# PANA
> PANA lifts up #RefugeeVoices and builds leadership in communities to increase #CivicEngagement and create an inclusive #CivilSociety.
Public Ghost content for AI and LLM tooling. This file includes a bounded export of public pages first, then recent public posts.
Append `.md` to any post or page URL to get the content in Markdown (for example, `/example-post.md`).
## Pages
### About
URL: https://www.panasd.org/about/
Last updated: 2026-01-27T07:36:32.000Z
## Vision
We envision a world where refugees and displaced people are connected leaders building a global movement that ends forced migration and secures meaningful freedom for all.
### Mission
We advocate for the full economic, social, and civic inclusion of refugees and displaced populations in the San Diego region, throughout California, and across the country.
### Our Values
Founded, led, and staffed by refugees, we are uniquely situated to use relational organizing to bring community into a pathway of ongoing engagement and indigenous community leadership development.
### Authentic Demand
Our communities own the decision making power to dictate the direction of our work and exercise their collective power.
### Inclusion
We create and hold trusted space that honors the community’s investment and supports community ownership.
### Compassionate Leadership
We embrace differences and limitations and build meaningful opportunities for everyone to exercise leadership.
### Tenant Protections
URL: https://www.panasd.org/tenant-protections/
Last updated: 2025-10-05T00:13:58.000Z
In June 2016, PANA released its first report, [“San Diego Refugee Experiences”](https://static1.squarespace.com/static/57e1a766ebbd1a21a298c68f/t/6058db2aa660ed602d595779/1616436014305/pana-communityreport-r9+%281%29.pdf?ref=panasd.org) the conclusion of 50 house meetings led by San Diego refugee residents to study how the community is faring in areas such as health, education, jobs and housing. What we found was that across all of our communities, for our families fleeing conflict from Africa, Southeast Asia, or the Middle East, housing insecurity follows them here in the United States.
In our 2020 survey, we interviewed 544 refugees and first-generation community members about health, employment, housing, COVID-19, education, and their sense of safety and belonging. The updated report can be found [here](https://static1.squarespace.com/static/57e1a766ebbd1a21a298c68f/t/6058db2aa660ed602d595779/1616436014305/pana-communityreport-r9+%281%29.pdf?ref=panasd.org).
We know that if we can solve the housing crisis for our most marginalized communities, we can solve it for everyone. That's why on Human Rights Day in December 2016, PANA launched the [#RightToARoof campaign](https://www.panasd.org/righttoaroof) for affordable, quality homes for all. Through this campaign, we organized over 200 community members to participate and give testimony at city council meetings regarding the need for more affordable housing.
[Read the Toolkit](https://bit.ly/tpoworkshop?ref=panasd.org)
## While many rights exist within federal, local and state law, these laws are often not enforced.
This leaves low-income seniors and families at the mercy of bad landlords. This is why we are pushing for stronger tenant protections!
## The Solution — Pass a strong and enforceable Tenant Protections Ordinance
Our proposed Tenant Protections Ordinance would expand current protections in place for tenants and close loopholes by placing limits on landlords who are wrongfully evicting tenants within the City of San Diego. The updated law will provide robust protections for renters, close loopholes that landlords use to wrongfully evict families, and provide relocation assistance to renter families who have done everything right and still face eviction of no fault of their own.
### Fact Sheet
## Tenant Protections Ordinance
### Our Work
URL: https://www.panasd.org/our-work/
Last updated: 2025-10-12T22:55:32.000Z
[Civic EngagementWe believe that multiracial power-building is not just necessary — it is the only path forward to ensure that those most impacted by injustice are leading the fight for a truly inclusive and equitable multiracial society. In 2020, we had direct conversations with over 47,000 African, Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim,PANA](https://www.panasd.org/civic-engagement/)
[Proactive NarrativesThis work powerfully weaves together storytelling, activism, and visual art to center the lived experiences of refugee and immigrant youth as they confront surveillance and broader systemic injustices in their communities. Through personal testimony, PANA transforms abstract policy debates into deeply felt narratives rooted in emotion, memory, and cultural identityPANA](https://www.panasd.org/proactive-narratives/)
[Policy and CampaignsPANA equips refugee and immigrant leaders with the tools and knowledge to engage directly with policymakers. PANA transforms civic participation into a form of collective power. Our organizing builds collective power to challenge systems that perpetuate inequality, bringing urgent attention to campaign priorities to address mass surveillance, protecting immigrants, equitablePANA](https://www.panasd.org/policy-and-campaigns/)
## Our Projects
[Ending SurveillancePANA’s Integrated Approach to Democracy and Justice TRUST SD Coalition The Transparent and Responsible Use of Surveillance Technology San Diego (TRUST SD) Coalition was originally formed to address the widespread and secretive use, installation, and acquisition of the Smart Streetlights technology that is being deployed all over San DiegoPANA](https://www.panasd.org/ending-surveillance)
[Refugee Community Experiences ReportEvery two years, PANA conducts a survey of refugees in San Diego County to better understand the experiences, challenges, and needs of our communities. This year’s report is particularly timely as it identified inequities around education, health, employment, housing, belonging, and surveillance. This study highlights PANA’s ongoing workPANA](https://www.panasd.org/refugee-experiences-report/)
[The Refugee & Immigrant Cultural HubRICH is a project based in San Diego to provide affordable housing, wraparound services, and community spaces in partnership with 15 community-based organizations and nearly 700 refugee and immigrant youth, elders, and families.](https://www.globalvillagesd.org/?ref=panasd.org)
## Our Wins
[Tenant ProtectionsIn June 2016, PANA released its first report, “San Diego Refugee Experiences” the conclusion of 50 house meetings led by San Diego refugee residents to study how the community is faring in areas such as health, education, jobs and housing. What we found was that across all of our communities,PANA](https://www.panasd.org/tenant-protections/)
[Mapping Our Future: Engaging in RedistrictingThe following report documents the work of PANA and its partners during the 2021 redistricting cycle, the lessons and best practices learned, and the impact of the redistricting experience not just on the maps, but on the community and partners as a whole. The report concludes with key recommendations forPANA](https://www.panasd.org/mapping-our-future)
[Refugee Census HubThe 2020 Census presented significant challenges unique to these unprecedented times, including an administration intent on intimidating and excluding non-citizens and a raging pandemic that halted the in-person follow-up needed to ensure a complete count. Despite the challenges, PANA organized and facilitated the Refugee and Immigrant Census Hub (RICH) toPANA](https://www.panasd.org/refugee-census-hub/)
[Ending the Muslim BanPANA Statement on Inauguration and Day One Executive Actions Today marks the end of a challenging four years that directly harmed our communities, left immigrants and refugees in a state of daily fear, separated families, and criminalized us and our loved ones. We look with hope to the future. WePANA](https://www.panasd.org/ending-the-muslim-ban/)
## PANA referenced in the News
[In the News - PANAPANA](https://www.panasd.org/tag/%22in%20the%20news%22/)
### Get Involved
URL: https://www.panasd.org/get-involved/
Last updated: 2025-10-06T16:44:50.000Z
[Youth CongressPANA Youth Congress convenes and empowers immigrant and refugee youth so that they may dictate the direction of PANA’s policy work. It also provides a critical space to educate, develop, and transform young people in our community into powerful leaders that shape and mobilize for change. We do thisPANA](https://www.panasd.org/youth-congress/)
[Mutual Aid Fund for Asylum SeekersUrgent: Help San Diego County Refugees and Asylum seekers in Crisis! Donate — Mutual Aid for Asylum Seekers Dear PANA Friends and Supporters, PANA needs your help to support asylum seekers left on the streets of San Diego without basic resources. We are responding to provide immediate assistance such as temporaryPANA](https://www.panasd.org/mutual-aid-fund-for-asylum-seekers/)
[Steering CommitteeOversight The Steering Committee provides support, guidance and oversight of PANA’s campaigns and priorities. In order to advance our collective community work, the PANA steering committee will make decisions together at the monthly meetings. Guidance The PANA staff are responsible for ensuring steering committees are safe and inclusive forPANA](https://www.panasd.org/steering-committee/)
[OpportunitiesNow Hiring \* Political Director About PANA The Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans - PANA is a non-profit, non-partisan organization fighting to advance the full economic, social, and civic inclusion of refugees in San Diego, throughout California, and across the country. PANA works at the intersection of Black, Arab,PANA](https://www.panasd.org/opportunities/)
[Contact UsPO Box 50189 San Diego, CA 92105 Phone: (619) 363-6939 General email: info@panasd.org Note: to send a secure email to PANA use a free Proton email account and send to patricia@securemail.panasd.org OR Call or text us first, and we will establish a secure email configurationPANA](https://www.panasd.org/contact-us/)
### Opportunities
URL: https://www.panasd.org/opportunities/
Last updated: 2025-10-13T15:44:43.000Z
## Now Hiring
- [Political Director](https://www.panasd.org/political-director-position/)
## About PANA
The Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans - PANA is a non-profit, non-partisan organization fighting to advance the full economic, social, and civic inclusion of refugees in San Diego, throughout California, and across the country. PANA works at the intersection of Black, Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim, & South Asian (BAMEMSA) refugee communities impacted by racial/ethnic profiling, religious bias, increased government surveillance and harassment, and poverty among the many issues affecting our refugee communities.
PANA advances significant policy reforms at the city, county, and state level to ensure newly resettled refugees have equal access to family sustaining jobs, quality and healthy homes, and meaningful education that translates to upskilling in the workforce. In addition to policy and legal advocacy, PANA uses an integrated voter engagement approach to build and leverage deep community networks, develop community leaders, and establish a civic engagement infrastructure to amplify the voice, visibility and impact of our community.
## Our Region
San Diego County, with a population of over 3 million people, is the second largest county in California, and the fifth largest county in the country. Known for its beautiful year-round climate, miles of gorgeous beaches, and its small city vibe. San Diego sits on the U.S. - Mexico Border just north of Tijuana, and the two cities comprise the world’s largest metropolitan, binational region. San Diego is also the number one refugee resettlement site in California, with more than 97,000 thousand resettled from the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Africa since 1975\.
Refugee resettlement and the cross-border character of the region make San Diego a rich blend of racial/ethnic, linguistic, and country-of-birth diversity. The region presents unique opportunities to be on the front lines of the fight for human rights, and to be a part of a public interest community that is incubating cutting edge refugee and racial justice policy and litigation for the entire country.
[PANA | LinkedInPANA | 550 followers on LinkedIn. We fight to advance the full economic, social, & civic inclusion of refugees | PANA lifts up refugee voices and builds leadership in communities to increase civic engagement and create an inclusive civil society. We are a community organizing, public policy, and research hub dedicated to promoting the fair treatment and equitable inclusion of refugee communities using organizing to achieve collective impact and policy change. We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity based in San Diego County.LinkedInPANA](https://www.linkedin.com/company/pana-partnership-for-the-advancement-of-new-americans-?ref=panasd.org)
##
### Political Director Position
URL: https://www.panasd.org/political-director-position/
Last updated: 2025-10-06T16:23:01.000Z
### **About San Diego**
San Diego, with a population of nearly 1.5 million people, is the second largest city in California, and the eighth largest city in the country. Known for its beautiful year-round climate, miles of gorgeous beaches, and its small city vibe, San Diego is also in the midst of a dramatic political realignment, recently electing a Democratic super majority to its nine-member city council, which includes five women.
San Diego sits on the U.S. - Mexico Border just north of Tijuana, and the two cities comprise the world’s largest metropolitan, binational region. San Ysidro, one of three border crossings in the region, is consistently cited as the world’s busiest port of entry.
Refugee resettlement and the cross-border character of the region make San Diego a rich blend of racial/ethnic, linguistic, and country-of-birth diversity. ***The region presents unique opportunities to be on the front lines of the fight for human rights, and to be a part of a public interest community that is incubating cutting edge refugee and racial justice policy and litigation for the entire country.***
### **About PANA**
The Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans - PANA is a non-profit, non-partisan organization fighting to advance the full economic, social, and civic inclusion of refugees in San Diego, throughout California, and across the country. PANA works at the intersection of Black, Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim, & South Asian (BAMEMSA) refugee and immigrant communities impacted by racial/ethnic profiling, religious bias, increased government surveillance and harassment, and poverty among the many issues affecting our refugee communities.
PANA advances significant policy reforms at the local, state, and federal level to ensure newly resettled refugees have equal access to family sustaining jobs, quality and healthy homes, and meaningful opportunity to rebuild a sense of home and belonging. In addition to policy and legal advocacy, PANA uses an integrated voter engagement approach to build and leverage deep community networks, develop community leaders, and establish a civic engagement infrastructure to amplify the voice, visibility and impact of our community.
### **Political Director Position**
PANA is hiring an Political Director to lead and expand our work to advance the full civic inclusion of Black, Arab, Middle Eastern, Southeast Asian, and Muslim (BAMEMSA) refugee and immigrant communities and further explore and push for policy and legal solutions that secure the fundamental right to equal access to and their full participation in our democracy.
The Political Director will report directly to the Executive Director.
**Responsibilities**
- Be an active participant in local and statewide language access and democracy coalitions to advance language access and democratic reforms, including the Census and fair redistricting.
- Build or be part of a network of statewide BAMEMSA organizations and develop and execute shared advocacy strategies around democracy reform, Census reform, resources, and redistricting.
- Collaborate with the organizing team to provide clear policy targets and analysis to fuel campaign strategies, translate organizing efforts directly into policy formation, and develop tools and training opportunities that increase the capacity of the community to transform the systems that affect their lives.
- Work directly with communications consultants to ensure all policy advocacy and campaigns are framed within a narrative of power that counters deficit-based and xenophobic frameworks and uplifts our values and the world we want to create.
- Manage and develop the leadership of the policy and organizing teams, fostering a culture of strategic thinking, collaboration, and accountability.
- Supervise policy and civic engagement staff, developing their leadership and capabilities to lead policy campaigns.
- Serve as a key member of the leadership team, working to set PANA’s overall strategic direction in alignment with community priorities identified through the Triennial Refugee Experiences Report and from organizing efforts.
- Develop a deeper, ongoing relationship with local election officials in San Diego County and other counties with high concentrations of BAMEMSA voters.
- Serve as PANA’s primary representative in legislative advocacy.
- Plan and host high-impact policy briefings for lawmakers and funders to educate on key issues, dispel misinformation, and position the organization as the definitive trusted authority.
**Qualifications and Skills Required**
- Bachelor's degree and 5-10 years of progressively responsible experience in policy, government affairs, advocacy, or a related field.
- J.D. and California bar admission preferred but not required
- Demonstrated history of developing and successfully advancing a legislative agenda.
- Demonstrated commitment to refugee and immigrant communities, and racial equity.
- Experience building and managing diverse coalitions and working with a wide range of stakeholders.
- Ability to see the big picture, set long-term goals, and identify short-term tactical opportunities to advance them.
- Ability to navigate sensitive political situations and build relationships across the political spectrum.
- Strong writing and communication skills.
- Ability to juggle multiple priorities and work effectively with a team in a rapidly moving environment.
- Extremely organized with close attention to detail and accuracy.
- Ability to speak Arabic, Urdu, Farsi, Kurdish, Vietnamese, or Somali is a plus but not required.
- Knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook, and sophisticated use of technology.
- Ability to exercise sound judgment and work with an extremely diverse refugee and immigrant staff and community population.
**Compensation**
Salary range $105-120K depending upon experience. Excellent benefits include:
- Full health care coverage;
- paid sick, family, and parental leave;
- Paid sabbatical after 5 years of full-time employment;
- 3% employer contribution to 401K;
- Professional coaching and training programs; and
- 120 hours of vacation, 12 paid holidays, 1 personal holiday, and the office is closed the last two weeks of the year.
### **To Apply**
Applicants should email a resume, writing sample, and cover letter to [admin@panasd.org](mailto:admin@panasd.org)
[Political Director PositionHIRING\_ Political Director\_2025.pdf159 KBdownload-circle](https://www.panasd.org/content/files/2025/10/HIRING%5F-Political-Director%5F2025.pdf "Download")
### 10 Years of Creating True Belonging
URL: https://www.panasd.org/donate-to-pana/
Last updated: 2026-04-29T23:56:43.000Z
For the past decade, PANA has made a home for refugee power.
We began with a commitment to welcome, protect, and meet the needs of families who arrive here seeking safety. 10 years of living out that commitment has made us a powerful force driving economic, social, and civic inclusion.
These are just a few of the ways we have made an impact, and ensure our new neighbors know they belong:
- Providing $1.2 million in mutual aid and emergency assistance
- Launching the Youth Congress, where youth spoke up about issues they care about, like draconian surveillance
- Purchasing community-owned land for housing, entrepreneurship, and power-building
[Fill out my LGL Form!](https://secure.lglforms.com/form%5Fengine/s/lyz0eYJCTDtiqd9SKWJUHQ?ref=panasd.org)
As PANA enters its next decade, **we need your support** to both defend our communities from immediate threats and continue the long-term work toward a home where we all belong.
*To make a non-recurring donation from Venmo or a Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) please click* [*here*](https://givebutter.com/panasd?ref=panasd.org)*.*
## **Donate to PANA**
### Ending Surveillance
URL: https://www.panasd.org/ending-surveillance/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T06:56:09.000Z
## PANA’s Integrated Approach to Democracy and Justice
### TRUST SD Coalition
The Transparent and Responsible Use of Surveillance Technology San Diego (TRUST SD) Coalition was originally formed to address the widespread and secretive use, installation, and acquisition of the Smart Streetlights technology that is being deployed all over San Diego County. TRUST SD is now leading the call for community oversight of the use of all surveillance technology and a strong, legally enforceable ordinance to address privacy and civil liberty issues. To that end, we wrote and are advancing a community-focused ordinance that will put in place community oversight and transparency essential for our Democracy. We educate community members through community forums and workshops around the county as well as city council members and other government and elected officials through our lobbying efforts. We advocate for community-led solutions to all problems we face as a city. We are 100% community-centered and community-driven.
TRUST SD is made up of 30 local community organizations that represent various sectors of our communities.
To learn more about TRUST SD Coalition and our work, please visit [www.sandiegotrust.org](https://www.sandiegotrust.org/?ref=panasd.org)
## Open Door Policy
PANA has an open door policy with community members and operates as a one-stop shop for issues that our local MASA community faces. From helping families who have been unfairly denied social benefits to those facing unlawful eviction, and we are sensitive to and keenly aware of the unique legal challenges our communities face.
## Support Community
PANA is now leading actions on behalf of community members who are targeted by government agencies - local, state, and federal - in the name of national security and counterterrorism.
## Fight for Impact
PANA is particularly focused on the nexus of criminal justice, national security, and immigration law. We recognize the direct connection between the mass criminalization of communities of color and immigration law. For this reason, PANA will engage in impact litigation to bring much-needed change in our criminal and immigration systems.
### Our push for true safety for all, learn more:
###
[TRUST-ALPR-Community-ReportTRUST-ALPR-Community-Report.pdf2 MBdownload-circle](https://www.panasd.org/content/files/2025/10/TRUST-ALPR-Community-Report.pdf "Download")
### We believe in **Democracy** for All.
### We believe **Justice** is for Everyone.
### Refugee Community Experiences Report
URL: https://www.panasd.org/refugee-experiences-report/
Last updated: 2026-02-10T22:10:20.000Z
Every two years, PANA conducts a survey of refugees in San Diego County to better understand the experiences, challenges, and needs of our communities. This year’s report is particularly timely as it identified inequities around education, health, employment, housing, belonging, and surveillance.
This study highlights PANA’s ongoing work to catalyze community action to address refugee’s needs.
## Read the latest: The 2023 Refugee Community Experiences Report
Resettled refugees in the United States and first-generation Americans descended from refugees continue to face multiple structural barriers to their health and wellbeing. PANA conducted a 2023 in-depth triennial survey into the refugee experiences. Our findings on 656 participants identified inequities around education, health, employment, housing, belonging, and surveillance.
[Read the Latest Report](https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/0607486547a24da7abbdab0eb5fd9193?ref=panasd.org)
---
[](https://www.panasd.org/content/files/2025/10/pana-communityreport-full-r4-web.pdf)
[](https://www.panasd.org/content/files/2025/10/may31%5Ffinal%5Fpana%5Fprelim%5Freport-4-xjkz.pdf)
### Download PDFs of each report:
[2023 Refugee Experiences Reportrefugee-experiences-report\_2024-0716.pdf19 MBdownload-circle](https://www.panasd.org/content/files/2025/10/refugee-experiences-report%5F2024-0716.pdf "Download")
[2021 Refugee Experiences Reportpana-communityreport-full-r4-web.pdf1 MBdownload-circle](https://www.panasd.org/content/files/2025/10/pana-communityreport-full-r4-web.pdf "Download")
[2016 Refugee Experiences Reportmay31\_final\_pana\_prelim\_report-4-xjkz.pdf988 KBdownload-circle](https://www.panasd.org/content/files/2025/10/may31%5Ffinal%5Fpana%5Fprelim%5Freport-4-xjkz.pdf "Download")
### Mapping Our Future: Engaging in Redistricting
URL: https://www.panasd.org/mapping-our-future/
Last updated: 2025-10-07T00:28:45.000Z
The following report documents the work of PANA and its partners during the 2021 redistricting cycle, the lessons and best practices learned, and the impact of the redistricting experience not just on the maps, but on the community and partners as a whole. The report concludes with key recommendations for improving the redistricting process and the ability of grassroots organizations to more effectively engage and secure redistricting wins for marginalized communities in the future.
[Mapping Our Future: Engaging in RedistrictingPANA+Redistricting+Report\_RGFinal\_rev8\_hl.pdf3 MBdownload-circle](https://www.panasd.org/content/files/2025/10/PANA-Redistricting-Report%5FRGFinal%5Frev8%5Fhl-1.pdf "Download")
[Appendix A- Letter to San Diego County Independent Redistricting CommissionAppendix A- Letter to San Diego County Independent Redistricting Commission.pdf1 MBdownload-circle](https://www.panasd.org/content/files/2025/10/Appendix-A--Letter-to-San-Diego-County-Independent-Redistricting-Commission.pdf "Download")
[Appendix B- Letter to San Diego County Redistricting CommissionAppendix B- Letter to San Diego County Redistricting Commission.pdf1 MBdownload-circle](https://www.panasd.org/content/files/2025/10/Appendix-B--Letter-to-San-Diego-County-Redistricting-Commission.pdf "Download")
[Appendix C- Letter to California Citizens Redistricting CommissionAppendix C- Letter to California Citizens Redistricting Commission.pdf35 KBdownload-circle](https://www.panasd.org/content/files/2025/10/Appendix-C--Letter-to-California-Citizens-Redistricting-Commission.pdf "Download")
[Appendix D- Letter to California Citizens Redistricting CommissionAppendix D- Letter to California Citizens Redistricting Commission.pdf45 KBdownload-circle](https://www.panasd.org/content/files/2025/10/Appendix-D--Letter-to-California-Citizens-Redistricting-Commission.pdf "Download")
[Appendix E- Letter to California Citizens Redistricting CommissionAppendix E- Letter to California Citizens Redistricting Commission.pdf42 KBdownload-circle](https://www.panasd.org/content/files/2025/10/Appendix-E--Letter-to-California-Citizens-Redistricting-Commission.pdf "Download")
[Appendix F- PANA’s Language Access Presentation to the California Citizens Redistricting CommissionAppendix F- PANA’s Language Access Presentation to the California Citizens Redistricting Commission.pdf5 MBdownload-circle](https://www.panasd.org/content/files/2025/10/Appendix-F--PANA---s-Language-Access-Presentation-to-the-California-Citizens-Redistricting-Commission.pdf "Download")
[Appendix G- PANA’s Best Practices for Community Engagement Presentation to the San Diego CountyIndependent Redistricting CommissionAppendix G- PANA’s Best Practices for Community Engagement Presentation to the San Diego CountyIndependent Redistricting Commission.pdf4 MBdownload-circle](https://www.panasd.org/content/files/2025/10/Appendix-G--PANA---s-Best-Practices-for-Community-Engagement-Presentation-to-the-San-Diego-CountyIndependent-Redistricting-Commission.pdf "Download")
[Appendix H- Media ArticlesAppendix H- Media Articles.pdf25 KBdownload-circle](https://www.panasd.org/content/files/2025/10/Appendix-H--Media-Articles.pdf "Download")
[Appendix I- Letter to El Cajon City CouncilAppendix I- Letter to El Cajon City Council.pdf22 KBdownload-circle](https://www.panasd.org/content/files/2025/10/Appendix-I--Letter-to-El-Cajon-City-Council.pdf "Download")
[Appendix J- PANA Partner Redistricting 101Appendix J- PANA Partner Redistricting 101.pdf3 MBdownload-circle](https://www.panasd.org/content/files/2025/10/Appendix-J--PANA-Partner-Redistricting-101.pdf "Download")
[Appendix K- PANA’s Community-Centered Community of Interested 101 & Mapping PresentationAppendix K- PANA’s Community-Centered Community of Interested 101 & Mapping Presentation.pdf2 MBdownload-circle](https://www.panasd.org/content/files/2025/10/Appendix-K--PANA---s-Community-Centered-Community-of-Interested-101--amp--Mapping-Presentation.pdf "Download")
[Appendix L- PANA Youth Community of Interest Jamboard Virtual Discussion toolAppendix L- PANA Youth Community of Interest Jamboard Virtual Discussion tool.pdf1 MBdownload-circle](https://www.panasd.org/content/files/2025/10/Appendix-L--PANA-Youth-Community-of-Interest-Jamboard-Virtual-Discussion-tool.pdf "Download")
[Appendix M- Facilitators Redistricting Agenda & Talking Points Appendix M- Facilitators Redistricting Agenda & Talking Points .pdf34 KBdownload-circle](https://www.panasd.org/content/files/2025/10/Appendix-M--Facilitators-Redistricting-Agenda--amp--Talking-Points-.pdf "Download")
[Appendix N- ToolkitsAppendix N- Toolkits.pdf459 KBdownload-circle](https://www.panasd.org/content/files/2025/10/Appendix-N--Toolkits.pdf "Download")
[Appendix O- Majdal Center Letter to El Cajon City Council Re- El Cajon Communities of InterestAppendix O- Majdal Center Letter to El Cajon City Council Re- El Cajon Communities of Interest.pdf220 KBdownload-circle](https://www.panasd.org/content/files/2025/10/Appendix-O--Majdal-Center-Letter-to-El-Cajon-City-Council-Re--El-Cajon-Communities-of-Interest.pdf "Download")
[Appendix P- Letter to City of San Diego Redistricting Commission Re- City Heights Community of InterestAppendix P- Letter to City of San Diego Redistricting Commission Re- City Heights Community of Interest.pdf75 KBdownload-circle](https://www.panasd.org/content/files/2025/10/Appendix-P--Letter-to-City-of-San-Diego-Redistricting-Commission-Re--City-Heights-Community-of-Interest.pdf "Download")
[Appendix Q- 2022 Redistricting Final MapsAppendix Q- 2022 Redistricting Final Maps.pdf2 MBdownload-circle](https://www.panasd.org/content/files/2025/10/Appendix-Q--2022-Redistricting-Final-Maps.pdf "Download")
### Refugee Census Hub
URL: https://www.panasd.org/refugee-census-hub/
Last updated: 2025-10-05T02:06:34.000Z
The 2020 Census presented significant challenges unique to these unprecedented times, including an administration intent on intimidating and excluding non-citizens and a raging pandemic that halted the in-person follow-up needed to ensure a complete count. Despite the challenges, PANA organized and facilitated the Refugee and Immigrant Census Hub (RICH) to ensure that African, Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim, and South Asian refugee communities in San Diego County were counted.
RICH included 15 ethnic and religious-based organizations that PANA trained and supported as they educated their networks and communities about the importance of census participation. We developed census outreach materials, including videos, in 15 languages. And it was a huge success! Together we contacted over 47,000 African, Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim, and South Asian community members. As a result, the Census 2020 self-response rates increased dramatically over 2010 self-response rates in 82% of the census tracts we targeted.
[Census EnglishCensus\_English.pdf555 KBdownload-circle](https://www.panasd.org/content/files/2025/10/Census%5FEnglish.pdf "Download")
[Census SomaliCensus\_Somali.pdf590 KBdownload-circle](https://www.panasd.org/content/files/2025/10/Census%5FSomali.pdf "Download")
[Census FrenchCensus\_French.pdf573 KBdownload-circle](https://www.panasd.org/content/files/2025/10/Census%5FFrench.pdf "Download")
[Census KurdishCensus\_Kurdish.pdf622 KBdownload-circle](https://www.panasd.org/content/files/2025/10/Census%5FKurdish.pdf "Download")
[Census FarsiCensus\_Farsi.pdf577 KBdownload-circle](https://www.panasd.org/content/files/2025/10/Census%5FFarsi.pdf "Download")
[Census DariCensus\_Dari.pdf578 KBdownload-circle](https://www.panasd.org/content/files/2025/10/Census%5FDari.pdf "Download")
[Census SwahiliCensus\_Swahili.pdf569 KBdownload-circle](https://www.panasd.org/content/files/2025/10/Census%5FSwahili.pdf "Download")
## Phase 1 — PLAN
**Summer 2019 Planning Process**
PANA mobilized community organizations and institutions, convened, and developed a shared strategic plan.
Hub Members
## Phase 2 — EDUCATE
**Phone-banking & Workshops**
PANA hired and trained phone-banking staff and translated materials in multiple languages. We also helped hub members integrate CENSUS materials into existing programs and services. Collectively, we educated 47,000 Refugees & Immigrants across the San Diego Region through in-person workshops and and phone sessions.
Photo: Jean-Huy, Viet Vote and the phone-bank team
## Phase 3 — ASSIST & GOTC
**Questionnaire Assistance Centers**
We trained questionnaire assistant staff to provide language assistance and education as well as organized Get Out The Count (GOTC) efforts.
Photo: Dilkhwaz Ahmed, Licensed to Freedom talking to a community member about CENSUS
## Refugee And Immigrant Census Hub Informational Videos
### What Is the Census?
The U.S. *Census* is **a count of every *resident*** (not just citizens), at the location where each person usually lives. It is mandated by the United States Constitution and it happens every 10 years.
### Why Is the Census Important?
A complete and accurate Census count of our communities **determines the allocation of tens of billions of dollars in federal funding for the next decade.** For example, the count will determine the amount of federal dollars our communities receive with programs like Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP), the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), and Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers, among others.
The count also about fair representation. After each Census count, state officials use the results to redraw boundaries for congressional, state, and local legislative districts.
### Who Gets Counted?
**EVERYONE gets counted** regardless of immigration status – Make sure to **include babies, elders, non-relatives** living in the household, **and people with disabilities.**
In March, every household will get a mailing from the U.S. Census Bureau with instructions to visit their website.
- After logging onto the Bureau’s website, each household will fill out a simple 10-question form. The form can be completed in about 10 minutes.
- Every person, including children, living in the household needs to be included on the form in order to be counted.
- People can call the Census Bureau to complete the form by phone or to request a paper form be mailed to them.
### Why Are Refugees At Risk of Not Being Counted?
Until 2017, the United States led the world in refugee resettlement. California has historically resettled more refugees than any other state, welcoming nearly a quarter of all new arrivals since 1975:
- **Distrust of government:** In addition to cultural differences that result in a distrust of government, refugees are arriving after experiencing significant trauma in their countries of origin and often during their long journey to this country. Their instinct may be to distrust a government questionnaire seeking personal information about them and their families.
- **Hidden homelessness:** Refugees often have more children and extended family to house and support through reunification efforts. California’s affordable housing crisis makes finding affordable and appropriate housing a significant challenge identified by refugee families. They are often forced to live in overcrowded situations, and many times in violation of leases, which may deter them from accurately representing the number of people in their household.
- **Fear:** Many refugee populations are experiencing heightened government surveillance and harassment in the wake of the Trump administration’s policies and rhetoric against refugee communities, including the repeated Muslim bans. These targeted threats pose a direct and significant barrier to Census participation.
## Frequently Asked Questions
### What happens if I lose the postcard with my unique ID number?
Don’t worry – you can still complete your Census form online without the ID number.
### Will the Census include a question about citizenship?
The 2020 Census questionnaire will NOT include a question about an individual’s citizenship status. If you have concerns about opening your doors, you can participate online and over the phone, from the comfort of your home or at a community run assistance center. Your participation is vital, and your information is protected.
### Is my private information protected?
Your answers cannot be used for law enforcement purposes or to determine personal eligibility for government benefits. In addition, personal information cannot be used against respondents for the purposes of immigration enforcement. The United States Census Bureau (USCB) is required by law to protect any personal information it collects and keep it confidential. Violating confidentiality or sharing the information other than for statistical purposes is a serious federal crime. Anyone who violates this law will face severe penalties, including a federal prison sentence of up to five years, a fine of up to $250,000, or both.
### Why do I have to participate in the Census?
Some federal funds, grants, and support to states, counties and communities are based on population. It is critical for everyone to be counted, regardless of immigration status. When you respond to the Census, you help your community get its fair share of federal funds.
### What if I don’t want to participate in the Census?
Your response is required by law. If you do not respond, the U.S. Census Bureau will follow up in person to collect your response.
### Does somebody else in addition to the federal government use the Census data?
Businesses use Census data to decide where to build factories, offices and stores, and this creates jobs. Developers use Census data to build new homes and revitalize neighborhoods. Local governments use Census data for public safety and emergency preparedness.
### Should I include my children as well?
Yes, you should include all children who live in your home. You should include children who split their time between homes, if they are living with you on April 1, 2020\. Please include also newborn babies, even those who are born on April 1, 2020, or who are still in the hospital on this date.
### I’m pregnant. How should I fill out the Census?
Every child born on or before April 1, 2020 should be counted.
### How should I answer the Ethnicity Question if I don’t relate to any of the answers?
If you are Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin you can select a more detailed category Mexican/Mexican American, Puerto Rican, Cuban or Other Latino and provide a written answer (for example Dominican, Salvadoran, etc.). While you can select more than one Latino national origin group, the Bureau will only report one Latino origin group when publishing the data and they will choose arbitrarily.With the race question, you can select one or more race categories with which you identify. If none are applicable, you can select “some other race.”
### Ending the Muslim Ban
URL: https://www.panasd.org/ending-the-muslim-ban/
Last updated: 2025-10-04T03:09:29.000Z
PANA Statement on Inauguration and Day One Executive Actions
Today marks the end of a challenging four years that directly harmed our communities, left immigrants and refugees in a state of daily fear, separated families, and criminalized us and our loved ones.
We look with hope to the future. We welcome the executive actions and proposals that have come out of the Biden Administration on Day One, including the end of the Muslim and African ban, the extension of Deferred Enforcement Departure (DED) for Liberians, and the recommitment to protecting Dreamers. We are encouraged by the Administration’s priorities and early legislative proposals, which include a pathway to citizenship for undocumented individuals, and expand programs for refugee resettlement and integration.
These are important first steps, but the work is just beginning. PANA will continue to work tirelessly to ensure these actions and proposals result in real, impactful change for our communities. Refugee and immigrant voices must be centered in the discussion and implementation of the policies that impact them. We will continue the fight to reimagine resettlement and just immigration policies. Our goal, as always, is to ensure refugees and immigrants are granted safe and secure housing, quality education, and employment opportunities so that they may meaningfully rebuild their lives in the United States.
## We urge the new leadership to:
### Center Directly Impacted People
Center communities directly affected by the African, Muslim and refugee bans by expediting the visa process to those who were impacted by the bans, restoring diversity visas, and ending restrictions on Visa Waiver Program for dual-citizens.
### Restore Refuge
Increase the Presidential Determination to 150,000 in the first year and increase it to 175,000 in FY2022\.
### Invest in Families
Appropriate funding toensure that the federal refugee resettlement program provides safe, healthy, and affordable housing for three to five years to give families a fair shot at rebuilding a sense of home, find training and apprenticeships that onramp into family-supportive employment, and ensure their successful transition.
### End Criminalization and Deportations
End policies, like bans, walls and raids, that treat our communities as inherently suspect and foster bigotry and hate. Institute moratorium on deportations.
### Privacy
URL: https://www.panasd.org/privacy/
Last updated: 2025-10-10T18:16:02.000Z
Your privacy is very important to us. At PANA, we follow these principles:
- We are thoughtful about the personal information we ask you to provide and the personal information we collect about you through the operation of our partnership.
- We store personal information for only as long as we have a reason to keep it.
- We use as few cookies as possible.
- We help protect you from overreaching government demands for your personal information.
- We aim for full transparency on how we gather, use, and share your personal information.
Below is our Privacy Policy, which incorporates and clarifies these principles.
## Information We Collect
We only collect information about you if we have a reason to do so — for example, to add you as a free subscriber or donor, to communicate with you, or to make our services better.
We collect this information:
- if and when you provide information to us
- automatically through operating our partnership
Let’s go over the information that we collect.
### Information You Provide to Us
It’s probably no surprise that we collect information that you provide to us directly. Here are some examples:
- Basic account information: We ask for basic information from you in order to set up a subscription. For example, we require individuals who sign up for a PANA account to provide an email address — and that’s it.
- Payment and contact information: If you become a donor or buy something from us, we’ll collect information to process those payments and contact you, including your name, credit card information, and contact information. We also keep a record of the purchases you’ve made for tax and accounting purposes.
- Content information: You might provide us with information about you in draft and published content (a blog post or comment that includes biographic information about you, or any media or files you upload).
- Communications with us: You may also provide us with information when you respond to surveys, communicate with us about a support question, post a comment, or sign up for an event. When you communicate with us via form, email, or otherwise, we store a copy of our communications.
### Links to other websites and services
Our website may integrate with or contain links to other third party sites and services, such as an embedded social media post or hosted video. While we strive to keep cookies to a minimum, we are not responsible for the practices employed by third party websites or services embedded in, linked to, or linked from our website. Your interactions with any third-party website or service are subject to that third party’s own rules and policies.
### Information We Collect Automatically
We also collect some information automatically:
- Usage information: We collect information about visitors' usage of our website. For example, when you use our partnership services (e.g., page views). We use this information to, for example, provide our partnership services to you, get insights on how people use our services so we can make our services better, and understand and make predictions about user retention.
- Location information: Our publishing system may attempt to determine the approximate location of your device from your IP address. We collect and use this information to, for example, calculate roughly how many people visit our services from certain geographic regions.
- Our Mobile App may collect this information if you explicitly grant permission to do so. We will then use this information to provide directions to events.
## How and Why We Use Information
### Purposes for Using Information
We and our partners use information about you for the purposes listed below:
- To provide our partnership services. For example, to set up and maintain your account, deliver newsletters, provide customer service, process payments and orders, and verify user information.
- To ensure quality, maintain safety, and improve our partnership services. For example, by monitoring and analyzing how users interact with our services so we can create new features that we think our supporters will enjoy or make our services easier to use.
- To protect our services, our users, and the public. For example, by detecting security incidents; detecting and protecting against malicious, deceptive, fraudulent, or illegal activity; fighting spam; complying with our legal obligations; and protecting the rights and property of PANA and others, which may result in us, for example, declining a transaction or terminating services.
- To fix problems with our services. For example, by monitoring, debugging, repairing, and preventing issues.
- To communicate with you. For example, by emailing you to ask for your feedback, share tips for getting the most out of our partnership, or keep you up to date on PANA.
### Legal Bases for Collecting and Using Information
A note here for those in the European Union or United Kingdom about our legal grounds for processing information about you under EU and UK data protection laws, which is that our use of your information is based on the grounds that: (1) The use is necessary in order to fulfill our commitments to you under the applicable terms of service or other agreements with you or is necessary to administer your account — for example, in order to enable access to our website on your device or charge you for a donation (in other words, our processing is necessary to enter into, or perform, a contract with you); or (2) The use is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation; or (3) The use is necessary in order to protect your vital interests or those of another person; or (4) We have a legitimate interest in using your information — for example, to provide and update our services; to improve our services so that we can offer you an even better user experience; to safeguard our services; to communicate with you; and to understand our user retention and attrition; to monitor and prevent any problems with our services; or (5) You have given us your consent. We process collected data for as long as necessary to provide our services.
## Sharing Information
### How We Share Information
We share information about you in limited circumstances, and with appropriate safeguards for your privacy.
- Subsidiaries and independent contractors: We may disclose information about you to our subsidiaries and independent contractors who need the information to help us provide our services or process the information on our behalf. We require our subsidiaries and independent contractors to follow this Privacy Policy for any personal information that we share with them.
- Third-party vendors: We may share information about you with third-party vendors who need the information in order to provide their services to us, or to provide their services to you or your site. This includes vendors that help us provide our services to you (like Stripe, which powers subscription payments, fraud prevention services that allow us to analyze fraudulent payment transactions, cloud storage services, postal and email delivery services that help us stay in touch with you, customer chat and email support services that help us communicate with you, registrars, registries, those that host our website, assist us with our marketing efforts; those that help us understand and enhance our services (like analytics providers); those that make tools to help us run our operations (like programs that help us with task management, scheduling, word processing, email and other communications, and collaboration among our teams); and other third-party tools that help us manage operations. We only use vendors that agree to similar privacy commitments in order to share information with them.
- Legal and regulatory requirements: We may disclose information about you in response to a subpoena, court order, or other governmental request.
- To protect rights, property, and others: We may disclose information about you when we believe in good faith that disclosure is reasonably necessary to protect the property or rights of PANA third parties, or the public at large. For example, if we have a good faith belief that there is an imminent danger of death or serious physical injury, we may disclose information related to the emergency without delay.
- Business transfers: In connection with any merger, sale of PANA assets, or acquisition of all or a portion of PANA by another entity, or in the unlikely event that PANA ceases to operate or enters bankruptcy, user information would likely be one of the assets that is transferred or acquired by a third party. If any of these events were to happen, this Privacy Policy would continue to apply to your information and the party receiving your information may continue to use your information, but only consistent with this Privacy Policy.
- With your consent: We may share and disclose information with your consent or at your direction.
- Aggregated or de-identified information: We may share information that has been aggregated or de-identified, so that it can no longer reasonably be used to identify you. For instance, we may publish aggregate statistics about how many supporters we have.
- Published support requests: If you send us a request for assistance (for example, via a support email or one of our other feedback mechanisms), we reserve the right to publish that request (without your name or identifying information attached) in order to clarify or respond to your request, or to help us support other users.
We do not sell our supporters’ data.
We aren't a data broker, we don't sell your personal information to data brokers, and we don't sell your information to other companies that want to spam you with marketing emails.
### Information That You Share Publicly
Information that you choose to make public is — you guessed it — disclosed publicly.
Once you make something public, neither you nor we have any realistic control over it — for example, someone could re-post your comment to another site, or screenshot it and share it.
## Security
While no online service is 100% secure, we and our partners work very hard to protect information about you against unauthorized access, use, alteration, or destruction, and take reasonable measures to do so. We and our partners monitor our services for potential vulnerabilities and attacks.
## Choices
You have several choices available when it comes to information about you and communications:
- Limit the information that you provide: If you have an account with us, you can choose not to provide the optional account information, profile information, and transaction and billing information.
- Set your browser to reject cookies: At this time, PANA does not respond to “do not track” signals, but you can still block cookies in your browser or tracking pixels in your email client.
- Unsubscribe from our newsletters: Subscribers may unsubscribe from our newsletter at any time, either through the unsubscribe link at the end of every newsletter or on the website in your account settings. You cannot opt out of Service-related communications (e.g., account verification, payment confirmation, changes/updates to our products or features, technical and security notices.)
- Close your account: While we’d be very sad to see you go, you can close your account if you no longer want to support our partnership.
## Your Rights
If you are located in certain parts of the world, including California and countries that fall under the scope of the European General Data Protection Regulation (aka the “GDPR”) or the UK’s GDPR, you may have certain rights regarding your personal information, like the right to request access to or deletion of your data.
### European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) / UK GDPR
If you are located in a country that falls under the scope of the GDPR, or are in the UK, data protection laws give you certain rights with respect to your personal data, subject to any exemptions provided by the law, including the rights to:
- Request access to your personal data;
- Request correction or deletion of your personal data;
- Object to our use and processing of your personal data;
- Request that we limit our use and processing of your personal data; and
- Request portability of your personal data.
You also have the right to make a complaint to a government supervisory authority.
For processing based on your consent, you can withdraw your consent at any time.
### California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)
The California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”) requires us to provide California residents with some additional information about the categories of personal information we collect and share, where we get that personal information, and how and why we use it. The CCPA also requires us to provide a list of the “categories” of personal information we collect, as that term is defined in the law, so, here it is. In the last 12 months, we and our service providers collected the following categories of personal information from California residents, depending on the services used:
- Identifiers (like your name, contact information, and email address);
- Commercial information (your billing information and purchase history, for example);
- Internet or other electronic network activity information (such as your usage of our services, like the actions you take as a donor);
- Geolocation data (such as your location based on your IP address); and
- Inferences we make (such as likelihood of retention or attrition).
If you are a California resident, you have additional rights under the CCPA, subject to any exemptions provided by the law, including the right to:
- Request to know the categories of personal information we collect, the categories of business or commercial purpose for collecting and using it, the categories of sources from which the information came, the categories of third parties we share it with, and the specific pieces of information we collect about you;
- Request deletion of personal information we collect or maintain;
- Opt out of any sale of personal information; and
- Not receive discriminatory treatment for exercising your rights under the CCPA.
### Contacting Us About These Rights
You can usually access, correct, or delete your personal data using your account settings and tools that we offer, but if you aren’t able to or you’d like to contact us about one of the other rights, contact us by going to your account on our site and clicking Contact Support.
When you contact us about one of your rights under this section, we’ll need to verify that you are the right person before we disclose or delete anything. For example, if you are a user, we will need you to contact us from the email address associated with your account. You can also designate an authorized agent to make a request on your behalf by giving us written authorization. We may still require you to verify your identity with us.
### A note about processing locations
We are based in the USA, and process personal data here. Because you are visiting our site and providing personal data directly to us, there is no “transfer” from an EU or UK GDPR point of view.
### Creative Commons Sharealike License
We built this privacy policy thanks to [404media.co](https://404media.co/?ref=panasd.org) who used the template created by Automattic, the makers of [WordPress](https://www.wordpress.com/?ref=panasd.org), who made their Privacy Policy available under a [Creative Commons Sharealike license](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/?ref=panasd.org). PANA’s privacy policy is licensed that way, too. You can grab a copy of their Privacy Policy and other legal documents on [GitHub](https://github.com/Automattic/legalmattic?ref=panasd.org). You’re more than welcome to copy ours or theirs, and adapt and repurpose them for your own use. Just make sure to revise the language so that your policy reflects your actual practices. If you do use it, we’d appreciate a credit and link to our website and to Automattic/WordPress somewhere on your site.
