentido pésame a la familia de Robert Ramírez y nos unimos en exigir justicia para este joven que murió a causa del departamento de policía de Oxnard (OPD).

VIGILIA: 4 de Agosto, Parque La Placita

Stop the militarization of our communities — killer cops, off our streets!
VIGIL: Saturday, August 4, 6pm, Plaza Park

We send our most sincere condolences to the family of Robert Ramirez and join them in demanding justice for this young man’s death at the hands of the Oxnard Police Department (OPD).
VIGIL: August 4, Plaza Park