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Dear Reader,
How blessed we are in Northern California to share in such rich diversity!
With National Hispanic Heritage Month underway, we hold space to celebrate and express gratitude for the countless ways members of this community enrich our world. These leaders, artists, students, entrepreneurs, and essential workers contribute their talents and gifts in ways that shape how we learn from each other, break bread together, and move forward economically. This is true of immigrants coming to us from all over the world!
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In their professions and through their ambitions, immigrants encourage future economic energy, innovation, and growth. Did you know...
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Immigrants start businesses at a higher rate. A study by the New American Economy estimates that immigrants and the children of immigrants have started almost half of all Fortune 500 companies. Over 3 million immigrant entrepreneurs employ almost 8 million American workers across the nation.
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The impact of this enterprise and its ultimate spending return on the economy is enormous. According to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, immigrants added $2 trillion to the U.S. GDP in 2016 and $458.7 billion to state, local, and federal taxes in 2018.
Communities around the country depend on essential workers.
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Immigrant entrepreneurs take on significant risks to own and operate these businesses. In 2016, they owned 22% of businesses in higher-risk industries, compared to 16% of all businesses.
- Approximately three-fourths of undocumented immigrants in the labor force are classified as essential. 200,000+ DACA recipients serve essential frontline roles, including nearly 40,000+ healthcare workers.
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Immigrants feed America. Immigrants make up 22% of all workers in the U.S. food supply chain, even though they comprise only 18% of the labor force. The number of immigrant-owned businesses fell by 36% during the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak, compared to an 18% decline in native-born business ownership.
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Locally, despite an overall optimistic picture of longevity and well-being for residents in our region, the 2021 Portrait of Sonoma County showed that despite this vital role in invigorating the U.S. economy, immigrants face staggering inequities.
- In 2018, approximately 11,060 vineyard workers were employed in the county, making possible a grape harvest valued at $2 billion, yet a Sonoma County Department of Health Services survey released in 2015 estimated that 92% of farmworker families in Sonoma County do not earn enough money to meet their basic needs.
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Farmworkers are more likely to experience food insecurity than the county’s poorest residents. 17% of farmworkers and 11% of residents living in poverty experience food insecurity. Both lack of insurance coverage and unaffordable health care costs are major barriers to well-being for farmworkers; less than one-third report having.
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Research also shows that Latinx children residing in states with higher levels of systemic inequity are more likely to experience mental health or chronic physical health conditions relative to those in states with lower levels of systemic inequity.
The American Academy of Pediatrics, in collaboration with the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, recently published a study titled “State-Level Anti-Immigrant Sentiment and Policies and Health Risks in US Latinx Children.” This research is timely and much needed because, while there is data clearly linking anti-immigrant policies and rhetoric to poor health outcomes in adults, there is a scarcity of research on those same factors’ impact on children, particularly among Latinx populations.
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Catholic Charities steps in to help our clients overcome these challenges and achieve their goals. The legal process is often challenging and lengthy. As such, they count on services they can trust.
In the last year, our team helped...
420 individuals become U.S. Citizens
717 Dreamers renew their DACA
272 Green Card holders renew their documentation
2,267 received benefit enrollment assistance such as CalFresh or Medi-Cal
and more...
Each of these services lifts barriers to them thriving in society. Most services are free. When funding doesn’t allow, a small fee is incurred to sustain services. On average, clients who are able to pay contribute only 20% of what they may pay a private attorney.
We thank you for supporting this work. Together, we continue to make our community a welcoming place for all to pursue their dreams and contribute fully.
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Welcome back to our Harvest Season Campaign. This email is part two of three of our series. Missed part one? Click here to read the first email! | |
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We recognize Karla Reyes, a Catholic Charities Legal Representative, for achieving her Department of Justice (DOJ) Accreditation. This achievement represents the culmination of hours of studying and preparation so that she can provide the sound counsel our clients count on.
What is DOJ Accreditation?
To help financially vulnerable immigrants across the country, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) created the Recognition and Accreditation Program for nonprofits. To become an accredited representative, applicants must work for a recognized organization that helps clients living on a low income, have sufficient knowledge and experience in immigration law and procedure, and demonstrate good character.
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Nonprofits must provide evidence of the applicant's formal training in immigration law. Representatives with full accreditation can handle cases involving removal, summary removal, rescission, and other proceedings in Immigration Court.
With 10 Department of Justice accredited counselors on the team, Catholic Charities is a leading nonprofit Immigration Legal Service provider nationwide.
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On September 13th, 2023, Judge Andrew Hanen of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas has, regrettably, ruled that Biden’s Administration’s 2022 Final Rule codifying the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program was unlawful.
He declined to order an immediate end to the program and extended the current injunction that had been in place against DACA, which bars the government from approving new applications, but left the program intact for existing recipients during the ongoing legal review. This means those who never obtained DACA or failed to renew within a year are unable to apply.
The federal government is likely to appeal the decision to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals and ultimately the U.S. Supreme Court. This is deeply unfortunate news as we know DACA recipients represent a group that is vital to our nation.
Catholic Charities stands by Dreamers. Our team will continue supporting our current DACA recipients through our legal services and covering the USCIS filing fees. For those whose current work permit will expire within the next 180 days, we will continue to provide support so they can continue pursuing their hopes and dreams.
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Your ongoing support allows us to be a trusted helping hand clients can count on.
See for yourself in our latest video. Click the image below to watch.
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This email is part two of three of our Immigration E-series. We hope you will find the information informative and inspiring.
We would love to hear from you! What do you want to learn more about in this series? You can reply to this email to let us know what’s on your mind.
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