### Youth Congress
URL: https://www.panasd.org/youth-congress/
Last updated: 2025-10-04T23:13:56.000Z
PANA Youth Congress convenes and empowers immigrant and refugee youth so that they may dictate the direction of PANA’s policy work. It also provides a critical space to educate, develop, and transform young people in our community into powerful leaders that shape and mobilize for change.
We do this by offering transformational experiences for young professionals who are passionate about social justice and wish to take leadership in building grassroots youth-led power. We provide the resources young people need to tackle inequalities they identify in their communities.
## Youth Congress Values
- Peace
- Justice
- Freedom
- Equity
- Community
- Trust
## Youth Congress Committees
### Research Committee
Conducts research regarding priority issues that matter to immigrant / refugee youth AND report this information back to the team.
### Outreach Committee
Leads efforts recruiting new Youth Congress members through emailing and brief informational sessions in classrooms, club meetings, or via zoom.
### Social Media Committee
Creates social media and marketing content related to Youth Congress events, workshops, and efforts.
### Fundraising Committee (Youth Mutual Aid Fund for Afghan Refugees)
Leads efforts to raise funds for incoming Afghan refugee families. [Click here](https://donorbox.org/youth-mutual-aid-fund-for-afghan-refugees?ref=panasd.org) to learn more about our Mutual Aid effort.
[Youth Mutual Aid Fund for Afghan Refugees](https://donorbox.org/youth-mutual-aid-fund-for-afghan-refugees?ref=panasd.org)
## Why Join Youth Congress?
- Opportunity to take a deep dive into real time campaign planning and execution.
- Leadership and professional development specific to fundraising, electoral organizing, community organizing, and policy advocacy.
- Mentorship with seasoned campaign support and exposure to experts.
- Gain direct experience educating and working with elected officials on key issues.
## Join Us
### Criteria for joining Youth Congress
1. You must come from an immigrant / refugee background OR be a first generation student.
2. Demonstrated commitment to community.
3. Must be under 30 years of age.
### Commitment
- Youth Congress meets bi-weekly on Wednesdays from 4:00PM-5:00PM
- Committees meet bi-weekly on Wednesdays
- Research Committee: 4:00-4:30PM
- Outreach Committee: 4:30PM-5:00PM
- Social Media Committee: 5:00PM-5:30PM
- Fundraising Committee: time/date TBD
- Each Youth Congress member must join **at least** one committee.
- Members are also expected to participate in team activities including events, actions, and meetings.
### Join the movement!
Please fill out the form below OR email [lucky@panasd.org](mailto:lucky@panasd.org?)
## Join the Youth Congress
PANA lifts up #RefugeeVoices and builds leadership in communities to increase #CivicEngagement and create an inclusive #CivilSociety.
Join Us
Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup.
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
## Follow Youth Congress on Social Media
### Mutual Aid Fund for Asylum Seekers
URL: https://www.panasd.org/mutual-aid-fund-for-asylum-seekers/
Last updated: 2025-10-23T16:53:04.000Z
## Urgent: Help San Diego County Refugees and Asylum seekers in Crisis!
Dear PANA Friends and Supporters,
PANA needs your help to support asylum seekers left on the streets of San Diego without basic resources. We are responding to provide immediate assistance such as temporary shelter, transportation, food, legal help, and other essential community resources.
PANA has been at the forefront, diligently working to process the flood of requests for support we receive each day. However, the need for assistance far outweighs our available resources. That is why we are reaching out to you, our community, for help.
Your generous donations are crucial and ensure refugees and asylum seekers receive the support they desperately need.
Donate today and together, we can provide transportation, short-term shelter, food, and other meaningful assistance.
### Here's how you can make a difference
1\. **Donate with Urgency**: *Every penny you give is going directly - and quickly - to a family/asylum seeker in need*. Your donation, no matter how small, will make a significant impact in their lives.
2\. **Spread the Word**: Share this message with your family, friends, and colleagues, and ask them to consider donating.
3\. **Stay Informed**: We will continue to provide periodic updates as assistance goes out to ensure transparency and accountability.
Providing basic humanitarian assistance to vulnerable individuals is our moral obligation and we thank you for standing with us to respond to this humanitarian crisis!
Thank you for your compassion and support.
[Fill out my LGL Form!](https://secure.lglforms.com/form%5Fengine/s/lyz0eYJCTDtiqd9SKWJUHQ?ref=panasd.org)
*To make a non-recurring donation from Venmo or a Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) please click* [*here*](https://givebutter.com/panasd?fund=49496&ref=panasd.org)*.*
### Steering Committee
URL: https://www.panasd.org/steering-committee/
Last updated: 2025-10-04T17:44:00.000Z
## Oversight
The Steering Committee provides support, guidance and oversight of PANA’s campaigns and priorities. In order to advance our collective community work, the PANA steering committee will make decisions together at the monthly meetings.
## Guidance
The PANA staff are responsible for ensuring steering committees are safe and inclusive for all community members. The successful execution of community campaigns and priorities by ensuring there is an inclusive and participatory planning process. Staff also ensure that strategies are carried out and supported by steering committee members and the community at-large.
## Consensus
Consensus means overwhelming agreement. It is important that consensus be the product of a good-faith effort to meet the interests of all stakeholders. The key indicator of whether or not a consensus has been reached is that **everyone agrees they can live with the final proposal; that is after every effort has been made to meet any outstanding interests**. Thus, consensus requires that someone frame a proposal after listening carefully to everyone's interests.
### Mobile App
URL: https://www.panasd.org/mobile-app/
Last updated: 2025-10-05T16:32:39.000Z
Download and install our new mobile app. Stay up to date on our partnership, Know Your Rights, and share your photos and videos with PANA.
## Apple and Android
## Share the App
When you install the App you can choose:
- whether to allow notifications, or not
- if you want to share your location while you are using the app
- to send us photos and videos
*Apple app works on iPhone, iPad and Apple Silicon Macs.*
If you prefer not to use the app stores, you can install our Progressive Web App from [https://app.panasd.org](https://app.panasd.org/?ref=panasd.org)
Any questions or suggestions message us in the App or email [info@panasd.org](mailto:info@panasd.org?cc=john%40panasd.org&subject=Question%20or%20issue%20on%20Mobile%20App)
### Contact Us
URL: https://www.panasd.org/contact-us/
Last updated: 2025-10-06T16:11:37.000Z
PO Box 50189
San Diego, CA 92105
Phone: (619) 363-6939
General email: [info@panasd.org](mailto:info@panasd.org)
Note: to send a secure email to PANA use a [free Proton email account](https://proton.me/mail?ref=panasd.org) and send to [patricia@securemail.panasd.org](mailto:patricia@securemail.panasd.org)
OR
Call or text us first — we will help you setup a secure email configuration with us.
### Know Your Rights — English
URL: https://www.panasd.org/speak-your-rights-english/
Last updated: 2025-10-05T02:54:17.000Z
## I choose to exercise my legal rights
I choose to exercise my legal rights
0:00
/4.862687
1×
## I will remain silent and I refuse to answer your questions
I will remain silent and I refuse to answer your questions
0:00
/5.39675
1×
## I do not consent to a search of myself my belongings or my property
I do not consent to a search of myself my belongings or my property
0:00
/6.55775
1×
## I wish to speak to an attorney
I wish to speak to an attorney
0:00
/2.9935
1×
## I refuse to sign anything without advice from an attorney
I refuse to sign anything without advice from an attorney
0:00
/5.211
1×
## I wish to see an immigration judge
I wish to see an immigration judge
0:00
/3.782979
1×
## I am afraid of returning to my home country
I am afraid of returning to my home country
0:00
/4.537604
1×
### Giving Tuesday
URL: https://www.panasd.org/donate/
Last updated: 2025-10-05T17:15:17.000Z
Dear Friends,
The Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans - PANA is a refugee-led movement with a simple vision: ensure refugee families have a fair shot at rebuilding a sense of home, belonging, and an equal opportunity to lead full and meaningful lives.
If you haven’t already, I’m asking you to make a gift to invest in PANA today! We have a goal to raise the remaining $60,725.36 we need to sustain our work.
## **Make a Gift Now**
Your contribution gives us the flexibility we need to remain nimble and responsive to meet the emergent issues our refugee families face and build the long-term power we need to fight for humane, fair, and dignified resettlement policies.
Please also consider supporting our youth-led work. The PANA Youth Congress is raising funds to support newly resettled Afghan youth with their [**Mutual Aid Fund**](https://www.panasd.org/mutual-aid-fund-for-asylum-seekers/).
In community,
**Ramla Sahid**
Executive Director
## Posts
### ‘Do All the Good You Can’: How Carl Crider and Carol Clause are Helping Build San Diego’s Global Village
URL: https://www.panasd.org/do-all-the-good-you-can-how-carl-crider-and-carol-clause-are-helping-build-san-diegos-global-village/
Last updated: 2026-09-02T19:02:42.000Z
Published August 24, 2026 by San Diego Foundation [(Learn more)](https://www.sdfoundation.org/news-events/sdf-news/do-all-the-good-you-can-how-carl-crider-and-carol-clause-are-helping-build-san-diegos-global-village/?ref=panasd.org)
**Carl Crider and Carol Clause champion immigrant and refugee communities through philanthropy, leadership and advocacy.**
It’s all about caring for our neighbors. That’s how Carl Crider—an ordained United Methodist Church minister, consultant, and philanthropist—and his wife, retired marriage and family therapist Carol Clause, view their commitment to supporting community led organizations and initiatives, including the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans ([PANA](https://www.panasd.org/)) and its ambitious [Global Village project](https://www.panasd.org/newsletter-global-village-aims-to-build-power-for-immigrants-and-refugees-amid-displacement/) bordering City Heights.
The Global Village project will include 144 affordable apartments—more than a third of them four-bedroom units for larger and multigenerational families—along with a cultural center housing more than a dozen nonprofits, a health and wellness center, a child development center, and an outdoor plaza.
The project is led by PANA, a nonprofit that advocates for policy reforms including the protection of immigrant and refugee rights. Early gifts of more than $10 million secured the 2.2-acre site debt-free and funded design and approvals. PANA is now raising a final $15 million in philanthropy, which unlocks the public financing behind it. Construction is slated to begin in the spring of 2028\. Carl and Carol have a partnership of more than a decade with San Diego Foundation through their donor- advised fund (DAF). PANA contributions for the Global Village project to date include three grants associated with San Diego Foundation: one from the DAF of Carl and Carol; one from a San Diego Foundation [partnership](https://www.sdfoundation.org/news-events/sdf-news/san-diego-foundation-sandag-announce-14-million-in-state-funding-to-create-nearly-1000-affordable-housing-units-across-san-diego-county/?ref=panasd.org) with SANDAG and the CA Regional Early Action Planning program; and a grant from the [San Diego Unity Fund](https://www.sdfoundation.org/community-impact/impact-areas/crisis-philanthropy/san-diego-unity-fund/?ref=panasd.org).
“I’m grateful to have even played a small role,” Carl said about his work in helping PANA transform the Global Village project from a dream into a reality.
A small role might be an understatement. After all, it was Carl who—while serving on the PANA board of directors—volunteered countless hours negotiating the purchase and managing contracts with professionals assessing the site. Consultations with community leaders were constant.
“The community involvement was exactly what our board had envisioned,” he said. “And because of that, this vision ended up going from a refugee hub to a global village.”
It’s a long way from his boyhood home in a rural community of no more than 400 people in rural northeast Arkansas. His philanthropy and Christian faith are based on the teachings of John Wesley, considered the founder of the Methodist movement, who—according to tradition—said: “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.”
Said PANA Founder and Executive Director Ramla Sahid, who was born in Somalia and came to the United States as a young child with her family and grew up in City Heights: “Carl and Carol have been quiet giants in our community. They are inspiring leaders who stand shoulder to shoulder with our immigrant and refugee communities, serving on the boards of PANA, Women’s Empowerment International, the ACLU of San Diego & Imperial Counties, and philanthropically supporting those organizations and others like the International Rescue Committee, Pillars of the Community, and so much more.”
After becoming a Methodist minister, Carl also worked in the 1970s as a U.S. Navy training consultant specializing in Counter Racism and Cultural Expression.
Carl’s work with the San Diego refugee and immigrant community was sparked when Carol, employed as a marriage and family therapist with the YMCA of San Diego County at the time, became a mentor to a Somali Bantu family. Carl, then a consultant, was active with the ACLU when another volunteer introduced him to PANA.
The couple was introduced to SDF by financial advisors who urged the pair to consider opening a donor-advised fund with the nonprofit. “Supporting the work the Foundation does in San Diego is important to us. It makes me feel good that our dollars will continue to contribute to the health and welfare of where we lived for 49 years,” said Carl, who recently moved with his wife to be closer to a daughter in Chicago.
He has left more than a legacy behind.
“Global Village would simply not be a reality without Carl, who stepped in on behalf of the board to support me and spearhead, with due diligence, the acquisition of the site,” Sahid said. “Post acquisition, he has been a thoughtful partner ensuring board members received timely memos and presentations to keep them apprised of activities and learnings, and supported them in making informed decisions about the project.”
By supporting grassroots, community-led advocacy; by investing directly in refugee organizations; and by contributing their governance and executive expertise as active board members, Carl and Carol’s impact will live on for generations.
### Community Resource Fair – Join us and share!
URL: https://www.panasd.org/community-resource-fair-join-us-and-share/
Last updated: 2026-08-18T23:18:21.000Z
Hi Partners,
I’m reaching out to ask for your help sharing information about our upcoming **Community Resource Fair** with families and community members you work with.
We are co-hosting this event with the **Housing Commission.** At a time when many families are going through **Section 8 updates and changes to their family contribution amounts**. This is an opportunity for families to get information, ask questions, connect directly with the Housing Commission, and access organizations that can provide support with other needs including health, access to food, transportation, and much more.
**Community Resource Fair**
**Saturday, August 29, 2026**
**1:00 PM – 4:00 PM**
**5555 University Ave, San Diego, CA 92105**
Families will have the opportunity to connect with community organizations and learn about community resources including:
- **San Diego Housing Commission-Section 8 information**
- **Job training, employment, and career opportunities**
- **Food Bank resources and food assistance**
- **MTS transportation resources**
- **UDW programs and support for workers and families**
- **Other community programs and supportive services**
We want to make sure families know about these resources and have an opportunity to connect directly with organizations that can help.
**Please partner with us to spread the word** by sharing the attached flyer with your clients, families, email lists, social media networks, and community partners. Your help in reaching families who may benefit from these resources is greatly appreciated.
Thank you for your partnership and for continuing to support our community. We hope to see you and the families you serve at the fair!
### Safety in Unity: Flock Out of Everywhere
URL: https://www.panasd.org/safety-in-unity-flock-out-of-everywhere/
Last updated: 2026-08-28T05:20:35.000Z
Across the country, people resoundingly are saying no to Flock and other government surveillance! But elected officials in many places, including San Diego, continue stonewall the people who they were elected to represent? What can we learn by taking stock of the wins and losses to build big picture strategy for the fight ahead?
As part of the National Week of Action Against ALPR, join TRUST Coalition to learn from fights across the country. We will hear from advocates from Austin, Los Angeles, and San Diego in conversation about their fight to rein in the mass proliferation of ALPRs and other mass surveillance tech.
**Friday, August 21st, 5:30-8:30pm**
[RSVP](https://www.mobilize.us/partnershipfortheadvancementofnewamericans/event/1001656/?ref=panasd.org)
5555 University Ave,
San Diego, CA 92105
Light food will be served!
Speakers include:
- **Marina Roberts**
Community Organizer with No ALPRs Coalition in Austin, Texas
- **Shiu-Ming Cheer**
Deputy Director of Immigrant and Racial Justice, California Immigrant Policy Center (CIPC)
Build community, learn from our pasts, and strategize for a safer future! See you there!
### Vote for Global Village to win an orchid
URL: https://www.panasd.org/vote-for-global-village-to-win-an-orchid/
Last updated: 2026-08-28T01:51:11.000Z
**San Diego Architectural Foundation**
[Global Village - San Diego Architectural FoundationGlobal Village is more than a development project—it is a transformative master plan and civic vision that reimagines how San Diego welcomes, supports, and invests in the communities that have shap...San Diego Architectural Foundation](http://web.archive.org/web/20260828014224/https://sdarchitecture.org/project/global-village/)
Source: Wayback availability API
[Vote for Global Village to win an orchid](https://sdarchitecture.org/project/global-village/?ref=panasd.org)
Global Village is more than a development project—it is a transformative master plan and civic vision that reimagines how San Diego welcomes, supports, and invests in the communities that have shaped its cultural identity for generations. Led by the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA), the Global Village establishes a long-term framework for equitable growth, community ownership, and social resilience in the heart of Mid-City.
Situated on 2.2 acres of strategically acquired land near City Heights, the project emerged from an extensive community-led planning process that engaged thousands of residents, local leaders, and community-based organizations. Rather than imposing a top-down vision, the master plan was shaped through multilingual outreach, democratic participation, and the direct involvement of refugee and immigrant families representing dozens of cultures and lived experiences. The result is a place-based strategy that reflects the aspirations of the people it is intended to serve.
The plan integrates affordable family housing, transitional housing, entrepreneurship opportunities, social services, community gathering spaces, and cultural programming into a cohesive civic ecosystem. More importantly, it establishes a model of community stewardship in which land and resources are dedicated to long-term public benefit rather than speculative development. By creating permanent infrastructure for belonging, Global Village addresses housing affordability, economic mobility, public health, cultural preservation, and social cohesion through a single integrated framework and providing community resilience.
As a civic policy initiative, Global Village advances broader regional goals related to housing production, anti-displacement strategies, economic development, and equitable access to community services. The project recognizes that refugee and immigrant communities are not merely recipients of support but essential contributors to San Diego’s social and economic vitality. Through a marketplace for small businesses, nonprofit collaboration spaces, and flexible community facilities, the master plan strengthens opportunities for entrepreneurship, workforce development, civic engagement, and intergenerational connection.
Global Village demonstrates how thoughtful planning can translate public values into lasting physical form. It creates a destination where culture, housing, commerce, and community life reinforce one another while strengthening resilience for future generations. In a time when cities nationwide are grappling with housing challenges, displacement, and social fragmentation, this project offers an inspiring and replicable model of inclusive urban development. By combining visionary master planning with community-centered policy objectives, the Global Village will enrich San Diego’s civic landscape, strengthen neighborhood identity, and ensure that the promise of belonging remains accessible to all who call the city home.
### Join us for our upcoming Immigration Clinic!
URL: https://www.panasd.org/immigration-clinic/
Last updated: 2026-07-22T22:51:54.000Z
PANA and Pag-asa Law Clinic are partnering to provide a FREE Immigration Clinic!
🎯Join us on Saturday, July 25th from 9 AM to 12 PM to get free immigration consultation services at the Global Village Event Hall!
📧If you have questions, please email pagasalawclinic@gmail.com. Please share with the community!
### Coalition Statement on Federal Court Preserving Ruling Vacating Unlawful Policies Targeting Immigrants Based on Country of Origin
URL: https://www.panasd.org/coalition-statement-on-federal-court-preserving-ruling-vacating-unlawful-policies-targeting-immigrants-based-on-country-of-origin/
Last updated: 2026-07-16T21:50:48.000Z
**By** [**Democracy Forward, July 15, 2026** ](https://democracyforward.org/news/press-releases/coalition-statement-on-federal-court-preserving-ruling-vacating-unlawful-policies-targeting-immigrants-based-on-country-of-origin/?ref=panasd.org)\[Press Release\]
**Providence, R.I.** – In a victory for immigrants and the rule of law, a federal court considering a case challenging the Trump-Vance administration’s cruel country of origin policy today denied the government’s request to stay its [June 5 ruling ](https://democracyforward.org/news/press-releases/federal-court-vacates-trump-vance-administration-policies-targeting-immigrants-based-on-country-of-origin/?ref=panasd.org)pending appeal. This leaves in place the court’s order vacating a series of unlawful immigration policies that halted asylum processing, froze immigration benefits, and targeted immigrants based on their country of origin while the appeal proceeds.
**In response to today’s decision, the coalition issued the following joint statement:**
“We are relieved that this decision ensures that the court’s ruling remains in effect while this case moves forward on appeal. The court has already recognized that these policies are unlawful and cannot continue to keep families, workers, asylum seekers, and communities in legal limbo simply because of where they were born. We are grateful that the court refused to allow these discriminatory policies to take effect again while the case proceeds. We remain committed to defending a fair immigration system that follows the law and treats every person with dignity.”
Plaintiffs in the case include Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island, Refugee Dream Center, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW), African Communities Together (ACT), Venezuelan Association of Massachusetts (VAM), Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA), and American Gateways. The organizations are represented by Democracy Forward, Lawyers’ Committee for Rhode Island, Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services (RAICES), Muslim Advocates, and South Asian American Justice Collaborative (SAAJCO).
Read the decision [here](https://democracyforward.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Dorcas-stay-denial.pdf?ref=panasd.org), and more about this case [here](https://democracyforward.org/work/legal/challenging-unlawful-policies-targeting-immigrants-based-on-country-of-origin/?ref=panasd.org).
### You're Invited! Power Shift: Arts and Advocacy from City Heights at the Museum of Contemporary Arts San Diego (MCASD), La Jolla
URL: https://www.panasd.org/youre-invited-power-shift-arts-and-advocacy-from-city-heights-at-the-museum-of-contemporary-arts-san-diego-mcasd-la-jolla/
Last updated: 2026-06-23T17:57:28.000Z
Hello! We invite you to a special event to connect, celebrate, and be inspired at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego (MCASD), La Jolla! Join The AjA Project, Mid-City CAN, and the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA) for:
## **Power Shift: Arts and Advocacy from City Heights**
**Date/Time**: Thursday, June 25th from 5pm-8 pm
**Location**: Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego (MCASD), La Jolla, 700 Prospect St. La Jolla, CA 92037
[RSVP](https://my.onecause.com/event/organizations/dd173fc8-1180-4a7e-9853-264d067c8889/events/vevt:bfb00601-01b8-4b58-99b5-e61c9113e863/home/story?ref=panasd.org)
Set against stunning ocean views, this evening brings together art and advocacy to celebrate the organizing power rising from City Heights. We will be spotlighting arts and advocacy focused on civil liberties issues: justice-impacted youth & mass incarceration, surveillance, and housing. You'll also have the opportunity to experience the Giants: Art from the Dean Collection of Swizz Beatz and Alicia keys. Bring your friends, bring your family, and come enjoy this evening of fun and creativity. We cannot wait to see you there!
In community,
PANA Team
### Federal Court Vacates Trump-Vance Administration Policies Targeting Immigrants Based on Country of Origin
URL: https://www.panasd.org/federal-court-vacates-trump-vance-administration-policies-targeting-immigrants-based-on-country-of-origin/
Last updated: 2026-06-11T12:31:13.000Z
**Democracy Forward**
[Federal Court Vacates Trump-Vance Administration Policies Targeting Immigrants Based on Country of OriginProvidence, R.I. – In a victory for immigrant communities and the rule of law, a federal court today vacated and declared unlawful a series of Trump-Vance administration immigration policies that h...Democracy Forward](http://web.archive.org/web/20260606064711/https://democracyforward.org/news/press-releases/federal-court-vacates-trump-vance-administration-policies-targeting-immigrants-based-on-country-of-origin/)
Source: Wayback availability API
**Providence, R.I.** – In a victory for immigrant communities and the rule of law, a federal court today vacated and declared unlawful a series of Trump-Vance administration immigration policies that have halted asylum processing, frozen immigration benefits, and targeted immigrants based on nationality.
The challenged policies have left millions of immigrants in legal uncertainty by indefinitely suspending asylum adjudications, freezing immigration applications for people from countries subject to the administration’s travel ban, reopening previously approved immigration cases, and directing immigration officers to treat nationality as a significant negative factor in their decisions. Plaintiffs argued the policies violated federal immigration law, the U.S. Constitution, and the Administrative Procedure Act.
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island, was brought by a coalition of immigrant service organizations and labor unions representing communities nationwide who rely on U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to process asylum applications, work permits, green cards, and citizenship applications. In agreeing with plaintiffs that the challenged policies are unlawful and discriminatory, the court wrote that the administration’s actions “cannot be attributed to anything that \[the targeted individuals\] did wrong: rather, it arises solely by the happenstance of their birth.”
Plaintiffs include Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island, Refugee Dream Center, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW), African Communities Together (ACT), Venezuelan Association of Massachusetts (VAM), Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA), and American Gateways. The organizations are represented by Democracy Forward, Lawyers’ Committee for Rhode Island, Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services (RAICES), Muslim Advocates, and South Asian American Justice Collaborative (SAAJCO).
“Today is a good day. On behalf of the thousands of immigrants we serve, we are grateful to Judge McConnell for his ruling. These policies were wrong, plain and simple, and caused and profound fear and uncertainty for so many of our friends, neighbors, and coworkers. Having the judicial process work as intended – by upholding the rule of law -gives us some reassurance that all is not lost and allows those who have been impacted to move forward with their lives in a meaningful way,” said **Milagro Sique, Chief Executive Officer, Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island**
“This ruling reaffirms the American doctrine of the rule of law, and place of refuge and equality for all that call it home. Communities, people, neighbors, families, fellow Americans, have suffered from these four (and many other) arbitrary policies of the Trump Administration. We always believed they were wrong policies and today we have been vindicated. We cheer for the triumph these many people who were affected will celebrate today,” said **Dr. Omar Bah, Founder and Co-Executive Director, Refugee Dream Center**
“This decision reaffirms a simple but fundamental principle: no one should be treated differently simply because of where they were born,” said **Ciro Valiente, Spokesperson and Board Director of the Venezuelan Association of Massachusetts**. “Venezuelans and other immigrants who followed the law, complied with every requirement, and placed their trust in our institutions deserve a fair process, not indefinite uncertainty. Today’s ruling sends a clear message that nationality alone cannot be used as a justification to place people in legal limbo. It is a victory for due process, equal treatment under the law, and the values of fairness that strengthen our democracy.”
“The rule of law must always prevail and this decision upholds that. This administration’s repeated unlawful actions to undermine our immigration system is rooted in hate and racism. We are hopeful that with this decision, that millions of immigrants in this country will be able to move forward with their lives, be able to work, and regularize their status. It is crucial to note that the banned countries have majority black and brown populations. With this decision, we affirm that everyone is welcome and must have access to a fair and just immigration system,” said **Maria Chavez, Immigration Legal Director of Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA)**
“We appreciate the court’s decision vacating the unlawful and xenophobic policies that placed people and families seeking safety, dignity, hope, and opportunity in indefinite limbo. This ruling reinforces the integrity of our nation’s immigration system; it allows people who have spent decades waiting for the legal system to work as promised to have certainty and a path forward for hard-fought permanent status and family reunification. It is important that no administration excludes people based solely on their country of origin,” said **Edna Yang, co-Executive Director of American Gateways**
“This ruling reaffirms a basic principle: the federal government cannot shut down lawful immigration pathways or discriminate against people based on where they come from,” said **Skye Perryman, President and CEO of Democracy Forward.** “These unlawful policies caused enormous harm to families, workers, asylum seekers, and communities across the country who were left in limbo, unable to work, access protections, or move forward with their lives. We are pleased that the court recognized the devastating human consequences of these policies. Our communities deserve a fair process governed by law, not political targeting rooted in fear mongering and discrimination.”
“Today’s decision is a powerful affirmation that the rule of law still protects immigrant communities in Rhode Island and across the country,” said **Kevin Love Hubbard, Counsel for the Lawyers’ Committee for Rhode Island.** “The Court recognized that the government cannot throw the lives of immigrants who followed all the rules into indefinite limbo simply because of where they were born. Because of this ruling, and the courage of our Plaintiffs in bringing the case, thousands of families, workers, asylum seekers, and future citizens will now have the opportunity the law promises: to have their applications decided fairly.”
“Today’s ruling lays bare the Trump administration’s hypocrisy and its ostensible motivations: to reshape immigration policies in service to an unlawful and illegitimate anti-immigrant agenda,” said **Faisal Al-Juburi, Co-Chief Executive Officer at RAICES**. “We applaud the Court for taking a vital step in upholding the rule of law. Let it be known that RAICES will continue to fight against such arbitrary and cruel barriers until every single person seeking refuge is treated with the dignity and equity that the U.S. Constitution demands.”
“Today’s decision is an unsparing rejection of the government’s discriminatory and unlawful actions to gut access to immigration benefits under the false pretext of national security,” said **Abbey Koenning-Rutherford, Staff Attorney at Muslim Advocates**. “These policies unjustly revived the discriminatory logic of the first Muslim and African bans and expanded them widely to millions of community members already inside the United States. In vacating these unlawful policies, the court makes it unmistakably clear that the Trump administration cannot hold the lives of immigrants in legal limbo based on their countries of birth, and must continue processing their applications for status and benefits as required by law.”
“Under these challenged USCIS discriminatory policies, thousands of immigrants who were lawfully seeking immigration benefits have been subject to unnecessary delay for decisions on their work permits, asylum applications, lawful permanent residence status and so many other benefits,” says **Legal Director Anisa Rahim of the South Asian American Justice Collaborative.** “For Afghan families, including many who came to the United States seeking safety after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, these delays have meant prolonged uncertainty over their ability to work, remain safe, and build stable lives. SAAJCO applauds today’s decision by the US District Court of Rhode Island vacating and setting these unlawful policies that are contrary to law not just for individual plaintiffs but all individuals around the country who are experiencing distress and harm due to the delay.”
The case is *Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island et al v. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services et al*, 26-cv-00132-JJM-PAS (D.R.I.)*.*
Read the decision [here](https://web.archive.org/web/20260606064711/http://web.archive.org/web/20260606064711/https://democracyforward.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/16112511402.pdf) and the complaint [here](https://web.archive.org/web/20260606064711/http://web.archive.org/web/20260606064711/https://democracyforward.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/26-cv-132-Dorcas-et-al-v-USCIS-et-al-ECF-1-Complaint-with-attachments.pdf).
A Spanish version of this press release is available [here](https://web.archive.org/web/20260606064711/http://web.archive.org/web/20260606064711/https://democracyforward.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/SPAN-%5F-Dorcas-win.pdf).
###
### San Diego Muslim community leaders say mayor ignored them prior to attack
URL: https://www.panasd.org/san-diego-muslim-community-leaders-say-mayor-ignored-them-prior-to-attack/
Last updated: 2026-06-04T20:34:40.000Z
**Daylight San Diego**
[San Diego Muslim community leaders say mayor ignored them prior to attackMany in the Muslim community criticized the mayor and police chief's comments in the aftermath of the attack on the Islamic Center. Written by Kate Morrissey, Edited by Lauren J. Mapp As San Diegan...Daylight San Diego](https://web.archive.org/web/20260604202231/https://www.daylightsandiego.org/san-diego-muslim-community-leaders-say-mayor-ignored-them-prior-to-attack/)
Source: Wayback CDX index
### Many in the Muslim community criticized the mayor and police chief's comments in the aftermath of the attack on the Islamic Center.
**Written by Kate Morrissey, Edited by Lauren J. Mapp**
As San Diegans [mourn the three men](https://web.archive.org/web/20260604202231/https://www.daylightsandiego.org/remembering-the-victims-at-the-islamic-center-of-san-diego/) who died protecting the Islamic Center of San Diego from two attackers in mid-May, another emotion is coming up for many in the local Muslim community — anger.
They are angry at local public officials who ignored the community's concerns about [increasing examples of Islamophobia](https://web.archive.org/web/20260604202231/https://www.daylightsandiego.org/muslim-leaders-call-for-cross-cultural-unity-to-confront-hate/) following Israel's attacks on Gaza, and they are angry that officials used the moment to argue for policies and practices that they believe will hurt their community more than help.
“Instead of putting more care in the community and more attention and listening to what the community's needs are, they are literally not paying attention to what we're asking for,” said Mejgan Afshan, co-founder of Borderlands for Equity. “And we're not asking for the world. We're asking for basic human dignity, decency, and the right to live and practice in peace.”
Shortly after the attack that terrorized the community, San Diego's mayor and police chief spoke at multiple press conferences applauding the police response. The police chief celebrated the department's automated license plate readers, and the mayor used the moment to argue for his unpopular budget proposal for the coming fiscal year.
“This is what we budget for,” Mayor Todd Gloria said during the first press conference following the attack. “This is what we ask of our public safety professionals, and they absolutely deliver in the way that we ask them to do so.”
Neither Gloria's office nor the police department responded to requests for comment.
At the second press conference of the day, police Chief Scott Wahl shared the beginnings of a [timeline](https://web.archive.org/web/20260604202231/https://www.sandiego.gov/sites/default/files/2026-05/20260522-islamic-center-shooting-preliminary-timeline.pdf?ref=daylightsandiego.org) of how police learned of the attack. He said police first heard from the mother of one of the gunmen about two hours before the attack, that she was concerned her son was suicidal, that guns were missing from her home and that the son and a friend had left in her car in camouflage.
He said that as police pieced these details together, officers became concerned that they were looking at a potentially more dangerous situation than a runaway or suicidal teen. He said the department began using its technology to track the car the teens were in.
“Our license plate readers was at the top of that list,” Wahl said.
He said a reader picked up the car in Fashion Valley, and officers deployed to the area. Then, through calls from community members, officers learned that the Islamic Center was under attack.
It's not clear what path the car took from the automated license plate reader in Fashion Valley to the mosque and school located on Balboa Avenue near the entrance to I-805\. A [city map](https://web.archive.org/web/20260604202231/https://webmaps.sandiego.gov/portal/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=a70a4dc00702448da5948992b144a98f&ref=daylightsandiego.org) of license plate readers shows several just west of the Islamic Center.
“Those ALPRs failed. That's what happened. That should have been the headline. That's the story,” said Homayra Yusufi with the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans. “What crime did it prevent? Our three heroes lost their lives to protect the children in there. That's the story.”
Many who spoke with Daylight reiterated that the police chief's touting of his force's response to the act of domestic terrorism took away from the heroism of Amin Abdullah, Mansour Kaziha and Nadir Awad, the three men who were killed while protecting those inside the center.
**Pushing back on surveillance**
The surveillance apparatus that has grown across the United States in the two and a half decades since 9/11 has disproportionately impacted Muslim communities.
Many local organizations run by leaders of the San Diego Muslim community have campaigned against additional surveillance, including automated license plate readers. Adding to that community pressure, KPBS [reported](https://web.archive.org/web/20260604202231/https://www.kpbs.org/news/border-immigration/2025/10/08/records-el-cajon-license-plate-data-used-in-nationwide-immigration-searches?ref=daylightsandiego.org) last year that data from license plate readers in El Cajon ended up in immigration enforcement-related searches nationwide.
Yusufi said that the police chief using the moment to tout the technology was disgusting.
“That's not how you stand with community,” she said.
She said when San Diego's Muslim leaders gathered after the killings, many shared their anger about the officials’ comments.
“The community was upset that in the time of our crisis and the time of our worst nightmares, that the mayor and the police chief chose to use it for their political gain, to justify their police budget and justify surveillance technology that the entire Muslim community has been asking to be shut down because we know it is surveilling and harming our immigrant communities,” Yusufi said.
Khalid Alexander, founder of Pillars of the Community, called the mayor and police chief's messaging at the press conferences infuriating. He found Gloria's comments to justify his budget decisions cutting funding for arts, recreation centers, youth programs, libraries and violence intervention particularly problematic.
“Perhaps even more damning was a clear decision on his part to gather points with law enforcement and their supporters rather than the actual victims of this violence,” Alexander said.
He emphasized that the two assailants were teenagers and that they had learned from other examples in society to dehumanize Muslim community members.
“This is a deeper societal issue creating people who do not value the lives of other human beings who may not look like them, who may not speak like them, and I think that's the real harm in the mayor's statements,” Alexander said.
**Ignored concerns**
Several community leaders said that the city, and the mayor in particular, had ignored requests to meet with them about Islamophobia concerns.
Jamal Kanj, a writer and Palestinian San Diegan who published a [scathing commentary](https://web.archive.org/web/20260604202231/https://www.counterpunch.org/2026/05/21/the-san-diego-mosque-hate-crime-and-the-political-leaders-who-lit-the-fuse/?ref=daylightsandiego.org) on the ways San Diego leaders failed the Muslim community prior to the attack, said that Gloria refused to meet with Muslim and Arab community leaders after Israel began committing genocide in Gaza. Kanj said all they were asking was for the city to call for a ceasefire in the region.
“He ran away from the community like the community has some kind of a virus,” Kanj told Daylight. “He suggested they meet with his staff when it was him they needed to meet with. To him, I would say you're trying to console us in death when you basically avoided us in life.”
Last year, Gloria, along with several Jewish organizations, [chose to boycott](https://web.archive.org/web/20260604202231/https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2025/06/06/gloria-jewish-groups-back-away-from-san-diego-pride-over-headliner-kehlanis-gaza-stance/?ref=daylightsandiego.org) the San Diego Pride Festival over one of its performers who had made statements supporting Palestinians and critical of Israel's actions in Gaza.
Alexander said that he realized soon after Gloria's election that the mayor had turned his back on certain communities who had helped him get into office.
“A mayor who claimed to be for social justice, who immediately embraces law enforcement and rushes to the right — honestly I think it's very reflective of a lot of Democratic candidates,” Alexander said. “They run on a campaign for the people, and as soon as they're elected, they begin to put more attention on wooing Trump supporters than actually advocating for the people who put them in office.”
The city also [adopted a controversial definition](https://web.archive.org/web/20260604202231/https://www.kpbs.org/news/racial-justice-social-equity/2026/03/18/san-diego-city-council-adopts-controversial-definition-of-antisemitism?ref=daylightsandiego.org) of anti-semitism that many Muslim community members argued would be used to silence their critiques of Israel's treatment of Palestinians.
Yusef Miller, executive director of North County Equity and Justice Coalition and Activist San Diego, said that punishing pro-Palestinian expression can negatively influence the way society, and especially young people, see Muslim and Arab Americans.
“Pro-Palestinian doesn't mean anti anybody,” Miller said. “It just means support for the health and survival of Palestinians.”
**What the community wants to see**
Last year, the Islamic Center of San Diego [held a day-long conference](https://web.archive.org/web/20260604202231/https://www.daylightsandiego.org/muslim-leaders-call-for-cross-cultural-unity-to-confront-hate/) on how to combat Islamophobia. Academics, organizers and activists presented findings about bullying and hate crimes, particularly in schools, as well as the effects of the stress of dealing with Islamophobia.
The conclusions about how to move society away from hate were straightforward — include Muslims and Arab Americans in the conversation, educate children about their beliefs and histories and create more spaces where people of different backgrounds can come together and learn to be with each other.
In the aftermath of the attack, many Muslim community members are still calling on local leaders to take these steps.
[During a press conference](https://web.archive.org/web/20260604202231/https://www.daylightsandiego.org/remembering-the-victims-at-the-islamic-center-of-san-diego/) the day after the attack, Tazheen Nizam, executive director of Council on American Islamic Relations San Diego, said elected officials should meet with the Muslim community.
“We have been ignored,” Nizam said. “We have been put at the back burner in the last few years like we didn't matter and we didn't exist.”
Yusef said local elected leaders should denounce Islamophobia directly and push for diversity, equity and inclusion practices as well as ethnic studies in schools.
Several Muslim leaders also called on police to send out alerts to local places of worship and schools if they are concerned about the potential for an active shooter situation.
“There is no reason why the police, as well as the city of San Diego or any other region, are not able to share the information and the pictures and the car color and type for the community to be on watch,” Afshan said.
Ramla Sahid, executive director of the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans, said that the mayor's budget priorities will likely create more distrust and hate among the city's young people rather than help prevent future attacks.
“A city that invests in its children, its citizens, is a city that's going to have a lot of love for one another,” Sahid said.
She said investments in surveillance and policing teach young people that communities like hers are meant to be controlled and watched, rather than embraced and included.
Investment in art and culture and youth programs, Alexander said, would actually combat hate.
### “Not In Our Name”
URL: https://www.panasd.org/not-in-our-name/
Last updated: 2026-05-29T00:53:58.000Z
Sean Elo-Rivera began his comments by reading this letter from Muslim communities in San Diego who couldn't attend the budget meeting in person as it conflicted with celebrating Eid al-Adha on May 27, 2026.
0:00
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1×
## Statement on behalf of Muslim-led organizations:
This week, San Diego faced a vicious terrorist attack by two teenage white supremacists who acted upon the hateful anti Muslim rhetoric that has become all too common across the United States. The attack against the Islamic Center of San Diego, the largest and most visible gathering space for Muslims in San Diego, has left us devastated and in shock. The entire Muslim community, and the hundreds of children who went to school there and witnessed the horrific attacks, will be dealing with this trauma for a long time.
While it is vital for policymakers to hear community testimonies and recommendations, the City Council is holding its meeting at one of the holiest times on the Muslim calendar. Because Eid Al Adha is a day that we spend with our families, particularly given the events that transpired last week, many of us will not be able to join today.
As we mourn the loss of Amin Abdullah, Nader Awad, and Mansour Kaziha - the three humble men who sacrificed their lives for the lives of our children, teachers, and school administrators - we urge you not to use our tragedy as political prop to cut the budgets of much needed social programs while funneling more money into law enforcement agencies.
Do not use our loss to defund community programs that make San Diego safer in order to increase the budget of a deeply flawed police force. This tragedy should be used to reexamine the way that law enforcement keeps us safer - not reward them for their failures. Not in our name.
Our community has questions about why the police wasted time on ineffective surveillance technology instead of notifying the schools and places of worship in the surrounding area that we were in danger. Simple phone calls could have prevented the horrific murders of Amin, Mansour and Nader. Flock technology did not protect us and neither did the police. Police relied on flawed AI technology and ultimately failed to locate the perpetrators. Were it not for our heroes, this tragedy would have been multiplied.
Political theatrics and crocodile tears will not keep us safe. We need real efforts to root out the belief that some lives hold less value than others. We demand meaningful changes to condemn and prevent the hatred that two San Diego residents harbored against others in the same city: Muslims, Jews, African Americans, immigrants, and other minority groups.
We ask city council members and all policy makers and elected leaders: what will actually protect San Diegans from another attack? You cannot sit silently while Muslims around the world are dehumanized; you must not be complacent in the mistreatment of Muslims here in the United States. You cannot uplift some targets of white extremist rhetoric while ignoring others. All of our lives must be equally valued.
This tragedy was an attack on all San Diegans, but it was the Muslim community that will have to explain to our children why brother Amin, Abu Izz, and Uncle Nader are not there to greet them when they return to school. Rather than investing more money into a failed punishment bureacracy, we urge you to support programs that invest in youth, after school programs, mental health support, early warning systems, and combat anti-Muslim hate.
We ask City Leadership to invest in real solutions and avoid the same failed policies of the past.
- [CAIR San Diego](https://ca.cair.com/sandiego/?ref=panasd.org)
- [Muslim Leadership Council (MLC)](https://mlcsd.org/?ref=panasd.org)
- [Muslim Student Association at UC San Diego](https://msaucsd.com/?ref=panasd.org)
- [Pillars Of the Community](https://www.potcsd.org/?ref=panasd.org)
- [Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA)](https://panasd.org/?ref=panasd.org)
- [For the People Action](https://forthepeopleaction.org/?ref=panasd.org)
### San Diego Muslim community leaders reflect on Islamic Center shooting
URL: https://www.panasd.org/san-diego-muslim-community-leaders-reflect-on-islamic-center-shooting/
Last updated: 2026-05-28T03:04:25.000Z
**KPBS Public Media**
[San Diego Muslim community leaders reflect on Islamic Center shootingWe hear from the leaders of two local community organizations about how San Diego's Muslim community is processing last week's events — and where healing begins.KPBS Public Media](http://web.archive.org/web/20260528030217/https://www.kpbs.org/podcasts/kpbs-midday-edition/san-diego-muslim-community-leaders-reflect-on-islamic-center-shooting)
Source: Wayback availability API
S1: Welcome in San Diego. It's Jade Hindman on today's show , where our community begins to heal after the Islamic Center of San Diego attack. This is KPBS Midday Edition. Connecting our communities through conversation. It's been a little over a week since tragedy unfolded at the Islamic Center of San Diego , when two teenagers fatally shot three people. The shock and mourning to follow is felt across the country today , and we're joined now by two Muslim community leaders who talk about how they're processing last week's events and where healing begins. Khalid Alexander is president of pillars of the community and a professor at San Diego City College. Also with us is Romola Saeed. She is the executive director of the partnership for the Advancement of New Americans , also known as Panah Khalid Ramla. Welcome back to the show.
S2: Thanks for having us.
S3: Thank you so much.
S1: Thanks so much for coming in first.
S3: I think , you know , when you when you don't , no one wakes up expecting to experience a tragedy like this so close to home. Um , so I think we are doing how any community member would do , which is trying to hold those who need holding and trying to provide support where we can , and be positive and show that our kids deserve dignity and beauty and childhood in this moment.
S1: What do you see as the biggest threat to that island ? Mhm.
S2: You know since the , the shootings there's been a lot of coverage in the media. Um , about the horror , about the hatred behind the incident. My biggest concern is that very few of these conversations are bothering to dig into the roots of what led to what happened. So it's easy to. You know , disregard or to to speak , to put. It's easy to embrace the victims of this incident. But it's much more difficult to understand where the hatred , where the maybe more importantly , the pride that these two teenagers who who committed the atrocity atrocity felt , uh , in attempting to take the lives of children and men and women in the mosque. And so I think the biggest threat to us is the failure to actually get to the roots of these causes and just to cover the incidents themselves.
S1: Yeah , it's hard to get to solutions if you can't identify what the problem is and call it for what it is. Exactly. Yeah. You know , um , we have actually seen , you know , people , though , really come together this past week amid the grief and the pain I'm thinking of , of last Friday's memorial where thousands of people prayed for the victims.
S3: I mean , Muslims in this country haven't exactly been welcomed. And though Muslims are inherently American and they are treated with suspicion. And we have an entire government that is funding , you know , funding law enforcement specifically to target this community through surveillance programs , through programs that that frame them as inherently suspect. And we in 2005 , we had a slew of legislation that came out of Congress that was bipartisan with bipartisan support. And one of them that I will never forget , the name , the name included. Um , you know , something something for Foreign Enemies Act. And so it sends a really chilling message to our children and , you know , our kids who are growing up in this country as that they are inherently un-American and they will forever be treated as inherently suspect. And I think when you grow up with a frame like that , it's not surprising. Then , you know , a government that treats you that way would then produce children who cause such harm. Right ? And and let's be clear , the the violence we experience , the terror we experience came from white nationalists , right. Though they don't identify with any specific subgroup. We know that they were , you know , very much connected to a white network of white supremacist , um , ideology , you know , groups. Um , and they , they , their weapons had anti-Muslim sentiment on it. And so this is this is the real threat. Um , and our kids see the , the absurdity in what the government is doing , and they see the , the double standards of , like , how white extremists are treated in this country and not named as the terrorists that they are. Mhm.
S1: Mhm. And you know , Khalid , I want to to come back to what you said about the roots of this atrocity and talk about the very real , very present threat of white supremacy , racism and hatred in all forms. I mean , what does this tragedy reveal to us about the consequences of that hate and intolerance in our communities beyond just San Diego ? Yeah.
S2: Well , I think in order to understand what happened last Monday , you have to understand American history. And I think the community is split into two kind of major groups. One is understanding that what happened on Monday is actually , you know , unfortunately , something that makes them American. Uh , the tragedy that happened at the Islamic Center of San Diego is the same tragedy created by the same background that the tragedy of the bombings in Alabama , the church bombings in Alabama. It comes from the same place that enslaved Africans and brought them here for free labor. It's the same kind of tradition of the genocide of the indigenous folks , and unfortunately , it's something that we continue to live with today. And I think you have others who look at the tragedy and they who don't have an understanding of American history , who don't understanding of the history of black liberation and struggle in this country. And they feel that this is a time to double down on begging people to accept our humanity , to recognize Muslims as human beings. And while that's an understandable feeling , I think what what we can learn from the black liberatory tradition is that nothing , no rights in this country are just given to somebody because of a supposed humanity. It's something that we all have to work together for and that we all have to strive for , not only for our own humanity , but for the humanity of others.
S1: All of that to leads me to this question to you all as knowledge.
S3: We have not heard that the FBI is looking into this as a terror attack , but we , in fact , do know that they were inspired by historical manifestations of narcissism and other forms of racist and racial supremacist violence. And so it should be , uh , by all accounts , it should be.
S1:
S2: Whatever kind of information has came from the police or the FBI has been extremely limited and very frustrating. There are a lot of questions that haven't been answered that begin with the timeline of the mother finding out that her son was on a suicidal mission to when police were notified , and why it was that the schools and the places of worship in the area weren't notified. So unfortunately , the communication around what types of investigations are happening is extremely limited. And so , you know , I don't know how to answer that question unfortunately. Mhm.
S1: Mhm. Kelly , I know that you considered the three victims friends of yours , especially Amin Abdullah , the security guard.
S2: I've known Amin since 1995\. He became Muslim maybe two years before I did. I became Muslim in 1995 , and we lived. You know , we grew up essentially in the same mosque together. Mosques in urban areas often become a place of refuge for people who need help or are trying to kind of , like , figure out their way in life. And this mosque in East San Diego was kind of a home for for the two of us. It's , you know , it's almost it's something that we're I think I'm still processing. Um , you know , he also would come and he prayed with us in the morning at our mosque in southeast San Diego. He was a resident , proud resident of southeast San Diego. He used to pray with us in the morning , opened up the doors at 5:00 in the evening. At nine , he would show up , open up the doors and lock up afterwards. So it's a it's a huge loss not only to me but to the entire community. Anybody that knew Amin felt that they had a direct relationship with him , just because of how loving and open he was to to everybody. He came into contact with.
S1: Something that I don't think we've heard enough about is just how deeply rooted in faith and spirituality um , he was and and it was so important to all three men. Can you talk a bit about that ? Yeah.
S2: I mean , all three of them really represented everything that's beautiful about Islam and everything that's beautiful about Muslims. Amin would be the first people. I mean , would be the first people , that first person that he would be the first person to see , that people would see as they attended the mosque. And he would , you know , he would give welcome everybody with salam , which literally means peace. He would welcome people with peace and with a smile. Um. And the word salam when we give somebody salam , that actually comes from the root word , you know , from the same root word as Islam. And so everything about his life , whether it was protecting other people , whether it was welcoming people , whether it was wishing peace on folks or everything about Islam. Abu is who was , you know , way more than the caretaker of the mission. He was the first practicing Muslim family's house that I ever visited. You know , probably the first place that I ate hummus. Um , and even though they were from Syria , even though they had a different culture , and even though there was , you know , on the surface level , very little that we had in common with them. Um , I was friends with his son , and they welcomed me into their house as if I was a part of the family. Brother Nadir , who lived across the street. His wife was my son's kindergarten teacher of Islamic studies. He came running across the street when he heard gunfire. Right. So all of these , all three of these men were extremely brave. There , you know , and they represented something. You know , the entirety , I think , of Islam and something that all of us as Muslims and as non-Muslims should strive to embrace.
S1: I'm so sorry for your loss. Um , you know , how are you drawing on the teachings of Islam right now for for comfort and direction in this moment ? Yeah.
S2: I mean. Having the ability to , you know , pray five times a day in congregation with , with people in the community , I think has been one of the things that has helped , uh , myself personally and many others be able to process the pain and the hurt that's coming along , and to recognize that , you know , even though these three are no longer with us , um , they actually laid out a standard by which we'll be living our lives by how can we protect others ? How can we keep our own communities safe ? Um , and an insistence that even though many of us may not look or dress like , you know , the stereotype of an American , um , that we are equally deserving of our humanity and of our lives , and that we need to be unapologetic in , in our everyday actions.
S1:
S3: So I think that's what I'm taking away. And that's I think what we should all be taking away is like. Like we're here on this earth , you know , death is coming to every single one of us , whether it's today or tomorrow. And I think , you know , the questions we have to ask ourselves is when it comes , will we have lived serving others in supporting community and creating safety and belonging and caring and care for for others ? Or did we , you know , waste it ? Um , and I think that's what I think about is even just these , these children who committed these horrific attacks , um , who committed such terror against the community. There were 17 and 18\. And so I think what what we should be learning about their sacrifice , their martyrdom , is that If we all served the way that these three men served them , then maybe we could produce children who who grew up with love and empathy and care for others , because that's what they're seeing every single day.
S1: Indeed , indeed.
S2: Um , I think we have , you know , elected officials and leaders who are really guilty on both sides of the duopoly. You have , you know , whether they're on the right spewing kind of outright hatred towards Muslims or whether they're on the left remaining silent , um , and refusing to kind of defend the Muslims who live in their community , but also overseas. You know , you can't dehumanize Muslims in Gaza and not dehumanize Muslims in the United States. You can't sit there and bomb. Schoolchildren in Iran and not expect for people to take violence out on schoolchildren here. And so I think it's really necessary for everybody , both , you know , in public , but also in private with their family members at any time they hear anything that we have to question those things and we have to begin to stand up for , you know , yes , Muslims , but really anybody that is the victim of hatred , hateful rhetoric.
S1: Ramlal , I'll let you have the final word here.
S3: San Diego , I think , is at a point where we have to take our safety and the safety of our children very , very seriously. And we can't take that safety and our children seriously if we're , you know , if our elected leaders , if our leaders in very important institutions , civic institutions around the county are taking a stance that we , you know , we need to be neutral somehow about this type of violence , right ? We just need to have , you know , we need to go back to a society that actually shamed such acts that made it , you know , impossible for someone to grow up thinking that they can hate women and Muslims and , you know , a litany of , you know , have a litany of hatreds and be normalized , right , and be supported , like , I think the way we support people and the way we show love is to have accountability. And the accountability starts at the highest levels is at the mayor's office. And it's with every single civic institution in town. We don't need more spaces. We're more you know , we talk about civility. We talk about creating spaces for disagreements. But where's the line ? Like , where do we draw the line around stopping hate.
S1: Very , very well said. I've been speaking with Khalid Alexander , president of pillars of the community and professor at San Diego City College , along with Ramla Saeed , executive director of Panah Khalid Ramla. Thank you so very much for this discussion.
S3: Thank you , thank you.
S1: That's our show for today.
S4: I'm your host , Jade Hindman. Thanks for tuning in to Midday Edition. Be sure to have a great day on purpose , everyone.
### San Diego’s Muslim Community Questions Why A Security Guard — Not Local Police — Had To Protect Them
URL: https://www.panasd.org/san-diegos-muslim-community-questions-why-a-security-guard-not-local-police-had-to-protect-them/
Last updated: 2026-05-23T04:14:35.000Z
**HuffPost**
[San Diego’s Muslim Community Questions Why A Security Guard — Not Local Police — Had To Protect ThemCommunity members said they're grateful to the three men who jumped into action to help save the nearly 140 schoolchildren at the mosque.HuffPost](http://web.archive.org/web/20260523040745/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/san-diego-mosque-shooting-community-reaction%5Fn%5F6a0f23c3e4b0bb04cec3e3ea)
Source: Wayback availability API
Tazheen Nizam is haunted by what she saw when she arrived at the Islamic Center of San Diego on Monday.
Nizam was among the first people on the scene after two teenagers opened fire at the mosque. When she saw the body of Amin Abdullah, the security guard who saved the lives of the nearly 140 children who were at the on-site school, she said, “That’s the moment I broke down.”
The next day, Nizam returned to the mosque. Lunchboxes and water bottles littered the playground, an eerie reminder of what had occurred the day before.
“It’s going to be a long, drawn-out healing process,” said Nizam, the executive director of the San Diego chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. “We are never going to be the same.”
The two shooters killed three men before killing themselves in an attack police are investigating as [a hate crime.](https://web.archive.org/web/20260523040745/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/police-were-searching-for-teens-behind-san-diego-mosque-shooting-before-the-bloodshed-began%5Fn%5F6a0c6723e4b00b2edf7d7bfa) The three men — Abdullah, as well as Nadir Awad and Mansour Kaziha — have been celebrated as heroes for preventing the gunmen from reaching the schoolchildren.
[Police have said](https://web.archive.org/web/20260523040745/https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/05/18/us/san-diego-islamic-center-shooting/fb083bcb-2d42-5a29-a16d-5e3ecb6adc42?smid=url-share) that Abdullah was instrumental in preventing the shooting from becoming a bigger massacre. Kaziha, who owned a nearby store and catered for a community event every Friday, was the[ first person to call 911](https://web.archive.org/web/20260523040745/https://www.kpbs.org/news/public-safety/2026/05/19/victims-of-islamic-center-shooting-identified). Meanwhile, Awad, who lived across the street, [ran into the school ](https://web.archive.org/web/20260523040745/https://www.npr.org/2026/05/20/nx-s1-5827053/san-diego-mosque-shooting-victims)when he heard there were people with guns on the premises. His wife is a teacher at the school.
San Diego residents are still in shock, unable to process the violence against their community.
“We can’t even be safe to learn and to be in community,” said Homayra Yusufi, a local community advocate whose nephew attends the school. “Our children have to live in constant fear of going to a place that’s supposed to provide that.”
Many people are frustrated with local police and question why law enforcement didn’t arrive on the scene more quickly.
“It was our community servants, who have been serving our community, who were the ones who saved those children,” Yusufi said. “It wasn’t the police. They were too late.”
The San Diego Police Department declined to comment, citing “a very extensive and sensitive investigation.”
A woman prays beside flowers placed outside of the Islamic Center of San Diego the day after the shooting.
Khalid Alexander, the founder of Pillars of the Community, a nonprofit organization that advocates for communities and people negatively impacted by law enforcement, said police “failed by every possible rubric you can come up with.”
“These folks that are supposed to be there to protect and serve,” he said.
Funerals for the three victims are set to take place on Thursday.
CAIR documented [8,683 civil rights complaints](https://web.archive.org/web/20260523040745/https://www.cair.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/CAIR-2025-Annual-Report.pdf) nationwide in 2025 — the highest single-year total since the organization began tracking incidents in 1996\. Another study, documented by the Center for the Study of Organized Hate, found a [1,450% surge ](https://web.archive.org/web/20260523040745/https://www.csohate.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Manufacturing-the-Muslim-Threat.pdf)in anti-Muslim posts by Republican officials between February 2025 and March 2026.
“It’s absolutely infuriating to see the kinds of commentary that’s going out,” said Yusufi, who believes the shooting is a “direct result” of unchecked Islamophobia by elected officials. “Terrible things that have been said by Congress, by this administration, and that hate and vitriol was going to come back.”
The teenage gunmen met online and left behind a 75-page document that [preached hate](https://web.archive.org/web/20260523040745/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/police-were-searching-for-teens-behind-san-diego-mosque-shooting-before-the-bloodshed-began%5Fn%5F6a0c6723e4b00b2edf7d7bfa) and racism, including against Muslims and Black people. The manifesto also referenced the gunman who killed 51 people and injured 89 more in an attack on two mosques in 2019 in Christchurch, New Zealand — the deadliest anti-Muslim terrorist attack in modern history.
Back in San Diego, local organizers are already thinking about what healing looks like in the long term.
“If we can, as a collective, know our neighbors and build our bonds, we will not learn to hate our neighbors so much that we drive down the street and shoot them,” Nizam said.
### ‘He was my protector’: Daughter of security guard at San Diego mosque remembers her dad as her hero
URL: https://www.panasd.org/he-was-my-protector-daughter-of-security-guard-at-san-diego-mosque-remembers-her-dad-as-her-hero/
Last updated: 2026-05-23T03:56:16.000Z
**San Diego Union-Tribune**
[‘He was my protector’: Daughter of security guard at San Diego mosque remembers her dad as her heroFamilies of the other two victims, Nadir Awad and Mansour Kaziha, did not speak, but others at the press conference called them brave heroes whose losses are unfathomable.San Diego Union-Tribune](http://web.archive.org/web/20260523035311/https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2026/05/19/he-was-my-protector-daughter-of-san-diego-mosque-attack-victim-recalls-his-selfless-heroism/)
Source: Wayback availability API
[News](https://web.archive.org/web/20260523035311/http://web.archive.org/web/20260523035311/https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/)[Crime and Public Safety](https://web.archive.org/web/20260523035311/http://web.archive.org/web/20260523035311/https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/crime-public-safety/)[News](https://web.archive.org/web/20260523035311/http://web.archive.org/web/20260523035311/https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2026/05/19/he-was-my-protector-daughter-of-san-diego-mosque-attack-victim-recalls-his-selfless-heroism/#)**News** Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
# ‘He was my protector’: Daughter of security guard at San Diego mosque remembers her dad as her hero
## Families of the other two victims, Nadir Awad and Mansour Kaziha, did not speak, but others at the press conference called them brave heroes whose losses are unfathomable.
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Hawaa Abdullah, the daughter of Amin Abdullah, the security guard who was shot and killed at the Islamic Center of San Diego, speaks during a press conference on the shooting at Lindbergh Park, near the mosque. (Kristian Carreon / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
By [Roxana Popescu](https://web.archive.org/web/20260523035311/http://web.archive.org/web/20260523035311/https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/author/roxana-popescu/) | [roxana.popescu@sduniontribune.com](https://web.archive.org/web/20260523035311/http://web.archive.org/web/20260523035311/mailto:roxana.popescu@sduniontribune.com) | The San Diego Union-Tribune and [Alex Riggins](https://web.archive.org/web/20260523035311/http://web.archive.org/web/20260523035311/https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/author/alex-riggins/) | [alex.riggins@sduniontribune.com](https://web.archive.org/web/20260523035311/http://web.archive.org/web/20260523035311/mailto:alex.riggins@sduniontribune.com) | The San Diego Union-TribunePUBLISHED: May 19, 2026 at 6:05 PM PDT | UPDATED: May 22, 2026 at 2:48 PM PDT
To San Diego and the world, Amin Abdullah, 51, is the heroic San Diego Islamic Center security guard who stood between children, teachers and death. He alerted the school of the threat just before he was fatally shot by two San Diego teenagers in what is being investigated as a hate crime.
But to Hawaa Abdullah, Amin Abdullah was Dad. A protector. And a man who modeled how to be a good human, husband, worker, son.
On Tuesday afternoon at a news conference near the mosque, Hawaa was flanked by around a dozen family members, many sobbing, as she recited verses from the Quran about faith and shared memories about her father.
Families of the other two victims, Nadir Awad and Mansour Kaziha, did not speak, but others at the news conference called them brave heroes whose losses are unfathomable.
In her tribute to her father, Hawaa painted a picture of devotion, openness, self-improvement and selflessness.
“He was the best — the absolute best dad in the world. He was my protector,” she said. He was also a good son, she added. “He called his mom every night to check on her.”
Amin Abdullah was open toward all people, regarding them with kindness, his daughter reflected. Muslim, Christian, Jewish, those with no faith, “he didn’t care, he would treat you human to human. He would smile at people he did not know. You can see the happiness, and just who he was as a person, just looking at his face.”
She said her father was always encouraging his children to get educated. He had a high school diploma and wanted more for them.
“Following his teachings, I got my teaching credential last week,” she said. Amin Abdullah did not join the celebration, though, because he was working. He saw the photos and videos after the fact.
As a convert to Islam and a Muslim father, he “taught my brothers how to be young black Muslim men. He was all about education,” she said.
She also shared a memory of an affectionate ritual of sorts they shared, which was now tinged by tragedy.
Hawaa Abdullah described how she would occasionally drive by the mosque and pull up in her car, to “sneak up on him.” It was an amusing custom created by the father and daughter. Amin Abdullah would always spot her car, walk over and let her know: “I saw your car pass by.”
That vigilance, she said, showed that “he took his job seriously. So seriously, to the point, sometimes he didn’t even want to eat. He wanted to save his food till after he left the job, ’cause he was afraid that if he went on his break, something bad would happen.”
Monday’s tragedy proved he was right.
Earlier Tuesday, after having viewed the Islamic Center’s surveillance footage, San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said he hadn’t realized just how heroically Abdullah had acted.
Wahl said that upon arriving at the Islamic Center, the two shooters ran past the security guard, likely unaware of his presence.
Abdullah “immediately observed the threat to everybody at the mosque” and began firing at the two shooters, Wahl told reporters. Both suspects returned fire. The security footage showed Abdullah reaching for his radio to initiate lockdown protocols while still engaged in a gunbattle, Wahl said.
“His actions, without a doubt, delayed, distracted and ultimately deterred these two individuals from gaining access to the greater areas of the mosque where as many as 140 kids were within 15 feet of these suspects,” Wahl said. “Tragically, he died in that gunbattle.”
#### Neighbor, caretaker: heroes
Ramla Sahid, the executive director of the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans, described Awad and Kaziha, the other two victims, as “brave heroes” and martyrs.
“Our community is deeply grieving right now. We are horrified by the hate and bigotry that fueled this violent act,” she said.
Awad, 57, lived across the street from the center and went there daily to pray. His wife was a schoolteacher there. He rushed to the school “after hearing initial gunshots. We mourn him,” Sahid said.
Kaziha, 78, a husband, father and grandfather, was the center’s caretaker and a vital presence there for decades.
“He was tracking the shooters when he got shot,” Sahid said.
Taha Hassane, the center’s imam, praised all three victims earlier Tuesday in remarks to reporters.
“When he heard shooting, he rushed to do something, to protect,” Hassane said of Awad. “And he joined Mansour Kaziha.”
Hassane was especially close to Kaziha, who had been a part of the Islamic Center since it broke ground 40 years ago — and Hassane’s most reliable congregant.
“He is on the top of my list for people to call … Anything that goes wrong — he was the handyman, he was the cook, he was the caretaker, he was the storekeeper, he was everything,” he said. “I don’t know what I’m going to do at the Islamic Center without his assistance, his daily assistance. We miss him.”
Wahl and Hassane said the two men were hiding in the parking lot and drew the attention of the shooters, who cornered them in the parking lot and killed them.
“They sacrificed their lives to protect the entire community inside the Islamic Center of San Diego,” Hassane said. “They died together.”
By Tuesday evening, a crowd of hundreds came to Lindbergh Neighborhood Park for a vigil. With the mosque set in the background against a setting sun, they heard how the three men died while attempting to save lives on Monday.
As speakers took turns sharing stories, people openly mourned. They held one another — touching their heads together and interlocking their arms — and wiped away tears.
People in the multicultural, interfaith crowd wore hijabs and keffiyeh, and spoke of their shared belief in God, how love was at the center of all their faiths, and said they mourned with the Muslim community.
When a speaker called on the crowd to call for peace, a resounding response in Arabic was heard.
*Staff writer Caleb Lunetta contributed to this report.*
### What we know about the victims of the San Diego mosque shooting
URL: https://www.panasd.org/what-we-know-about-the-victims-of-the-san-diego-mosque-shooting/
Last updated: 2026-05-23T03:54:25.000Z
**Deseret News**
[What we know about the victims of the San Diego mosque shootingSan Diego community mourns the loss of Amin Abdullah, Mansour Kaziha and Nader Awad, who are being remembered as heroes.Deseret News](http://web.archive.org/web/20260521042712/https://www.deseret.com/u-s-world/2026/05/20/san-diego-mosque-shooting-victims-identified/)
Source: Wayback availability API
Police are beginning to piece together what happened on Monday when two gunmen shot and killed three people at a mosque in San Diego.
The San Diego Police Department officially identified the suspects as Caleb Liam Vasquez, 18, and Cain Lee Clark, 17\. The pair appeared to have met online, according to Mark Remily, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s San Diego office. Officials say the two were were found dead with self-inflicted gunshot wounds near the scene.
Authorities believe the shooters “exchanged radicalized ideology,” according to [CNN](https://web.archive.org/web/20260521042712/http://web.archive.org/web/20260521042712/https://www.cnn.com/2026/05/18/us/live-news/san-diego-islamic-center-shooting).
Investigators are still working to determine the attackers’ motive, but San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said the shooting is being investigated as a possible hate crime.
### Fallen ‘heroes’ protected others, including many children
Candles with victims names are placed outside the Islamic Center of San Diego in the aftermath of a shooting on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, in San Diego. | Ty ONeil, Associated Press
The two shooters entered the Islamic Center of San Diego on Monday, where the actions and “heroism” of three victims saved lives, Wahl said.
The victims were identified as security guard Amin Abdullah, center caretaker Mansour Kaziha and community member Nader Awad.
All three men were fathers and respected members of their communities.
Abdullah was a Muslim convert and found his calling as a security guard, [The New York Times](https://web.archive.org/web/20260521042712/http://web.archive.org/web/20260521042712/https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/19/us/san-diego-mosque-shooting-victims.html) reported.
He was killed while working in that role, per reports.
“Keeping people safe in the spaces he was in was always his top priority,” said Khalid Alexander, a friend of Abdullah. “He died exactly the way he would have wanted to.”
This undated photo provided by Yasser Kaziha shows his father, Mansour Kaziha, right, who died in the Monday, May 18, 2026 shooting at a San Diego mosque, and his mother, Sabah Kaziha. (Yasser Kaziha via AP) | Jae C. Hong, Associated Press
The suspects initially ran past Abdullah, apparently without seeing him, Wahl believes. Abdullah used his radio to order a lockdown and then engaged both gunmen, The New York Times reported.
“His actions — without a doubt — delayed, distracted and ultimately deterred these two individuals from gaining access to the greater areas of the mosque, where as many as 140 kids were within 15 feet of these suspects,” Wahl said, [NBC News](https://web.archive.org/web/20260521042712/http://web.archive.org/web/20260521042712/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/san-diego-mosque-shooting-victims-islam-center-suspects-what-know-rcna345805) reported. “Tragically, he died in that gun battle.”
Abdullah was a father of eight children, according to The New York Times.
One of his daughters, Hawaa Abudllah, said her father was a “loving father, husband, son, brother and uncle” who was “all about education” and “dreamed more” for his children, according to [CNN](https://web.archive.org/web/20260521042712/http://web.archive.org/web/20260521042712/https://www.cnn.com/2026/05/18/us/live-news/san-diego-islamic-center-shooting). She added he took his job so seriously that he would sometimes skip meal breaks, fearing “something bad would happen,” while he was away.
Kaziha was the center’s caretaker and mosque store manager.
The mosque’s imam Taha Hassane said he came to rely on Kaziha to keep the mosque running as a store manager, handyman and cook.
A well-wisher kneels in front of a makeshift memorial outside the Islamic Center of San Diego in the aftermath of a shooting on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, in San Diego. | Ty ONeil, Associated Press
Kaziha and his wife were known for making Syrian lamb rice for thousands of worshippers and buying supplies for Afghan refugees, said Homayra Yusufi, senior policy strategist at the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans, a refugee advocacy organization, The New York Times reported.
“He was everything,” Hassane said. “I don’t know what I’m going to do at the Islamic Center without his daily assistance. We miss him. The entire community misses him.”
Awad was also a frequent presence at the mosque, where his wife teaches at the Islamic school, Hassane said, according to NBC News.
“When he heard the shooting, he rushed to do something to protect,” Hassane said. “He joined Mansoor Kaziha. They died together.”
The diversion created by Awad and Kaziha drew both suspects outside, where they chose to flee seconds before police arrived, according to The New York Times.
“I want to be very clear, all three of our victims did not die in vain,” Wahl said, according to The New York Times. “Without distracting the attention, without delaying the actions of these two individuals, without question, there would have been many more fatalities.”
“I truly believe that’s what saved the 140 kids that were just inside,” Wahl said, according to NBC News.
Attendees react as they listen to a speech during a vigil, the day after a shooting, outside of the Islamic Center of San Diego, Tuesday, May 19, 2026, in San Diego. | Jae C. Hong, Associated Press
“This is an act of heroism,” Wahl continued. “There is nothing else to describe what they did.”
Abdimalik Buul, whose child attends the school at the mosque, told [Today](https://web.archive.org/web/20260521042712/http://web.archive.org/web/20260521042712/https://www.today.com/video/new-details-emerge-about-san-diego-mosque-shooters-263627845937) the three men “exemplified what it means to be a human what it means to be a Muslim and what it means to be an American.”
[In a statement](https://web.archive.org/web/20260521042712/http://web.archive.org/web/20260521042712/https://www.facebook.com/IslamicCenterSD/posts/pfbid0Gx1qjefGxD59NyB1EcHTaFWDBCzDeV9CdKfZ6Ujy8TQjQmySe3iZEw3UwjTrEg1Zl), the Islamic Center described the men as “three pillars” of the community.
“These were men who put themselves on the line for our masjid and our community. Men of courage, sacrifice, and faith,” the statement said. “Their absence leaves a void that can never truly be filled. They were more than community members, they were family.”
Donors worldwide have since [contributed](https://web.archive.org/web/20260521042712/http://web.archive.org/web/20260521042712/https://www.instagram.com/p/DYizBjgOGwv/) nearly $3 million to support the victims’ families.
### Join Us Today, May 19th at 6:30pm - Interfaith Community Vigil
URL: https://www.panasd.org/join-us-today-may-19th-at-6-30pm-interfaith-community-vigil/
Last updated: 2026-05-19T19:35:51.000Z
Dear friends, neighbors, and community members,
We invite you to a candlelight vigil to honor and stand in solidarity with our community and the families of our shuhuda.
**Date:** May 19th, 2026 (today)
**Time:** 6:30pm
**Location:** 4141 Ashford St., San Diego, CA 92111 at Lindbergh Neighborhood Park
**What to bring (optional):**
- A candle or a flashlight or phone
- A blanket or warm layers
Together, even in silence, we make our presence felt. We hope you will join us.
In solidarity,
Ramla Sahid
### A Massacre Moved Him to Guard a Mosque. He Died in Its Defense.
URL: https://www.panasd.org/a-massacre-moved-him-to-guard-a-mosque-he-died-in-its-defense/
Last updated: 2026-05-23T04:49:00.000Z
Amin Abdullah and the two other men killed in the shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego were instrumental in delaying its attackers, the city’s police chief said.
**The New York Times**
Source: New York Times Guest Link
[https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/19/us/san-diego-mosque-shooting-victims.html?unlocked\_article\_code=1.klA.TDA3.8LK-xTTgZnpu&smid=url-share](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/19/us/san-diego-mosque-shooting-victims.html?unlocked%5Farticle%5Fcode=1.klA.TDA3.8LK-xTTgZnpu&smid=url-share&ref=panasd.org)
By [Christina Morales](https://www.nytimes.com/by/christina-morales?ref=panasd.org) [Jill Cowan](https://www.nytimes.com/by/jill-cowan?ref=panasd.org) and [Neil Vigdor](https://www.nytimes.com/by/neil-vigdor?ref=panasd.org)
Jill Cowan reported from San Diego.
Every morning, before he headed to work across town as a security guard at the Islamic Center of San Diego, Amin Abdullah would arrive at a tiny, worn-down mosque.
Just as he would at his job, he swept the perimeter, using a flashlight to check every corner. And then he would go inside and pray, said his friend Khalid Alexander.
Mr. Abdullah, who was a Muslim convert, felt he had a calling as a security guard at the Islamic Center of San Diego after he was pained by the terrorist attacks against the Muslim community in Christchurch, New Zealand.
On Monday, Mr. Abdullah was killed in service of that calling, protecting the children inside the Islamic Center when terror arrived at its door.
“Keeping people safe in the spaces he was in was always his top priority,” Mr. Alexander said.
“He died exactly the way he would have wanted to,” the friend added.
Two other community members were killed, and were identified by several Muslim organizations on Tuesday as Mansour Kaziha, the manager of the mosque store and the center’s caretaker; and Nader Awad, a worshiper who rushed to the center to help.
The authorities said the three victims were shot and killed on Monday by two teenagers, who later killed themselves in a vehicle blocks away. The killings at the mosque were being investigated as a hate crime and set off new concerns of Islamophobia in the United States.
The attack began when both suspects ran past Mr. Abdullah, the security guard, to get into the Islamic center on Monday, and they most likely did not see him there initially, said Chief Scott Wahl of the San Diego Police Department at a news conference on Tuesday. Once Mr. Abdullah saw the gunmen, he quickly reached for his radio and ordered a lockdown. Then, he shot at both gunmen.
The gunmen returned fire at Mr. Abdullah, and Chief Wahl said that he “continued to engage in a gun battle with the two suspects.”
“His actions — without a doubt — delayed, distracted and ultimately deterred these two individuals from gaining access to the greater areas of the mosque, where as many as 140 kids were within 15 feet of these suspects,” Chief Wahl said. “Tragically, he died in that gun battle.”
Sam Hamideh, a 46-year-old father whose son attends school at the Islamic Center, said he had learned about the shooting from a friend who works as a police officer.
Mr. Hamideh’s first reaction was to call his son’s teacher and then another friend: Mr. Abdullah, nicknamed “Brother Amin.”
But before Mr. Hamideh dialed Mr. Abdullah, he learned that his friend had been fatally shot. “That was very crushing,” Mr. Hamideh said. “You have your finger on his name on the dial.”
Mr. Abdullah had eight children of his own, Mr. Hamideh said.
“He took his job so seriously to the point sometimes he didn’t even want to eat,” said Hawaa Abdullah, a daughter of Mr. Abdullah’s. “He wanted to save his food until after he left the job because he was afraid that if he went on his break, something bad would happen.”
After Mr. Abdullah initiated the lockdown on Monday, Islamic Center officials were able to secure the campus and prevent the intruders from reaching classrooms and other school facilities, Chief Wahl said.
Around the same time, two other community members emerged in the parking lot outside. Mr. Awad had rushed to the Islamic Center from his home nearby, fearing for congregants, students and teachers, including his wife. Mr. Kaziha, a handyman and a fixture of the Islamic Center for decades, was also outside.
The teenage shooters were inside, roaming from room to room, only to find them locked or empty because of the lockdown, Chief Wahl said. It was at that point that Mr. Awad and Mr. Kaziha caught their attention.
The suspects rushed out and cornered the two men in the parking lot, and then shot them dead, Chief Wahl said. The diversion was just enough to get the shooters outside, at which point they decided to flee, seconds before police officers arrived.
“I want to be very clear, all three of our victims did not die in vain,” Chief Wahl said. “Without distracting the attention, without delaying the actions of these two individuals, without question, there would have been many more fatalities yesterday.”
Abdul Saleem, who goes to the mosque about twice a week and whose five children once attended the school, was friends with the three men who were killed. Mr. Saleem had also worked with Mr. Awad for more than two decades at a taxi company and later a limousine service.
“I couldn’t stop crying yesterday, but I’m kind of jealous about them,” said Mr. Saleem, 75, who immigrated to the United States from Afghanistan in 1981\. “They died in the best way that they defend other innocent people, and I wish I was one of them. And God chooses them.”
Mr. Kaziha was a community leader known as Abu Ezz who managed the mosque store for nearly 40 years, the organizations said. He was also considered the mosque’s caretaker and was a husband, father of five children and grandfather, according to Mr. Saleem.
He was the first person to call 911, Imam Taha Hassane said at a news conference on Tuesday.
For more than two decades, Mr. Hassane said, he had come to rely on Mr. Kaziha to keep the mosque running as a store manager, handyman and cook. Mr. Kaziha and his wife were known for making the most succulent Syrian lamb rice for thousands of worshipers and for buying supplies for Afghan refugees, said Homayra Yusufi, a senior policy strategist at the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans, a refugee advocacy organization.
“He was everything,” said Mr. Hassane, the mosque’s leader. “I don’t know what I’m going to do at the Islamic Center without his daily assistance. We miss him. The entire community misses him.”
Candice Reed contributed reporting from San Diego. Kirsten Noyescontributed research.
**A correction was made on**
May 19, 2026
An earlier version of this article misspelled the surname of the 46-year-old father who knew the victims. He is Sam Hamideh, not Hanideh.
[Jill Cowan](https://www.nytimes.com/by/jill-cowan?ref=panasd.org) is a Times reporter based in Los Angeles, covering the forces shaping life in Southern California and throughout the state.
[Neil Vigdor](https://www.nytimes.com/by/neil-vigdor?ref=panasd.org) covers breaking news for The Times, with a focus on politics.
### Statement from Partnership for New Americans (PANA) in Response to the Attack on the Islamic Center of San Diego
URL: https://www.panasd.org/statement-from-partnership-for-new-americans-pana-in-response-to-the-attack-on-the-islamic-center-of-san-diego/
Last updated: 2026-05-19T01:02:09.000Z
We are heartbroken and terrified for our community following the shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego today which left three community members dead and hundreds traumatized. Our hearts are with everyone who is injured, the families of victims, and the extended community.
According to news reports, San Diego law enforcement has [indicated](https://abc7.com/post/police-respond-active-shooter-report-islamic-center-san-diego/19125855/?ref=panasd.org) that the shooting is being investigated as a hate crime. We know that the ongoing hateful rhetoric about Islam and Muslims from national political leaders - including as recently as last week - is breeding increased violence. Hate-filled rhetoric doesn’t just stay online or in the halls of Congress – it can have real-world consequences, as our community experienced first-hand today.
The Islamic Center is also home to a school for young children as well as a mosque. As a result of this horrific attack, hundreds of children have been further traumatized today, including family members of PANA’s staff and board, and our community at large.
Today’s shooting was an escalation of ongoing threats against the mosque and school. The school has been forced to close on several occasions due to threats.
We will continue to monitor and share information with the community as it becomes available. We ask everyone grieving with us to direct their [support and donations to the Islamic Center of San Diego](https://goodbricks.org/cause/zakat.icsd.org/zakat?ref=panasd.org).We are hoping to have additional information soon on a fund to support the families of the victims.
ICSD Victim & Family Support Fund
[https://goodbricks.org/campaign/icsd.org/official-icsd-victim---family-support-fund](https://goodbricks.org/campaign/icsd.org/official-icsd-victim---family-support-fund?ref=panasd.org)
[Donate ](https://goodbricks.org/campaign/icsd.org/official-icsd-victim---family-support-fund?ref=panasd.org)
ICSD Victim & Family Support Fund
---
## **About PANA**
The Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA) is a research, public policy, and community organizing hub dedicated to advancing the full economic, social, & civic inclusion of refugees. PANA is based in San Diego.
### San Diego’s AI Battlefield Heats Up
URL: https://www.panasd.org/san-diegos-ai-battlefield-heats-up/
Last updated: 2026-04-16T03:55:57.000Z
**The Nation**
[San Diego’s AI Battlefield Heats UpThe city is at the forefront of the fight against using big tech to surveill residents. But AI poses new threats.The Nation](http://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/https://www.thenation.com/article/society/ai-surveillance-san-diego/)
Source: Wayback availability API
The city is at the forefront of the fight against using big tech to surveill residents. But AI poses new threats.
[](https://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/http://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/https://www.thenation.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/BECK-Abramsky-AI-ILLO-yelloww.jpg)
Illustration by Melinda Beck.
Last May, [Local Progress](https://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/http://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/https://localprogress.org/about/), an organization whose membership includes almost 2,000 locally elected progressive officials from around the country, issued [a report warning of the rapidly growing dangers](https://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/http://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/https://localprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Local-Leadership-in-the-Era-of-AI-and-the-Tech-Oligarchy-Report-May-2025.pdf) faced by communities due to the spread of AI-based surveillance systems. It cited as an example networks of automated license-plate readers (ALPRs) and smart streetlights, which enable police departments to identify specific suspects by combining crime witnesses’ descriptions of individuals and vehicles with the massive amounts of data on residents’ movements collected by these systems. Because AI excels in pattern recognition, it potentially allows police to find needles in an urban haystack, locating people and then tracking their movements in real time with pinpoint accuracy. Companies such as Flock Safety, founded in 2017 and based in Atlanta, and Ubicquia, based in Fort Lauderdale, have made fortunes providing such systems to federal, state, local, and private entities. Flock Safety alone operates 80,000 AI-powered cameras in 6,000 communities, and it is currently launching [a new “surveillance drone”](https://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/http://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/https://medium.com/dare-to-be-better/zero-crime-zero-privacy-the-cost-of-flocks-alpha-drone-1bce10330b44) product to hoover up still more data.
While city governments and police departments portray the technology as inherently benign—simply a souped-up, “smart” crime-fighting tool that increases the efficiency of law-enforcement activity by orders of magnitude and comes with no downsides for law-abiding residents—critics argue that the growing use of these products represents a serious threat to civil liberties. Privacy advocates worry that in an era of mass surveillance, such systems could be exploited by bad actors and used to monitor political protesters, women seeking reproductive care, immigrants just trying to go about their business, and others.
“There has thus far not been an automated license-plate-reader system able to adequately protect the technology from being co-opted by authoritarianism,” says LiJia Gong, the legal and policy director at Local Progress. “These tech corporations oftentimes use cities and local governments as testing grounds to normalize surveillance and automation tools.” Many of the contracts for ALPR systems and smart-camera facial- and vehicle-recognition networks allow companies to update the underlying software without seeking approval from local authorities—meaning that when these systems are installed, it’s almost impossible to know how their tracking capabilities will develop as advancements in AI lead to improvements in its ability to recognize patterns and make predictions.
As the Trump administration carries out an unprecedented crackdown on immigrants, the ability of Customs and Border Protection to access such data has raised alarms, and there have been a number of reports alleging that [federal agents may have found backdoor entry points](https://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/http://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/https://jsis.washington.edu/humanrights/2025/10/21/leaving-the-door-wide-open/) into ALRP and smart-streetlight systems, even in states that prohibit their police departments from cooperating with these agencies. There have also been allegations that [a Texas woman was tracked after self-administering an abortion](https://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/http://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/https://jsis.washington.edu/humanrights/2025/10/21/leaving-the-door-wide-open/). In October, the University of Washington’s Center for Human Rights reported that the US Border Patrol had backdoor access to the surveillance networks of at least 10 police departments in the state, none of which had authorized such use of their data—though police analysts argue that since Flock Safety has disabled its software’s ability to share information with federal agencies in states that prohibit such data-sharing, the “back door” was likely rogue cops illegally passing along information to the feds.
Flock denies that there is a back door to its technology or that it shares locally or state-owned data with ICE. Josh Thomas, the company’s chief communications officer, tells me, “We don’t work with ICE. We’ve never worked with ICE. We have no contract with ICE. There’s no back door into the Flock Safety system. All of our customers 100 percent own and control their own data. Flock doesn’t share it at all or sell it to any third parties.”
[](https://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/http://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/https://www.thenation.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Abramsky-AI-demo.jpg)
****What the Flock?** Demonstrators call for the removal of Flock Safety’s surveillance cameras in Bloomington, Indiana, in January.(Jeremy Hogan / The Bloomingtonian)
Few cities in the country have been as consumed by debates over the use of AI-powered surveillance systems as San Diego, which has a small police force for a city its size—less than 1,900 officers for roughly 1.4 million people—and has [long relied on high-tech crime-fighting tools](https://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/http://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/https://www.govtech.com/public-safety/san-diego-oks-12m-police-surveillance-network#:~:text=San%20Diego%27s%20police%20surveillance%20network%20will%20not,identify%20and%20apprehend%20suspects%20in%20deadly%20crimes) to fill the gaps in its personnel and funding. Over a decade ago, San Diego’s district attorney used surveillance data to link [nearly three dozen young African American men to local gang violence](https://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/http://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2017/01/11/rapper-tiny-doo-and-student-aaron-harvey-sue-san-diego-police-for-gang-conspiracy-arrests/) and to charge them with offenses connected to several shootings, despite the fact that they weren’t near the scenes of the crimes at the time. Many took plea bargains, and the charges against those who didn’t were eventually dismissed; if their cases had proceeded, each of those young men would have faced many decades behind bars.
“Far before Trump, we’ve been concerned with federal overreach and data-sharing,” says Homayra Yusufi, a senior policy strategist at the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA) in San Diego. Districts that are mainly populated by people of color and immigrants are “over-policed and over-surveilled,” she says, and cameras and ALPRs—with their telltale bug-like antennae—speckle virtually every intersection in these neighborhoods.
The San Diego Police Department has [a contract with Ubicquia](https://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/http://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/https://www.sandiego.gov/sites/default/files/2024-01/Fully%20executed%20agreement%5FUbicquia.pdf) to provide ALPR and smart-streetlight systems; Ubicquia, in turn, has subcontracted out the implementation of the project to Flock. The two companies and the SDPD say the technology is designed to leave a digital trail of who has asked for information and how the information has been shared, “so if there is abuse or if somebody lies about it, they can be held accountable by the appropriate governing bodies,” Thomas says. Capt. Charles Lara, who oversees the SDPD’s Research, Analysis, and Planning Unit, says that the department regularly conducts audits of how its surveillance systems are being used and who is accessing the information, and claims that the systems are less invasive than the phones everyone carries around with them. “No one wants to live in a police state,” Lara says. “But at the end of the day, people are misunderstanding the Fourth Amendment in public places.” (While the Fourth Amendment guarantees a right to privacy in private spaces, courts have found that it generally doesn’t guarantee such a right in public areas.) Moreover, all officers are given guidance specifically stating that per California law, they cannot share surveillance data with the feds or other out-of-state agencies, and if they do, they will be reported to Internal Affairs and disciplined, Lara says.
Despite such reassurances, immigrants’ rights organizations and privacy advocates are increasingly alarmed by the federal government’s use of every available tool to clamp down on perceived enemies and fear that, despite laws that limit information-sharing, the SDPD’s surveillance tools could at some point be put to use by the feds.
Notwithstanding the California Values Act passed in October 2017, which limits local and state law-enforcement cooperation with ICE and other immigration-enforcement agencies, some more conservative cities in the San Diego metropolitan region have reportedly shared surveillance data with the feds. One of them, El Cajon, is being sued by the state’s attorney general, Rob Bonta. “Despite clear guidance and multiple warnings, the City of El Cajon Police Department continues to share this data with numerous out-of-state law enforcement agencies throughout the country,” [Bonta’s office claimed](https://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/http://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-sues-el-cajon-illegally-sharing-license-plate-data-out) in the October 2025 press release announcing the lawsuit, which was filed after a local PBS station reported that El Cajon’s surveillance data was used in immigration-related searches at least 550 times in the [first nine months of 2025](https://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/http://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/https://www.kpbs.org/news/border-immigration/2025/10/08/records-el-cajon-license-plate-data-used-in-nationwide-immigration-searches).
[](https://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/http://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/https://www.thenation.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Abramsky-AI-camera.jpg)
****Eye in the sky:** Automated license plate readers allow police to track residents’ movements through cities(Justin Sullivan / Getty Images)
In 2016, San Diego signed contracts to install more than 3,000 smart streetlights and ALPRs, although, perhaps fearing a backlash, the city neglected to tell the public about the new devices until three years later. By then, Lilly Irani, a professor of communication and science studies at the University of California San Diego and a former Google engineer, [was warning of “data creep”](https://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/http://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/https://voiceofsandiego.org/2019/09/24/san-diegans-shouldnt-be-lab-rats-for-innovation/) and—like activists in the San Francisco Bay Area; New York City; Portland, Oregon; and elsewhere—was decrying Big Tech’s use of massive datasets on residents’ movements to create the building blocks of a total-surveillance society.
In the local press, Irani warned that her neighbors were being used as “lab rats” for Big Tech social-engineering experiments. Khalid Alexander, an activist with [Pillars of the Community](https://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/http://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/https://www.potcsd.org/our-stories#stories), an organization that works with young Black men who have [long been targets of police surveillance](https://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/http://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/https://inthesetimes.com/article/san-diego-greenwashing-surveillance-police-cameras) and whose names appear in gang-membership databases, teamed up with other privacy advocates to organize a series of community meetings to discuss the dangers of a surveillance state.
Those meetings gave rise to the Transparent and Responsible Use of Surveillance Technology San Diego ([TRUST SD](https://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/http://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/https://sandiegotrust.org/)) Coalition. Made up of dozens of racial- and community-justice groups, civil-liberties advocates, and labor organizations, it pushed not for the elimination of surveillance technology but for the creation of [a citywide ordinance](https://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/http://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/https://sandiegotrust.org/20-Nov%5FSurveillance%5FPrivacy%5FOrdinances.pdf) that would place restrictions on the use of the technology and ensure that the public had a right to know when it was being deployed.
Over the coming years, TRUST SD’s activists were joined in their opposition to runaway, unregulated AI by Sean Elo-Rivera, a member of the San Diego City Council (as well as of Local Progress) with a background in community organizing. A tall, lean man with short salt-and-pepper hair and a trim goatee, Elo-Rivera dresses casually—black jeans, scuffed black Dr. Martens, a green jacket emblazoned with his name over a white vest, and a button shirt open at the neck. His City Hall office is adorned with civil-rights and organizing posters, and his bookshelf displays a hefty edition of the works of Che Guevara. “There’s no disputing” that AI-driven technology helps fight crime, Elo-Rivera acknowledges. But it comes “at a cost to people’s rights and civil liberties.”
Ever since he was elected to represent an immigrant-heavy district in the heart of the city, Elo-Rivera and his onetime City Council colleague Monica Montgomery Steppe (now a county supervisor) [have led the fight ](https://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/http://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/https://www.sandiego.gov/sites/default/files/cd4newsrelease200909.pdf)against renewing San Diego’s contracts for the smart technology. In 2022, with municipalities around the country rethinking their approach to law enforcement in the wake of George Floyd’s murder and the resulting racial-justice protests, they scored a major victory when the contract with Ubicquia for smart streetlights wasn’t renewed—only to butt up against what they claim was the company’s initial refusal to actually turn off the cameras and kill the data streams. “San Diego’s not the only place where that’s happened—where a municipality has said ‘Shut ’em down’ and they’ve continued to let them run,” Elo-Rivera says. Similar stories have been reported in [Eugene, Oregon;](https://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/http://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/https://lookouteugene-springfield.com/story/justice/2025/12/16/timeline-the-brief-troubled-history-of-flock-cameras-in-eugene-springfield/) in [Verona, Wisconsin](https://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/http://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/https://wisconsinexaminer.com/2026/02/02/verona-expected-to-begin-work-to-removing-flock-cameras/); in [Evanston, Illinois](https://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/http://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/https://evanstonroundtable.com/2025/08/28/flock-challenges-citys-termination-of-contract-for-license-plate-readers/); and in [Cambridge, Massachusetts](https://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/http://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/https://www.wcvb.com/article/cambridge-ends-flock-safety-contract/69711475). In Evanston, the city attorney sent Flock a cease-and-desist letter accusing the company of “an intentional and unauthorized disclosure of protected data” after it [allegedly reinstalled cameras](https://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/http://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/https://evanstonroundtable.com/2025/09/24/flock-safety-reinstalls-evanston-cameras/) without the city’s permission. Flock Safety denies the claim, saying that when a city cancels its contract, the cameras no longer upload to the cloud even if they are still capturing images.
During that same period, as San Diego was rethinking its embrace of surveillance technology, Elo-Rivera helped push the landmark Transparent and Responsible Use of Surveillance Technology (TRUST) Ordinance through the City Council, which was passed in 2022\. TRUST mandated that the city’s decisions about installing AI-driven surveillance technology be carried out in public and go through a formal approval process; that the police specify how the technology would be used; and that an “impact report” be submitted for each new technology. Locals also gained the right to sue the city if it turned out that the technologies were being used in ways not authorized by the council and in a manner likely to result in harm to San Diegans. In addition, [the ordinance created a Privacy Advisory Board](https://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/http://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/https://docs.sandiego.gov/municode/MuniCodeChapter02/Ch02Art10Division01.pdf) made up of technology experts, civil-rights advocates, community-group leaders, and others who could articulate concerns about the new AI surveillance technology and recommend safeguards. Khalid Alexander, of TRUST SD, was among those appointed to the board.
For a while, it looked as though one of America’s most livable, laid-back cities was bucking the trend toward total surveillance. Lara, the SDPD captain, bemoans the fact that the ordinance—which he says is the most restrictive big-city privacy legislation in the US—doesn’t allow his department to share its data with other jurisdictions and creates a lag time of many months between when the police request new technology and when it can be approved and deployed. Lara calls it “probably the most challenging thing we’ve had to address as we move toward a modern police department.”
The privacy advocates’ victory was, however, short-lived. The ordinance does continue to force the SDPD to be more public about how it is using data, but over the past few years, the Privacy Advisory Board’s recommendations on whether to deploy the technology have been increasingly [overruled or simply ignored by local officials](https://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/http://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/https://sandiegotrust.org/TRUST-Peoples-Surveillance-Impact-Report-ALPR.pdf).
A couple years after the board’s creation, the SDPD requested that the Ubicquia contract (and the Flock subcontract) for 500 smart streetlights be reactivated. With backing from newly elected Mayor Todd Gloria, and with the public souring on the reforms put in place in the aftermath George Floyd’s murder, a majority of Elo-Rivera’s council colleagues voted for a five-year contract, the funding for which would have to be reapproved annually. When, last year, the board again recommended that the city not continue to fund the Ubicquia-Flock contract, citing [numerous allegations nationwide](https://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/http://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/https://sandiegotrust.org/TRUST-Peoples-Surveillance-Impact-Report-ALPR.pdf) regarding the misuse of such data, the SDPD lobbied heavily for renewal. The City Council agreed to its request.
That outcome was a major disappointment for the activists who had pushed for changes in the city’s relationship to AI surveillance technology. They had expected the ordinance and the Privacy Advisory Board to rein in the sprawling surveillance systems. Instead, in the years since, the technologies have grown in power, and the police have come to rely more and more on the use of AI-generated data.
“The city has undermined the process since day one,” Alexander says in frustration. “The board is made up of volunteers, and the city has refused to fund any research staffers for the board. The disappointment is beginning to outweigh some of the smaller \[victories\] we’ve won along the way.”
If you look at maps of smart-camera and ALPR deployments in San Diego, you see clusters in the poorer, non-white areas: in Barrio Logan, in the African American communities of South San Diego, in the urban core around Downtown. By contrast, in the more affluent northern and eastern suburbs, there are far fewer cameras and ALPRs. The clear takeaway is that, as with so much else in modern American life, the burdens of surveillance disproportionately fall on the poor and the non-white.
Even before the Ubicquia-Flock contract was renewed, Alexander had quit the privacy board, which he had come to see as a paper tiger. In his resignation letter, he bemoaned the fact that “the Mayor and majority of council members have shown that they are either unwilling or unable to even consider rejecting requests coming from SDPD.”
[](https://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/http://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/https://www.thenation.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Abramsky-AI-Elo-Rivera.jpg)
****Watching the watchers:** Sean Elo-Rivera has led efforts to regulate AI surveillance technology in San Diego.(Ben Mendoza)
Elo-Rivera isn’t quite as pessimistic. Over the past few years, even as the campaigns to moderate San Diego’s use of AI-driven surveillance systems have foundered, his efforts to rein in AI usage have expanded beyond surveillance technology.
Having pushed back against price-fixing AI software in the rental market, Elo-Rivera has now shifted his attention to Waymos, the driverless cabs that have been operating in San Francisco for the past few years and are increasingly prevalent in San Diego. California law prohibits localities from implementing outright bans on Waymos on public streets, but private entities can still impose restrictions. Elo-Rivera has been in talks with the recently expanded San Diego International Airport to see if he can persuade its executives to bar Waymos from picking up or dropping off customers on its property. “It is imperative to me that we ask ourselves who benefits from these technologies and in what way,” Elo-Rivera says. “There are a lot of people here who drive either for primary income or secondary income. Our commitment is to make sure everyday people are centered in the decisions of how these technologies are used.”
A few years into his tenure on the City Council, he became interested in how landlords were using AI to skirt antitrust laws and collectively jack up rents by feeding their own data into software that identifies patterns across the city’s rental markets. “People bust their ass here, because it’s really fucking expensive,” Elo-Rivera says. “They’re running a marathon on a track tilted 90 degrees against them. The playing field is completely tilted in the wrong direction.”
Mia Loseff, the housing-program manager at Local Progress, also recognized that this was a problem. Her organization began studying the impact of such software four years ago and found that algorithmic price-fixing raises rents [by an average of $70 per month](https://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/http://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/https://www.forbes.com/sites/eriksherman/2024/12/25/pricing-algorithms-cost-renters-38-billion-in-2023-says-white-house/)—with some cities, such as Atlanta, seeing much higher increases. In part because of this research, one county and 12 cities in the United States, including San Diego, [have banned](https://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/http://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/https://localprogress.org/issues/housing/algorithmic-rental-price-fixing/) the use of such software over the past 18 months. In October, legislators in California took the process a step further, [outlawing its use statewide](https://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/http://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/https://www.gov.ca.gov/2025/10/06/governor-newsom-signs-new-laws-to-help-reduce-costs-for-families/).
Elo-Rivera is also trying to persuade his City Council colleagues to support a ban on the dynamic-pricing strategies that grocery stores are rolling out—using AI to hike the price of staple foods during high-demand shopping hours, meaning that customers don’t know in advance what they’re going to pay for food and may even find that[ the prices change while they’re inside the store](https://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/http://web.archive.org/web/20260408225002/https://www.gadgetreview.com/39-of-retailers-track-your-spending-why-your-cereal-costs-you-more-than-your-neighbors) if there’s a surge in customers. “I think it is wrong for consumers to be subject to price volatility based on the time of day they’re going to shop for basic items,” he says.
San Diegans’ efforts to regulate AI have had mixed success. Despite the accountability coalitions and the creation of the Privacy Advisory Board, AI surveillance systems have proved remarkably difficult to control. Advocates feel as though they’re playing an endless game of Whac-A-Mole.
“We built the biggest coalition against Flock. We had 70 organizations sign on, the labor council, unions. But the police seem to be more powerful than any of them,” Irani, the UCSD professor, says.
For Elo-Rivera, AI represents one of the defining political challenges of our time. Before he was elected to the City Council, he was employed by a nonprofit organization working with at-risk young people. “My work was with communities that had to fight incredibly hard for things they should not have to fight for,” he says. “Access to transportation, access to healthy food in schools.” That experience primed him to bring a critical eye to the society-upending technologies that the Big Tech proponents of an AI revolution are unleashing. “The scale of these changes is unrivaled,” Elo-Rivera says. “The recipe for people giving up, for cynicism, for real social turmoil—it’s all there. Tech companies are attempting to squeeze consumers from every angle they can, and we have to be able to push back and fight on every single front.”
### Standing Up for Immigrants, Standing Up for Democracy | Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund
URL: https://www.panasd.org/standing-up-for-immigrants-standing-up-for-democracy-evelyn-and-walter-haas-jr-fund/
Last updated: 2026-03-18T18:46:17.000Z
**Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund**
[Standing Up for Immigrants, Standing Up for Democracy | Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. FundWhat This Moment Is Calling on Us to Do — Community organizations are showing us what it means to build community, stand up for each other, link arms across issues, and stand up for democracyEvelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund](http://web.archive.org/web/20260318184029/https://www.haasjr.org/perspectives/standing-up-for-immigrants-standing-up-for-democracy)
Source: Wayback availability API
Over the past several months, we’ve seen countless neighbors, friends, students, unions and businesses standing up for the rights and dignity of immigrants in this country. This is true not in just Minnesota, where thousands of people showed up in the face of unlawful actions by ICE despite real danger to their lives, but also in [Los Angeles, Chicago, Charlotte](https://web.archive.org/web/20260318184029/http://web.archive.org/web/20260318184029/https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/02/us/politics/ice-somali-migrants-minneapolis-st-paul.html?smid=url-share), and many other places. Across the nation, local pressure is shining a spotlight on unjust immigration enforcement, leading to public outcry and a [marked shift](https://web.archive.org/web/20260318184029/http://web.archive.org/web/20260318184029/https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/poll-nearly-two-thirds-of-americans-say-ice-has-gone-too-far-in-immigration-crackdown) in public opinion.
We are clearly at an inflection point. I strongly believe the moment is right to put even more power and possibility in the hands of immigrant communities and their allies, so we can keep defending basic rights while pursuing ambitious ideas that enable all people to flourish and live life with dignity and respect. In my conversations with Haas Jr.’s nonprofit and movement partners, colleague funders, and others, I am hearing two themes emerge about what this moment calls on us to do.
**First, invest in the grassroots networks that sustain immigrant communities—and invite new allies to work side-by-side.**
The scale and scope of immigration enforcement have blocked immigrants and their families from their rightful use of community resources like parks, public libraries, hospitals, and even schools. This is especially true of Latino, AAPI, and Black immigrant communities that are being disproportionally targeted.
“In San Diego, engaging in everyday activities has become a threat for us. Faith leaders and anyone attempting to accompany or bear witness with asylum seekers is either being cited or threatened by government officials. So, we’re now turning towards one another, as we always have, building sustainable support systems within our communities,” said Ramla Sahid, the founder and executive director of PANA (Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans).
At Haas Jr., we’re supporting PANA in its efforts to advocate for the full economic, social, and civic inclusion of refugees and displaced populations in the San Diego region and beyond.
At the same time, our partners are holding the vision of what is possible and what world we want to build. A great example is PANA’s work developing the [Global Village](https://web.archive.org/web/20260318184029/http://web.archive.org/web/20260318184029/https://www.panasd.org/newsletter-global-village-aims-to-build-power-for-immigrants-and-refugees-amid-displacement/), a community-owned property that will include affordable family housing, family services, and other resources for immigrants and refugees. PANA also is a leader in organizing Somali and other immigrants and refugees to engage with policymakers, share their stories, and build relationships and networks that enable communities to stand together against authoritarianism.
> We believe it is possible to create equitable and culturally rich lives for refugees and immigrants and build a San Diego where our communities feel and experience a profound sense of dignity and belonging. Foundational to this vision is creating a model ecosystem anchored by physical spaces and civic infrastructure we own and control.
>
> **Ramla Sahid**, Founder and Executive Director, PANA
Sahid also stressed the need to invest in connecting local organizing with national allies, so we’re applying what works in one community to other places across the country. Already, communities in San Diego are working to replicate the deep mutual aid networks that have been critical to supporting immigrants in Minnesota.
**Second, let’s highlight the inextricable link between immigrant rights and our core democratic values and freedoms, so we can make the most of this pivotal year when democracy is front and center.** From arrests outside our schools and workplaces to law enforcement assaults and killings targeting law-abiding people, the past year has shown what happens when an unbridled government uses immigration enforcement as a pretext to erode basic democratic and constitutional protections. It’s no coincidence that we’re now seeing [legislation and executive actions](https://web.archive.org/web/20260318184029/http://web.archive.org/web/20260318184029/https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/17/us/politics/republicans-vote-fraud-id-midterms.html) emerge to limit voting rights ahead of the midterm elections this year.
And with the administration challenging constitutional protections for birthright citizenship, it’s not hard to imagine a day when all expectant parents (U.S. citizens included) are forced to navigate an ICE phalanx and show ID as they try to enter the hospital to deliver a child.
“The attacks on the rights of immigrants are attacks on the rights of all people. Forcing everyone to prove they belong here is an assault on us all and on the Constitution,” said Conchita Cruz, co-founder and co-executive director with Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project (ASAP).
At Haas Jr., we are honored to stand with nonprofit partners like ASAP as they challenge these latest attacks on all Americans’ basic rights. ASAP is a [leader](https://web.archive.org/web/20260318184029/http://web.archive.org/web/20260318184029/https://asaptogether.org/en/protecting-birthright-citizenship/) in the national legal fight against the administration’s attempted ban on birthright citizenship, and it’s also [challenging ](https://web.archive.org/web/20260318184029/http://web.archive.org/web/20260318184029/https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2026-02-20/trump-administration-plan-could-indefinity-restrict-work-permits-for-asylum-seekers)other egregious actions like proposals that would make it impossible for asylum seekers to apply for a work permit in the United States.
The ability to work allows asylum seekers to support their families to earn an income while they navigate the legal process of gaining asylum and finding their rightful place in American society. And if the government can make it harder for one class of workers to do this, there’s no telling what group or workers it will target next.
> There are major implications if asylum seekers cannot access work permits and earn an income to support themselves and their families. So many of our members are caregivers, educators, health-care workers, and more. There are countless people relying on them for their everyday needs and well-being.
>
> **Conchita Cruz**, Co-Founder and Executive Director, ASAP
I am inspired in this moment by the work of ASAP and PANA and the other partners we are working with at Haas Jr. Not only are they showing what it means to stand up for our immigrant and refugee neighbors at a very difficult and dangerous time. They are also showing what it means to build community, stand up for each other, link arms across issues, and stand up for democracy.
The message from these grassroots leaders for funders is clear: provide more flexible, multiyear support for immigrant-serving organizations; step up investments in community-led organizing and grassroots networks; and bring in new allies by linking immigrant rights to the broader fight for democracy.
So much is at stake right now. Standing with and supporting immigrant communities is the test of our time.
### Mayor Gloria Honors Immigration Attorney Maria Chavez, Other Local Women as ‘Women of Distinction’
URL: https://www.panasd.org/mayor-gloria-honors-immigration-attorney-maria-chavez-other-local-women-as-women-of-distinction/
Last updated: 2026-03-11T03:44:30.000Z
**Insidesandiego**
[Mayor Gloria Honors Immigration Attorney Maria Chavez, Other Local Women as ‘Women of Distinction’In celebration of Women’s History Month, Mayor Todd Gloria named Maria C. Chavez, immigration legal director at Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA), as this year’s citywide “Wom...Insidesandiego](http://web.archive.org/web/20260311034022/https://www.insidesandiego.org/mayor-gloria-honors-immigration-attorney-maria-chavez-other-local-women-women-distinction)
Source: Wayback availability API
In celebration of Women’s History Month, Mayor Todd Gloria named Maria C. Chavez, immigration legal director at Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA), as this year’s citywide “Woman of Distinction.” Chavez and nine other women, nominated by their City Councilmembers, were honored during Tuesday’s City Council meeting for their leadership, accomplishments, and service to San Diego.
With more than 17 years of experience in nonprofit leadership and immigration policy, Chavez has made significant contributions to the San Diego region, advocating for policies and programs that support immigrant communities and promote equitable access to resources.
“When we tell the story of San Diego — how we grow, how we solve problems, how we take care of each other — women are not a chapter in that story. Women are authors of it,” Mayor Todd Gloria said. “Our honorees represent the best of San Diego — and their impact isn’t abstract. It’s visible in lives improved, doors opened, neighborhoods protected, and families strengthened.”
The City’s “Women of Distinction” ceremony was initiated by Mayor Gloria five years ago to recognize exceptional women in San Diego and to thank them for what they do to make the City a better place for all of us. It is a tradition that dates back to the Mayor’s time in the state Legislature.
**The 2026 Women of Distinction**
**Maria C. Chavez (Citywide Honoree):** Maria C. Chavez is the immigration legal director at the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA) in San Diego and the owner of Maria Chavez Law. She represents clients in a wide range of immigration matters including removal defense, family-based petitions, and humanitarian relief. Maria regularly presents on immigration topics and volunteers with immigrant rights organizations across San Diego, including the Community Law Project and the San Diego Immigrant Rights Consortium. She is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, Lawyers Club of San Diego, and the San Diego County Bar Association, and earned her law degree from the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law.
“At a time when the national rhetoric around immigration is so divisive and inflammatory, Maria’s leadership is especially meaningful,” said Mayor Todd Gloria his selection for the citywide honoree. “For the people Maria serves, this work is personal: a family trying to stay together, a parent trying to keep working and providing, a young person trying to stay in school and build a future. She is bringing clarity, compassion, and expertise to communities that too often face fear and misinformation.”
**Caryn Blanton (Honoree of Council President Joe LaCava, District 1):** Caryn Blanton is the executive director of Shoreline Community Services in Pacific Beach, where she works to address the community’s most urgent needs through compassion, equity, and strong partnerships. She oversees programs including The Compass Station, the Volunteer Community Outreach Program, the Medical Respite Hotel Program, and the Community Care Crew. With more than 20 years of experience, Caryn has dedicated her career to community building, workforce development, and advocacy for marginalized populations. She is widely recognized for bringing people together to strengthen services and support vulnerable community members.
**Lynn Carol Haims (Honoree of Councilmember Jennifer Campbell, District 2):** Lynn Carol Haims is the vice president of the Clairemont Town Council and president of the Clairemont Town Council Foundation, where she has served the community for nearly a decade. A resident of District 2 for almost 20 years, Lynn has led numerous initiatives including the annual Clairemont Garden Tour, the Morena Boulevard Banner Program, and the Transformer Box Beautification Project. She also helped organize Clairemont’s 75th anniversary celebration. Lynn’s dedication and leadership have made a lasting impact on the Clairemont community.
**Ruth-Ann Thorn (Honoree of Councilmember Stephen Whitburn, District 3):** Ruth-Ann Thorn is a pioneering Native American entrepreneur and certified WMBE business leader who amplifies the voices of Native American communities within the San Diego business sector and across the United States. A registered tribal member of the Rincon Band of Luiseño / Payómkawichum Indians, she is dedicated to preserving and honoring Native American culture and heritage. Through her work, she advocates for greater recognition of Indigenous history and leadership. Ruth-Ann’s resilience and commitment continue to inspire and uplift Native communities.
**LaRaza Webb (Honoree of Councilmember Henry Foster, District 4):** LaRaza Webb is the chief operations officer of Raimo Residence and a dedicated community advocate in southeastern San Diego. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Clark Atlanta University and a master’s certificate in industrial / organizational psychology. In 2024, she served as an artist representative for the Art for Planetary Health initiative and was recognized as a “40 Under 40” Emerging Leader by the San Diego County Black Chamber of Commerce. In 2025, she co-founded The Block Club, a community initiative focused on preserving and promoting Black art and culture.
**Diane Wavrik (Honoree of Councilmember Marni Von Wilpert, District 5):** Diane Wavrik is the Rancho YMCA and Escondido gymnastics program director and head coach, with more than 34 years of service to the YMCA of San Diego County. A respected leader in the gymnastics community, she was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award from USA Gymnastics–Southern California. Diane serves more than 700 youth participants each month and leads a competitive team of over 130 athletes. Her dedication to youth development and excellence in athletics continues to make a lasting impact across the region.
**Jemma Samala (Honoree of Council President Pro Tem Kent Lee, District 6):** Jemma Samala is serving her second term as president of the University City Community Association and has been a dedicated community leader since moving to the area in 1999\. She has led numerous organizations supporting local schools and youth, including the University City Little League and the UC High School Centurion Foundation. Jemma founded several community initiatives including the UC Fire Safe Council, the Holiday Adopt-A-Family program, and the revitalized UC Garden Club. Through her leadership, she continues to strengthen neighborhood connections and community engagement.
**Allison Garner (Honoree of Councilmember Raul Campillo, District 7):** Allison Garner is the director of strategic partnerships and military relations at the Armed Services YMCA, where she works to improve the lives of military families through impactful programs and partnerships. As a military spouse, Allison’s advocacy is deeply personal and informed by firsthand experience. She has also served as president of the Family Readiness Group for the Mobile Bay and NSW communities, supporting resilience among military families. Allison holds a certificate in fundraising and development from UC San Diego Extension and is a member of the 2025 LEAD Impact San Diego cohort.
**Xochitl Alvarez (Honoree of Councilmember Vivian Moreno, District 8):** Xochitl Alvarez is the director of graduate support at Nativity Prep in San Diego, where she has led the school’s college access and success program since 2009\. For more than 15 years, she has guided hundreds of first-generation students and their families on the path from middle school through college graduation. The daughter of immigrant parents and a first-generation college graduate herself, Xochitl earned degrees from UC San Diego and the University of San Diego. She remains deeply committed to advancing educational opportunity and equity for young scholars.
**Rahmo Abdi (Honoree of Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera, District 9):** Rahmo Abdi is the director of campaigns and organizing at the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans, where she leads community organizing efforts and supports immigrant and refugee communities. Born in Mogadishu, Somalia, she came to the United States as a refugee and has dedicated her career to empowering immigrant youth and families. Rahmo founded the International Refugee Girls Association and previously served as executive director of Somali Youth United. A longtime City Heights resident, she is also a strong advocate for education, healthcare access, and S.T.E.A.M. opportunities for women and girls.
### PANA Membership
URL: https://www.panasd.org/pana-membership/
Last updated: 2026-03-04T03:03:48.000Z
PANA welcomes new members who are refugees or immigrants in San Diego ages 14 or over. Members will have the opportunity to learn about important community issues, increase understanding on policies and build relationships with other members.
[Membership Application ](https://pana.cliogrow.com/intake/17a80fd32108a8a101bd9c255fd2c6e1?ref=panasd.org)
### New Trump administration policy puts refugees living in San Diego at risk of detention
URL: https://www.panasd.org/new-trump-administration-policy-puts-refugees-living-in-san-diego-at-risk-of-detention/
Last updated: 2026-02-26T23:58:47.000Z
**KPBS Public Media**
[New Trump administration policy puts refugees living in San Diego at risk of detentionA policy memo issued by the Department of Homeland Security last week says refugees who haven’t applied for a green card within one year of arriving in the U.S. can be detained.KPBS Public Media](http://web.archive.org/web/20260226212458/https://www.kpbs.org/news/border-immigration/2026/02/26/new-trump-administration-policy-puts-refugees-living-in-san-diego-at-risk-of-detention)
Source: Wayback availability API
By [Gustavo Solis](https://www.kpbs.org/staff/gustavo-solis?ref=panasd.org) / Investigative Border Reporter
Contributors: [Charlotte Radulovich](https://web.archive.org/web/20260226212458/https://www.kpbs.org/staff/charlotte-radulovich) / Video Journalist
Published February 26, 2026 at 6:00 AM PST
A new policy memo from the Trump administration is spreading panic throughout San Diego’s refugee population.
The memo, [issued by the Department of Homeland Security](https://web.archive.org/web/20260226212458/https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/27247691-122-memo-re-document-production/) last week, says refugees who haven’t applied for a green card within one year of arriving in the U.S. can be detained.
This is the first time in memory that the federal government has threatened detention based on the timing of a green card application. In fact, the DHS memo says the previous policy, “was not considered a proper basis for detention.”
“This is really causing terror in the community,” said Maria Chavez, immigration legal director at the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans, or PANA.
San Diego has a history of welcoming refugee populations – dating back to the Vietnam War era when over 50,000 Vietnamese nationals [lived in a temporary refugee camp](https://web.archive.org/web/20260226212458/https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/lastdays/firstdaysstoryproject/slideshow/life-camp-pendleton/) in Camp Pendleton.
Since then, San Diego has become the headquarters of multiple resettlement agencies, including Jewish Family Service and the International Rescue Committee. Between 1983 and 2004, San Diego received more refugees than Miami, Houston, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Dallas and Phoenix, according to [a report by Brookings Institution](https://web.archive.org/web/20260226212458/https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/20060925%5Fsinger.pdf).
When refugees resettle in the United States, they can adjust their status to become legal permanent residents by obtaining a green card.
The Trump administration’s official rationale for detaining refugees is so the federal government can again vet them to ensure they are not a threat to public safety, according to the DHS memo.
But part of what makes the new policy so controversial is refugees already go through multiple rounds of extensive vetting, Chavez said. Unlike asylum seekers, who apply for protection after they enter the country, refugees are vetted before they set foot in the United States.
“There’s a very rigorous vetting process that goes through the United Nations,” Chavez said. “From there, refugees are resettled in different countries, the United States being one of them.”
Following the UN vetting process, our federal government does its own vetting before a refugee can board a plane bound for the United States. Refugees are also re-vetted when they apply for work permits, she added.
Those who help refugees adjust to life in the United States said there are a number of reasons why they would put off applying for a green card.
“Just because they arrived to the United States, doesn’t mean they’re handed everything on a silver platter,” Chavez said. “They still have to figure out housing, they still have to figure out food and work. And yes, they do have some help, but that doesn’t mean anything is easier for them.”
Given the new policy memo, Chaves says every refugee should begin the application process as soon as possible.
President Trump has [targeted refugees in multiple ways during his second term](https://web.archive.org/web/20260226212458/https://www.rescue.org/article/how-have-trump-policies-impacted-refugees). During his first day in office, Trump signed an executive order that temporarily halted the entire refugee program.
The administration has also made helping refugees resettle in the United States much more difficult by defunding nonprofits that provided direct aid to refugee populations.
It’s unclear how many people in San Diego County could be detained under the new DHS policy. Data from San Diego County shows more than 5,000 refugees arrived in San Diego last year — mostly from Afghanistan, Haiti and Syria.
However, the county’s data is likely an undercount because their data only includes refugees brought to San Diego under federal resettlement programs.
The data does not include people who were resettled in one county but later moved to San Diego or people who were resettled in San Diego but have since moved away. The data also does not track whether people have already applied for a green card, a San Diego County spokesperson said.
### ‘Supposed to be a safe place’: Parents, state leaders weigh in as home visits from activists rattle child-care providers
URL: https://www.panasd.org/supposed-to-be-a-safe-place-parents-state-leaders-weigh-in-as-home-visits-from-activists-rattle-child-care-providers/
Last updated: 2026-02-14T22:50:10.000Z
**San Diego Union-Tribune**
[‘Supposed to be a safe place’: Parents, state leaders weigh in as home visits from activists rattle child-care providersState officials have publicized guidance for child care providers on how to respond to and report unwanted visits.San Diego Union-Tribunegqlshare](https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2026/02/13/supposed-to-be-a-safe-place-parents-state-leaders-weigh-in-as-home-visits-from-activists-rattle-child-care-providers/?ref=panasd.org)
Source: Wayback availability API
Days after a well-known YouTuber and other content creators visited San Diego child care providers’ homes, state officials are denouncing what they say is targeted harassment of providers — especially those of Somali descent — and are advising them on how to report the unwanted visits.
Citing harassment, state Attorney General Rob Bonta this week publicized [guidance](https://web.archive.org/web/20260214143803/https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-denounces-harassment-somali-childcare-providers-reminds) for providers on how to report possible hate crimes and for law enforcement on investigating them. He noted it’s a hate crime in California if someone is targeted for their actual or perceived nationality, including immigration or citizenship status.
The guidance comes weeks after providers warned of [ongoing harassment](https://web.archive.org/web/20260214143803/https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2026/01/11/you-do-your-work-with-fear-san-diego-child-care-providers-on-edge-amid-harassment-funding-threat/) at a press conference with elected officials in Rolando, and days after a visit to San Diego earlier this month from internet video creator Nick Shirley.
Shirley has drawn nationwide attention for a [December video](https://web.archive.org/web/20260214143803/https://www.startribune.com/day-care-fraud-minnesota-video/601554760) focused on care providers in Minnesota, where allegations of fraud in public benefits programs had previously prompted state and federal investigations. The Trump administration has used such claims to justify its deadly immigration crackdown in that state.
Shirley has not released any video from his San Diego visit. He did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The local conservative activist who accompanied him, Amy Reichert, alleged last month that some providers may be receiving child care subsidies while not serving children and therefore may be committing fraud. The state Department of Social Services, child care providers and local child care agency officials have [said such claims](https://web.archive.org/web/20260214143803/https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2026/01/11/you-do-your-work-with-fear-san-diego-child-care-providers-on-edge-amid-harassment-funding-threat/) are based on flawed interpretations of state inspection records.
Still, multiple San Diego County child care providers say that strangers have visited their home-based businesses and recorded them without their consent, while demanding to see children in their care.
The encounters have stirred fear and anxiety among providers and uproar from community advocates and local and state leaders.
“Reports that pseudo-investigators are stalking and intimidating San Diegan childcare providers at their homes and places of business are extremely alarming,” Bonta said in a statement this week. “Our childcare providers do critical work and are the backbone of what makes life possible for many working families. These internet vigilantes are harassing Californians and seeking to alienate folks from their neighbors and communities, right out of the Trumpian playbook.”
Several San Diego Democratic state lawmakers have also condemned the unwanted visits.
“We cannot tolerate the targeting of children or the harassment of child care providers based on reckless, unfounded claims of fraud in California,” said state Sen. Akilah Weber Pierson in a statement. “This kind of extreme propaganda disrupts the health and safety of children, their families, and the child care providers our communities rely on.”
San Diego City Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera speaks at a news conference to condemn recent harassment of Somali child care workers at the United Domestic Workers (UDW) office on Jan. 8, 2026, in San Diego. (K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
The state social services department, local community groups and the United Domestic Workers union that represents local child care providers have been advising providers on how to keep children safe and how to respond if a stranger comes to their home to film or demand to see the children in their care.
The state department sent out a [bulletin](https://web.archive.org/web/20260214143803/https://mailchi.mp/dss.ca.gov/child-care-licensing-best-practices-for-maintaining-a-safe-and-secure-child-care-environment) two weeks ago advising child care providers on how to keep children safe. It reminded providers that a state department inspector will introduce themselves and show them their state ID badge. And it said providers should call 911 or the police if there’s an immediate security, safety or health incident, and it encouraged providers to report the incident to the department.
Grecia, a San Diego mother whom the Union-Tribune is identifying only by her first name because she fears harassment, sends her 18-month-old to a Somali child care provider, Safiyo Jama, in City Heights [who was visited](https://web.archive.org/web/20260214143803/https://www.thenation.com/article/society/childcare-nick-shirley-vigilantes/) by Shirley and separately by another man who recorded her.
Grecia’s son was there at the time of Shirley’s visit. “I just couldn’t believe it. It was just surreal,” she said.
Grecia and her husband have relied on Jama since their son was six months old. They were careful to choose a provider for their firstborn and chose Jama because “it felt like dropping your kid off at grandma’s.”
“She’s very loving and caring. She gives them gifts for their birthday,” Grecia said. “She became family for us.”
When she learned Shirley had visited her son’s child care, Grecia said she became angry at the “entitlement” of anyone expecting to be shown children — and worried for the children’s safety.
“It’s unfortunate to see that this is happening to families that are immigrants who are contributing to this country,” Grecia said. “I see the effort that (Jama) puts into taking care of those kids.”
Brittney, an East County mother whose 2-year-old son also goes to a child care visited by Shirley and who also fears harassment, said his visit left her anxious for her child’s safety, and for her provider’s.
She has sent her son to this provider for the last two years, after it took her half a year to find a provider she could trust.
“It’s sickening. It kept me up at night,” Brittney said. “This is supposed to be a safe place.”
Ramla Sahid, executive director of the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans, speaks at a news conference to condemn recent harassment of Somali child care workers at the United Domestic Workers (UDW) office on Jan. 8, 2026, in San Diego. (K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Homayra Yusufi, senior policy strategist with the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans, or PANA, has spoken with providers who told her they’re leaving home, staying with friends or going to hotels. Some parents are also taking their children out of child care, she added.
“They’re terrified for their children as well,” she said. “Imagine having these creepy strangers outside your child’s daycare, harassing and filming.”
Shirley’s Minnesota video has prompted others to visit and record video of child care providers in San Diego in recent weeks.
One of them was Habiba Mohamed, who has been providing child care to San Diego families since 2012 and now serves eight children out of her College Area home.
Mohamed was locking the door to her home on a recent Sunday afternoon when a man and a woman she didn’t know walked up the stairs of her apartment building and came to her.
Mohamed said the woman told her to open the door because they wanted to see the children in her care.
“That’s all I said — ‘What?’ — and I kept in the stairs,” Mohamed said. “That’s when they pulled out the cameras and started filming me.”
The man was a San Diegan named Daniel La Salle, one of a number of video creators following Shirley’s lead.
While recording Mohamed, La Salle kept asking her if he could enroll his son in her child care and if there were any children present, saying he didn’t see any, according to a video that Mohamed simultaneously recorded of La Salle.
As she was walking out of her building, Mohamed told him she was on her way to pick up the kids for her child care and that her business was currently at capacity. She did not let him into her home.
“They’re only supposed to come in if they have a background check or they are from the state,” Mohamed said.
La Salle posted his video of her on multiple social media platforms.
When asked for comment, La Salle said he believes visiting and recording at a provider’s home can constitute harassment if it’s targeted, repeated or intimidating, such as if the person stays on the property after being asked to leave. He said he thinks there needs to be protection for providers and families from “genuinely harassing or intimidating behavior” while at the same time there needs to be oversight.
“My criticism in videos is not ‘you wouldn’t let a stranger see children,’ it’s when everything taken together — no observable child activity during stated hours, inconsistent explanations, no parent access and no objective indicators of operations **—** raises a fair question about whether the program is actually serving kids at all,” La Salle said in an email.
As for Mohamed, her business was last inspected in June. Zero deficiencies were found. Three children were present at the time of the inspection, and the inspector found she had proper supervision, safety measures and employee and child records in place.
After her encounter with La Salle, Mohamed says she couldn’t sleep for two days. She tried scrubbing her business from Google listings to no avail, but she said she managed to remove her phone number and mark her business as closed.
“Now I just have to look over my shoulder,” she said. “It’s just unbelievable.”
Mohamed, who is Somali American, has lived in San Diego for 30 years; she earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from San Diego State University.
It’s unfair, she said, that activists are targeting her community.
“Why Somalis?” she said. “Just because we’re dark-skinned? I don’t know. Just because the president talks about us all the time? This is not right.”
### Sudden rule change shortens the time immigrants have to appeal their cases to 10 days
URL: https://www.panasd.org/sudden-rule-change-shortens-the-time-immigrants-have-to-appeal-their-cases-to-10-days-2/
Last updated: 2026-02-14T22:51:34.000Z
**Daylight San Diego**
[Sudden rule change shortens the time immigrants have to appeal their cases to 10 daysThe Executive Office for Immigration Review published a rule on Friday that would also allow the Board of Immigration Appeals to quickly dismiss most cases. Written by Kate Morrissey, Edited by May...Daylight San Diego](http://web.archive.org/web/20260210235942/https://www.daylightsandiego.org/sudden-rule-change-shortens-the-time-immigrants-have-to-appeal-their-cases-to-10-days/)
Source: Wayback availability API
The Executive Office for Immigration Review published a rule on Friday that would also allow the Board of Immigration Appeals to quickly dismiss most cases.
**Written by Kate Morrissey, Edited by Maya Srikrishnan and Lauren J. Mapp**
The Executive Office of Immigration Review, the agency responsible for immigration court proceedings, published an [interim final rule](https://web.archive.org/web/20260210235942/https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/02/06/2026-02326/appellate-procedures-for-the-board-of-immigration-appeals?ref=daylightsandiego.org) in the Federal Register that dramatically changes the way appeals work.
The rule shortens the amount of time that people have to appeal their immigration cases from 30 days to 10 days and says that the Board of Immigration Appeals will summarily dismiss cases, or quickly uphold the judge's ruling without considering the case's arguments, unless a majority of the board votes to decide one on its merits. Even though the agency just introduced the rule, it went into effect Friday while the government gathers public comment on it. Normally, the government gathers comments before implementing a rule, but publishing an interim final rule skips that waiting period.
“In no other court of law would this be acceptable,” said Kevin Gregg, an immigration attorney with Kurzban Kurzban Tetzeli & Pratt who hosts a podcast called [Immigration Review](https://web.archive.org/web/20260210235942/https://www.kktplaw.com/immigration-review-podcast/?ref=daylightsandiego.org), when asked about the rule's changes.
The Executive Office for Immigration Review directed Daylight San Diego to its reasoning in the rule itself when asked for comment.
In the interim final rule, the agency argues that it needs to make changes because of a growing backlog of cases. It says that from fiscal 2015 to fiscal 2025, the number of pending cases before the Board of Immigration Appeals grew from about 37,300 to roughly 202,900\.
Members of the board, like immigration judges, are not part of the judicial branch of government but rather are employees of the Department of Justice in the Executive Office for Immigration Review. They generally decide cases based on paper filings rather than arguments in hearings.
The agency acknowledges that last year, it cut the number of board members from 28 to 15, but it argues that more board members wouldn't help reduce the backlog.
“The Board is at a point where, even were it to have additional resources and better management, without significant reforms, it would not be able to keep up with incoming filings while tackling the backlog in any meaningful way,” the rule says.
Maria Chavez, an immigration attorney with the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans, said the issue goes back to the Trump administration's changes to the system. She said the number of pending cases has grown in large part due to pressure on immigration judges to deny immigrants' requests to stay.
“It's essentially just eviscerating the BIA appellate process, and all of this is of the government's own doing,” Chavez said.
Before Friday, when an immigration judge issued a decision, each side had 30 days to decide whether to appeal the case. If the immigrant chose to appeal, the person would often have to find a new attorney for that process either because the person is dissatisfied with the first attorney or because the first attorney doesn't do appeals, according to Gregg.
The attorney would file a notice of appeal outlining the general reasons for appeal within the 30-day window to the Board of Immigration Appeals. Then the board would have the audio files from the immigration judge's court proceedings transcribed and set a briefing schedule for each side to file more arguments.
The attorney would use the transcription to write a more specific explanation for the board about what the lawyer believed had gone wrong in the initial decision and hearing. Then, the opposing side, in this case the government, would have time to file a response.
Now, under the new rule, the person will have to find an attorney and get the notice of appeal submitted within 10 days. And, the notice of appeal must include the full explanation of the appeal so that the board can vote whether to hear the case or summarily dismiss it — even though the attorney does not yet have a transcript to work from.
“It's due process in name only in that there is a process,” Gregg said. “It's not due, and it's not fair. ”
Chavez said she often receives cases after an immigration judge has made a decision, and it takes time to piece together what happened during a case.
The rule also says that both sides will have to file their arguments at the same time, meaning that they won't be able to respond to the arguments the other side is making.
“If the Department of Homeland Security appeals, the idea that I don't review their brief first and respond is ridiculous. That's not how it works in any other court of law,” Gregg said. “This is all a pretext for taking away rights.”
Unless a majority of the board votes to take up the case because it has “novel issues” that the board wants to address, the board will summarily dismiss the case within 15 days.
“Who knows what is going to be considered or deemed a 'novel issue' or something new that BIA wants to listen to or wants to try to decide,” Chavez said. “The stuff that they're coming out with right now is not new or novel. It's harmful. Is that what their standard is going to be?”
If the Board of Immigration Appeals sides with the immigration judge, an immigrant can appeal again to a circuit court to hear the case. But that, again, often involves finding a new attorney who is comfortable arguing in federal court as opposed to immigration court, Gregg said.
In the interim final rule, the Executive Office for Immigration Review argues that immigrants will be able to get to this step more quickly if the board summarily dismisses most cases.
But, Gregg pointed out, if an immigration judge has ordered someone deported, that order becomes final once the board makes its decision. That means Immigration and Customs Enforcement can deport the person before or during their appeal to the circuit court unless an attorney can get an order from the circuit that says the person must stay in the United States in the meantime.
He said he thinks that quicker ability to deport people is the point.
Last year, in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, Congress [raised the cost](https://web.archive.org/web/20260210235942/https://nipnlg.org/sites/default/files/2025-07/Final-Fee-Increases-HR1.pdf?ref=daylightsandiego.org) of appealing an immigration case to the Board of Immigration Appeals to [over $1,000](https://web.archive.org/web/20260210235942/https://www.justice.gov/eoir/types-appeals-motions-and-required-fees?ref=daylightsandiego.org).
“They're banking on the fact that only people with money will be able to assert their rights all the way up to the circuit court and they're right,” Gregg said. “Many people will just give up.”
Both Chavez and Gregg expect to see lawsuits over the new rule.
In the meantime, Chavez said, people with pending cases should be prepared to move quickly, with money on hand for the fees, if they need to appeal their cases, and they should get a full copy of their files from their initial attorneys in case they need to switch for the appeals process.
### YouTuber behind viral Minneapolis day care video turns lens on San Diego
URL: https://www.panasd.org/youtuber-behind-viral-minneapolis-day-care-video-turns-lens-on-san-diego/
Last updated: 2026-02-14T22:52:27.000Z
**KPBS Public Media**
[YouTuber behind viral Minneapolis day care video turns lens on San DiegoSan Diego's Somali community — already plagued by harassment following Nick Shirley's Minneapolis video — braces for more.KPBS Public Media](http://web.archive.org/web/20260208004209/https://www.kpbs.org/news/local/2026/02/05/youtuber-behind-viral-minneapolis-day-care-video-turns-lens-on-san-diego)
Source: Wayback availability API
San Diego's Somali community — already plagued by harassment following Nick Shirley's Minneapolis video — braces for more.
Right-wing YouTuber Nick Shirley, along with local conservative figure Amy Reichert and a New York Times photographer, visited and filmed San Diego child care facilities unannounced last week, Reichert said Monday in an interview on a conservative news program.
During her appearance on Real America's Voice, Reichert said she was "inspired" by Nick Shirley's December video in Minneapolis alleging fraud at Somali-run day care centers.
Minneapolis is home to the country's largest Somali immigrant population. San Diego is home to its second-largest.
"I started researching state inspection records of these day cares and a very clear pattern emerged ... there would be up to 39 kids enrolled and zero kids present," Reichert told the program's host, echoing the same type of allegations as Shirley's December Minneapolis video.
She goes on to say she sent her findings to Shirley.
"I reached out to Nick Shirley and I said, 'come on out to California,'" Reichert said.
With a New York Times photographer along for the ride the pair visited Somali-owned day care centers, Reichert said.
A Tuesday [New York Times profile](https://web.archive.org/web/20260208004209/https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/03/us/nick-shirley-san-diego.html?smtyp=cur) of Shirley includes photographs and comments from Shirley while in San Diego.
If Reichert's claims are accurate, it's almost exactly how Shirley came to Minneapolis in the first place.
According to the Times, a Minneapolis-based right-wing gadfly and failed political candidate contacted Shirley, claimed to have evidence of fraud in the Somali community, and invited him to Minneapolis.
He was there days later, according to the Times.
Reichert became a public figure during the pandemic leading efforts to reopen business and end masks mandates for children, often appearing at county Board of Supervisor meetings with boisterous and vocal like-minded activists. She also ran two unsuccessful campaigns for a seat on the board.
Reichert declined to be interviewed by KPBS but in a written statement said she hasn't made any fraud accusations.
This technique — alluding to wrongdoing but making no specific claim — is the hallmark of the type of tactics deployed in Shirley's Minneapolis video, according to Jared Holt, an expert on right-wing media and how misinformation spreads online.
"A bunch of filming of locations or people and Shirley saying, 'Isn't that weird? Isn't that strange?'" Holt said of Shirley's Minneapolis day care video. "But the claim that this is essentially a big criminal network or criminal operation is really serious."
Holt is a senior researcher at [Open Measures](https://web.archive.org/web/20260208004209/https://openmeasures.io/), a company that helps researchers "analyze and monitor the spread of harmful online content, including extremism and disinformation," according to its website. He's also the host of Posting Through It, a podcast that looks at the intersection of politics and social media.
The point of Shirley's videos, Holt said, isn't to prove anything.
"Nick Shirley and people like Nick Shirley ... are making careers in an online media ecosystem that rewards sensationalism, that rewards being inflammatory and that rewards affirming the biases of what they think their audience is," Holt said.
Even without evidence the accusations had an impact. The Trump administration cited the alleged fraud found by Shirley to justify its deadly immigration enforcement surge in Minneapolis.
Weeks earlier, Trump called Somali people "[garbage.](https://web.archive.org/web/20260208004209/https://www.npr.org/2025/12/03/nx-s1-5630522/trumps-tirade-against-somali-immigrants)"
His administration last month moved to [freeze](https://web.archive.org/web/20260208004209/https://www.kpbs.org/news/politics/2026/01/07/pro-trump-influencers-take-a-victory-lap-amid-fallout-from-viral-video-alleging-fraud) federal child care funding to five Democratic-led states, including Minnesota and California, but a court [blocked](https://web.archive.org/web/20260208004209/https://www.kpbs.org/news/education/2026/01/09/judge-says-trump-administration-cant-block-child-care-other-program-money-for-5-states-for-now) the action pending litigation.
The harassment soon spread to San Diego, according to the local chapter of the United Domestic Workers of America.
Photos of Shirley in San Diego last week began circulating online, further stoking fear in the Somali community.
San Diego City Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera said the city should be alarmed that harassing behavior is being encouraged and celebrated by far-right extremists.
"Showing up uninvited to home-based family child care centers and demanding to see children is not journalism — it’s harassment," Elo-Rivera said in a statement. "It’s an act rooted in racism, dehumanization, and disregard for the safety and dignity of children and caregivers."
Elo-Rivera's district includes City Heights, home to a diverse immigrant community and a large concentration of Somali Americans.
It's not just influencers such as Shirley and Reichert knocking on doors of at-home day cares, Elo-Rivera said.
A video provided to KPBS by the council member's office shows an unidentified man knocking on the front door of an at-home day care.
Ring video of an unannounced at home daycare visit (Tuesday, 2/5)
Benjamin Mendoza, a spokesperson for Elo-Rivera, said the incident occurred Tuesday.
Rahmo Abdi is a director at Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans, or PANA, a refugee advocacy organization.
She said the community is organized and ready to protect one another.
"Through know your rights trainings, mutual aid, and a rapid response network, everyday people in San Diego are standing up for our communities and protecting each other," Abdi said in a statement Wednesday. "This is what we do in San Diego and these are our values across California."
It's unclear when or if Shirley's video will publish. Reichert said she is expecting it next week.
Holt isn't sure the video will have the same effect in San Diego as it did in Minneapolis but isn't surprised people are trying to get on the bandwagon.
"(Shirley's) video in Minneapolis made him an overnight success — his YouTube channel gained more than a million followers," Holt said. "For other people who are aspiring influencers — who might seek that kind of notoriety or ... impact in right-wing politics — I'm not surprised that others are trying to replicate the formula or that Shirley would be kind of looking around for his next hit."
Holt recommends for anyone watching Shirley's videos, or any political influencer's video, to understand the larger media environment from which they come.
"At this point Nick Shirley is plugged into a political media machine that exists to push talking points and validate partisan leaders in their claims and suspicions," Holt said.
People have been charged with and convicted of fraud in the child care system.
In Minnesota, a 2019 state investigation led to criminal [fraud charges](https://web.archive.org/web/20260208004209/https://19thnews.org/2026/01/child-care-fraud-minnesota-fact-check/) among at least a dozen people and businesses, according to 19thNews.
In California, an [LAist review](https://web.archive.org/web/20260208004209/https://laist.com/news/trump-admin-plans-to-freeze-billions-in-childcare-funding-to-california) of federal district court news releases statewide found only one case of child care fraud in the last decade, a 2023 San Diego case in which four people faced charges of running a child care benefits scheme.
Holt says these cases aren't indicative of systemic fraud, however.
"Like any good hyper-partisan content, there's a grain of truth under these videos," he said.
But the work Shirley produces, Holt said, isn't journalism.
"Nick Shirley is not an intrepid investigative, independent journalist," he said. "He exists as part of a media ecosystem that has very clear ideological and partisan ambitions. I would encourage people to keep that in mind and take it with a Margaritaville-sized grain of salt."
California state government officials are pushing back on the allegations.
A January news release says the presence or absence of children at any facility isn't an indicator of fraud and that there are a variety of legitimate reasons children may not be present during an inspection.
"If an inspector visits a child care home at 10 a.m., school-aged kids are in school," the California Department of Social Services said in a statement. "Therefore, the inspection report should show that a child care home serving school-aged kids had zero children present. Also, some providers serve parents who work nights or weekends."
A follow-up statement sent to KPBS Wednesday says the state pursues fraud when it occurs and shuts down bad actors.
Mayor Todd Gloria's office did not respond to a request for comment.
The Trump administration is reportedly pulling 700 immigration agents from Minneapolis but hasn't announced whether it is preparing another surge operation elsewhere.
KPBS asked the San Diego U.S. Attorney's Office if federal prosecutors have been told to prepare for such an operation here — a spokesperson declined to comment.
### Anxiety rises in San Diego’s Somali community over TPS revocation
URL: https://www.panasd.org/anxiety-rises-in-san-diegos-somali-community-over-tps-revocation/
Last updated: 2026-02-14T22:53:50.000Z
**KPBS Public Media**
[Anxiety rises in San Diego’s Somali community over TPS revocationThe Trump administration’s move to end Temporary Protected Status for Somalis sparks fear and frustration in City Heights.KPBS Public Media](http://web.archive.org/web/20260204231347/https://www.kpbs.org/news/politics/2026/01/14/anxiety-rises-in-san-diegos-somali-community-over-tps-revocation)
Source: Wayback availability API
Contributors: [Matthew Bowler](https://web.archive.org/web/20260204231347/https://www.kpbs.org/staff/matthew-bowler) / Video Journalist
Published January 14, 2026 at 6:10 PM PST
Somalis in the United States had Temporary Protected Status (TPS) since 1991.
The Trump administration’s [revocation of Temporary Protected Status (TPS)](https://web.archive.org/web/20260204231347/https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/temporary-protected-status/temporary-protected-status-designated-country-somalia) for Somalis in the country [affects about 700 people.](https://web.archive.org/web/20260204231347/https://apnews.com/article/trump-immigration-somalia-temporary-protected-status-minneapolis-61eb5fecfa10a9b44b8c8e543412f684) So, that breaks down to a relatively small number of people here in San Diego.
Nevertheless, it’s sending shock waves through the local Somali community, estimated to be the second-largest in the country outside of Minnesota.
Most people from Somalia in San Diego live in City Heights, and that’s where [PANA](https://web.archive.org/web/20260204231347/https://www.panasd.org/), the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans, is located.
PANA Director of Organizing Rahmo Abdi said the administration’s action is racist, unfair and hurtful to all Somalis here and across the country.
PANA Director of Organizing Rahmo Abdi is shown outside the PANA office in City Heights on January 14, 2026.
“Most of these people came from war zones, escaping (persecution) and came to (the) United States for safe release. For them, getting their status revoked and going back to Somalia is going to be dangerous for them,” Abdi said.
Executive Director of [CAIR](https://web.archive.org/web/20260204231347/https://ca.cair.com/sfba/?utm%5Fsource=google%5Fcpc&utm%5Fmedium=ad%5Fgrant&utm%5Fcampaign=cbc%5Fggrant%5Fcair&gad%5Fsource=1&gad%5Fcampaignid=20007221759&gbraid=0AAAAADr61TwCXUMHysOolSp9Led0scgXL&gclid=CjwKCAiAmp3LBhAkEiwAJM2JUH9txCu1lJO4DpPEqxnyO2H9RpYoMaf4z%5FbEW4-5breiQllvqX8ixBoCFMAQAvD%5FBwE), the Council on American Islamic Relations, San Diego chapter [Tahzeen Nizam](https://web.archive.org/web/20260204231347/https://ca.cair.com/staff/tazheen-nizam/) said the TPS revocation for Somalis is just the latest move by the administration that is based in bigotry and politics, as opposed to the law. She said the Minnesota chapter of CAIR has filed a lawsuit against the action.
“We are just appalled by this enforcement because this is about enforcing, taking away legal measures for anybody to immigrate legally. We talk about, ‘Hey, why don't a lot of our friends say, why don't they come in legally?’ Well, they're trying to do a legal measure of immigrating, and you're taking that away from it,” said Nizam.
Executive Director of CAIR San Diego, Tahzeen Nizam, is shown at the CAIR office on January 14, 2026.
After the Trump administration’s action,[ Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem](https://web.archive.org/web/20260204231347/https://www.dhs.gov/topics/secretary-homeland-security) said conditions in Somalia have improved to the point where it’s not as dangerous as it once was.
But the State Department still has the country listed as [Level 4](https://web.archive.org/web/20260204231347/https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/somalia-travel-advisory.html) “do not travel,” which is the highest level of travel warning. The administration has already revoked [TPS status for Venezuelans and Haitians.](https://web.archive.org/web/20260204231347/https://www.nationaltpsalliance.org/case-filings/) The Somali revocation takes effect on March 17\. But lawsuits are expected, which would delay its implementation.
## Tags
[](https://web.archive.org/web/20260204231347/https://www.kpbs.org/staff/john-carroll)
John Carroll is a general assignment reporter and anchor at KPBS. He loves coming up with story ideas that are not being covered elsewhere, but he’s also ready to cover the breaking news of the day.
What story do you want to see told?
### Newsletter: ‘Global Village’ aims to build power for immigrants and refugees amid displacement
URL: https://www.panasd.org/newsletter-global-village-aims-to-build-power-for-immigrants-and-refugees-amid-displacement/
Last updated: 2026-02-14T22:53:06.000Z
**Daylight San Diego**
[Newsletter: ‘Global Village’ aims to build power for immigrants and refugees amid displacementThe 2.2-acre property on University Avenue will become housing, health clinics, child care, a hub for small businesses and more. Hello everyone! Refugees in San Diego have long struggled with displ...Daylight San Diego](https://web.archive.org/web/20260211150525/https://www.daylightsandiego.org/newsletter-global-village-aims-to-build-power-for-immigrants-and-refugees-amid-displacement/)
Source: Wayback CDX index
### The 2.2-acre property on University Avenue will become housing, health clinics, child care, a hub for small businesses and more.
*Hello everyone!*
Refugees in San Diego have long struggled with displacement due to the region’s high housing costs. In neighborhoods like City Heights — once the primary hub for refugee resettlement — gentrification not only drives many out of homes, but threatens their cultural hubs, including religious and community spaces, immigrant- and refugee-owned businesses, and service providers serving those communities.
The Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans hopes to steward a solution hand-in-hand with immigrant and refugee communities with its Global Village project. The organization acquired 2.2 acres of property on University Avenue that it plans to develop into “The Global Village: The Refugee and Immigrant Cultural Hub.”
PANA purchased the land with [$8.58 million in grants](https://web.archive.org/web/20260211150525/https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/how-philanthropys-helping-build-a-cultural-campus-for-refugees-in-san-diego?ref=daylightsandiego.org) from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, the California Endowment and the state government.
PANA’s offices on University Avenue in San Diego on Friday, Jan. 7, 2025\. **Brittany Cruz-Fejeran/Daylight San Diego*
The organization facilitated planning workshops where more than 2,000 community members gave their input on what they needed from a development project and their design preferences. The planning included numerous immigrant and refugee communities in San Diego, including Somali, Afghan, Mexican, Burmese and more.
“We didn't come saying, ‘This is what we're going to do,’” said Rachel Lozano Castro, PANA's director of strategic partnerships and development. “We started from, ‘We have this asset. We are committed to self determination, refugee power, and what do you think we need to do?’ And over several sessions, the community spoke, and that's what we designed from. The community were the master planners, which I just think is really radical and awesome.”
Affordable housing was the number one concern. The project will include more three- and four-bedroom apartments than most multi-unit housing in San Diego in order to serve families. Lozano Castro said they also heard a desire from doctors within the community and plan to provide a culturally-responsive clinic. They also heard things like a women’s gym, and some unmet religious and cultural needs, like a mortuary, that they are still working on figuring out if and how they can incorporate them into the plan.
A model of “The Global Village: The Refugee and Immigrant Cultural Hub.” **Brittany Cruz-Fejeran/Daylight San Diego*
Lozano Castro said that community members expressed the need for a place to unpack years of trauma and inability to rest, while feeling safe and like they belong.
The project will also include some office space for nonprofit service providers, a community hall for gatherings and events, as well as a hub for small immigrant- and refugee-owned businesses in a space called The Global Marketplace.
Doh Doh Coffee is the first business housed at the PANA Global Village’s Global Marketplace in San Diego on Friday, Jan. 7, 2025\. **Brittany Cruz-Fejeran/Daylight San Diego*
The first business anchoring the Global Marketplace is [Doh Doh Coffee](https://web.archive.org/web/20260211150525/https://www.instagram.com/dohdohcoffee/?ref=daylightsandiego.org), opened by Karen refugees.
Together with its communities, there are already details throughout the property where PANA is making clear how it values diverse perspectives. It has kept sections of the street art and tagging that existed on the property, and even found one of the artists to collaborate with. The building where Doh Doh Coffee now sits used to be a liquor store, and its long fridge space now houses art.
Doh Doh Coffee recreated an aisle of fridges from its location’s time as a liquor store into an art gallery. The current installation is one of the Aja Project’s earliest exhibits from the 2000s created in a Burmese refugee camp. **Brittany Cruz-Fejeran/Daylight San Diego*
PANA has already hosted around 180 events on the property since acquiring the keys last year.
The property is adjacent to where the city plans to build [Chollas Triangle Park](https://web.archive.org/web/20260211150525/https://www.sandiego.gov/sites/default/files/prbr20221117a-item103a.pdf?ref=daylightsandiego.org), a much-desired green space in the area that the Global Village plans take into account. Both the park and the Global Village are projected to be finished in 2030\. There are also plans in the works for a bike lane and a bus-rapid transit line on University Avenue, so the property will be accessible via public transportation.
But perhaps one of the most unique qualities of the Global Village is PANA’s dedication to co-ownership with the community. It’s still exploring different options on how this will look, but the goal is that community members will be able to invest in the property in a type of land trust.
“PANA is taking on a lot of the risk — and this is a big missional thing for us — but we're committed to the co-governance of this,” said Lozano Castro. “So we have over a dozen other organizations that are part of the co-governance, the Advisory Council.”
Nao Kabashima, the executive director of the Karen Organization which serves refugees from Burma, sits on the Global Village’s Advisory Council. The organization also has applied for grants to help turn the community hall and the Global Marketplace into cultural hubs for her community. Previously, people from her community had to find parks or go to other neighborhoods to be able to have their cultural celebrations and gatherings that sometimes weren’t accessible by public transit, and the Global Village property has already provided them a central, safe location for many of these events.
The organization was started in San Diego in 2009, but years ago, they began losing office and community gathering space to development in City Heights. Kabashima said giving her community the chance to participate in the design and governance of the property has been something they’ve never experienced before.“It was very exciting,” Kabashima said. “Our refugees from Burma, they’ve never had the opportunity to own land or even have a voice around how the city gets developed. That's the reason why I think our community members continue participating in the visioning sessions and join the celebrations of the design.”
— *Maya Srikrishnan*
### ‘You do your work with fear’: San Diego child care providers on edge amid harassment, funding threat
URL: https://www.panasd.org/you-do-your-work-with-fear-san-diego-child-care-providers-on-edge-amid-harassment-funding-threat/
Last updated: 2026-02-14T22:54:38.000Z
**San Diego Union-Tribune**
[‘You do your work with fear’: San Diego child care providers on edge amid harassment, funding threatThe Trump administration froze $5 billion for social services to California, citing fraud concerns without providing evidence; a federal judge has temporarily halted the freeze.San Diego Union-Tribune](http://web.archive.org/web/20260131095309/https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2026/01/11/you-do-your-work-with-fear-san-diego-child-care-providers-on-edge-amid-harassment-funding-threat/)
Source: Wayback availability API
Some San Diego child care providers say they are being harassed and fear for their safety amid a campaign by conservative activists and the Trump administration over broad but unsubstantiated suggestions of fraud.
Meanwhile, billions of dollars in child care funding is up in the air after the Trump administration last week moved to freeze $10 billion in funding for social services, including child care and cash assistance for low-income families, in five Democratic-led states until it investigates.
A New York federal judge temporarily halted the freeze on Friday, a day after the five states challenged the freeze in court. The states called it a politically motivated, “extraordinary and cruel action” and said the administration has shown neither evidence of fraud nor the legal authority to withhold mandated program funding.
The freeze could affect $5 billion in funding due to California that helps pay for state child care subsidy programs serving more than 300,000 children of low-income families. The subsidies come in the form of vouchers that families use to pay child care providers.
In the past week, conservative activists have been posting on social media the names and phone numbers of child care providers, including in San Diego County, suggesting without evidence that they are benefiting from public funding but not actually providing child care.
Several local providers say that since then, they have begun seeing people loitering outside their homes or sitting in parked cars with cameras, watching them.
Ramla Sahid, executive director of the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans, speaks at a news conference to condemn recent harassment of Somali child care workers at the United Domestic Workers (UDW) office on Jan. 8, 2026, in San Diego. (K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
One San Diego child care provider whose name and phone number were posted online by a local activist said that ever since then, her phone has been “flooded” with calls, and she has seen people loitering around her home with recording devices. The San Diego Union-Tribune is not identifying her due to safety concerns.
“This has raised serious safety concerns for my family and my business. It’s not right!” she wrote in a text message.
The harassment is also racist, providers say — those in San Diego who have been targeted are overwhelmingly of African or Middle Eastern descent.
Samsam Khalif, a Somali American who has been a family child care provider in San Diego for 18 years, was frightened last week when, as she was driving children to her home for a day of child care, she saw two men with a camera sitting in a car outside her home.
She circled the block a few times, but they didn’t leave until she got out of her car and walked the children to her home. They drove away, she said, after they saw her with the children.
Khalif said she is so scared that she avoids going out unless she has to go shopping. She reactivated her home security system last week.
Samsam Khalif, a child care provider, left, along with Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera and Supervisor Paloma Aguirre, attended a news conference to condemn recent harassment of Somali child care workers at the United Domestic Workers (UDW) office on Jan. 8, 2026, in San Diego. (K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
The safety concerns are especially acute for family child care providers, who run child care businesses out of their own homes. Some providers have their own children or other family members living at their place of business.
Yessika Magdaleno, a family child care provider of 25 years, said last week she hasn’t faced harassment yet but worries she will, considering she is an officer with a child care providers union.
She counseled her young-adult children last week on safety, telling them to look out for anybody who may be watching or following them, and to be ready to call 911 if anyone threatens them.
“You do your work with fear. You don’t know who’s going to show up at your place, and you have all of these little children in your care,” said Magdaleno, who lives in Orange County and is the United Domestic Workers union president for the district that includes San Diego County.
“They’re doing things that, as a child care provider, you will never think will happen to you. Because all you’re doing is taking care of the children and educating them, right?”
The harassment has drawn attention from local Democratic leaders.
“What the hell are we doing here where children, at day care, might be subjected to extremists showing up at the door of the home that they’re receiving care, to investigate whether or not there’s actually child care happening?” San Diego City Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera said at a UDW news conference Thursday. “Child care should be universal and should be affordable for everyone, and it sure as hell should be saved from extremists.”
The targeting — plus the potential loss of funding — has shaken an industry in California that has been [historically underpaid, understaffed](https://web.archive.org/web/20260131095309/https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2023/01/15/this-san-diego-child-care-gives-kids-a-higher-chance-of-thriving-but-california-doesnt-pay-providers-enough-to-cover-their-costs/) and run almost entirely by women, most of them women of color and many immigrants.
Government subsidies for child care cover only some of the cost of care, despite California’s recent additional increases in subsidy rates for providers and funded child care slots.
Child care providers frequently make personal sacrifices to run their businesses, often putting in long days, enlisting family members to work unpaid or forgoing adequate pay and benefits, such as time off for themselves. In 2024, the median annual wage for a child care worker in California was [$38,220](https://web.archive.org/web/20260131095309/https://data.bls.gov/oes/#/area/0600000), according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
“Child care providers are some of the most hardworking, selfless, incredible humans that are raising our future generation,” said Kimberly McDougal, senior vice president at YMCA Childcare Resource Service in San Diego County. “The fact that they’re even having to go through this is sad.”
Child care leaders now worry that losing funding could force some child care providers to close their doors, which would exacerbate California’s child care shortage.
“It’s very fragile. Child care providers operate … on a very, very razor-thin line, subsidies being so low,” said Max Arias, chair of Child Care Providers United, a union that represents more than 40,000 family child care providers in California.
Children watch television at ABC Learning Center in Minneapolis, Minn., on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025\. (AP Photo/Mark Vancleave)
The harassment comes as the White House targets child care providers and Somali communities, part of a growing conservative focus following years of [state](https://web.archive.org/web/20260131095309/https://www.auditor.leg.state.mn.us/sreview/ccap.pdf) and [federal](https://web.archive.org/web/20260131095309/https://oig.hhs.gov/documents/audit/10320/A-05-24-00001.pdf) investigations into allegations of fraud in Minnesota’s child care system and social services, some involving Somali American business owners.
That has culminated in what the Trump administration has called its largest immigration enforcement action, with thousands of officers deployed last month to Minnesota in part to investigate the child care fraud allegations. That crackdown led to [last week’s killing](https://web.archive.org/web/20260131095309/https://apnews.com/live/minneapolis-ice-shooting-updates-1-8-2026) of Renee Good by an ICE officer Wednesday.
In early December, Trump shocked observers with his [racist comments](https://web.archive.org/web/20260131095309/https://www.politico.com/news/2025/12/03/countrys-largest-somali-community-shocked-by-trumps-contempt-00676305) during a Cabinet meeting in which he called Somali people “garbage” and said, “They contribute nothing. I don’t want them in our country.”
Weeks later, a conservative YouTuber named Nick Shirley [posted a video](https://web.archive.org/web/20260131095309/https://www.startribune.com/day-care-fraud-minnesota-video/601554760) in which he recorded Minneapolis Somali-run child care businesses and accused them of fraud, claiming they got public funding but did not serve children. Afterward, Minnesota investigators [visited](https://web.archive.org/web/20260131095309/https://www.mprnews.org/story/2026/01/04/somali-owned-child-care-centers-viral-video-operating-as-expected-investigators-say) 10 businesses he identified and found that nine were operating normally; the 10th had not yet opened for the day when officials arrived.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey speaks during a news conference following reports that the Trump administration would be targeting Somali immigrants in the Twin Cities, at City Hall in Minneapolis, Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025\. (Leila Navidi/Star Tribune via AP)
Shirley’s video prompted other conservative activists around the country, including in San Diego, to follow his lead.
In San Diego, one proponent of unfounded fraud allegations has been activist Amy Reichert, who founded Restore San Diego in 2020, an organization whose stated [goal](https://web.archive.org/web/20260131095309/https://www.restoresandiego.org/about) is to “get the government out of our lives.”
In the past week, Reichert has promoted her claims on Fox News and identified by name more than a dozen San Diego County family child care providers on the social media platform X, saying they do not actually serve children.
Her posts contained excerpts from publicly available state reports, with providers’ names and phone numbers listed, that noted if there were no children present at the time of their unannounced visits; some reports also noted violations of state regulations, such as missing child or employee records.
Child care providers have called the claims unfair and based on false assumptions. “There are many reasons why children may not be present when an inspector is on-site,” said McDougal of YMCA’s Childcare Resource Service.
Providers identified on social media said children weren’t there at the time of inspection because they serve children after school or at night; others had kids absent due to illness. Not all children who are enrolled are present in child care at the same time, depending on their families’ schedules.
“They (are) just accusing us. And that’s lying. And that’s wrong for you to put lie(s) out there,” Khalif said.
Reichert told the Union-Tribune she had not contacted any of the providers; she said she “didn’t want to give any appearance of harassment.”
The child care subsidy system has several procedures in place to protect against fraud, McDougal said. Her organization and Child Development Associates are the two nonprofits that administer subsidies to providers in San Diego County.
The nonprofits check providers’ enrollment with their licensed capacity, review thousands of monthly attendance sheets, validate signatures and verifications of employment and eligibility and compare providers’ rate sheets to invoices, among other things, McDougal said.
### These Refugees Are Developing a First-of-Its-Kind Community Land Trust in San Diego
URL: https://www.panasd.org/these-refugees-are-developing-a-first-of-its-kind-community-land-trust-in-san-diego/
Last updated: 2026-02-14T22:55:11.000Z
**NextCityOrg**
[These Refugees Are Developing a First-of-Its-Kind Community Land Trust in San DiegoIn San Diego's City Heights community, refugees and immigrants are leading an effort to build a community-owned affordable housing and cultural space.NextCityOrg](http://web.archive.org/web/20260206145022/https://nextcity.org/urbanist-news/refugee-first-of-its-kind-community-land-trust-in-san-diego)
Source: Wayback availability API
When Ramla Sahid was five years old, she and her family fled Somalia to escape the civil war that had engulfed the nation. Nearly 35 years later, living in San Diego as a refugee, she’s working to create what might be the country’s first community land trust for immigrant and refugee families.
In 2015, Sahid founded the [Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans](https://web.archive.org/web/20260206145022/https://www.panasd.org/) (PANA), a nonprofit staffed by refugees and working toward building economic, social and civic power for refugees and displaced communities around San Diego.
Using [$8.58 million in grants](https://web.archive.org/web/20260206145022/https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/how-philanthropys-helping-build-a-cultural-campus-for-refugees-in-san-diego) from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, the California Endowment and the state government, the organization secured 2.2 acres of land in San Diego’s rapidly gentrifying, highly diverse City Heights neighborhood in 2023.
Now, the nonprofit is working to raise an additional $4 million to develop a multipurpose “Global Village” campus featuring affordable housing, child care, small business incubation, and other resources for the region’s refugees, asylum seekers and immigrants — with residents owning and controlling development.
“We need more land to be out of private hands and into community hands so we can foster self-determination and belonging for refugee immigrant communities,” Sahid says. “So we don’t have to give up who we are, culturally and as a community. And we can build our cultures and our practices into these civic spaces.”
Plans for [Global Village: The Refugee & Immigrant Cultural Hub](https://web.archive.org/web/20260206145022/https://www.globalvillagesd.org/?ref=panasd.org) project were designed in partnership with more than 2,000 community members who migrated from Somalia, Afghanistan, Mexico, Burma, Thailand, Cambodia and other nations. Local immigrants held discussions, created drawings and played with models to inform the design.
Their collective vision: 167 units of larger affordable housing, transitional housing for migrants and asylum seekers, a market for small business incubation, a community convening space, emergency services, and a nonprofit hub offering child care and other wrap-around services.
“Housing insecurity is becoming more and more of a challenge in terms of being able to remain \[in San Diego\], and that is also impacting our organization’s ability to remain in the historic communities we’ve been in,” Sahid says. That’s important for a vulnerable population that has already faced displacement at least once.
“It’s not just the housing crisis,” she adds. “Commercial spaces are also becoming increasingly expensive. So all of that work of trying to fight for fair housing, trying to promote an equitable development that supports low-wage workers in securing affordable housing and protecting tenants who are at risk of displacement is absolutely essential.”
San Diego is already [one of the least affordable cities in the world](https://web.archive.org/web/20260206145022/http://www.demographia.com/dhi.pdf), according to a 2024 study from Chapman University. The region is also home to one of the largest populations of refugees and asylum seekers in the state, with over 30,000 refugees having been resettled in the San Diego region since 1975, according to the [International Rescue Committee](https://web.archive.org/web/20260206145022/https://www.rescue.org/refugeeyouth).
According to a 2023 report from the [San Diego Foundation](https://web.archive.org/web/20260206145022/https://www.sdfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/San-Diego-Economic-Equity-Report.pdf), nearly 22% of San Diego County’s population is made up of immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers, making it the ninth-highest total immigrant population among all U.S. counties.
Sahid says that the idea for the Global Village emerged from the [2020 U.S. census](https://web.archive.org/web/20260206145022/https://www.panasd.org/refugee-census-hub/), when PANA conducted outreach to more than 47,000 African, Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim and South Asian residents across San Diego’s Mid-City neighborhood to encourage participation. The organization also sought residents’ input on how to address the unique needs of the community.
Muna Shatow, who immigrated to the U.S. with her family from Somalia in 1999, hopes that the Global Village will not only serve as a space for businesses, food and the arts, but also a place for wellness and communal gathering that meets the unique needs of refugees.
Shatow has worked with the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans for the past three years. She says that housing is one of the most important issues for the organization’s beneficiaries, as extremely long wait times for affordable housing are a common obstacle for refugees. According to County of San Diego data, applications for Section 8 housing can take [10 years](https://web.archive.org/web/20260206145022/https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/sdhcd/rental-assistance/section-8-hcv-overview.html#:~:text=Your%2520name%2520is%2520selected%2520from%2520the%2520waiting%2520list%2520according%2520to,selected%2520from%2520the%2520waiting%2520list.) or more before space opens up.
“It’s so hard to be patient when you’re placed on a waiting list for years,” Shatow says. “It’s so expensive that you can hardly find a place to rent. My friend now lives in a one-bedroom apartment that costs $2,500 \[a month\]. It’s horrible. Everywhere it’s high. Life right now is so hard in San Diego, but when you have more low-income and affordable housing, there will be better futures for families.”
Besides a growing affordability crisis and a housing shortage, immigrant communities are also faced with an openly anti-immigration federal government that is [expanding its travel ban ](https://web.archive.org/web/20260206145022/https://apnews.com/article/travel-ban-trump-immigration-national-guard-shooting-15b0aa6b7826e32dfa05cf9f5a0c908d)to more than 30 countries and [ramping up immigration enforcement](https://web.archive.org/web/20260206145022/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2025/jul/23/trump-ice-data-deportations-detention) nationally.
“ICE is taking everybody and anybody. It’s not only refugees, it’s everybody now,” says Shatow. Back in 2008, she was detained by ICE for several hours along with her infant daughter. Shatow says local immigrant and refugee communities are once again living in a state of fear. “They \[the government\] make us fearful to talk … Every time we go out, we take our ID.”
This past fall, ahead of a planned immigration enforcement campaign in Minnesota, President Donald Trump [lashed out](https://web.archive.org/web/20260206145022/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/07/trump-immigration-ice) against Somali immigrants in a racist tirade, calling them “garbage” who “contribute nothing” to the country. He also suggested all Afghan arrivals should be halted, [vowing](https://web.archive.org/web/20260206145022/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/07/trump-immigration-ice) to “permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries to allow the U.S. system to fully recover, terminate all of the millions of Biden illegal admissions…and remove anyone who is not a net asset to the United States.”
Sahid says the only solution is connecting with one’s neighbors and building community power, both of which are second nature to immigrant and refugee communities like the one she grew up in.
In 1993, after a brief stint in Texas, her family resettled in San Diego’s City Heights neighborhood. “We resettled in a very culturally rich and diverse community,” Sahid says. “City Heights at that time had already had a very established and rich history of resettling refugees from Vietnam, Cambodia and other parts of Southeast Asia, including Laos. And then Ethiopians, and the next wave was the Somalis, \[like\] my family in the early 90s.”
Growing up in a diverse immigrant community concentrated in a neglected part of the city wasn’t without conflict, she says, but residents also showed remarkable unity as they came together to fight for their shared needs.
“You had the African and Latino moms organizing the school district to make sure we got what we needed,” she says. “The immigrant experience of fighting together, fighting each other sometimes, but also fighting together to create a beautiful neighborhood … that is how we know to survive.”
Roberto Camacho is a Chicano freelance multimedia journalist from San Diego, California. His reporting typically focuses on criminal justice reform, immigration, Chicano/Latino issues, hip-hop culture, and their intersections to social justice.
### 10 Years Of Belonging
URL: https://www.panasd.org/10-years-of-belonging/
Last updated: 2026-07-20T04:54:38.000Z
Experience PANA's 10 years of belonging in community in this video.
### Invitation: Conversation with Hardy Merriman on Countering Democratic Backsliding and Fighting Authoritarianism
URL: https://www.panasd.org/invitation-conversation-with-hardy-merriman-on-countering-democratic-backsliding-and-fighting-authoritarianism/
Last updated: 2025-11-17T21:19:59.000Z
Dear friend**,**
Despite the challenges we face, it is people like you and members of our communities who work every day to protect democratic values and ensure that our voices are heard.
We invite you to join us for a conversation in partnership with the ACLU San Diego & Imperial Counties to engage in a discussion on **Countering Democratic Backsliding and Fighting Against Authoritarianism** **with Hardy Merriman**, an international expert on civil resistance and movement-building for human rights and democracy around the world.
- **When:** Monday, December 1st, from 12:00–1:30 PM
- **Where:** Global Village Event Hall (next to the PANA Main Office), [5555 University Avenue, San Diego, CA 92105](https://www.google.com/maps/search/5555+University+Avenue,+San+Diego,+CA+92105?entry=gmail&source=g)
- **RSVP** on [Eventbrite](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pana-watchparty-countering-democratic-backsliding-authoritarianism-tickets-1969934597410?aff=oddtdtcreator&ref=panasd.org) to reserve a seat at the Global Village Event Hall.
Together, we’ll explore how strategic organizing and solidarity can help us protect democracy, sustain resistance, and build long-term power for our communities.
We hope you’ll join us in this important dialogue and continue building power with us.
In solidarity,
The PANA Team
### Vote 16 Launch Party
URL: https://www.panasd.org/vote-16-launch-party/
Last updated: 2025-10-28T19:20:53.000Z
Dear PANA Friends and Family,
Our youth are leading a movement that’s reshaping what democracy looks like and they want **YOU** to be part of it!
Join us as we celebrate the Vote 16 Launch Party on Saturday November 8th. A youth-powered movement to expand democracy, uplift youth leadership, and make sure young people have a voice in the decisions that directly impact their lives.
This isn’t just any celebration — it’s a call to action. Together, we’re shaping a San Diego grounded in the belonging, power, and dignity of youth
We will also be introducing our Youth Coalition, a growing network of young leaders, organizations, and community allies united by one vision — a future shaped with youth, not for them.
Unlock the Ballot, Unlock the Future! Celebrate with us through powerful speakers, interactive activities, food, and ways to get involved in this historic movement.
**Date:** Saturday, November 8, 2025
**Location:** 5555 University Ave San Diego CA 92105
**Time:** 1PM-4PM
**RSVP here by November 5th by 11:59pm:** [EventBrite](https://bit.ly/Vote16LaunchParty?ref=panasd.org)
### Emergency Legal Fund Appeal
URL: https://www.panasd.org/emergency-legal-fund-appeal/
Last updated: 2025-10-18T02:01:17.000Z
PANA normally has a revolving emergency fund of $30,000\. We have depleted these resources and need your urgent support to replenish our emergency funds.
This morning, our Immigration Legal Director, Maria Chavez shared the story of a confused father who missed his court date and in his absence, was ordered deported. Because his little girl is attached to his case, she will be deported with him.
This order increases the likelihood that ICE will detain them and deport them to their country of birth. Their chance to stay together rests on a Motion to Reopen, which we can file before they are required to report to ICE on October 2nd.
The filing fee is $1,045—a financial barrier for the family, but a small price to keep a child and her father united. Immigration court fees were recently increased due to Trump’s Big Ugly Bill (HR 1).
A donation to the Emergency Legal Fund today ensures no one is deported simply because they can't afford a fee.
[Donate — to give this family and so many others their day in court](https://givebutter.com/panasd?fund=49495&ref=panasd.org)
In solidarity,
**Ramla Sahid**
Executive Director
### How Philanthropy’s Helping Build a Cultural Campus for Refugees in San Diego
URL: https://www.panasd.org/how-philanthropys-helping-build-a-cultural-campus-for-refugees-in-san-diego/
Last updated: 2026-02-28T16:03:37.000Z
**Insidephilanthropy**
[How Philanthropy’s Helping Build a Cultural Campus for Refugees in San DiegoBacked by The California Endowment and others, the planned campus will feature affordable housing, a market, a hub for nonprofits and community spaces.Insidephilanthropy](https://web.archive.org/web/20250630200827/https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/how-philanthropys-helping-build-a-cultural-campus-for-refugees-in-san-diego)
Source: Wayback CDX index
Cars line up at the U.S.-Mexico border near San Diego. Credit: Mauricio Covarrubias/Shutterstock
San Diego is home to one of the largest populations of refugees and asylum seekers in California, with some estimates putting the number at about [30,000 refugees](https://web.archive.org/web/20250630200827/https://www.proteusfund.org/2022-program-grantmaking-report-spotlight-partnership-for-the-advancement-of-new-americans-pana/) living in the area. According to a [report](https://web.archive.org/web/20250630200827/https://www.sdfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/San-Diego-Economic-Equity-Report.pdf) from the [San Diego Foundation](https://web.archive.org/web/20250630200827/https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/find-a-grant-places/southern-california-grants/the-san-diego-foundation), almost 22% of San Diego County’s population is made up of immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers — the ninth-highest total immigrant population among all U.S. counties.
Refugees and migrants in San Diego find themselves struggling with a number of issues: affordable housing, overcrowding, unemployment, lack of educational opportunities and healthcare, and even [homelessness](https://web.archive.org/web/20250630200827/https://www.kpbs.org/news/border-immigration/2024/07/11/migrants-and-asylum-seekers-living-in-san-diegos-homeless-encampments). On top of this, the Trump administration’s [aggressive moves against immigrants](https://web.archive.org/web/20250630200827/https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/how-the-battle-for-los-angeles-showcases-the-need-for-funders-to-take-action-against-authoritarianism) have included executive orders to [suspend the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program](https://web.archive.org/web/20250630200827/https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/realigning-the-united-states-refugee-admissions-program/) and to [terminate parole programs](https://web.archive.org/web/20250630200827/https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/securing-our-borders/) for refugees, enact a [travel ban](https://web.archive.org/web/20250630200827/https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/06/restricting-the-entry-of-foreign-nationals-to-protect-the-united-states-from-foreign-terrorists-and-other-national-security-and-public-safety-threats/) and [freeze resettlement funding](https://web.archive.org/web/20250630200827/https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/how-the-battle-for-los-angeles-showcases-the-need-for-funders-to-take-action-against-authoritarianism) for new refugees.
We’ve written about [how philanthropic funders can push back](https://web.archive.org/web/20250630200827/https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/how-philanthropy-can-oppose-trumps-authoritarian-immigration-playbook) against a government determined to be unwelcoming to most newcomers. But one approach we haven’t seen as often is to actually build out a physical space for those newcomers — in this case, refugees — to live.
That’s the idea behind a new initiative from the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA), which is looking to transform the experience for hundreds of refugees and asylum seekers in San Diego. Founded in 2014, PANA is a nonprofit hub dedicated to advancing the full civic, economic and social inclusion of all refugees and displaced people, primarily in the San Diego region, but in other parts of California and the U.S., as well.
For the last several years, PANA has been working on developing [Global Village: The Refugee & Immigrant Cultural Hub](https://web.archive.org/web/20250630200827/http://Global%20Village:%20The%20Refugee%20&%20Immigrant%20Cultural%20Hub), a community-owned and stewarded campus that will serve as a “lasting, welcoming infrastructure for refugee immigrant communities,” said Ramla Sahid, founder and executive director of PANA. Global Village is being developed in partnership with 16 community-based organizations and more than 1,000 refugees and immigrants. It will provide 167 units of large affordable housing, transitional housing for migrants and asylum seekers, a Global Village Market that will incubate small businesses, a nonprofit hub offering wraparound services, convening spaces for building community, and spaces for shelter, emergency and direct services.
PANA has already purchased the 2.2 acres of land in Mid-City San Diego, where the campus will be built. The project has been divided into [three phases](https://web.archive.org/web/20250630200827/https://www.globalvillagesd.org/) — vision, design and development. It is currently in the design phase, with the final phase being projected to take place from 2026 to 2029.
One of the most important aspects of Global Village is that it, like PANA itself, is led by refugees. “If we listen to people and if we listen to their lived experiences and if we can help them be part of a process to design the solutions themselves, I think we would be much better off in this world,” Sahid said. “Too often, what happens is that communities are fighting for little things… but the really big, important things about how our cities are actually designed and the infrastructure and who gets to build and who gets to own land and all of that, people are kept out.”
After acquiring the site, PANA undertook an 18-month, multilingual community visioning process, engaging 2,000 community members in designing a plan for the project.
Global Village is relying on both private and public support. Thus far, it has identified 60% of the funding it needs through affordable housing and government sources. On the philanthropic side, its funding includes $3.2 million from [The California Endowment](https://web.archive.org/web/20250630200827/https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/find-a-grant-places/southern-california-grants/the-california-endowment) and a $2 million surprise gift from [MacKenzie Scott](https://web.archive.org/web/20250630200827/https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/find-a-grant/grants-y/yield-giving). PANA’s board also seeded $2 million to the project.
“You don’t see these projects come along very often,” said Tara Westman, senior program manager for The California Endowment. “We were convinced that not only the values, the orientation towards how collaborative work would happen in this space, and also PANA’s ability to really engage community members and residents in both the visioning and potentially ownership of the site, was really quite galvanizing.”
## Global Village aims to build communities of care for refugees and asylum seekers
For Sahid, it’s important to recognize that refugees, asylum seekers and displaced populations find their way to San Diego because they have been forced to leave their homes through no choice of their own.
“Once they get here… instead of experiencing the values that America espouses in terms of a dignified welcome and standing up for the refugees and welcoming the poor and all the things that \[Americans\] talk about; instead, what they find themselves is abandoned,” Sahid said. “There’s very little infrastructure actually designed to support them. Nonprofits that are doing resettlement or immigrant rights work are very underutilized… Communities find themselves here with very little support.”
Housing is already a major problem in California, and in San Diego, there is a [major shortage](https://web.archive.org/web/20250630200827/https://www.housingsandiego.org/blog/chpc-housing-needs-report) of affordable homes. Refugee and migrant families find themselves in severely overcrowded conditions — such as 12 people living in a two-bedroom apartment, Sahid notes — and many find themselves continuously displaced by evictions and gentrification.
“The physical infrastructure isn’t really designed in the U.S. to replicate the mutual care and the community care that a lot of us experience back home…It’s really hard to build that in a country where people find themselves displaced again and again and again because you really don’t have the opportunity to build or rebuild those social connections and that ecosystem of mutual care and community,” Sahid said.
Global Village aims to be able to tackle both issues. Not only will it provide affordable housing for refugee families; thanks to its Global Village Market, public plaza and other areas where people can convene, it will also help build communities and a sense of belonging. On the entrepreneurship side, the Global Village Market will allow workers who want to own and operate their own businesses to do so. And the ecosystem of nonprofits working in the hub will help organize people, build power and develop leaders within the space. According to Sahid, the team is also exploring ways to share governance, resolve conflicts and address any challenges that come up on their own, thus limiting contact with law enforcement.
## The California Endowment’s support through its social bond
The California Endowment was among PANA’s first funders and has been partnering with the organization since 2014\. In 2020, PANA found itself with the opportunity to acquire land and reached out to The California Endowment for assistance.
“It really came from a real need. \[PANA\] had lost their space… and like many communities in California, the area was quickly gentrifying, and they were finding that it was difficult to find space. They were getting outbid by other people,” Westman said. “Nonprofits don’t necessarily have that kind of cash on \[hand\] to be able to act quickly.”
At the time, The California Endowment was in the process of developing its [Social Bond](https://web.archive.org/web/20250630200827/https://www.calendow.org/bonds/), a $300 million investment to advance racial justice and health equity in California over a 10-year period. The Social Bond dates California Endowment envisioned it as a way to move more money to grantees while preserving existing grant commitments. According to Westman, a focus on community-based organizations owning their own space is part of the endowment’s power infrastructure priority area, one of four priority areas for its Social Bond.
“We think that’s actually an equity issue for nonprofits… and in this case, it was just really fortunate timing that PANA was looking to do this,” Westman said. She added that the endowment was drawn not only to the idea of community ownership, but to the multidimensionality of the space and the promotion of collaboration.
Through its Social Bond, The California Endowment was able to award $2.7 million to PANA to help it acquire the land for Global Village. Prior to that, it had awarded a $500,000 grant for pre-development efforts that took place during the pandemic. The endowment also continues to support PANA’s ongoing programmatic work.
Westman said that The California Endowment recognizes that community organizing groups and groups who haven’t always had access to capital are often funded at lower levels than organizations that provide direct services.
“It’s really about evening the playing field for them,” Westman said. “We were already committed to the vision PANA had for working in community, and the voice that community residents would have in their own lives and decisions that affect them. The Social Bond allowed us to make larger and also longer-term commitments to major projects that we thought would advance the areas that we cared the most about.”
The California Endowment’s support for PANA’s Refugee & Immigrant Cultural Hub project long predates the current frightening moment for immigrant and refugee rights. But the endowment, which is headquartered in Los Angeles, [has recently taken a vocal stance](https://web.archive.org/web/20250630200827/https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/how-the-battle-for-los-angeles-showcases-the-need-for-funders-to-take-action-against-authoritarianism) as the Trump administration targets immigrants in southern California. Joining a number of other major grantmakers, it’s also [upped its payout](https://web.archive.org/web/20250630200827/https://www.calendow.org/tce-board-approves-increased-spending/) significantly to 10%.
## Can Global Village serve as a model for welcoming refugees?
In addition to targeting undocumented immigrants, President Donald Trump has shown an eagerness to [halt all types of migration to the U.S](https://web.archive.org/web/20250630200827/https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/realigning-the-united-states-refugee-admissions-program/)., including from refugees and those seeking asylum. Last week, [CNN reported](https://web.archive.org/web/20250630200827/https://www.cnn.com/2025/06/25/politics/migrants-asylum-claims-deportations) that the administration is seeking to dismiss asylum claims for hundreds of thousands of migrants in the U.S. and allow them to be deported. In addition, federal funding for refugee resettlement programs has been cut.
These changes, Westman said, “can dampen the ability of organizations to do their work effectively with the people that they serve.” They’ve also brought about “fear and concerns that people have about showing up for everyday life activities, whether it’s going to school, going to a clinic, grocery shopping, whatever it is. The climate has changed substantially, and is one that doesn’t promote inclusion or belonging or integration into communities.”
As ongoing violent conflicts and ever-worsening climate disasters take their toll, the U.S. will see more people from around the globe coming to seek refuge or asylum. Whether or not they are able to do so remains to be seen, but PANA and The California Endowment both hope Global Village can serve as a model for how cities on international borders, like San Diego, can create a welcoming infrastructure for refugees, one that is community controlled and community owned.
Sahid said that what she described as philanthropy’s lackluster investment in the immigrant rights movement is “embarrassing.” And while she acknowledged that there’s a lot of risk in engaging in a project like this right now, nontraditional projects like Global Village need philanthropic support.
“There are grants and then there are financing models that we can deploy to… literally change the material conditions of whole communities and whole people in neighborhoods. It’s really figuring out ways to unlock program-related investments, unlock their philanthropy, and to be brave with people.”
The California Endowment was able to do this through its Social Bond. Sahid hopes other funders can contribute, as well. Global Village is still looking to raise an additional $54 million to develop its hub.”We don’t have to wait for the kind of future we envision,” Sahid said. “We can actually build that dream right here.”
*Editor’s Note (6/30/25): A previous version of this article used a former name for the project, The Refugee & Immigrant Cultural Hub (RICH). The project is now called Global Village: The Refugee & Immigrant Cultural Hub.*
### Trump administration bans travel from 19 countries as San Diego prepares for peak tourism season
URL: https://www.panasd.org/trump-administration-bans-travel-from-19-countries-as-san-diego-prepares-for-peak-tourism-season/
Last updated: 2025-10-04T20:09:13.000Z
FOX5 San Diego
by: [Dominique LaVigne](https://fox5sandiego.com/author/dominique-lavigne/?ref=panasd.org)
Posted: Jun 5, 2025 / 10:20 PM PDT
[Trump administration bans travel from 19 countries as San Diego prepares for peak tourism seasonThe Trump administration announced a travel ban against a dozen countries on Wednesday and restrictions on seven others, citing national security concerns as a major reason for the restrictions.FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI NewsDominique LaVigne](https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/trump-administration-bans-travel-from-19-countries-as-san-diego-prepares-for-peak-tourism-season/?ref=panasd.org)
### Leaders Call on City Council to Pull Funding from Automated License Plate Readers to Invest in Communities and Restore Trust Through the Budget Process
URL: https://www.panasd.org/leaders-call-on-city-council-to-pull-funding-from-automated-license-plate-readers-to-invest-in-communities-and-restore-trust-through-the-budget-process/
Last updated: 2025-10-04T18:13:58.000Z
**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**
San Diego, CA –June 5, 2025– San Diego Community Leaders do not want Trump's draconian location surveillance technology. We do not trust ICE with this data. We call on our elected officials to protect all of our communities from federal overreach. Labor, immigrant, Black and LGBTQ leaders and organizations call on the City Council to pull the Flock funded Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) funding and invest in community programs.
Last Friday, HSI agents invaded South Park in full tactical gear to raid workers and attack local community members who stood to protect their immigrant neighbors. Federal agencies like ICE, HSI, and CBP depend on surveillance data collected from ALPR systems around the country. The Trump Administration has gone rogue, subverting laws, due process, and morality. City leaders have come out in full condemnation of these raids against immigrants. We call on these same leaders to pull funding from ALPR cameras that share data with out-of-state agencies.
**Statements from local leaders**
"ALPR furthers Trump's fascism and hurts workers. The San Diego Imperial Counties Labor Council, representing over two hundred thousand workers and 130 unions, has also called on the City Council to turn off and remove Flock ALPR systems and ensure all data is deleted." **San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council, AFL-CIO**
"We are deeply concerned that ALPR data can potentially be accessed and utilized by federal immigration agencies to deport immigrant community members. City Council has a moral obligation to pull funding from ALPRs and instead put it into resources that protect and welcome immigrants, including the Office of Immigrant Affairs.” **Erin Tsurumoto Grassi Associate Director, Alliance San Diego**
“By prioritizing surveillance and ALPR technology over community priorities like parks and libraries, our council is not only compromising library time and the safety of playgrounds for San Diego children, we are directly putting our families in harm's way and in the crosshairs of ICE which is tapping into this technology to further Trump‘s agenda.” **Homayra Yusufi, Senior Policy Strategist, Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans**
“ALPR is unregulated and alarming. ALPR threatens community safety and our democracy. For the City of San Diego to fund ALPR is to be complicit with authoritarianism and violates our constitutional freedoms. ALPR does not promote community safety, and given current budget challenges, the City Council needs to suspend ALPR funding and dedicate those resources to the services that help our children and families thrive, such as parks and libraries.” **Diana Ross, Executive Director, Mid-City CAN**
“The City of San Diego plans to continue spending millions on Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs). Like other mass surveillance systems, ALPR makes us less safe because it can be misused by police to violate our right to privacy and other civil rights, often by targeting Black, brown, immigrant, and working-class communities. Instead of continuing to use our limited resources on this harmful and expensive program, the city should put the money into the things that support healthy, thriving, and safe communities, things like parks, libraries, and safety net services that help us take care of one another.” **Kyra Greene, Executive Director for the Center on Policy Initiatives**
“The UC San Diego Faculty Association is against ALPR because as Trump's fascist agenda attacks universities, free thought, and international students, ALPR terrorizes our community." **UC San Diego Faculty Association-American Association of University Professors (SDFA-AAUP)**
“The network of surveillance infrastructure implemented across San Diego, against the recommendations from the Privacy Advisory Board, put all of us at risk from federal overreach by the Trump administration and their anti immigrant policies. We call on the City Council to protect its constituents by pulling funding from the current ALPR system.” **Khalid Alexander, President Pillars of the Community**
—
**Contact**:
[info@panasd.org](mailto:info@panasd.org?subject=Travel%20ban) | (619) 363-6939
**About TRUST Coalition**
In 2019, the Transparent and Responsible Use of Surveillance Technology San Diego Coalition (TRUST SD) formed with 30+ participating community organizations to advocate for historically marginalized populations impacted by over-policing and surveillance technologies. TRUST SD has gained significant momentum by amplifying the pressing concerns surrounding privacy, surveillance accountability, and the overwhelming influence of City and federal funds on Big Tech-driven projects at the expense of community-led initiatives. In 2023, TRUST SD successfully mobilized efforts to defund Shotspotter, shut down thousands of street lights, an invasive audio surveillance platform, and played a pivotal role in championing the Surveillance Oversight Ordinance (TRUST Ordinance) in San Diego. This groundbreaking initiative also led to the establishment of the Privacy Advisory Board (PAB), marking a significant victory for privacy and oversight.
### Trump’s Expanded Travel Ban Means More Families Torn Apart: Statement from Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans
URL: https://www.panasd.org/trumps-expanded-travel-ban-means-more-families-torn-apart-statement-from-partnership-for-the-advancement-of-new-americans/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:29:22.000Z
**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**
San Diego, CA – June 5, 2025– The Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA) strongly condemns the Trump Administration’s new iteration of the discriminatory travel ban that targets Muslims and other Black and Brown communities. While the Trump Administration had implemented multiple versions of the travel ban in its last term, this version is more expansive– [fully restricting and limiting](https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/06/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-restricts-the-entry-of-foreign-nationals-to-protect-the-united-states-from-foreign-terrorists-and-other-national-security-and-public-safety-threats/?ref=panasd.org) the entry of certain nationals from 12 countries including Afghanistan, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Burma, Eritrea, Libya and partially suspending entry for nationals of an additional 7 countries.
This ban will further limit legal pathways to the United States, tear families apart, deny students access to educational opportunities in the US, and sow chaos and disruptions in communities across the country. As the Eid holiday approaches– and with many Muslims abroad for Hajj– our communities have been left reeling and grappling with the heartbreak of shattered hopes for family reunification compounded by a fear that loved ones may face new barriers to returning home.
“At a time when Immigration Enforcement agents are abducting immigrants and tearing families apart, this ban only magnifies the inhumane treatment of people under this administration. We call on Americans to reject such atrocities wholeheartedly and return to the American values of due process for all and welcoming refugees and asylum seekers,” said Maria Chavez, Immigration Legal Director, PANA.
PANA works directly with refugee and displaced communities- primarily Black, Muslim, Middle Eastern and South Asian- and is grounded in the belief that everyone deserves a warm welcome, a safe home, and dignified treatment. In alignment with this mission, PANA is developing the [Global Village](https://www.globalvillagesd.org/?ref=panasd.org) \- a cultural hub that will provide housing, job training, and a gathering space for immigrant and refugee families. As with the previous travel ban, PANA stands alongside impacted communities and will meet directly with affected individuals to provide legal analysis, facilitate conversation, and identify pathways for support.
For further information, please contact:
**Maria Chavez**
Immigration Legal Director
Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA)
Email: [maria@panasd.org](mailto:maria@panasd.org)
About PANA:
The Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA) is a San Diego-based nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the full economic, social, and civic inclusion of refugees and displaced populations in the San Diego region, throughout California, and across the country. PANA envisions a world where refugees and displaced people are connected leaders building a global movement that ends forced migration and secures meaningful freedom for all.
### San Diego’s Afghan community fearful after Trump revokes protections
URL: https://www.panasd.org/san-diegos-afghan-community-fearful-after-trump-revokes-protections/
Last updated: 2026-02-14T22:56:31.000Z
**Times of San Diego**
[San Diego’s Afghan community fearful after Trump revokes protectionsIncreasingly violent immigration enforcement has been a major topic in 2025 -- and some already vulnerable groups locally are feeling increasingly targeted.Times of San Diego](https://web.archive.org/web/20250605193442/https://timesofsandiego.com/politics/2025/06/05/san-diego-afghan-community-fearful-trump-administration-changes/)
Source: Wayback CDX index
[](https://web.archive.org/web/20250605193442/https://i0.wp.com/timesofsandiego.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Marine-Kabul.jpg?ssl=1)
A Marine helps an Afghan woman at the airport in Kabul. (File photo courtesy Department of Defense)
Immigration and its [increasingly violent enforcement](https://web.archive.org/web/20250605193442/https://timesofsandiego.com/crime/2025/05/31/protesters-rally-after-aggressive-ice-raid-at-south-parks-buona-forchetta-sparks-outrage/) has been a major topic in 2025 — and some already vulnerable groups locally are feeling increasingly targeted by actions and rhetoric.
Afghan-American refugees, many of whom survived years of spiraling instability and chaos before they were able to find refuge in the United States, are among those communities.
San Diego’s Afghan communities are finding that, once again, the instability they fled is finding them via the Trump administration, which [announced in May](https://web.archive.org/web/20250605193442/https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/temporary-protected-status/temporary-protected-status-designated-country-afghanistan) that it plans to revoke Temporary Protection Status for thousands of people — leaving them [vulnerable](https://web.archive.org/web/20250605193442/https://www.rferl.org/a/us-deport-afghans-end-tps-taliban/33425449.html) to persecution, harassment, and deportation.
Human rights groups have [condemned the change](https://web.archive.org/web/20250605193442/https://www.rferl.org/a/us-deport-afghans-end-tps-taliban/33425449.html), which would take place in mid-July and affect between 10,000 and 12,000 people living and working in the United States. The affected individuals would be among the Afghans who came to the U.S. after the fall of Kabul in August 2021, according to [the Migration Policy Institute](https://web.archive.org/web/20250605193442/https://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/afghan-immigrants-united-states-2022).
“The Afghan population is actually pretty significant in San Diego,” said Homayra Yusufi. a senior policy strategist with the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans, or PANA, a local [research and advocacy group](https://web.archive.org/web/20250605193442/https://www.panasd.org/) for refugees and other displaced populations.
“There’s a long history of Afghan migrations coming into San Diego and making this our home,” said Yusufi, who added that she also came to the U.S. from Afghanistan as a child.
Thousands of Afghans arrived here after the fall of Kabul in 2021, she said. “Most of them have applied for asylum … some are still waiting for that to be adjudicated, so Temporary Protected Status is really a way of protecting them here and making sure they’re able to stay in the country without fear of deportation until their asylum cases go through.”
The removal of TPS protections is causing “great fear,” she said.
“A lot of Afghans are here who are either worked with the U.S. military in Afghanistan, \[or\] they’re journalists, they’re human rights advocates, there’s many folks who are religious minorities…. there’s a lot of fear, but also a certain level of frustration that I think that our community is feeling right now, given that there was a commitment made to Afghans when the Afghan government fell and was given to this Taliban regime.”
Between 2010 and 2022, the Afghan immigrant population in the United States nearly quadrupled — from approximately 54,000 to 195,000 new immigrants from Afghanistan. By comparison, the overall immigrant population in the United States grew by only 16%.
That means Afghan-Americans are also highly visible, since their numbers have grown by so much over the last few years. Many people have also arrived during a time when hateful rhetoric about immigrants and people of color is freely heard on talk radio and in American politics, leading to still more fear, said [Tammy Lin](https://web.archive.org/web/20250605193442/https://www.sandiego.edu/directory/biography.php?profile%5Fid=12206), supervising attorney at the University of San Diego Legal Clinics’ Immigration Clinic.
“The ones that are the loudest are the ones getting heard by immigrants and the families of immigrants,” Lin said. “We need to quell that noise … San Diego’s always been a very welcoming city, since the times of resettlement of the Vietnamese during the Vietnam War.”
Lin said that some of her clients are frightened to even leave the house at this point, fearing that they have become targets.
“No one should ever be afraid like that,” she said.
Yusufi said that San Diegans who are not being threatened and who wish to help can tackle the rhetoric in ways that are as simple as welcoming refugees and telling them that their presence makes the region much better.
“Immigrants are feeling attacked,” Yusufi said. “We’re feeling attacked even if we have immigration status — we are feeling this constant fear of that being taken away from us and that impacts our ability to move around, to survive, to thrive in our communities.”
She said that some people are now afraid of even showing up at cultural events.
“So when you ask what can people do, the first thing that came to my mind was let’s combat that with having a sense of community, not just within our insular communities but within our broader communities. How do we reach out to each other and make people feel safe and at home?”
Absent court intervention, the [termination of TPS for Afghanistan](https://web.archive.org/web/20250605193442/https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/news-releases/dhs-terminating-temporary-protected-status-for-afghanistan) will take effect on July 14\.
### International students in San Diego caught up in ‘mass revocation of student visas'
URL: https://www.panasd.org/international-students-in-san-diego-caught-up-in-mass-revocation-of-student-visas/
Last updated: 2026-02-14T22:57:30.000Z
**KPBS Public Media**
[International students in San Diego caught up in ‘mass revocation of student visas'Some foreign students at local universities are afraid to post on social media and considering whether to leave the country.KPBS Public Media](http://web.archive.org/web/20251116012458/https://www.kpbs.org/news/border-immigration/2025/04/16/international-students-in-san-diego-caught-up-in-mass-revocation-of-student-visas)
Source: Wayback availability API
Images of international students being detained by federal immigration agents are spreading fear and anxiety among San Diego’s foreign students — particularly those involved in the pro-Palestine movement.
“I’m personally scared whenever I see these images because I don’t want to end up like that,” said an international student based in San Diego who has been involved in pro-Palestine protests.
KPBS is withholding the student’s name to protect her from retaliation from the U.S. Department of State, which has revoked more than 100 student visas in California — including six at UC San Diego and four at San Diego State University — in recent weeks.
“What we’re seeing right now is the mass revocation of student visas,” said Maria Chavez, immigration legal director of the City Heights-based Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA).
The Trump administration’s public targeting of students began on March 8, when Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents detained [Mahmoud Khalil](https://web.archive.org/web/20251116012458/https://www.npr.org/2025/03/13/nx-s1-5326015/mahmoud-khalil-deportation-arrests-trump), a Columbia University graduate and permanent U.S. resident. A few weeks later federal agents detained Rümeysa Öztürka, graduate student at Tufts University.
[Secretary of State Marco Rubio](https://web.archive.org/web/20251116012458/https://www.npr.org/2025/03/28/nx-s1-5342680/rubio-says-300-visas-have-been-revoked-as-trump-cracks-down-on-student-activism) initially said the revocations were connected to protests of the Israeli military’s high Palestinian casualty count resulting from its response to the 2023 Hamas terrorist attack.
He accused student protestors of supporting a terrorist organization but has not offered any proof.
“When we identify lunatics like these, we take away their student visa,” he said [during a press conference last week](https://web.archive.org/web/20251116012458/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7aFjs1H6O9A). “No one is entitled to a student visa.”
## Have a tip? 📨
The Investigations Team at KPBS holds powerful people and institutions accountable. But we can’t do it alone — we depend on tips from the public to point us in the right direction. There are two ways to contact the I-Team.
**For general tips, you can send an email to** [**investigations@kpbs.org**](https://web.archive.org/web/20251116012458/mailto:investigations@kpbs.org)**.**
**If you need more security, you can send anonymous tips or share documents via our secure Signal account at 619-594-8177.**
To learn more about how we use Signal and other privacy protections, [click here](https://web.archive.org/web/20251116012458/https://www.kpbs.org/how-the-kpbs-investigative-team-protects-your-privacy).
Rubio has referenced cases of vandalism and intimidation but, again, has offered no proof that students targeted were involved in those activities.
While the first few cases involved students connected to support for Palestine, the reason for other revocations has not been publicly stated. Federal officials allude to previous criminal history but have not provided any evidence.
“There’s really been no rhyme or reason,” Chavez said.
It’s unclear why international students at UCSD and SDSU had their visas terminated. The federal government, “has not explained the reasons behind these terminations,” according to a statement from UCSD.
Last month, Rubio said he has the discretion to revoke visas for a variety of reasons.
“We have the right to deny you for virtually any reason,” he said during a press briefing in March.
Last week, the federal government announced it would [start monitoring immigrants’ social media posts ](https://web.archive.org/web/20251116012458/https://www.npr.org/2025/04/09/g-s1-59149/immigrants-social-media-antisemitism-dhs)to look for signs of what they determine to be antisemitism.
This has student activists reconsider what they post, share or like.
The student who spoke to KPBS said her social media timeline is full of videos of international students being detained followed by videos of Palestinian children dying. She called it a constant reminder of why activists are speaking out but also of the consequences they’re facing.
“Should I be thinking about what I’m liking,” said the international student. “What is actually antisemitic? Is this picture or post about someone losing their child antisemitic just because the person is Palestinian?”
The student said some professors have told international students to stop posting as often. This environment has some graduate students considering other options.
“I’m seeing a lot of people really think it through,” the student said. “People are considering the UK or Canada.”
Chavez said he’s inspired by student activists who refuse to stop speaking out about civilian deaths.
“I think them exercising their right to free speech is incredibly brave,” she said. “Especially continuing to do so under this administration where free speech is clearly being targeted.”
Immigration lawyers note that Rubio has the authority to revoke visas for a variety of reasons. But they believe the government needs to be more transparent about the revocations and give students a chance to appeal instead of detaining them.
“I believe in due process,” Chavez said. “Students should have the ability to know why so they can appeal.”
1. ['We need warriors': Immigration lawyers get help from unlikely allies in fight to free clients](https://web.archive.org/web/20251116012458/https://www.kpbs.org/news/border-immigration/2025/11/14/immigration-lawyers-get-help-from-unlikely-allies-in-fight-to-free-clients)
2. [Lawyers using Habeas Corpus in last-ditch efforts to free immigrants from detention](https://web.archive.org/web/20251116012458/https://www.kpbs.org/news/border-immigration/2025/11/13/lawyers-using-habeas-corpus-in-last-ditch-efforts-to-free-immigrants-from-detention)
3. [Grossmont schools already feeling impacts of library cuts](https://web.archive.org/web/20251116012458/https://www.kpbs.org/news/education/2025/10/23/grossmont-schools-already-feeling-impacts-of-library-cuts)
4. [Records: El Cajon license plate data used in nationwide immigration searches](https://web.archive.org/web/20251116012458/https://www.kpbs.org/news/border-immigration/2025/10/08/records-el-cajon-license-plate-data-used-in-nationwide-immigration-searches)
## Tags
[](https://web.archive.org/web/20251116012458/https://www.kpbs.org/staff/gustavo-solis)
Gustavo became the Investigative Border Reporter at KPBS in 2021\. He was born in Mexico City, grew up in San Diego and has two passports to prove it. He graduated from Columbia University’s School of Journalism in 2013 and has worked in New York City, Miami, Palm Springs, Los Angeles, and San Diego. In 2018 he was part of a team of reporters who shared a Pulitzer Prize for explanatory journalism. When he’s not working - and even sometimes when he should be - Gustavo is surfing on both sides of the border.
### Plans unveiled for refugee, immigrant cultural housing hub near City Heights
URL: https://www.panasd.org/plans-unveiled-for-refugee-immigrant-cultural-housing-hub-near-city-heights/
Last updated: 2026-02-14T22:58:03.000Z
**NBC 7 San Diego**
[Plans unveiled for refugee, immigrant cultural housing hub near City HeightsPlans were unveiled, Saturday afternoon, for a future housing development and cultural hub specifically serving immigrants and refugees.NBC 7 San Diego](http://web.archive.org/web/20250725143718/https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/plans-unveiled-for-refugee-immigrant-cultural-housing-hub-in-mid-city/3694803/)
Source: Wayback availability API
## Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA) leads the effort for affordable housing and cultural space for San Diego's Mid-City
#### By [M.G. Perez](https://web.archive.org/web/20250725143718/https://www.nbcsandiego.com/author/mg-perez/) • Published December 7, 2024 • Updated on December 8, 2024 at 12:55 pm
NBC Universal, Inc.
Plans were unveiled, Saturday afternoon, for a future housing development and cultural hub specifically serving immigrants and refugees.
[The Refugee and Immigrant Cultural Hub (RICH) ](https://web.archive.org/web/20250725143718/https://www.panasd.org/census)was created from the 2020 census. More than 47,000 African, Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim, and South Asian community members were contacted and counted across the Mid-City area of San Diego.
Uma Mohamed was among them. She came to the U.S. from Somalia with her mother in 1993\. Now she’s raising her own children in what she considers an uncertain new world.
“You never know because my kids have a Muslim last name. People confuse them \[and\] still think they’re immigrants. They're U.S. citizens they \[were\] born here," Mohamed said.
The Mohamed family joined a celebration Saturday on the 2.2 acres at the intersection of University Avenue and Chollas Parkway near City Heights.
"There will be a global marketplace with housing stacked up above it," said Brandon Martella with the Roesling Nakamura Terada Architects firm designing the project. The firm has collected community input and unveiled the latest design during Saturday's celebration that will include at least 150 units of affordable housing.
Public and private donations along with gifts from the California Endowment secured $8.5 million to purchase the land. An additional four million dollars is being raised to finish the hub by 2030.
Martella said, "The community has a lot of great big ideas and we make sure they can conform to what can be built, and conform to code and is actually obtainable within reach.”
Brandon Martella is the lead architect with the firm designing the Refugee & Immigrant Cultural Hub near City Heights.
"The housing crisis and gentrification displacement threatens that…so this is about creating permanent roots in our historic home and reclaiming a sense of belonging right here in San Diego," said Ramla Sahid who is Executive Director of Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans.
### Homes, health care and a village market: Designs and goals for community-driven refugee hub are unveiled
URL: https://www.panasd.org/homes-health-care-and-a-village-market-designs-and-goals-for-community-driven-refugee-hub-are-unveiled/
Last updated: 2026-02-14T22:58:52.000Z
**San Diego Union-Tribune**
[Homes, health care and a village market: Designs and goals for community-driven refugee hub are unveiledTo one excited teen, the center ‘exemplifies the USA being a melting pot and just a bunch of different cultures coming together to excel.’San Diego Union-Tribune](http://web.archive.org/web/20250723211413/https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2024/12/07/homes-health-care-and-a-village-market-designs-and-goals-for-community-driven-refugee-hub-are-unveiled-in-city-heights/)
Source: Wayback availability API
Over the last year, Mohamed Mbengue has attended several workshops alongside his Mid-City neighbors, dreaming of what the future could look like for the area’s refugee and immigrant community.
The 19-year-old is one of about 700 residents who have helped design a new space — called the Refugee and Immigrant Cultural Hub, or RICH — that will provide resources to current and recently-arrived refugees and immigrants, including long-term and transitional housing, medical care, job training and food assistance.
At the workshops, residents from all backgrounds and ethnicities came together, clustered around scaled maps of the space on more than two dozen tables, to brainstorm what services would be most valuable to them and future neighbors.
Many of the adults didn’t speak the same language, so Mbengue said their kids helped translate.
“I feel like it just exemplifies the USA being a melting pot and just a bunch of different cultures coming together to excel,” said Mbengue, whose parents immigrated to the U.S. decades ago from Senegal.
The workshops have been a key part of the hub’s development. And on Saturday afternoon, the community will be able to see their work paying off.
The Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans, the group spearheading the project, will unveil the master design plan at the 2.2-acre property near Chollas Parkway and University Avenue.
Community members and City Council President Sean Elo-Rivera will also attend.
“There’s the value of what will happen in the space that will certainly make a difference in people’s lives,” Elo-Rivera said on Friday. “But the existence of that hub also … lets (our immigrant and refugee communities) know that there are folks in this community who see them, appreciate, love them and want them to have everything that they need in order to thrive.”
PANA bought the property in April 2023 expects to complete the $155 million project by 2030\. The space is located near the proposed Chollas Triangle Neighborhood Park, and the architects for the hub are hoping to incorporate some of that green space into its design.
But there are already two buildings on the property, so community members and local nonprofits can start using the space in the coming months, said Ramla Sahid, PANA’s executive director.
And amid concerns about how the incoming Trump administration will impact immigrant communities, Sahid hopes the new space can help people access information, relief and other resources and stay safe.
The need for services for local refugees and immigrants has become more critical in the last year, particularly since more people began arriving in the county start fall.
For seven months, San Diego County has been working to establish a permanent center to provide temporary services to migrants with the help of $19.6 million in federal funding, but [the efforts have been stalled](https://web.archive.org/web/20250723211413/http://web.archive.org/web/20250723211413/https://wpdash.medianewsgroup.com/2024/12/01/efforts-to-open-a-new-migrant-aid-center-in-san-diego-county-stall-once-more/). The county already operates two welcome centers — one in National City and another that opened this week in Escondido — to help connect migrants with services.
“San Diego is really badly missing the full scope of infrastructure we need,” Sahid said.
The new hub, she said, would provide resources not only to those settling in San Diego but also to those passing through. But its goal is to put the community at the heart of its development.
During the workshops, she said residents identified four programming areas that they specifically wanted to see at the new space: a health center, a space for housing, a nonprofit hub where people can access local resources and a global village market where people can create and sell goods.
The market was a priority for the residents, Sahid said, especially for those who sell their products and want to transition from the informal economy to the formal economy.
It will also be a valuable resource for the various cultures represented in City Heights — one of the most diverse neighborhoods in the county, with more than 30 languages and 80 dialects spoken and residents hailing from all over the world.
PANA also plans to build 115 homes, along with transitional housing for migrants and asylum seekers.
The organization has explored different ownership models for the space. It’s working with the city and attorneys to determine how the community itself could ultimately own the property.
“We’re clear about our role as a steward of this process,” Sahid said.
The project is being overseen by an advisory board made up of 15 local organizations, including the Climate Action Campaign, Eritrean Community Services, Somali Youth United and the Horn of Africa Community.
For Mbengue — who already plays an active role in his neighborhood, serving on PANA’s Youth Congress — the emphasis on the community has helped him feel more connected to the hub’s development.
He’s most excited about the medical services that will be offered, plus recreation elements like a basketball court.
“This community hub will be different than other community hubs, because we’re giving the power to the community,” he said. “They get to see what they want to see.”
### In Defense of Our Communities
URL: https://www.panasd.org/defenseofourcommunities/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T01:20:51.000Z
Dear Friends,
We have witnessed firsthand the cruelty of past policies targeting our communities, and we refuse to let such injustices resurface unchallenged. As we have done before, we will double down on our efforts to respond swiftly to any attempts to codify xenophobia, criminalize those seeking safety, or further endanger families. We will use every tool available—including litigation—to protect those forced to flee violence and persecution as they seek safety and belonging at our borders.
At this moment, we hold the power to shape the response of our local community replacing expulsion with sanctuary and othering with belonging. I invite you to join our efforts to create a community of care providing free legal services, advancing a more inclusive democracy, organizing, and our historic effort to put power directly into the hands of refugee communities to develop RICH (Refugee and Immigrant Cultural Hub) —2.2 acres into a refuge of housing, services, and spaces for healing justice and honoring culture.
We know that the road ahead will be challenging, and it’s going to take all of us to push forward and create a future that values all of us. With [**one click**](https://www.panasd.org/donate-to-pana), you can make a difference today.
All care,
**Ramla Sahid**
Executive Director
Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA)
Email: ramla@panasd.org
### Speak Your Rights
URL: https://www.panasd.org/speak-your-rights/
Last updated: 2025-10-07T17:27:45.000Z
- I choose to exercise my legal rights.
- I will remain silent, and I refuse to answer your questions.
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- I wish to speak to an attorney.
- I refuse to sign anything without advice from an attorney.
- I wish to see an immigration judge.
- I am afraid of returning to my home country.
*Note: to play the audio when you are offline and when your phone is locked — download the PANA* [*Mobile App*](https://www.panasd.org/mobile-app-2/)*.*
### Know Your Rights — English
URL: https://www.panasd.org/know-your-rights-english/
Last updated: 2025-10-05T02:59:10.000Z
[Speak Your Rights 📣](https://www.panasd.org/speak-your-rights-english)
- I choose to exercise my legal rights.
- I will remain silent, and I refuse to answer your questions.
- I do not consent to a search of myself, my belongings, or my property.
- I wish to speak to an attorney.
- I refuse to sign anything without advice from an attorney.
- I wish to see an immigration judge.
- I am afraid of returning to my home country.
[Know Your Rights — English DoorhangerEN SBCC KYR DH in CA.pdf257 KBdownload-circle](https://www.panasd.org/content/files/2025/10/EN-SBCC-KYR-DH-in-CA-1.pdf "Download")
### We Have Rights- If ICE Arrests Us
0:00
/3:14
1×
ICE arrests increased by 30% in 2017\. Today, more than ever, it is critical for you and your loved ones to have a plan for what to do if one of you is arrested by ICE. This video will walk you through what your rights are if ICE arrests you. It explains what you and your loved ones should do if one of you is arrested.
### We Have Rights- In Our Communities, In Our Streets
0:00
/3:25
1×
Increasingly, ICE agents approach and detain people in the community: in the street, in your car, at work, even in court. This video outlines what your rights are if ICE approaches you in your community, what to do in such a situation, and how it is your right to record such interactions if you see them happening to someone else.
### We Have Rights- Inside Our Homes
0:00
/3:50
1×
If ICE agents enter your home, you still have rights! This video outlines important information about what to do when ICE agents are inside your home, what your rights are, and what you can do to prepare for future immigration proceedings, should they occur.
### We Have Rights- When ICE is Outside Our Doors
0:00
/3:36
1×
ICE agents may come to your home looking for you or a loved one. They will try a number of tricks to get you to open the door. This video will help you understand what your rights are if ICE agents come to your home and what you can do to try to prevent them from entering.
For more information visit: [www.aclu.org/we-have-rights](https://www.aclu.org/we-have-rights?ref=panasd.org)
[We Have Rights | American Civil Liberties UnionThe ACLU dares to create a more perfect union — beyond one person, party, or side. Our mission is to realize this promise of the United States Constitution for all and expand the reach of its guarantees.American Civil Liberties Union](https://www.aclu.org/we-have-rights?ref=panasd.org)
### Mobile App
URL: https://www.panasd.org/mobile-app-2/
Last updated: 2025-10-04T19:26:09.000Z
Download and install our new mobile app. Stay up to date on our partnership, **Speak Your Rights**, and share your photos and videos with PANA.
## Apple and Android
## Share the App
When you install the App you can choose:
- whether to allow notifications, or not
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- to send us photos and videos
*Apple app works on iPhone, iPad and Apple Silicon Macs.*
If you prefer not to use the app stores, you can install our Progressive Web App from [https://app.panasd.org](https://app.panasd.org/?ref=panasd.org)
Any questions or suggestions message us in the App or email [info@panasd.org](mailto:info@panasd.org?cc=john%40panasd.org&subject=Question%20or%20issue%20on%20Mobile%20App)
### Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA) Condemns President Biden's Asylum Ban
URL: https://www.panasd.org/pana-condemns-president-bidens-asylum-ban/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:29:24.000Z
**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**
**Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA) Condemns President Biden's Asylum Ban**
**San Diego, CA – June 4, 2024** – The Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA) strongly condemns President Biden's recent Asylum Ban. This dangerous policy jeopardizes the lives of asylum seekers, contravenes international law, and perpetuates a cycle of violence and insecurity.
The Asylum Ban, a continuation of previous administrations' harmful measures, reflects a disregard for the United States' legal and moral obligations under international law. By denying asylum seekers the right to seek safety, this policy places vulnerable individuals, including families and children, in imminent danger.
"President Biden's Asylum Ban is a stark betrayal of the very platform he ran on, turning his back on immigrants and refugees," said Maria Chavez, Immigration Legal Director of PANA. "During his 2020 campaign, President Biden promised to restore and strengthen the asylum system, ensure humane treatment for those seeking refuge, and uphold America's commitment to protecting vulnerable populations, as detailed in his campaign's immigration plan. This policy flagrantly violates those promises, contravenes international law, and entrenches the xenophobic and racist politics of his predecessor."
"We cannot ignore the direct link between U.S. foreign policy and the humanitarian crises that lead to forced migration," said Ramla Sahid, Executive Director of PANA. "By enacting policies that deny the right to asylum, we are compounding the suffering of refugees. It is a moral imperative that we streamline and invest in our immigration system to make it more fair for those escaping the consequences of violence and conflict, much of which we have helped cause."
PANA stands firmly against policies that undermine the fundamental principles of asylum and protection for those fleeing persecution and stands with leading advocates for immigrant rights across the country to denounce this dangerous policy.
PANA calls on the Biden administration to immediately rescind the Asylum Ban and work towards policies that uphold human rights and international law.
For further information, please contact:
**Ramla Sahid**
Executive Director
Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA)
Email: maria@panasd.org
**Maria Chavez**
Immigration Legal Director
Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA)
Email: maria@panasd.org
**About PANA:**
The Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA) is a San Diego-based nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the full economic, social, and civic inclusion of refugees and displaced populations in the San Diego region, throughout California, and across the country. PANA envisions a world where refugees and displaced people are connected leaders building a global movement that ends forced migration and secures meaningful freedom for all.
### Voting rights: California lawmakers may translate more ballots, help more non-English-speakers to vote
URL: https://www.panasd.org/voting-ballotsinownlanguage/
Last updated: 2026-02-14T22:59:32.000Z
**CalMatters**
[Voting rights: California lawmakers may translate more ballots, help more non-English-speakers to voteA bill would increase requirements for California elections officials to accommodate voters who rely on languages other than English.CalMatters](http://web.archive.org/web/20251112123327/https://calmatters.org/california-divide/2024/03/immigrant-voter-rights/)
Source: Wayback availability API
**In summary**
Advocates say California’s immigrant citizens who need it should get ballots and voting help in their own language.
California lawmakers are considering a bill that would expand language assistance and election services to immigrants who don’t speak English fluently, but a group representing voter registrars throughout the state says it will cost counties too much money.
[California has the nation’s highest](https://web.archive.org/web/20251112123327/https://calmatters.org/politics/2022/02/california-election-languages/) proportion of households that speak languages other than English. [Nearly 3 million](https://web.archive.org/web/20251112123327/https://www.advancingjustice-alc.org/media/Breaking-Barriers-to-the-Ballot-Box-2023-with-Appendix.pdf) voting age Californians have limited English knowledge.
Assemblymember Evan Low, the Cupertino Democrat who co-authored [Assembly Bill 884](https://web.archive.org/web/20251112123327/https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill%5Fid=202320240AB884), said he hopes it will increase voter participation and strengthen democracy in California.
“California is one of the most diverse states and leads the nation in language diversity,” he said, “so it is important that we lead the way to providing in-language ballots and voting materials to reduce barriers and enfranchise more Californians.”
The bill, which passed the Assembly in late January and is before the Senate, would require California’s Secretary of State to identify the languages spoken by at least 10,000 voting-age individuals in a county who don’t speak English fluently, including groups not covered by current federal voting rights laws, such as Middle Eastern or African immigrants.
The Secretary of State would then have to provide language assistance, including a toll-free hotline and funding for county language coordinators, in areas where the need is most acute.
If the proposal succeeds, it would require San Diego County, for instance, to translate voting material into Somali and at least 20 other languages, the bill’s sponsors say.
“We want voters to trust the government and that boils down to a voter in any community being able to understand what is happening in their own community,” said Pedro Hernandez, a policy director at California Common Cause, which cosponsored the bill.
If it is successful, the bill would go into effect in 2025, too late for next Tuesday’s primary and the November general election.
### Immigrant voting rights
Federal and state laws are meant to ensure all eligible voters can vote, regardless of English proficiency. However many foreign-born American citizens face significant language barriers when casting their ballot.
[Under current state law](https://web.archive.org/web/20251112123327/https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes%5FdisplaySection.xhtml?lawCode=ELEC§ionNum=14201), there’s no requirement to provide voter information guides or translated materials about voter registration in languages not covered by the federal Voting Rights Act, which passed in 1965 but was expanded in 1975\.
[Federal law](https://web.archive.org/web/20251112123327/https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/about/voting-rights/voting-rights-determination-file.html) covers Spanish and languages spoken by Asian, Native American or Alaskan citizens. It requires counties to provide election material to population groups which meet specific size thresholds; groups must comprise more than 10,000 voting-age citizens or 5% of all voting-age citizens in a county.
A sign outside the San Diego Registrar of Voters reads “vote here” in several languages. Counties would have to translate more ballots and help more immigrant citizens vote under a new bill. Photo by Adriana Heldiz, CalMatters
California has lower population thresholds, requiring translations of sample ballots for greater numbers of eligible voters, but not other services such as votable ballots in other languages or poll workers who speak other languages, advocates said. Thousands of immigrants still lack equal access to the polls, advocates said, because they rely on languages not covered under federal laws.
Under state law, in each year with an election for governor the Secretary of State must determine the voting precincts where 3% or more of the voting age population is citizens in “language minority” groups who can’t vote without English language assistance.
The Secretary of State relies on census data to make language coverage determinations. But the Census Bureau provides limited data on small populations, claiming privacy protections, [advocacy groups said](https://web.archive.org/web/20251112123327/https://www.advancingjustice-alc.org/media/Breaking-Barriers-to-the-Ballot-Box-2023-with-Appendix.pdf).
In 2022, when California Secretary of State Shirley Weber initially [decided to reduce](https://web.archive.org/web/20251112123327/https://calmatters.org/politics/2022/02/california-election-languages/) the number of languages required to be translated from 27 to 10 in some precincts, her press secretary, Joe Kocurek, attributed it to the reduced Census data.
Days later, after CalMatters published a story on the issue, Weber [reversed her decision](https://web.archive.org/web/20251112123327/https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/ccrov/2022/march/22039sr.pdf). She [told CalMatters](https://web.archive.org/web/20251112123327/https://calmatters.org/politics/2022/02/california-election-languages/) at the time: “This drastic change was extremely troubling both to me and to the counties who provide services to these voters, because reduced language assistance has the potential to disenfranchise voters who may not receive voting materials in the appropriate language.”
### Overlooked voters
For Safiyo Jama, passing the American citizenship test meant she can play a role in a democratic system she has long admired. In 2012, when Jama voted in her first U.S. election, other African immigrants in the San Diego area asked her to provide translations and voting assistance.
“They wanted to know what this candidate would do; they wanted to know which candidate was best for all of us,” said Jama, a 40-year-old Somali immigrant. “If there were ballots in Somali, more people would vote.”
Safiyo Jama, a San Diego resident from Somalia, translates and helps fellow Somali immigrants when they vote. Photo by Adriana Heldiz, CalMatters
Thousands of Somali refugees like Jama immigrated to San Diego County in the 1990s, as civil war ravaged the East African nation. Decades later at least 1,400 voting-age Somali residents in the county have self-identified as having limited English proficiency, though voting rights advocates say that’s likely an undercount.
A [recent report](https://web.archive.org/web/20251112123327/https://www.advancingjustice-alc.org/media/Breaking-Barriers-to-the-Ballot-Box-2023-with-Appendix.pdf) by voter advocates says the federal government’s definition of “language minorities” overlooks many voters who speak African or Middle Eastern languages.
For instance, there are 659 precincts in Los Angeles County containing Arabic speakers, but only 123 meet the state’s threshold for providing translated materials and services. Because Arabic is not covered under federal law, election offices are not mandated to provide election services in Arabic, the report said.
In contrast, Korean voters in neighboring Santa Barbara County, which has 12 precincts covered for translated voting material in Korean, receive language support because the voters with limited English proficiency live in highly concentrated population areas, the report said.
The system therefore benefits communities that are residentially segregated, advocates said.
That could change under the proposal. For instance the bill would mandate San Diego County provide translated voting material in Arabic.
According to the San Diego Registrar of Voters, the county already translates sample ballots into Arabic, as well as Japanese, Korean, Laotian, Somali, Persian and other languages. Officials would not answer questions about the bill.
Advocates said translated sample ballots are useful, but they still pose difficulties for eligible voters who don’t speak English well. The lack of assistance in their specific language and having to rely on friends, family, even children to provide translation are the main reasons these eligible voters don’t register in the first place, advocates said.
Some voting material was in Vietnamese at the San Diego Registrar of Voters on Feb. 13, 2024\. Photo by Adriana Heldiz, CalMatters
### Fiscal concerns
Though the bill passed in the Assembly, it triggered financial concerns as lawmakers face a projected [multi-billion-dollar budget deficit](https://web.archive.org/web/20251112123327/https://calmatters.org/politics/capitol/2024/02/california-budget-deficit-balloons/).
An [Assembly Appropriations Committee](https://web.archive.org/web/20251112123327/https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billAnalysisClient.xhtml?bill%5Fid=202320240AB884) analysis said the bill’s implementation would initially cost $28.8 million in fiscal 2024-25 and annually about $15.2 million, including language identification and translation duties, voter outreach, upgrades to phone systems and a voter registration database.
The Secretary of State’s office did not respond to CalMatters’ questions about the proposal’s potential costs.
A statewide group representing county registrars and election officials, the California Association of Clerks and Election Officials, said it supports the goal of providing voters with election materials in their preferred language, but it opposes this bill due to financial concerns, said Bob Page, its legislative committee co-chair.
“For many counties that currently have more state-covered languages than federal-covered languages, increasing language service requirements could be expected to more than double the county’s language service costs and demand on labor,” the association wrote in a letter to Assemblymember Chris Holden, the Pasadena Democrat who chairs the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
Today eligible voters can register to vote online and by mail. California requires all counties to mail voters a ballot ahead of an election. Voters can return them by mail or drop them off at a ballot box or voting center, or they can vote in person.
> “If they don’t sign the bill I will keep helping my community, because they want to vote and that’s their right.”Safiyo Jama, american citizen from somalia who helps others vote by translating election materials
In precincts where the 3% language threshold is met, a county must provide translated sample ballots and translated instructions to voters. But some advocates said that’s not enough.
“You can’t use a sample ballot to vote on,” said Deanna Kitamura, senior staff attorney at Asian Americans Advancing Justice, a bill co-sponsor. “You’re holding up the sample ballot in your language and then you’re having to look at it and mark the English ballot, which you use to vote on.”
### Building trust
Kitamura [testified](https://web.archive.org/web/20251112123327/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y%5FGr7hLY5ss&t=11s) in November to an Assembly committee that a [2015 study](https://web.archive.org/web/20200321152905id%5F/http://www.bernardfraga.com/uploads/2/2/3/4/22341374/fragamerseth%5Fvralanguage.pdf) found language assistance increased Latino voter registration by 15% and expanded voter turnout by 15% in Asian American communities. When San Diego County started providing language assistance, voter registrations rose by more than 20% among Filipino Americans and by almost 40% among Vietnamese Americans, Kitamura said.
Other states have expanded assistance to voters whose languages aren’t covered under federal law. [Oregon](https://web.archive.org/web/20251112123327/https://secure.sos.state.or.us/orestar/vr/register.do?lang=eng&source=SOS) and [Minnesota](https://web.archive.org/web/20251112123327/https://www.sos.state.mn.us/elections-voting/somali), for example, provide online voter registration in Somali. [California](https://web.archive.org/web/20251112123327/https://registertovote.ca.gov/) does not.
“In order for California to build trust, it has to be a multiracial and multilingual democracy, which means prioritizing and centering in language access,” said Hernandez at Common Cause.
Common Cause was one of a dozen organizations that participated in the California Language Access Workgroup launched in 2021\. As part of its agenda, the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans, an organization serving refugee communities, held listening sessions in 2022 to gauge the needs of Somali American voters in San Diego County. Rahmo Abdi, director of campaigns for the San Diego group, said listening session participants felt unsure and worried about making a wrong voting decision that could hurt their communities.
That’s why multilingual assistance honors the choice of every eligible voter, Abdi added.
“We don’t think we need to wait for federal law to get more access for our community, that’s why we are fighting locally to expand language services,” Abdi said.
Rahmo Abdi, at the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans, is pushing local officials to expand ballot languages and election assistance for citizens who rely on languages other than English. Photo by Adriana Heldiz, CalMatters
Jama attended many of those listening sessions, volunteering as an interpreter. She said she plans to vote in the presidential primary Tuesday, and she will continue helping those who don’t speak English.
“Even if they don’t sign the bill I will keep helping my community, because they want to vote and that’s their right,” said Jama. “That’s democracy.”
*This story has been updated to reflect the latest amendment to the bill, which would require that state and county election officials translate election materials into the languages of voting age people who are not proficient in English, if those citizens number 10,000 or more, or they are at least 5% of the voting age population of a county.* *While federal law requires translations into a limited number of languages, this bill is expected to require California counties to translate more materials into more languages than federal law requires.*
### Opinion: How automatic licensee plate readers make us less safe - The San Diego Union-Tribune
URL: https://www.panasd.org/opinion-heres-how-automatic-license-plate-readers-make-us-less-safe-and-expose-our-personal-data/
Last updated: 2026-02-14T23:00:06.000Z
**San Diego Union-Tribune**
[Opinion: How automatic licensee plate readers make us less safe - The San Diego Union-TribuneThese technologies create an immense oversight burden for our public officials.San Diego Union-Tribune](http://web.archive.org/web/20240210051648/https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/opinion/commentary/story/2023-08-30/opinion-automatic-license-plate-readers-san-diego-ice-data-privacy-trust-coalition)
Source: Wayback availability API
**Irani* is an associate professor at UC San Diego and a member of the steering committee of TRUST Coalition. She lives in University Heights. *Yusufi* is deputy director of the Partnership for Advancement of New Americans and a member of the steering committee of TRUST Coalition. She lives in San Marcos.*
Are automatic license plate readers ungovernable?
Police departments across the region want to adopt automated license plate reader technologies with the promise of solving crimes. These readers tie cars to locations, noting not only license plate numbers, but make, model, and features like bumper stickers and roof racks, according to a demo video by San Diego’s proposed vendor Flock Safety. Crucially, the devices allow police to connect plates to personal identity through state databases. (We challenge Flock’s branding as “safety” when [scientific](https://web.archive.org/web/20240210051648/https://www.policeforum.org/assets/docs/Free%5FOnline%5FDocuments/Technology/combating%2520auto%2520theft%2520in%2520arizona%2520-%2520a%2520randomized%2520experiment%2520with%2520lpr%2520technology%25202011.pdf) [studies](https://web.archive.org/web/20240210051648/https://www.independent.org/pdf/research%5Farticles/2021%5F11%5F30%5Falpr.pdf) find automated license plate readers make little to no discernible impact on auto thefts.)
While we’re told that these technologies are tools for public safety, they actually make many of us less safe. Automatic license plate reader data can place a visitor from out-of-state near an abortion clinic or a clinic that provides gender-affirming care, and prosecutors in their state can request the data from San Diego. Federal immigration authorities have spent millions of dollars to buy automatic license plate reader data collected from cities like ours, using that data to locate our neighbors and separate their families. If you don’t want a Texas prosecutor in your neighborhood, you don’t want automatic license plate readers. If you don’t want Immigration and Customs Enforcement in your neighborhood, you don’t want automatic license plate readers.
Over the last year, TRUST Coalition members and many others have shown up to community meetings, Privacy Advisory Board meetings and City Council meetings, pressing our leaders to reject Mayor Todd Gloria’s automatic license plate reader proposal. Council voted yes on automatic license plate readers instead, but members adopted legal guardrails that attempt to prohibit using automatic license plate readers for immigration enforcement, abortion care prosecutions or minor crimes. We are heartened that our council members care.
These legal guardrails, however, are not guardrails at all. In practice, they are treated as little more than suggestions, and often ignored. We’ve learned from experience in San Diego that guardrail policies are commonly violated by those they are meant to constrain.
The California Values Act, or [Senate Bill 54,](https://web.archive.org/web/20240210051648/https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill%5Fid=201720180SB54) offers a cautionary tale. SB 54 was passed by lawmakers in 2017 to protect immigrants by limiting local police and the use of state resources in assisting in deportations and family separation. Despite this, [Voice of San Diego](https://web.archive.org/web/20240210051648/https://voiceofsandiego.org/2018/04/26/sdpd-shares-its-license-plate-database-with-border-patrol-and-hundreds-of-other-agencies/) caught the San Diego Police Department in 2018 sharing its automated license plate recognition data with Customs and Border Protection and 600 other agencies throughout the country through its technology provider, Vigilant. In 2020, [reporters revealed](https://web.archive.org/web/20240210051648/https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/communities/south-county/chula-vista/story/2020-12-06/chula-vista-gives-immigration-officials-others-access-to-license-plate-reader-data) that the city of Chula Vista had shared its automated license plate recognition data with federal immigration officials for over three years, seemingly without the knowledge of its City Council.
California state law offers another reason for concern. Our state has had [laws](https://web.archive.org/web/20240210051648/https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billCompareClient.xhtml?bill%5Fid=201520160SB34&showamends=false) governing automatic license plate readers since 2015 requiring agencies to create privacy policies, keep systems secure and to notify us when our data is breached, as with any other personal information. So how did that law do in getting agencies to secure the automatic license plate reader data they collected?
Not great. A 2019 California State Auditor [report](https://web.archive.org/web/20240210051648/https://www.auditor.ca.gov/reports/2019-118/summary.html#:~:text=Our%2520audit%2520of%2520the%2520use,ALPR%2520images%2520and%2520associated%2520data.) looked at four local police departments’ automatic license plate reader practices. It found that none of the agencies it reviewed had legally compliant privacy policies. Three of four did not clearly define who could access the data. And three stored their data with an outside “cloud” data company without guarantees that the company would appropriately protect the data. More recently, [Electronic Frontier Foundation caught El Cajon](https://web.archive.org/web/20240210051648/https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/public-safety/story/2023-08-27/el-cajon-police-sharing-license-plate-data) breaking the law by sharing automatic license plate reader data with Houston, where most abortions are illegal. California law offered guardrails and the local police blasted right through them.
The best way to keep data safe is to not collect it all. When data collection is necessary, European data law calls for “data minimization” — collect minimal data for specific purposes and delete it as soon as it is no longer required. Automatic license plate reader data minimization would mean, most generously, that automatic license plate reader data is only stored for incidents covered by a warrant. It does not mean what the City Council’s new policy allows — the dragnet collection and storage of surveillance for law enforcement fishing expeditions.
These technologies create an immense oversight burden for our public officials. In Chula Vista and in San Diego, we’ve seen City Council members surprised to learn at what agencies have done with surveillance. These technologies require complex collaborations between public agencies, technology companies and data storage companies that are hard to understand and even harder to track across states. Even worse, recent layoffs leave San Diego without as many reporters and researchers to help make sense of it all and keep government accountable.
Legal guardrails are meant to make us feel safe, but our own history shows that meaningful accountability is hard to come by and often too late. Data minimization and foregoing systems that make us vulnerable are the only pathways to make sure public safety for some does not become public danger for others.
### City's Public Safety Committee votes to support San Diego Police Department's smart streetlight proposal - The San Diego Union-Tribune
URL: https://www.panasd.org/citys-public-safety-committee-votes-to-support-san-diego-police-departments-smart-streetlight-proposal/
Last updated: 2026-02-14T23:00:48.000Z
**San Diego Union-Tribune**
[City's Public Safety Committee votes to support San Diego Police Department's smart streetlight proposal - The San Diego Union-TribuneThe approval comes a few weeks after the Privacy Advisory Board voted to reject the technology; the City Council will decide which route to take in the coming weeksSan Diego Union-Tribune](http://web.archive.org/web/20230731183704/https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/public-safety/story/2023-07-19/san-diegos-public-safety-committee-votes-to-support-police-departments-smart-streetlight-proposal)
Source: Wayback availability API
SAN DIEGO —
The city’s Public Safety Committee voted to support the San Diego Police Department’s smart streetlight proposal on Wednesday, bringing the divisive tech one step closer to installation.
The department [first proposed installing the cameras](https://web.archive.org/web/20230731183704/https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/public-safety/story/2023-03-05/san-diego-police-say-now-is-the-time-for-smart-cameras-and-license-plate-readers-others-ask-why-the-rush) — 500 of them, all equipped with automated license plate reader technology — in March. If the City Council approves the plan, the city would become the largest in the country to use cameras and plate readers as part of a single network, police officials have said.
The cameras would be located across San Diego, with the highest concentrations in District 8, which includes communities like Barrio Logan, Logan Heights, Otay Mesa, and District 3, which encompasses Hillcrest, North Park and downtown San Diego.
Three committee members, Councilmembers Marni von Wilpert, Raul Campillo and Jennifer Campbell voted in favor of the proposal. Councilmember Monica Montgomery Steppe voted against it.
“I think this is what’s needed to protect public safety, protect victims, and protect people who are innocent and wrongly accused,” said von Wilpert, who chairs the Public Safety Committee, at Wednesday’s meeting.
Montgomery Steppe stressed that while she’s not against the use of technology to help police officers do their jobs, she feels strongly that these tools require another layer of accountability.
“This process was wasn’t just intended to be a checklist, it was intended to be thorough,” she said. “It was intended to promote collaboration with community members.”
Speakers who opposed the technology said on Wednesday that they worried the technology would invade people’s privacy and lead to overpolicing in communities of color. Many said they didn’t trust the police to be good stewards of such powerful tools.
“How will this impact my community? How will this impact folks who have various immigration statuses in my community? How will this impact and criminalize other members of our community?” said Homayra Yusufi, interim executive director of the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans. “And what we have seen with the streetlights and (license plate readers) is that there is not enough information for us to feel that these technologies will be used in a way that will not harm us.”
Yusufi’s organization is one of many that came together to form TRUST SD, a coalition of community groups that helped craft the city’s new surveillance ordinance. Passed in September, the law requires technologies like smart streetlights be vetted before they’re put to use.
[Under the new law](https://web.archive.org/web/20230731183704/https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/public-safety/story/2023-07-18/san-diego-extends-its-deadline-to-review-more-than-300-surveillance-technologies), city departments are required to disclose their surveillance technologies and compile reports outlining how those tools are used and their impact on communities.
That information then makes its way to the newly formed Privacy Advisory Board — a volunteer panel tasked with vetting the city’s technologies — and, subsequently, to the City Council.
Last month, [the Privacy Board voted](https://web.archive.org/web/20230731183704/https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/public-safety/story/2023-06-25/pab-advisory-board-vote) to recommend to city officials that they not allow the streetlight program to move forward. The City Council will decide whether to side with the board or the Public Safety Committee in the coming weeks.
On Wednesday, police and city officials praised smart streetlights for their effectiveness. They cited the technology’s positive impact on police work as the reason for pursuing their installation.
“Bringing back the use of Smart Streetlights will be a game changer for the San Diego Police Department,” San Diego police Chief David Nisleit said in a statement. “Investigators will be able to narrow in on suspects more quickly and with greater precision.”
In 2016, City Council members signed off on a $30 million project that pledged to use 3,000 energy-saving smart streetlights to assess traffic and parking patterns throughout the city. What the public didn’t know — and wouldn’t know for years — was that the technology came with cameras that could be accessed by police.
The resulting outcry — based on concerns about privacy and equity — led San Diego to shut down the network and fueled the creation of the surveillance ordinance and the Privacy Advisory Board.
Before losing access to the technology, police had used footage from the smart streetlights to investigate hundreds of cases, including 56 homicides or attempted homicides, 55 robberies or burglaries and 55 assaults involving a weapon.
The ones installed in San Ysidro helped investigators zero-in on a suspected gunman in the Nov. 6, 2019 shootings of three Church’s Chicken workers, one of whom was killed. [The shooter, Albert Lee Blake,](https://web.archive.org/web/20230731183704/https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/courts/story/2021-11-02/he-ended-my-happiness-life-for-man-who-fatally-opened-fire-in-otay-mesa-churchs-chicken) was found guilty of murder and attempted murder and sentenced to 146 years to life in prison in November 2021.
In downtown San Diego, they helped identify a man suspected of donning a costume mask and fatally shooting a business owner in October 2018.
Police officials also accessed streetlights 35 times to gather evidence against demonstrators suspected of committing crimes during protests held in the wake of George Floyd’s murder in 2020.
Although many acknowledge the technology’s potential as a crime-fighting tool, groups like the Privacy Advisory Board and others, have found the police department’s proposal lacking.
When the Privacy Advisory Board voted down the initiative last month, members said they felt the department hadn’t provided enough information about various aspects of the plan, including the purpose or goals of the streetlight program, how data would be collected and safeguarded, who would have access to the information gathered, how those individuals would be trained, and how the effectiveness of the technology would be assessed.
They also took issue with the fact that although department officials said they planned to install cameras made by Ubicquia, a telecommunications company, no information had been provided about the vendor that would supply the accompanying automated license plate reader technology.
On Wednesday, police officials said they would be pursuing a license plate reader contract with Flock Safety, which has partnered with more than 2,000 law enforcement departments, according to its website.
### Residentes en Estados Unidos ya pueden apadrinar refugiados. Esto es lo que tienes que saber para participar. - San Diego Union-Tribune en Español
URL: https://www.panasd.org/residentes-en-estados-unidos-ya-pueden-apadrinar-refugiados-esto-es-lo-que-tienes-que-saber-para-participar/
Last updated: 2026-02-14T23:01:25.000Z
**San Diego Union-Tribune en Español**
[Residentes en Estados Unidos ya pueden apadrinar refugiados. Esto es lo que tienes que saber para participar. - San Diego Union-Tribune en EspañolLa administración Biden puso en marcha Welcome Corps para transferir parte del trabajo de recibir a los recién llegados de las agencias de reasentamiento de refugiados a grupos de particularesSan Diego Union-Tribune en Español](http://web.archive.org/web/20230329112222/https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/en-espanol/noticias/ut-espanol/articulo/2023-01-30/residentes-en-estados-unidos-ya-pueden-apadrinar-refugiados-esto-es-lo-que-tienes-que-saber-para-participar)
Source: Wayback availability API
Cuando los refugiados llegan por primera vez a Estados Unidos, a menudo necesitan ayuda para aprender a ir en autobús, hacer un currículum o incluso, en algunos casos, encender la cocina.
Con el tiempo, con el apoyo de la comunidad y de trabajadores sociales dedicados, encuentran trabajo, se sacan el permiso para conducir, se compran un carro, hacen nuevas relaciones y reinician sus vidas.
Katherine Bom, ex refugiada y ahora directora ejecutiva de RefugeeNet, una organización sin ánimo de lucro que apoya a los refugiados, califica de “transformación” el cambio que ve en sus clientes.
Gracias a un nuevo programa puesto en marcha a finales de enero por el gobierno de Biden, ahora más sandieguinos pueden participar en esa transformación.
El programa, denominado Welcome Corps, es una colaboración entre los departamentos de Estado y de Salud y Servicios Humanos y una coalición de organizaciones sin ánimo de lucro. Empareja a equipos de residentes en Estados Unidos con familias de refugiados que ya han sido examinadas y aprobadas para su reasentamiento en Estados Unidos. De este modo, parte del trabajo se desplaza de las agencias de reasentamiento de refugiados, que durante décadas se han ocupado de la logística de la acogida de los recién llegados en las comunidades locales.
“El Welcome Corps es la innovación más audaz en materia de reasentamiento de refugiados en cuatro décadas”, declaró el Secretario de Estado Antony Blinken en un [comunicado](https://web.archive.org/web/20230329112222/https://www.state.gov/launch-of-the-welcome-corps-private-sponsorship-of-refugees/) de prensa en el que anunciaba el programa. “Está diseñado para reforzar y ampliar la capacidad del \[Programa de Admisión de Refugiados de Estados Unidos\] aprovechando la energía y el talento de estadounidenses de toda condición que deseen servir como patrocinadores privados, desde miembros de grupos religiosos y cívicos, veteranos, comunidades de la diáspora, empresas, colegios y universidades, etc.”.
A diferencia de los solicitantes de asilo que llegan a la frontera entre Estados Unidos y México, que necesitan ser examinados para ver si reúnen los requisitos para recibir protección en Estados Unidos tras su llegada, los refugiados que son reasentados a través del Programa de Admisión de Refugiados de Estados Unidos ya han sido examinados mientras esperaban en otros países tras huir de sus países de origen. Han sido identificados como personas que escaparon de la persecución y que no deben ser obligadas a volver al peligro.
Cuando llegan a Estados Unidos, tienen estatuto legal de refugiados y, al cabo de un año, pueden solicitar la tarjeta verde, comúnmente conocida como *green card*.
El reasentamiento de refugiados se detuvo casi por completo bajo la administración Trump, y bajo la presidencia de Joe Biden ha seguido siendo lento.
Estados Unidos ha prometido recibir hasta 125 mil refugiados este año fiscal, pero a finales de diciembre solo había acogido a unos 6750, es decir, solo algo más del 5 por ciento de ese total, según [datos](https://web.archive.org/web/20230329112222/https://www.wrapsnet.org/admissions-and-arrivals/) del Departamento de Estado. En el año fiscal 2022, Estados Unidos reasentó a 25 465, es decir, alrededor del 20 por ciento de los 125 mil prometidos.
Muchos esperan que la creación de la vía adicional de Welcome Corps ayude a aumentar las llegadas. También esperan que el programa ayude a los refugiados a adaptarse más rápidamente a sus nuevos hogares.
“Los datos demuestran que las interacciones entre los recién llegados y los residentes nacidos en Estados Unidos ayudan realmente a los recién llegados a acelerar su integración”, dijo Kit Taintor, vicepresidente de política y práctica de Welcome.US, una de las organizaciones que colaboran con el gobierno federal en el programa.
## ¿Qué se necesita para patrocinar?
Los grupos de apadrinamiento deben estar formados por al menos cinco adultos —ciudadanos de Estados Unidos o titulares de la tarjeta de residencia— y todos los miembros del grupo deben pasar una verificación de antecedentes. Al menos un miembro del grupo debe completar una formación especial del Welcome Corps, aunque se anima a todos a que lo hagan.
A continuación, el grupo debe crear un “plan de bienvenida” y solicitar la aprobación de Welcome Corps antes de que se les asigne un refugiado o una familia de refugiados.
Se espera que los grupos patrocinadores encuentren alojamiento para los refugiados que llegan, amueblen esos nuevos hogares, den la bienvenida a los recién llegados en el aeropuerto y les ayuden a realizar tareas burocráticas como obtener tarjetas de identificación estatales y de la seguridad social y matricular a los niños en la escuela. Los padrinos también les ayudarán a encontrar trabajo o a aprender las habilidades que necesitan para conseguirlo. Por encima de todo, los padrinos orientan a los refugiados en su camino hacia la autosuficiencia en su nuevo país.
Los padrinos son responsables económicamente de sus parejas durante los primeros 90 días. El programa exige a los grupos de patrocinadores que recauden 2275 dólares por refugiado reasentado: normalmente, el gobierno de Estados Unidos daría una cantidad similar de dinero a las agencias de reasentamiento de refugiados para el reasentamiento inicial. En zonas con un alto costo de la vida, como San Diego, los patrocinadores pueden tener que recaudar más del mínimo exigido para poder hacer un presupuesto viable para los recién llegados, según Ann O’Brien, que dirigió un reciente seminario web informativo de Welcome Corps en el que se inscribieron más de 5 mil personas.
Los patrocinadores también ayudarán a los refugiados a inscribirse en otras prestaciones, como los cupones de alimentos y el subsidio económico que pueden recibir durante un máximo de 8 meses cuando llegan por primera vez al país, para ayudar a las familias hasta que puedan empezar a trabajar y mantenerse por sí mismas.
“Lo más importante que deben recordar los patrocinadores es que no están solos en esto”, dijo Taintor.
Welcome Corps ofrece sesiones de ayuda para la solicitud y tiene sugerencias para recaudar los fondos necesarios en su [sitio web](https://web.archive.org/web/20230329112222/https://welcomecorps.org/).
## ¿Qué pueden esperar los patrocinadores?
Aunque oficialmente el compromiso es de unos tres meses, los organizadores del programa esperan que los emparejamientos den lugar a amistades para toda la vida. Y muchos de los que tienen experiencia trabajando con refugiados recién llegados dicen que se necesita más tiempo antes de que los recién llegados sean plenamente autosuficientes.
Durante el seminario web, O’Brien calificó el trabajo como algo que cambia la vida.
“Nunca diría que el reasentamiento de refugiados es fácil, pero puedo prometerte que será muy gratificante”, añadió su copresentador Chris George.
El seminario web incluyó una conversación con un refugiado y con Mary, que ayudó a apadrinar a Sunga y a su familia a través del grupo de su iglesia en Boston. El apadrinamiento se produjo antes de la creación de Welcome Corps y fue a través de una agencia de reasentamiento.
“Puedo animar a todo el mundo a participar en esto”, dijo Sunga. “Si vienes de tu país, llegar aquí es muy duro. Es muy duro, y llegas aquí y te sientes como si no fueras de ninguna parte. No conoces a nadie. Solo estás tú y tu familia. Así que de verdad, en serio, necesitas a la gente: necesitas a alguien que esté ahí para ti”.
Dunlavey dijo que ella y sus compañeros padrinos sentían que se habían convertido en tíos y tías de los hermanos pequeños de Sunga.
“Papy y su familia nos enseñaron mucho más de lo que pudimos ofrecerles”, dijo Dunlavey.
Will James, que dirige la organización sin ánimo de lucro Friendships for Hope, que ofrece clases de inglés y programas de distribución de alimentos a familias de refugiados, dijo que espera participar en Welcome Corps.
“En realidad, lo que haremos es convertirnos en la familia que los refugiados han perdido al huir de su patria”, dijo James. “Ésa es realmente la mayor necesidad de los refugiados”.
Aunque el reasentamiento inicial se ha considerado durante mucho tiempo un periodo de 90 días, dijo Yusufi, muchas organizaciones comunitarias se han puesto en marcha en todo el condado para ayudar a solventar las carencias del proceso de reasentamiento. Espera que los patrocinadores estén dispuestos a quedarse como recurso para los recién llegados.
## ¿Quiénes serán los refugiados patrocinados?
Según el sitio web de Welcome Corps, muchos de los primeros refugiados reasentados en el programa procederán del África subsahariana.
Eso significa que al menos algunos de los refugiados reasentados mediante el programa procederán de campos en los que quizá no hayan tenido acceso a electricidad u otras tecnologías que la gente que vive en Estados Unidos da por hechas.
Bom, directora ejecutiva de RefugeeNet, que tiene su sede en la Iglesia Episcopal de San Lucas, dijo que los refugiados procedentes de ese tipo de condiciones a menudo necesitan que se les enseñe a encender y apagar los interruptores de la luz y los electrodomésticos, así como a utilizar la estufa de su nuevo hogar. Hace años, su organización repartía un libro ilustrado en árabe a los refugiados sudaneses que llegaban para ayudarles a familiarizarse con los procesos domésticos.
“A los patrocinadores les supone mucho esfuerzo asegurarse de que toda la familia sepa utilizar correctamente todos los aparatos eléctricos”, dijo. “Imagínate estar en un lugar sin electricidad durante 20 años. Es un gran cambio”.
Durante la fase inicial del programa, los padrinos no pueden seleccionar a quién apadrinarán. En una fase posterior, cuyo lanzamiento está previsto para mediados de 2023, los padrinos podrán indicar que desean apadrinar a una persona o familia concretas, pero el proceso aún no está claro.
Muchos ex refugiados de San Diego tienen la esperanza de que la segunda fase signifique que podrán apadrinar a familiares de los que llevan mucho tiempo separados.
Homayra Yusufi, de la Asociación para el Progreso de los Nuevos Estadounidenses, dijo que su organización ya está recibiendo muchas llamadas de miembros de la comunidad de refugiados que quieren saber cómo traer a sus seres queridos a través del programa.
“Nuestra comunidad es muy unida, y tenemos una comunidad muy fuerte”, dijo Joseph Ekyoci, que anteriormente trabajó para RefugeeNet, principalmente en la comunidad congoleña. “Han dejado hermanos, madres, padres. Quieren traerlos aquí”.
## ¿Qué es lo más importante que deben tener en cuenta los patrocinadores?
Paciencia. Ésa fue la respuesta rotunda de muchos que han trabajado con refugiados, así como de los propios ex refugiados.
“Tienes que entender perfectamente que alguien se está adaptando a una nueva cultura, y el idioma puede ser una barrera al principio”, dijo Bom. “No sabes qué traumas han sufrido antes de venir aquí. Ser amable, cariñoso, comprensivo y estar dispuesto a hacer un esfuerzo adicional para apoyarles y ayudarles; como digo, hace falta mucho, pero lo primero es la confianza”.
Nadia Abdularhman, originaria de Sudán, dijo que ella y su familia se reasentaron en San Diego hace nueve años. Dijo que lo más importante que hizo un asistente social de la agencia de reasentamiento cuando su familia era nueva en Estados Unidos fue ayudarles a encontrar una vivienda que fuera suficiente para el tamaño de su familia. En aquel momento, eran una familia de siete miembros.
Aunque al principio los alojaron en una habitación, un asistente social les encontró una casa más grande, lo que ayudó al hijo adolescente de Abdularhman a sentirse más cómodo en su nueva vida.
Cuando la familia se puso en contacto con RefugeeNet, Bom ayudó al marido de Abdularhman a encontrar trabajo.
“Las dos cosas más importantes que tenía en mente eran el hogar y el trabajo”, dijo Abdularhman, con Bom traduciendo del árabe para que pudiera expresarse mejor.
También es importante ayudar a los recién llegados a encontrar una comunidad con otras personas de su región en San Diego, incluido dónde comprar el tipo de alimentos que están acostumbrados a cocinar para ayudarles con los sentimientos de añoranza de su hogar, dijo Bom.
Dado que San Diego tiene una larga historia como lugar de reasentamiento de refugiados, los comercios de todo el condado atienden a sus múltiples culturas.
Entre ellos está la tienda de comestibles de Ekyoci, Kupanda Market, que abrió en El Cajon Boulevard el año pasado. Dijo que abrió esta tienda centrada en la cocina africana y caribeña porque quería asegurarse de que la gente de su comunidad tuviera acceso a la comida de su cultura.
Aunque ya no le pagan por trabajar con refugiados, sigue teniendo una silla junto a la caja en la que los miembros de la comunidad pueden acudir a él si necesitan ayuda para rellenar formularios en línea o entender un documento escrito en inglés.
### U.S. residents can now sponsor refugees. Here's how. - The San Diego Union-Tribune
URL: https://www.panasd.org/us-residents-can-now-sponsor-refugees-heres-what-you-need-to-know-to-participate/
Last updated: 2026-02-14T23:01:55.000Z
**San Diego Union-Tribune**
[U.S. residents can now sponsor refugees. Here's how. - The San Diego Union-TribuneThe Biden administration launched Welcome Corps to shift some work of receiving newcomers to groups of private individuals from refugee resettlement agenciesSan Diego Union-Tribune](http://web.archive.org/web/20231225135352/https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/immigration/story/2023-01-28/sponsor-refugee-biden-how-to)
Source: Wayback availability API
When refugees first arrive in the United States, they often need help learning how to ride the bus, make a resume or even in some cases turn on the stove.
Over time, with support from community and dedicated case workers, they find jobs, get driver’s licenses, buy cars, make new connections and restart their lives.
Katherine Bom, a former refugee and now executive director of RefugeeNet, a nonprofit that supports refugees, calls the change she sees in her clients a “transformation.”
Under a new program launched in late January by the Biden administration, more San Diegans can now play a part in that transformation.
The program, called Welcome Corps, is a collaboration among the departments of State and Health and Human Services and a coalition of nonprofits. It matches teams of U.S. residents with refugee families who have already been screened and approved for resettlement in the United States. Doing so shifts some of the work away from refugee resettlement agencies which have for decades handled the logistics of receiving newcomers into local communities.
“The Welcome Corps is the boldest innovation in refugee resettlement in four decades,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a press [statement](https://web.archive.org/web/20231225135352/https://www.state.gov/launch-of-the-welcome-corps-private-sponsorship-of-refugees/) announcing the program. “It is designed to strengthen and expand the capacity of the \[U.S. Refugee Admissions Program\] by harnessing the energy and talents of Americans from all walks of life desiring to serve as private sponsors — ranging from members of faith and civic groups, veterans, diaspora communities, businesses, colleges and universities, and more.”
Unlike asylum seekers who come to the U.S.-Mexico border who need to be screened to see if they qualify for protection in the United States after they arrive, refugees who are resettled through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program have already been screened while waiting in other countries after fleeing their homelands. They have been identified as people who escaped persecution and who should not be forced to return to danger.
When they come to the United States, they have legal status as refugees, and after one year, they can apply for green cards.
Refugee resettlement almost stopped completely under the Trump administration, and under President Joe Biden, it has remained slow.
The United States has promised to receive up to 125,000 refugees this fiscal year, but as of the end of December had only taken in about 6,750, or just over 5 percent of that total, according to [data](https://web.archive.org/web/20231225135352/https://www.wrapsnet.org/admissions-and-arrivals/) from the State Department. In fiscal 2022, the United States resettled 25,465, or about 20 percent of the promised 125,000.
Many hope that creating the additional pathway of Welcome Corps will help increase arrivals. They also hope that the program will help refugees adjust to their new homes more quickly.
“Data shows that interactions between newcomers and U.S.-born residents really helps newcomers accelerate their integration,” said Kit Taintor, vice president of policy and practice at Welcome.US, one of the organizations partnering with the federal government on the program.
Sponsor groups must be made up of at least five adults — either U.S. citizens or green card holders — and everyone in the group must pass a background check. At least one member of the group must complete a special Welcome Corps training, though all are encouraged to do so.
Then the group must create a “Welcome Plan” and apply to Welcome Corps for approval before they are matched with a refugee or refugee family.
The sponsor groups are expected to find housing for the arriving refugees, furnish those new homes, welcome the newcomers at the airport and help them navigate bureaucratic tasks like getting state identification cards and social security cards and enrolling children in school. Sponsors will also help them find work or learn the skills they need to get jobs. Above all, sponsors mentor the arriving refugees on their journeys to self-sufficiency in their new country.
Sponsors are financially responsible for their matches during the first 90 days. The program requires sponsor groups to raise $2,275 per refugee being resettled — the U.S. government would normally give a similar amount of money to refugee resettlement agencies for initial resettlement. In high cost-of-living areas like San Diego, sponsors may need to raise more than the minimum required in order to make a workable budget for the new arrivals, according to Ann O’Brien, who led a recent Welcome Corps informational webinar that had more than 5,000 people registered.
Sponsors will also help refugees sign up for other assistance, such as food stamps and the cash aid they can receive for up to 8 months when they first arrive in the country, to help the families until they’re able to start working and providing for themselves.
“The big thing for sponsors to remember is they’re not in it alone,” Taintor said.
Welcome Corps is offering application help sessions and has suggestions for raising the required funds on its [website](https://web.archive.org/web/20231225135352/https://welcomecorps.org/).
Though the commitment is officially for about three months, organizers of the program hope that the matches will lead to lifelong friendships. And many who have experience working with newly arrived refugees say that it takes longer than that before newcomers are fully self-sufficient.
During the webinar, O’Brien called the work life-changing.
“I would never say that refugee resettlement is easy, but I can promise you it will be very rewarding,” added her co-host Chris George.
The webinar included a conversation with Papy Sunga, a refugee, and Mary Dunlavey, who helped sponsor Sunga and his family through her church group in Boston. The sponsorship happened prior to the creation of Welcome Corps and was through a resettlement agency.
“I can encourage everyone to be part of this,” Sunga said. “If you come from your country, to get here is very tough. It’s very tough, and you get here, and you feel like you are from nowhere. You don’t know nobody. You’re just you and your family. So you really, really need people — you need someone to be there for you.”
Dunlavey said she and her fellow sponsors felt they had become aunts and uncles to Sunga’s younger siblings.
“Papy and his family taught us way more than we were able to offer them,” Dunlavey said.
Will James, who runs the nonprofit Friendships for Hope, which provides English classes as well as food distribution programs to refugee families, said he is hoping to get involved with Welcome Corps.
“Really what we will be doing as we get into this is just becoming the family that the refugees have lost when they fled their homeland,” James said. “That really is the greatest need of the refugees.”
While initial resettlement has long been considered a 90-day time period, Yusufi said, many community organizations have started across the county to help fill gaps in the resettlement process. She hopes that sponsors will be willing to stick around as a resource for the new arrivals.
According to the Welcome Corps website, many of the first refugees resettled under the program will come from sub-Saharan Africa.
That means at least some of the refugees resettled through the program will be coming from camps where they may not have had access to electricity or other technologies that people living in the United States take for granted.
Bom, the executive director of RefugeeNet, which is based out of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, said that refugees coming from those kinds of conditions often need to be shown how to turn on and off light switches and appliances as well as how to use the stove in their new home. Years ago, her organization would hand out a picture book in Arabic to arriving Sudanese refugees to help them get acquainted with household processes.
“It takes a lot for sponsors to make sure that all the family are aware of using all the electric gadgets right,” she said. “Imagine being in a place with no electricity for 20 years. It’s a big shift.”
During the initial phase of the program, sponsors are not able to select whom they will be sponsoring. In a later phase expected to launch sometime mid-2023, sponsors will be able to indicate that they would like to sponsor a specific person or family, but the process is not yet clear.
Many former refugees in San Diego are hopeful that the second phase could mean that they will be able to sponsor relatives from whom they’ve long been separated.
Homayra Yusufi of the Partnership for the Advancement for New Americans said her organization is already fielding many calls from refugee community members wanting to know how to bring loved ones through the program.
“Our community is very united, and we have a very strong community,” said Joseph Ekyoci, who previously worked for RefugeeNet, primarily in the Congolese community. “They left brothers, mothers, fathers. They want to bring them here.”
Patience. That was the resounding answer from many who have worked with refugees as well as from former refugees themselves.
“You have to fully understand that someone is adapting to a new culture — and language could be a barrier in the beginning,” Bom said. “You don’t know what trauma they have endured before they come here. Being friendly, caring, understanding and willing to go the extra mile to support and help them — like I say, it takes a lot, but the first thing is the trust.”
Nadia Abdularhman, who is originally from Sudan, said she and her family resettled in San Diego nine years ago. She said the most important thing a caseworker from the resettlement agency did when her family was new to the United States was help them find housing that was sufficient for the size of their family. At the time, they were a family of seven.
Though they were initially placed in a one-bedroom, a caseworker found a bigger home for them, which helped Abdularhman’s teenage son feel more comfortable in his new life.
After the family got connected with RefugeeNet, Bom helped Abdularhman’s husband find a job.
“The most important two things that I had in my mind were home and work,” Abdularhman said, with Bom translating from Arabic so that she could express herself more fully.
It’s also important to help new arrivals find community with others from their region in San Diego, including where to buy the kinds of food items that they’re used to cooking to help them with the feelings of missing home, Bom said.
Because San Diego has a long history as a place where refugees resettle, businesses around the county cater to their many cultures.
That includes Ekyoci’s grocery store, Kupanda Market, which opened on El Cajon Boulevard last year. He said he opened the African- and Caribbean-cuisine focused store because he wanted to make sure people in his community had access to the food of their culture.
Even though he no longer gets paid to work with refugees, he still keeps a chair next to the checkout counter where community members can come to him if they need help filling out online forms or understanding a document that’s written in English.
### Opinion: San Diego renters once again have very limited eviction protections. Leaders must step up. - The San Diego Union-Tribune
URL: https://www.panasd.org/opinion-san-diego-renters-once-again-have-very-limited-eviction-protections-leaders-must-step-up/
Last updated: 2026-02-14T23:02:38.000Z
**San Diego Union-Tribune**
[Opinion: San Diego renters once again have very limited eviction protections. Leaders must step up. - The San Diego Union-TribuneWith the expiration of the no-fault eviction moratorium, renters in the city of San Diego are once again at risk of eviction.San Diego Union-Tribune](http://web.archive.org/web/20230323110759/https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/opinion/commentary/story/2022-10-26/commentary-future-san-diego-families-homelessness-tenant-protection)
Source: Wayback availability API
**Abdi* is the interim director of organizing and campaigns for Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA) and lives in San Diego.*
Throughout my time at the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans, or PANA, I have heard countless stories from community members who have faced landlord harassment, poor housing conditions and unlawful evictions. Our community organizers work tirelessly to ensure members of the San Diego refugee community are provided with the support needed to stay housed because they have seen how one eviction can disrupt a child’s education, prevent a child from living near extended family members, and displace a refugee family’s place in a community they finally found belonging and rebuilt a sense of home in after resettling in San Diego. And now, with the [expiration](https://web.archive.org/web/20230323110759/https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.sandiegouniontribune.com%252Fbusiness%252Fstory%252F2022-09-30%252Fno-fault-eviction-ban-expiration-allows-landlords-to-terminate-tenancies-without-cause&data=05%257C01%257Claura.castaneda%2540sduniontribune.com%257C618203753c6348ae7c5408daae3bccc8%257Ca42080b34dd948b4bf44d70d3bbaf5d2%257C0%257C0%257C638013869859241525%257CUnknown%257CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%253D%257C3000%257C%257C%257C&sdata=4Z4HiGn%252FSanjjiWZqFPEsiMgzfgE04s0h16skeSHB68%253D&reserved=0) of the city of San Diego’s no-fault eviction moratorium on Sept. 30, one of the last remaining pandemic protections for tenants, the partnership’s community members and tenants throughout the city are at an increased risk of displacement.
All San Diego renters are living in a city with extremely limited permanent tenant protections. San Diego’s current [Right to Know Regulations](https://web.archive.org/web/20230323110759/https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%253A%252F%252Fdocs.sandiego.gov%252Fmunicode%252FMuniCodeChapter09%252FCh09Art08Division07.pdf&data=05%257C01%257Claura.castaneda%2540sduniontribune.com%257C618203753c6348ae7c5408daae3bccc8%257Ca42080b34dd948b4bf44d70d3bbaf5d2%257C0%257C0%257C638013869859241525%257CUnknown%257CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%253D%257C3000%257C%257C%257C&sdata=CXdC7PsnbjUaAMVSjulLj3Izjz0kA8YK9AqdkyGW5tY%253D&reserved=0), passed in 2004, provide weak protections predominantly for tenants who have lived in their unit for more than two years. Unfortunately, those who haven’t lived in their unit for more than two years are largely out of luck when it comes to the availability of protections against no-fault and just-cause evictions. While San Diego renters do have some additional protections under [state law](https://web.archive.org/web/20230323110759/https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%253A%252F%252Fleginfo.legislature.ca.gov%252Ffaces%252FbillTextClient.xhtml%253Fbill%5Fid%253D201920200AB1482&data=05%257C01%257Claura.castaneda%2540sduniontribune.com%257C618203753c6348ae7c5408daae3bccc8%257Ca42080b34dd948b4bf44d70d3bbaf5d2%257C0%257C0%257C638013869859241525%257CUnknown%257CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%253D%257C3000%257C%257C%257C&sdata=xLEcjzFZ8Pg0ZmmYF8TexbE9BcjtG3sinzXndTtQnCs%253D&reserved=0), the City Council can and should pass stronger protections. One can look to other cities in recent years that have gone further than state-mandated protections, such as [Bell Gardens](https://web.archive.org/web/20230323110759/https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.bellgardens.org%252Fhome%252Fshowpublisheddocument%252F5797&data=05%257C01%257Claura.castaneda%2540sduniontribune.com%257C618203753c6348ae7c5408daae3bccc8%257Ca42080b34dd948b4bf44d70d3bbaf5d2%257C0%257C0%257C638013869859241525%257CUnknown%257CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%253D%257C3000%257C%257C%257C&sdata=cfAoflduQFt4npTjFE3xwingJoGwysai3rWc5G4fEs4%253D&reserved=0) in Los Angeles County.
Stronger tenant protections are also a key piece of addressing a broader housing affordability and homelessness crisis in San Diego. According to the [National Low Income Housing Coalition](https://web.archive.org/web/20230323110759/https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%253A%252F%252Fnlihc.org%252Foor&data=05%257C01%257Claura.castaneda%2540sduniontribune.com%257C618203753c6348ae7c5408daae3bccc8%257Ca42080b34dd948b4bf44d70d3bbaf5d2%257C0%257C0%257C638013869859398221%257CUnknown%257CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%253D%257C3000%257C%257C%257C&sdata=20dHHHwvFL2orpjIdoUSSRenrnnM%252Bp5stIhJ%252BhKxOb4%253D&reserved=0), the San Diego-Carlsbad metropolitan area is one of the most expensive jurisdictions for renters in the country. And, according to the most recent city of San Diego [Housing Element](https://web.archive.org/web/20230323110759/https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.sandiego.gov%252Fsites%252Fdefault%252Ffiles%252Fhe%5Ffinal%5Fprint%5Fview%5Fjune2021.pdf&data=05%257C01%257Claura.castaneda%2540sduniontribune.com%257C618203753c6348ae7c5408daae3bccc8%257Ca42080b34dd948b4bf44d70d3bbaf5d2%257C0%257C0%257C638013869859398221%257CUnknown%257CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%253D%257C3000%257C%257C%257C&sdata=mxzZJwvcCLi%252FFsbCE%252FnA%252Fu2VxgwBJBPG9lER7upKR0s%253D&reserved=0) report, from 2012 to 2019, average rent prices increased by 46 percent. Increased housing costs can contribute to displacement, including homelessness. For example, the most recent [Regional Task Force on Homelessness](https://web.archive.org/web/20230323110759/https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%253A%252F%252Fvoiceofsandiego.org%252F2022%252F05%252F19%252Fa-closer-look-at-san-diegos-homeless-census-results%252F&data=05%257C01%257Claura.castaneda%2540sduniontribune.com%257C618203753c6348ae7c5408daae3bccc8%257Ca42080b34dd948b4bf44d70d3bbaf5d2%257C0%257C0%257C638013869859398221%257CUnknown%257CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%253D%257C3000%257C%257C%257C&sdata=bWpA6qFXgKxhcYNbIlmYpRQRMRrzLJ56s77hOJHQXfM%253D&reserved=0) point-in-time count found that the number of people who are unsheltered increased over 9 percent since 2020\. Since this is described as a minimum count, it is likely there are many more San Diegans who are unsheltered. We know firsthand that efforts to address the homelessness crisis must include prevention from displacement, and prevention must include permanent tenant protections.
For the community we serve, the housing affordability crisis has left many rent burdened and experiencing “hidden homelessness.” According to our [2021 Refugee Experiences Report](https://web.archive.org/web/20230323110759/https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.panasd.org%252Frefugee-experiences-report&data=05%257C01%257Claura.castaneda%2540sduniontribune.com%257C618203753c6348ae7c5408daae3bccc8%257Ca42080b34dd948b4bf44d70d3bbaf5d2%257C0%257C0%257C638013869859398221%257CUnknown%257CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%253D%257C3000%257C%257C%257C&sdata=t6izujg992S6OKaHyxCKMSfPsnnZK%252BnNNhFNRpDhtro%253D&reserved=0), a majority of survey respondents reported living in overcrowded housing, while 20 percent of the city of San Diego resident respondents reported living in severely overcrowded living conditions. COVID-19 disproportionately impacted the economic well-being of refugees. Every day, our community organizers assist community members who are at risk of displacement and are experiencing landlord harassment, retaliation and unlawful evictions due in part to the weak tenant protections currently on the books in San Diego.
About a month ago, over 300 community members [rallied](https://web.archive.org/web/20230323110759/https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.cbs8.com%252Farticle%252Fnews%252Flocal%252Ffamilies-rally-for-tenant-rights%252F509-d1f2f044-ee94-436e-ba0b-f066b7b03e86&data=05%257C01%257Claura.castaneda%2540sduniontribune.com%257C618203753c6348ae7c5408daae3bccc8%257Ca42080b34dd948b4bf44d70d3bbaf5d2%257C0%257C0%257C638013869859398221%257CUnknown%257CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%253D%257C3000%257C%257C%257C&sdata=xpeyWrqubKxSn0Vy188wiDrCGvcg1bikaPobyqx%252BezE%253D&reserved=0) in City Heights to urge the San Diego City Council to pass permanent tenant protections. During the rally, I saw community members from neighborhoods throughout the city, all ages and diverse backgrounds coming together, because for them, passing permanent tenant protections is not only a matter of protecting one’s ability to stay housed, it is also a matter of maintaining the stability needed to plan for a future in a community they love. While extending temporary protections, such as the [no-fault eviction moratorium](https://web.archive.org/web/20230323110759/https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%253A%252F%252Fvoiceofsandiego.org%252F2022%252F04%252F28%252Fnew-san-diego-eviction-ban-coming-next-month%252F&data=05%257C01%257Claura.castaneda%2540sduniontribune.com%257C618203753c6348ae7c5408daae3bccc8%257Ca42080b34dd948b4bf44d70d3bbaf5d2%257C0%257C0%257C638013869859398221%257CUnknown%257CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%253D%257C3000%257C%257C%257C&sdata=yAtgUsJyLerZ21hP0kcvXrahKNYl8rXUfkVMYqphXZs%253D&reserved=0), are helpful to our community in the short term, extensions must not take the place of permanent protections.
With the expiration of the no-fault eviction moratorium, renters in the city of San Diego are once again at risk of eviction. Extending these protections will help residents stay housed, but due to their temporary nature, another expiration and another flood of evictions can be just around the corner. No-fault evictions can happen to any renter. Many of the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans’ staff are renters, which makes this issue hit even closer to home.
That is why we urge the City Council to pass permanent tenant protections against no-fault and just-cause evictions, including delayed eviction for certain tenants and right to meaningful relocation payments. We can’t continue to push San Diego renters aside when solutions are right in our hands.
### Afghans face insurmountable challenges in fleeing to U.S., a stark contrast to arriving Ukrainians
URL: https://www.panasd.org/afghans-face-insurmountable-challenges-in-fleeing-to-us-a-stark-contrast-to-arriving-ukrainians/
Last updated: 2026-02-14T23:03:18.000Z
**San Diego Union-Tribune**
[Afghans face insurmountable challenges in fleeing to U.S., a stark contrast to arriving UkrainiansAfter the last evacuation flights left Afghanistan, Homayra Yusufi’s family was one of many that scrambled to file applications to help their loved ones reach safety in the United States.Well…San Diego Union-Tribune](http://web.archive.org/web/20250922225241/https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2022/06/19/afghans-face-insurmountable-challenges-in-fleeing-to-us-a-stark-contrast-to-arriving-ukrainians/)
Source: Wayback availability API
After the last evacuation flights left Afghanistan, Homayra Yusufi’s family was one of many that scrambled to file applications to help their loved ones reach safety in the United States.
Well over half a year later, Yusufi’s 10 family members, like thousands of others still in danger now that the Taliban has taken over, are still waiting for an answer from the U.S. government.
More than 41,000 such applications — which would allow them to enter the U.S. temporarily under a special program called humanitarian parole — are still pending for Afghans, according to statistics provided by the Department of Homeland Security. Of the roughly 4,180 who have received responses so far, only 280 have been approved. The other 3,900, or about 93 percent, were denied.
“We hear stories day in and day out about humanitarian parole applicants who are being killed by the Taliban,” said Yusufi. “That’s just a reality.”
The Biden administration has used that same legal process — humanitarian parole — in a different program designed specifically for Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion of their country. It has moved substantially faster, and with fewer requirements, to quickly grant Ukrainians entry to the United States.
More than 40,000 applications for the Uniting For Ukraine program have been approved since it was created in late April, according to DHS. More than 8,600 Ukrainians have already been paroled into the United States through that effort.
For Yusufi and others, the ease with which Ukrainians have been able to flee to the United States is evidence that their loved ones’ cases could’ve been handled much differently — and expediently — by the U.S. government.
“This demonstrates that when there’s a political will, there’s a way,” said San Diego-based Yusufi. “It’s great that the Ukrainians are seeking safety and actually finding it. That’s amazing. I wish that other communities were treated similarly.”
When asked about the disparity, a DHS spokesperson who spoke on the record but declined to be named pointed to the Afghans who were evacuated as U.S. troops withdrew in August.
“The United States swiftly welcomed more than 79,000 Afghans through Operation Allies Welcome, an unprecedented historic effort, providing them with work authorization, immigration benefits, and other support as they begin their new lives in America — and we are prepared to welcome additional Afghans over the coming weeks and months,” the official said. “We also continue to honor the President’s commitment to Ukrainians fleeing Russia’s unprovoked war. More than 40,000 Ukrainian nationals have been authorized to travel to the United States to apply for parole since the launch of the Uniting for Ukraine process in April.”
Yusufi, who was born in Afghanistan and has been in the United States since the early 1990s, works as deputy director of Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans, a nonprofit that supports and empowers refugees and former refugees in the San Diego area. As U.S. troops left Afghanistan, she got involved with organizations and collectives trying to support Afghans grappling with the aftermath, and those left behind. In both roles, as well as in her personal life, Yusufi has kept a close watch on humanitarian parole applications as the picture grows bleaker.
The disparity in treatment, from Yusufi’s perspective, is a symptom of much broader issues with the way the United States handles situations of forced displacement around the world.
With few options left to them, some Afghans are deciding to try to make it to the U.S.-Mexico border to seek protection that way. The group is small relative to other nationalities seeking asylum at the southwest border — Customs and Border Protection officers at ports of entry and Border Patrol agents together encountered 166 Afghans trying to come to the United States without documents so far in 2022, according to data provided by the agency. But that is more than double the total for all of 2021.
FILE - Families evacuated from Kabul, Afghanistan, walk through the terminal to board a bus after they arrived at Washington Dulles International Airport, in Chantilly, Va., Sept. 1, 2021\. The U.S. airlifted 124,000 people out of Kabul over about six weeks as the American-backed Afghan military and government fell to the Taliban. Since then, around 8,000 people have managed to depart on flights arranged by the State Department or private groups and individuals. (AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe, File)
## The fastest way
Humanitarian parole has been used for decades to allow people into the United States quickly when they do not have visas to do so otherwise. Under the law, the reason can be for significant public benefit or humanitarian purposes.
In individual cases, that could mean a relative coming to the United States for a couple of weeks to attend a funeral or say goodbye to a dying loved one. Or, it could be someone needing to receive life-altering medical treatment only available in the U.S.
Generally, the person requesting parole must have a sponsor who agrees to cover any necessary costs during the person’s visit — including housing, food and medical care. There is also a $575 fee per person — not per family. The applicant can request a fee waiver, but that can slow down the process, particularly if the waiver is denied.
Humanitarian parole has also been used in situations when groups of people need to be brought to the United States, often in association with military operations, according to Margaret Stock, a retired lieutenant colonel from the U.S. Army who is now an immigration attorney.
Humanitarian parole was used in the aftermath of the Vietnam War, Stock said. She also recalled the military using it to evacuate military family members from the Philippines when Mount Pinatubo erupted in the early 1990s.
Before the special immigrant visa program was created by Congress — which allows people who worked for the U.S. military in Afghanistan and Iraq to get green cards — the Department of Defense would frequently request that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services parole such individuals who were in danger and needed to flee the country, Stock said.
Months before the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, Stock testified in Congress that humanitarian parole would be the only way to quickly bring people to safety. As U.S. troops evacuated tens of thousands of Afghans in August, U.S. officials used humanitarian parole to give them temporary permission to enter the country.
“It’s a standard part of U.S. military planning for military operations to do mass evacuations involving parole,” Stock said. “The only legal authority that’s fast is parole, so that’s what they always use.”
But in the case of Afghans, once U.S. troops pulled out, access to parole went with them.
A man from Ukraine sits among donated toys at a shelter in the Christian church Calvary San Diego for Ukrainians arriving after crossing into the United States from Tijuana, Mexico, Friday, April 1, 2022, in Chula Vista, Calif. As U.S. refugee resettlement agencies and nonprofits nationwide gear up to help Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion and war that has raged for nearly six weeks, members of faith communities have been leading the charge to welcome the displaced. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
## Seeing what’s possible
In late August, USCIS set up a special website detailing how Afghans who had not been evacuated could apply for humanitarian parole.
Not wanting to risk delaying the applications because of the imminent danger their loved ones were in, families like Yusufi’s scraped together the money to pay the fees. For Yusufi’s family, that meant paying $5,750 to cover the 10 applications.
But they did not get the responses they anticipated.
According to allegations in a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts on behalf of five other families, USCIS paused processing Afghan applications from early September to sometime in November. Then, USCIS adopted new, stricter standards that meant the vast majority of those applications would be denied, the federal complaint says.
Among the issues, USCIS decided that it could not process applications for Afghans still in Afghanistan because the U.S. consulate there was closed, and USCIS wanted them to have consular interviews where they would be fingerprinted and receive additional vetting as part of their screenings. But when some applicants tried traveling to Pakistan or Iran so that they could go to the U.S. consulates there, they were told that they were no longer in imminent danger and didn’t qualify.
However, under the Uniting for Ukraine program, Ukrainians can apply from Ukraine or elsewhere in the world. They do not have to pay any fees. They also do not have to go to consulates to get their paperwork; instead, it is emailed to them.
The most difficult part of the process for many Ukrainians is finding sponsors. Volunteers have set up Facebook groups to help U.S.-based families willing to sign the sponsorship forms to match with waiting Ukrainians.
Some Americans hesitated to sign the forms because of the potential financial responsibilities if, for example, someone is injured and has to go to an emergency room. But recently, Congress passed a bill that makes Ukrainians eligible for certain financial benefits, including Medicaid, that refugees typically receive for their first months in the United States. That lessens the financial obligations for sponsors.
Once Ukrainians find sponsors, the process often takes a matter of days.
“The administration keeps creating a new program — a new program for these people, a new program for these people, and they’re really all stopgap measures,” Yusufi said. “They demonstrate the inequities and racism within our immigration system rather than creating an equitable system that is sustainable and thorough and provides the actual long-term support that people fleeing from violence and fleeing for their lives need.”
The big difference, said Laila Ayub — an immigration attorney and cofounder of Project ANAR, an emergency response project to assist Afghans — is that Uniting for Ukraine takes into account that Ukrainains are fleeing and in crisis while the Afghan parole process does not.
“(Uniting for Ukraine) just showed us all of the demands we have been making have been possible to implement, and there’s not really a clear explanation for why the government hasn’t done so yet,” Ayub said.
## Deadly indifference
Shala Gafary, managing attorney of Project Afghan Legal Assistance for Human Rights First, sees several layers of reasons to explain why the U.S. government treats Ukrainians and Afghans fleeing their countries so differently.
There are the more obvious layers of racism in U.S. immigration policies, as well as in how the people fleeing are perceived by the public and the corresponding pressure for the government to react, when considering various humanitarian crises. But Gafary also points to the fact that Afghans have been fleeing their country for generations, adding to an indifference from the rest of the world.
“The longer you’re a marginalized, oppressed, targeted population, the more people get sick of you, and so the new population that people feel really sorry for because they, just yesterday, were ‘shopping on Amazon’ or those silly lines that the media was using — there’s not the same empathy for them,” Gafary said. “The longer you’re in conflict, the less people feel for you. It’s really sad.”
But the results of that indifference can be deadly.
A man identified in the Massachusetts lawsuit as Rasul applied for humanitarian parole for six of his family members in Afghanistan. He had already come to the United States after working for the military and had become a U.S. citizen.
He knew that because of his work, as well as that of several of the family members, they would likely be targeted by the Taliban.
“If the community sees one family member as disloyal due to their connections to the United States, the entire family carries the perceived stain,” the complaint explains.
As their parole applications languished, three of those family members were killed. Rasul’s attorney notified USCIS and pushed for the agency to expedite the three surviving family members’ cases, the complaint says. But they are still waiting.
Adriana Lafaille, the ACLU staff attorney representing the five families in the lawsuit, including Rasul’s, said that she’s working to expedite the case as much as possible because she knows that the longer it takes, the higher the chances that more plaintiffs will be killed.
“It’s a continuing concern for us,” Lafaille said. “We have clients who are in hiding, and every day we worry about what will happen if they’re found.”
And despite USCIS’s assertions that those who have made it to Iran or Pakistan are no longer in imminent danger, Gafary and other attorneys maintain that is not the case.
Gafary said she applied for roughly two dozen of her own family members to receive humanitarian parole. Among them, one of her cousins and his wife are both doctors trained by the United States, making them more likely to be targeted. To make matters worse, their high school-age son was kidnapped a few months before the Taliban took over the country. Though the police of the then-government caught and imprisoned the kidnappers, when the Taliban took control, the kidnappers went free.
Without any movement on their parole applications, Gafary’s cousin and his family fled to Iran, where they are living undocumented and worry that they could be deported to their deaths at any moment. Iranians also discriminate against Afghans frequently, Gafary said.
“Afghan children can’t go to school with Iranian children,” Gafary said. “They get called garbage and filth every day on the street.”
## Repeating the past
In a denial letter to an Afghan humanitarian parole applicant reviewed by the Union-Tribune, USCIS said that humanitarian parole is “not intended to be used in place of the international refugee protection regime or resettlement through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program.”
The U.S. response to refugee situations hinges on two processes, both created in the 1980 Refugee Act.
The first requires someone fleeing their country to go to a country where they can be recognized officially as a refugee through a screening process operated either by that country or the United Nations. Then, they go through years of additional screening and waiting to see if they will be resettled in the United States.
In the 1950s and ’60s, the world, through the United Nations, established such refugee systems because of what happened to Jewish migrants fleeing the Nazi regime — the same systems cited in the letter from USCIS that it said humanitarian parole is not meant to replace.
But while the Biden administration has promised to bring up to 125,000 new refugees to the United States this fiscal year, which ends in September, only about 12,600 have been allowed to arrive and begin new lives here, according to data from the State Department.
The other process is the asylum system — the United States’ screening process to identify refugees who show up at its borders.
But accessing that asylum system generally requires getting physically onto U.S. soil, which is especially tricky for Afghans.
People from countries near the United States can move by land on often dangerous journeys to the border. And those in many other countries around the world can fly to somewhere in the Americas that doesn’t require visas for their nationality and make that same trek.
But nearly every country in the world requires visas from Afghans, Gafary said, precisely because they have been refugees for so long.
Visa denials were also a big part of what Jewish migrants faced during the Holocaust. As a result, many were trapped in the places where they were being killed.
One family of Afghans facing threats from the Taliban managed against the odds to make it to the U.S.-Mexico border. But that was not enough to find protection in the United States.
Their relative, who is already a U.S. citizen after receiving a special immigrant visa for helping the military, had tried to sponsor their humanitarian parole applications, but they gave up on waiting in Afghanistan as their situation grew dire and headed to the Texas border to try, according to Stock, the attorney and retired military officer.
Twice, they were turned away from the United States at a port of entry, Stock said, with officials citing Title 42, a policy that has kept thousands from seeking asylum since the pandemic began.
While the family remains in Mexico and is unsure of their next steps, there may well be more Afghans who choose to try that path because they, too, are out of options.
Originally Published: June 19, 2022 at 9:00 AM PDT
### Sign-On Letter: Preventing Famine and Rescinding Executive Order on Afghanistan’s frozen funds
URL: https://www.panasd.org/preventing-famine-and-rescinding-executive-order/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:29:29.000Z
### Civil Rights Groups to White House: Discriminatory ‘National Security’ Policies Must End
URL: https://www.panasd.org/civil-rights-groups-to-white-house-discriminatory-national-security-policies-must-end/
Last updated: 2025-10-04T04:07:23.000Z
#
***New Memorandum from Leading Civil Rights Advocates Documents the Most Egregious Federal Programs that Surveil, Profile, and Criminalize Black, African, Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim, and South Asian Communities***
***Twenty Years after President Bush Announced the “War on Terror,” Civil Rights Organizations Call on Biden Administration to Dismantle Unjust and Unconstitutional Policies***
**For Immediate Release:** September 20, 2021
**Contact:** Niketa Kumar, [niketak@advancingjustice-alc.org](mailto:niketak@advancingjustice-alc.org), (610) 659-2544
Jen Nessel, [jnessel@ccrjustice.org](mailto:jnessel@ccrjustice.org), (212) 614-6449
September 20, 2021, Washington, D.C.—Twenty years after the U.S. declared its “War on Terror,” civil rights lawyers and advocates today sent the Biden administration a memorandum covering a range of federal policies and programs, all justified under the guise of protecting “national security,” but which unjustly surveil, profile, and criminalize Black, African, Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim, and South Asian (BAMEMSA) communities. The memorandum, issued by Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Asian Law Caucus, American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, Center for Constitutional Rights, Creating Law Enforcement Accountability & Responsibility (CLEAR), and Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA), also includes recommendations to help end these discriminatory policies and attempt to repair the harms they have inflicted.
Since September 2001, the U.S. government has implemented a range of policies and programs justified under the ill-defined rubric of national security and the unlawful premise that individuals and communities are inherently suspect and constitute threats to national security because of their religion, race, or national origin. The memorandum, titled [**Unconstitutional and Unjust: Dismantling 20 Years of Discriminatory ‘National Security’ Policy**](https://bit.ly/20yearsmemo?ref=panasd.org),documents many of these discriminatory policies, all of which continue today. Twenty years to the day President Bush first declared the “War On Terror” in an address to a joint session of Congress, advocates are calling on the Biden administration to end these harmful policies and commit to justice and civil liberties for all communities.
Over the years, numerous domestic counterterrorism policies and programs have been found to be [unconstitutional](https://ccrjustice.org/home/what-we-do/our-cases/hassan-v-city-new-york?ref=panasd.org) and in violation of [local laws](https://theintercept.com/2019/11/01/fbi-joint-terrorism-san-francisco-civil-rights/?ref=panasd.org). Some have been criticized by the government’s [own investigations](https://oig.justice.gov/reports/plus/a0720/final.pdf?ref=panasd.org) as deceptive and plagued by deficiencies. Yet for twenty years, they have disrupted the lives of Black and Brown people and their families across the U.S. Whether they are traveling, applying for immigration benefits, or simply engaging in activities traditionally protected by the First Amendment, BAMEMSA communities have been and continue to be marked for suspicion and subjected to extensive surveillance, policing, and exclusion.
Advocates are calling on the Biden administration and policymakers across the country to dismantle the post 9-11 national security frameworks driving the policies covered in the memo and commit to repairing the harms they have inflicted. Leading civil rights organizations across the country, including the memo author organizations, Advancing Justice - AAJC, American Friends Service Committee, Black Alliance for Just Immigration, CAGE Advocacy UK, Coalition for Civil Freedoms, Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Defending Rights & Dissent, Justice for Muslims Collective, MPower Change, Muslim Justice League, National Iranian American Council, No Muslim Ban Ever Campaign, Poligon Education Fund, Secure Justice, South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT), and Vigilant Love, have signed onto the memorandum and its recommendations to the administration.
**Organizational authors of the memorandum issued the following statements:**
“Twenty years on from 9/11, our government continues to mark our communities as threats to national security simply on the basis of their race, religion, or national origin. It is time to end the ever expanding list of government programs and policies justified under the broad and wholly malleable notion of national security. These programs–and the government’s national security regime–must end now,” said [**Hammad Alam**](https://www.advancingjustice-alc.org/members/hammad-alam/?ref=panasd.org)**, Staff Attorney and Program Manager in the National Security and Civil Rights program at Asian Law Caucus.**
“The recommendations here provide a roadmap for the Biden administration to begin the necessary and urgent work of dismantling the post-9/11 ‘national security’ apparatus that has fundamentally altered the U.S. legal and political system and caused lasting harm to communities in the United States and abroad,” said[**Aliya Hussain**](https://ccrjustice.org/home/who-we-are/staff/hussain-aliya-hana?ref=panasd.org)**, Advocacy Program Manager, Center for Constitutional Rights.**
“It is long past time for a reckoning and reparation for all of the abuses of the War on Terror,” said [**Naz Ahmad**](https://www.law.cuny.edu/academics/clinics/immigration/clear/naz-ahmad/?ref=panasd.org)**, Senior Staff Attorney, CLEAR project, CUNY School of Law.**
“This memo outlines the clear abuses to civil rights of Black, Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim, and South Asian (BAMEMSA) communities. These dragnet policies and programs must be abolished in order to restore the safety and sense of belonging of our communities,” said [**Homayra Yusufi**](https://www.panasd.org/homayra-yusufi/)**, Deputy Director, Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA).**
“The White House must both acknowledge and address the clear, present, and urgent abuses outlined in this memo. There is a whole-of-government overreach in support of the so-called “War on Terror” which led to our communities being unjustly targeted, surveilled, and criminalized. 20 years is too long to recognize the humanity in our communities,” said **Abed Ayoub, Legal and Policy Director for ADC.**
###
**About Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Asian Law Caucus**
Asian Law Caucus (ALC) was founded in 1972 as the nation’s first legal and civil rights organization focusing on the needs of low-income, immigrant and underserved Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Recognizing that social, economic, political, and racial inequalities continue to exist in the United States, ALC is committed to the pursuit of equality and justice for all sectors of our society.
**About the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC)**
Founded by former U.S. Senator James Abourezk in 1980, ADC is a civil rights organization committed to defending the rights of people of Arab descent and promoting their rich cultural heritage. Today, ADC is the largest Arab American grassroots organization in the U.S.
**About Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR)**
The Center for Constitutional Rights works with communities under threat to fight for justice and liberation through litigation, advocacy, and strategic communications. Since 1966, the Center for Constitutional Rights has taken on oppressive systems of power, including structural racism, gender oppression, economic inequity, and governmental overreach. Learn more at [ccrjustice.org](https://ccrjustice.org/?ref=panasd.org).
**About Creating Law Enforcement Accountability & Responsibility (CLEAR)**
The Creating Law Enforcement Accountability & Responsibility (CLEAR) project’s mandate is to support Muslim and all other client, communities, and movements in the New York City area and beyond that are targeted by local, state, or federal government agencies under the guise of national security and counterterrorism.
**About the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA)**
The Partnership for Advancement of New Americans (PANA) is a community organizing, public policy, and leadership development hub dedicated to advancing the full economic, social, and civic inclusion of refugees. Led by the communities it serves, PANA amplifies refugee voices to advocate for basic fairness and dignity for all. PANA also provides support to Black, Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim and South Asian communities in San Diego by hosting public education, know your rights, and town hall information sessions, by providing legal assistance as well as by engaging in media and advocacy for refugees and their families.
### Here’s why Muslim refugees don’t feel safe in the United States
URL: https://www.panasd.org/opinion-heres-why-muslim-refugees-dont-feel-safe-in-the-united-states/
Last updated: 2026-02-14T23:04:08.000Z
**San Diego Union-Tribune**
[Here’s why Muslim refugees don’t feel safe in the United StatesAl-Agha is a community organizer with Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans and lives in Escondido. Erikat is a Palestinian-American who grew up in San Diego. She is the policy associate…San Diego Union-Tribune](http://web.archive.org/web/20250723024509/https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2021/09/13/heres-why-muslim-refugees-dont-feel-safe-in-the-united-states/)
Source: Wayback availability API
**Al-Agha* is a community organizer with Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans and lives in Escondido. *Erikat* is a* Palestinian*\-American who grew up in San Diego. She is the policy associate for the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans.*
Newly arrived refugee communities face severe harassment and discrimination in the United States, and justice is not being brought forth. Recently, the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA), a nonprofit organization that fights to advance the full economic, social and civic inclusion of refugees, was contacted by a Syrian Muslim mother of five children who reported that she was sitting in a park with her family when a woman in her 20s approached her 10-year-old daughter and asked her, “Are you Muslim or are you Mexican?” The daughter replied by saying Muslim, and was instantly struck aggressively on her back by the woman. The attacker began using slurs such as “Go back to your country.”
The mother, who wears the hijab, a Muslim head covering, confronted her daughter’s attacker, and encountered even more hostility when the attacker threatened to kill her daughter. Fearing for her family’s safety, she called 911\. The dispatcher instructed her to take a picture of the attacker before she fled. When the mother went to do so, she was struck on her head, neck and eye, and her phone smashed on the ground. The family filed a police report, but the mother believes the police didn’t take her case seriously enough. The attacker fled before the police came and has yet to be found and charged.
The young daughter now suffers from trauma and is afraid to go outside and socialize for fear that she may be attacked because of her religious background. She also fears for her family members who are visibly Muslim. Her mother said her daughter hasn’t been the same since the incident and has been experiencing significant anxiety. The family, which escaped war in Syria, has been in the United States for five years and reports feeling consistently targeted for its religious background. The mother says the family fled the oppression of the Assad regime only to face a different type of oppression here. Now, the family distrusts the system and feels hopeless about getting justice for what happened.
Findings from a 2017 [Pew Research Center](https://web.archive.org/web/20250723024509/https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.pewforum.org%252F2017%252F07%252F26%252Ffindings-from-pew-research-centers-2017-survey-of-us-muslims%252F%2523roughly-half-of-muslims-say-they-have-experienced-recent-discrimination&data=04%257C01%257Claura.castaneda%2540sduniontribune.com%257Cd7b1a48e9beb4433f5fd08d975723173%257Ca42080b34dd948b4bf44d70d3bbaf5d2%257C0%257C0%257C637669955599775734%257CUnknown%257CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%253D%257C1000&sdata=%252By%252BYRMB8dxWhr%252BjgSJ%252B9kzoR3uCULfYAlf25YGvPC%252Fs%253D&reserved=0) survey of U.S. Muslims found that 48 percent reported they had experienced discrimination in the past year, including being “treated with suspicion,” “singled out” by law enforcement, and “physically hurt and attacked.” Data from PANA’s 2021 San Diego Refugee Experience [report](https://web.archive.org/web/20250723024509/https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.panasd.org%252Frefugee-experiences-report&data=04%257C01%257Claura.castaneda%2540sduniontribune.com%257Cd7b1a48e9beb4433f5fd08d975723173%257Ca42080b34dd948b4bf44d70d3bbaf5d2%257C0%257C0%257C637669955599775734%257CUnknown%257CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%253D%257C1000&sdata=0dm45KzN4fSTeAqwRvny4u8MJpPki4B4bp191syC8Kg%253D&reserved=0) found that refugees experience high levels of fear, feel unwelcome and worry about anti-immigrant policies. Sixty-five percent of African respondents felt worried about “being targeted by a hate crime,” “speaking up in public” or “feeling welcome in public spaces.”
In 2015, the Department of Justice [reported](https://web.archive.org/web/20250723024509/https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.justice.gov%252Fcrt%252Fcombating-post-911-discriminatory-backlash-6&data=04%257C01%257Claura.castaneda%2540sduniontribune.com%257Cd7b1a48e9beb4433f5fd08d975723173%257Ca42080b34dd948b4bf44d70d3bbaf5d2%257C0%257C0%257C637669955599785690%257CUnknown%257CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%253D%257C1000&sdata=qf40ofRgtxzgTb%252FaV1VvUDJZKUHuG%252FEKqFzCkqipQBY%253D&reserved=0) it had investigated more than 800 hate crime incidents since 9/11 against Arab Americans, Muslims, Sikhs, South Asian American and other people perceived to be of Middle Eastern origin. Working with these communities, we’ve repeatedly heard that refugees face barriers when it comes to reporting, and that these barriers lead to an undercount. A lack of English-language skills, a mistrust of government, further discrimination and microaggressions, and a lack of cultural understanding of the policing system in the U.S make refugees less likely to report hate crimes of any nature. Simultaneously, those who do report something feel it’s fruitless because nothing comes out of the reporting process except for compounded trauma, as seen in this recent case.
This month we commemorate the 20th anniversary of 9/11 as well as the war on terror that institutionalized and funded billions of dollars towards the surveillance of Black, Muslim, Arab and South Asian communities. We must address not only the hate crimes that our communities have endured, but also the dragnet narratives and policies that have targeted and criminalized our communities, and legitimized the overly broad suspicion of them. It is because of all of these reasons that refugees don’t feel safe in San Diego.
Such policies include the USA [Patriot Act](https://web.archive.org/web/20250723024509/https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.aclu.org%252Fissues%252Fnational-security%252Fprivacy-and-surveillance%252Fsurveillance-under-patriot-act&data=04%257C01%257Claura.castaneda%2540sduniontribune.com%257Cd7b1a48e9beb4433f5fd08d975723173%257Ca42080b34dd948b4bf44d70d3bbaf5d2%257C0%257C0%257C637669955599785690%257CUnknown%257CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%253D%257C1000&sdata=N9RHtG2s3ZpqvUrMqkhRMuepSOxEqsyur3OMhKfu7DY%253D&reserved=0) that transformed surveillance laws to [make it easier ](https://web.archive.org/web/20250723024509/https://www.aclu.org/issues/national-security/privacy-and-surveillance/surveillance-under-patriot-act)for government to spy on its citizens, the Joint Terrorism Task Forces that have local law enforcement working closely with the FBI and Countering Violent Extremism programs that essentially turn service organizations and educators into informants.
At a time when the refugee crisis like Afghanistan causes us to re-evaluate our humanity, we must welcome traumatized communities and support them to rebuild their lives, rather than further traumatize them, in the United States.
Originally Published: September 13, 2021 at 8:45 PM PDT
### Newsom Pledges $37 Million For Afghanistan Refugee Crisis
URL: https://www.panasd.org/newsom-pledges-37-million-for-afghanistan-refugee-crisis/
Last updated: 2025-10-04T04:10:17.000Z
[https://www.shorenewsnetwork.com/newsom-pledges-37-million-for-afghanistan-refugee-crisis](https://www.shorenewsnetwork.com/newsom-pledges-37-million-for-afghanistan-refugee-crisis?ref=panasd.org)
### Despite eviction moratoriums and rent relief, families are still being evicted
URL: https://www.panasd.org/opinion-despite-eviction-moratoriums-and-rent-relief-families-are-still-being-evicted/
Last updated: 2026-02-14T23:05:59.000Z
**San Diego Union-Tribune**
[Despite eviction moratoriums and rent relief, families are still being evictedSahid is the founder and executive director of the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans. She lives in City Heights.Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, approximately 14.5 percent of San D…San Diego Union-Tribune](http://web.archive.org/web/20260211155225/https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2021/08/30/despite-eviction-moratoriums-and-rent-relief-families-are-still-being-evicted/)
Source: Wayback availability API
**Sahid* is the founder and executive director of the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans. She lives in City Heights.*
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, approximately 14.5 percent of San Diegans — almost 200,000 people — lived below the poverty line in city limits, struggling to make ends meet. According to the Legal Aid Society of San Diego, 2,341 San Diego residents called to receive assistance related to evictions from Oct. 1, 2018, to Sept. 30, 2019\. A disproportionate number of calls, 47 percent or almost half, come from five ZIP codes that are predominantly low-income communities of color. In a market that has [not produced an adequate supply of housing](https://web.archive.org/web/20260211155225/https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.nbcsandiego.com%252Fnews%252Flocal%252Fgrowth-exceeds-new-housing-in-san-diego-county-census-data%252F2693280%252F&data=04%257C01%257Claura.castaneda%2540sduniontribune.com%257C0b295e1e80434fab78d008d9690a7d24%257Ca42080b34dd948b4bf44d70d3bbaf5d2%257C0%257C0%257C637656317288152490%257CUnknown%257CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%253D%257C1000&sdata=1yfaI6Te7oh4pKDZ2q%252F3b%252Bo%252FNh%252BxLA%252BiifYcL2wvNHc%253D&reserved=0) and where the cost of living continues to surge, the pandemic exacerbates existing wealth and racial disparities as more working families find themselves struggling and [unable to afford rent.](https://web.archive.org/web/20260211155225/https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%253A%252F%252Ftimesofsandiego.com%252Fbusiness%252F2021%252F07%252F27%252Fstudy-san-diego-county-family-of-4-needs-93k-annual-income-to-meet-basic-needs%252F&data=04%257C01%257Claura.castaneda%2540sduniontribune.com%257C0b295e1e80434fab78d008d9690a7d24%257Ca42080b34dd948b4bf44d70d3bbaf5d2%257C0%257C0%257C637656317288162446%257CUnknown%257CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%253D%257C1000&sdata=og4m8xKkJR6FjUF%252FkrS7NrDG19UGitbpITyvZAs034U%253D&reserved=0)
Fortunately, federal, state and local officials have stepped in to provide immediate relief in the form of eviction moratoriums and rental assistance. While this assistance is necessary and provides the protections needed for families to remain safely housed during this pandemic, there are also major gaps in protections and families are falling through the cracks.
The reality is, despite the eviction moratoriums and available rent relief, [families are still being evicted](https://web.archive.org/web/20260211155225/https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.cbs8.com%252Farticle%252Fnews%252Flocal%252Fcalifornia%252Fcalmatters%252Fwhere-are-tenants-falling-through-the-cracks-of-california-eviction-ban-calmatters%252F509-0cc0d454-8283-4b6e-bd3b-a91f1f3fad64&data=04%257C01%257Claura.castaneda%2540sduniontribune.com%257C0b295e1e80434fab78d008d9690a7d24%257Ca42080b34dd948b4bf44d70d3bbaf5d2%257C0%257C0%257C637656317288162446%257CUnknown%257CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%253D%257C1000&sdata=YBc37uSeXOr3rwB0zN3uVAOrtA7VtQAPzjU0YZrgCGc%253D&reserved=0). Every day, our staff attorney and community organizer at the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA) receive calls from families, often women, who have been served eviction notices or face an array of other challenges related to housing, such as landlord harassment, stolen security deposits, fake wait list fees or deplorable housing conditions.
One hundred percent of the time, we are able to prevent the eviction. Reasons landlords have given in eviction notices include removing, the unit from the rental market or having a family member move in. Unfortunately, most San Diego families aren’t connected to community-based organizations that can provide this type of support or they don’t know their rights or how to assert them.
In San Diego, where an[ estimated 71,463 ](https://web.archive.org/web/20260211155225/https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%253A%252F%252Fnationalequityatlas.org%252Frent-debt&data=04%257C01%257Claura.castaneda%2540sduniontribune.com%257C0b295e1e80434fab78d008d9690a7d24%257Ca42080b34dd948b4bf44d70d3bbaf5d2%257C0%257C0%257C637656317288172393%257CUnknown%257CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%253D%257C1000&sdata=BC0TneFiPkXQvYHgobpYdEZd7kJuD2KjdiQz1e8EIOw%253D&reserved=0)San Diego County families are behind on rent, we’re headed towards a very scary future of mass evictions — where families will be required to make balloon payments on past due rent or on loans they took out to remain housed. The moment is now for San Diego leaders to act and go beyond emergency gap measures.
Our staff recently met with Rep. Sara Jacobs, D-San Diego, to discuss the immediate and long-term needs of vulnerable families. The meeting highlighted the epidemic of what has been termed hidden homelessness due to overcrowded housing, which is when families double up or triple up to afford a home. We also discussed the rent relief programs and the challenges families are facing accessing those funds and how the pandemic further highlights the need to rapidly and effectively address housing as a human right for San Diego’s refugee and extremely low-income families.
[Data](https://web.archive.org/web/20260211155225/https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%253A%252F%252Fstatic1.squarespace.com%252Fstatic%252F57e1a766ebbd1a21a298c68f%252Ft%252F60bfb3409857a278bde35bbb%252F1623176001971%252Fpana-communityreport-full-r4-web.pdf&data=04%257C01%257Claura.castaneda%2540sduniontribune.com%257C0b295e1e80434fab78d008d9690a7d24%257Ca42080b34dd948b4bf44d70d3bbaf5d2%257C0%257C0%257C637656317288172393%257CUnknown%257CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%253D%257C1000&sdata=Ibu3yoDRxHzGwCbc%252F5MvgHXnXQ4Z%252FV3H7X%252BZi37BGZU%253D&reserved=0) collected by PANA reveals that access to affordable housing can dramatically reduce unsafe and unhealthy housing conditions and[ increase outcomes for children](https://web.archive.org/web/20260211155225/https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%253A%252F%252Fnchh.org%252Fresource-library%252Fcfhp%5Finsights%5Fimpacts-of-affordable-housing-on-education.pdf&data=04%257C01%257Claura.castaneda%2540sduniontribune.com%257C0b295e1e80434fab78d008d9690a7d24%257Ca42080b34dd948b4bf44d70d3bbaf5d2%257C0%257C0%257C637656317288182355%257CUnknown%257CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%253D%257C1000&sdata=JSrWMjYyB5PlznJhJBtvb%252BnnXXKkGe5SHqsbquXk6V0%253D&reserved=0). After adjusting for whether a participant was married or cohabiting, access to affordable housing had the strongest effect on whether or not a participant was likely to live in severely crowded housing. People who reported living in affordable housing were 66 percent less likely to be living in a severely crowded setting. According to a report by [PolicyLink](https://web.archive.org/web/20260211155225/https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.policylink.org%252Fsites%252Fdefault%252Ffiles%252FHCO%5FWeb%5FOnly.pdf&data=04%257C01%257Claura.castaneda%2540sduniontribune.com%257C0b295e1e80434fab78d008d9690a7d24%257Ca42080b34dd948b4bf44d70d3bbaf5d2%257C0%257C0%257C637656317288182355%257CUnknown%257CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%253D%257C1000&sdata=ob6FmgDG6yd%252B5JVEpX3%252BX%252BNdzaixmpGgkyU4IvyrvK0%253D&reserved=0), affordable housing improves housing stability for families and their children, and leads to improved health and educational outcomes.
Ensuring families remain housed during this pandemic is of critical importance. Even more critical will be passing policies that equitably protect tenants when the moratoriums end.
First, we can and we should absolutely ensure that 100 percent of the available rent relief funds are exhausted. More can be done to make accessing rental relief less cumbersome by eliminating procedural hurdles that make it nearly impossible for people to get through the process and ensuring language access at every step of the application process. It is not uncommon for a family to apply for rent relief assistance and not hear back for months. Nervous families have borrowed money from friends and relatives to make rent, concerned they would be denied the rental assistance they applied for or that it would run out before they could be approved. Families that don’t have back-owed rent are then ineligible for and can be denied rental assistance.
Second, families must have a uniform and easy way to get information through the city about their housing rights and support should those rights be threatened. Unfortunately, without access to legal support, many people are unable to access available protections. The current court system is not an accessible option for most of the population. Households that are low-income, seniors on fixed incomes, refugees and immigrants with limited English proficiency, and families with vulnerable immigration status are not able to access justice through the courts without risking their economic stability and livelihoods.
Families facing eviction require immediate support within days. Without it, they risk losing their jobs and their homes.
### Afghan Americans in San Diego pressure Biden and Congress to act as Taliban takes over
URL: https://www.panasd.org/afghan-americans-in-san-diego-pressure-biden-and-congress-to-act-as-taliban-takes-over/
Last updated: 2026-02-14T23:23:53.000Z
**San Diego Union-Tribune**
[Afghan Americans in San Diego pressure Biden and Congress to act as Taliban takes overNargis Habib knows what it means to live as a girl under Taliban rule.The San Marcos entrepreneur grew up in Afghanistan and was educated underground, her classrooms hidden away in basements becaus…San Diego Union-Tribune](http://web.archive.org/web/20250509131801/https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2021/08/22/afghan-americans-in-san-diego-pressure-biden-and-congress-to-act-as-taliban-takes-over/)
Source: Wayback availability API
Nargis Habib knows what it means to live as a girl under Taliban rule.
The San Marcos entrepreneur grew up in Afghanistan and was educated underground, her classrooms hidden away in basements because the Taliban did not allow girls to receive formal education. She remembers having to bury dolls and photos in the yard so that the Taliban wouldn’t find banned items in the family home.
Watching the Taliban take over her homeland has been devastating, Habib said.
“No matter how much they say that they’ve changed — it’s just the beginning,” Habib said. “They’re trying to convince people not to leave and be happy, but the reality when they settle in, it’s going to be game over for Afghanistan.”
Habib is among many in San Diego’s Afghan and Afghan American community who have been glued to Twitter feeds, WhatsApp and news broadcasts with increasing heartbreak as the country, in a matter of days, reverted to Taliban control. The pain for Habib is amplified by the fact that her family, including her mother, is now trapped in the country with no way out.
Several San Diego community leaders have joined with others across the country to create a coalition of Afghan American voices to find ways to help those in Afghanistan reach safety. The coalition has called on the U.S. government to ramp up evacuations of Afghans and to make it easier for Afghan refugees to come to the United States.
But the collapse of Afghanistan, and its likely creation of thousands of refugees as fearful families find ways to flee, comes at a moment when the infrastructure for resettling refugees in the United States is a shadow of what it once was.
As former President Donald Trump reduced the numbers of refugees taken in each year to a fraction of how many the United States once received, many resettlement agencies closed offices and laid off staff, and U.S. officials responsible for identifying and screening refugees for resettlement were reassigned to other duties.
While President Joe Biden, under significant pressure from advocates for refugees, in May increased the number that the United States agreed to take in this fiscal year from 15,000 to 62,500, the actual number received by the end of July with two months left to go in the fiscal year is 6,246.
If the Biden administration does manage to process more Afghans for resettlement, many of them will likely come to San Diego.
The county has a history of receiving refugees that dates back to the Vietnam War, and the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program prioritizes relocating people to places where they already have family or there are communities from their country already in place to help them get settled.
More than 3,600 county residents were born in Afghanistan, according to census data from 2019\. That number has likely only increased as some of the few people resettled in the waning years of the Trump administration — and so far under President Joe Biden — were Afghan families who qualified for special immigrant visas, or SIVs, because one of the members assisted U.S. military forces.
But those who helped the U.S. military have struggled to get visas. And with the evacuation focused on U.S. citizens who are able to reach the airport in Kabul, it is unclear who among Afghans fearing retribution from the Taliban will actually reach the United States and how quickly that will happen.
San Marcos, CA - August 17: Nargis Habib, 33, center, helps her daughters Ferdouse, 13, left, and Rayaan, 10, get ready for the first day of school on Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2021 in San Marcos, CA. Nargis was visiting family in Herat, Afghanistan but came back three weeks early because the Taliban was approaching after the United States pulled out military troops. Nargis grew up in Herat and went to a secret underground girls school until she was 11 years old. She said she still remembers the first day of going to school and how excited she was. "Girls in Afghanistan are not going to have that opportunity," she said. Nargis has been in the United States since 2006\. (Ana Ramirez / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
## Uncertain fate
Habib’s mother only sleeps for a few hours, and she waits until the sun comes up.
Her mother told her that the only time the older woman is able to cry is after Habib’s two younger siblings have gone to bed.
It’s already been days since Habib was last able to speak with her mother because of issues with electricity and internet. Just weeks ago, Habib was in Afghanistan visiting her family. But when her husband realized that the Taliban was moving quickly to take control, Habib cut her visit short.
“When I said goodbye to her, I was still hopeful,” Habib said. “We were all hopeful because not all areas of Afghanistan were taken and Kabul wasn’t taken.”
Her family tried to get out of Afghanistan before the Taliban took full control. The three sold their belongings and packed their suitcases, but their city was taken before they could head to Kabul.
Now, her mother sends Habib messages daily that the family is still alive. Habib recalled her own childhood experiences focused on day-to-day survival.
“It is a beautiful, beautiful country, and unfortunately no Afghan has been able to enjoy it,” Habib said. “When there’s no peace, you can’t enjoy it — you can’t enjoy living.”
Habib came to the U.S. through her marriage. She met her husband, who was born in the U.S., working on women’s rights issues in Afghanistan.
Facing the uncertainty of the country’s future, Habib is worried that she will have to break a promise that she made to her mother to visit at least annually after 9 years apart.
She also doesn’t know what will happen to her business ,The Rug Mine, which is based on empowering Afghan women through importing their hand-made rugs and selling them internationally.
She still has some inventory, she said, but when that runs out, she doesn’t know if the Taliban will allow her to export more because she is a woman — though she is determined to try.
San Marcos, CA - August 17: Jawid Habib, 33, has family in Afghanistan and said his wife was visiting family but had to come back early as the Taliban was approaching on Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2021 in San Marcos, CA. "You're physically here (in the United States) but your soul is there in Afghanistan," he said. "It overruns you with a sense of survivor's guilt." (Ana Ramirez / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
## Another generation traumatized
Habib’s daughters have been asking questions about the situation in Afghanistan. For husband Jawid Habib, it reminds him of his own childhood growing up in San Diego and absorbing conversations with his parents, who came to the U.S. as Afghan refugees, about the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and later Taliban rule.
“They’re going through the same generational trauma that I went through when I was a kid,” he said. “‘Why is this happening? Why is the Taliban doing this? Why isn’t the world stopping them? What can we do to help?'”
Mejgan Afshan, co-founder of civil rights nonprofit Borderlands for Equity, got a lump in her throat and tears in her eyes the moment she heard that Kabul fell.
“We who are here feel powerless,” Afshan said. “We can’t lose our sense of agency. We need to advocate for what we can do.”
Her organization has heard from many whose loved ones were visiting Afghanistan from San Diego and are now stuck there. She is working to get lists to the State Department to help those who are able to reach the evacuation flights.
Farhat Popal, whose family fled Afghanistan when she was a baby and who now works as immigrant affairs manager for the city of San Diego, also said the fall of Kabul was particularly crushing.
“I wasn’t surprised, but it was one of those moments when your heart completely sinks and you lose faith in humanity,” Popal said. “That was how I felt. In that moment, I lost faith in humanity and, speaking personally, I felt incredibly upset and hurt that Afghan lives didn’t seem to be as important as all the other lives. As an Afghan American, it really made me wonder ‘Well does that mean my life also doesn’t matter as much as others?'”
What has given Popal motivation to keep going is the outpouring of support she has seen for Afghans and Afghan Americans, she said.
She thinks, too, about the Afghan women she worked with in a former job pushing for women’s rights and human rights in the country. Many of those women are now fearful for their lives.
“To know they can’t speak in this moment, then I need to speak — I need to step up,” Popal said. “The Afghan American community needs to step up and make sure that we can amplify their voices and we can advocate for them.”
San Marcos, CA - August 17: Nargis Habib, 33, looks at a vintage Baluch rug as her daughters Rayaan, 10, left, and Ferdouse, 13, sit on other rugs in the back on Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2021 in San Marcos, CA. Nargis grew up in Herat and went to a secret underground girls school until she was 11 years old and remembers sitting on similar rugs during her lessons. Nargis started her own rug business called "The Rug Mine" during the pandemic. The rug, her daughters are sitting on, are handmade by Afghan woman and are colored with fruit and vegetable dye. (Ana Ramirez / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
## Diaspora united
Jawid Habib and Popal are among the prominent San Diegans who joined the recently formed Afghan-American Coalition to push the Biden administration and Congress to do more in this moment.
Homayra Yusufi, a coalition member and deputy director of the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans, a refugee advocacy organization, pointed to both short-term and long-term needs for those forcibly displaced by the Taliban that she wants to see addressed, including getting funding to nonprofits who are still able to work inside Afghanistan providing basic care.
One of the most urgent needs is to get people out.
Arash Azizzada, a Los Angeles-based organizer with Afghans for a Better Tomorrow who was born in the Netherlands to parents from Afghanistan, is also part of the coalition. He’s working 20 hours a day, every waking minute supporting the community in whatever way he can, particularly in evacuations.
“It’s very much an ad hoc system due to the crisis,” he said. “The United States ended up abandoning and leaving behind a lot of folks who are at risk of repression, execution and imprisonment by the Taliban.”
On Wednesday, Azizzada said there has been some minor progress made with evacuation plans, but people are still having difficulty traveling to the necessary checkpoints to leave Afghanistan. The Taliban have [cut off](https://web.archive.org/web/20250509131801/https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/thousands-of-afghans-cant-access-the-airport-those-who-can-recall-taliban-threats-abuse) access to the airport for many.
The Biden administration announced $500 million in funding on Monday for what it called “unexpected urgent refugee and migration needs” in Afghanistan. The Department of Defense said it is coordinating with the State Department to transport and temporarily house Afghan SIVs and their families.
The Afghan-American Coalition is calling for temporary protected status for Afghans in the United States who do not already have green cards. Known as TPS, the program temporarily protects people from deportation when country conditions are unsafe for return.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the U.S. refugee agency, has already called on countries to halt deportations of asylum seekers to Afghanistan, arguing that even if Afghan asylum seekers initially lost their cases, the deteriorating conditions there would likely change those outcomes.
Yusufi and the coalition are also hoping that the United States will do more to help women advocates and others who worked to increase democracy and human rights protections in Afghanistan over the past two decades.
The Biden administration recently announced that certain Afghans, including those who worked with U.S.-funded programs or who were employed by U.S.-based nongovernmental organizations and media companies, are eligible to apply for special priority as refugees. However, in order to qualify, those individuals must first leave Afghanistan for another country. The Biden administration’s advisory about the program notes that people hoping for this protection should be prepared to wait 12 to 14 months for processing and that they will need to support themselves in that third country while they wait.
The coalition is arguing that the Biden administration shouldn’t require people to flee Afghanistan to another country before applying for the program. It also wants to see the U.S. government remove the cap on how many Afghans can come as refugees in a given year.
San Diego, CA - August 19: At Balboa Park on Thursday, Aug. 19, 2021 in San Diego, CA., Amir Maher held up the Afghanistan flag during a candlelight vigil with the San Diego Afghan community. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
## Scramble to protect allies
Efforts to safely bring people to America are led not only by Afghan Americans, but also by a wider network of nonprofit organizations. This includes veteran-led groups advocating on behalf of the people who worked alongside U.S. troops during the war in Afghanistan, said Shawn VanDiver, a volunteer in Clairemont who co-founded the Truman Project San Diego chapter.
Promises for a pathway to American citizenship were made to people who aligned themselves with the American military and made their missions possible. But too often, VanDiver said, those promises have gone unfulfilled, with SIV applications taking more than five or 10 years to be processed in some cases.
“What’s so crazy about this is that it has always been hard to get these folks out,” VanDiver said, “These are folks who we armed, we vetted to serve alongside us.”
Although cautious about sharing too many details of the evacuation plans they’re trying to execute, the U.S. Navy veteran said a web of donors and organizations are raising funds to help people board private charter flights out of Afghanistan and provide resettlement services.
On Wednesday, the International Refugee Assistance Project based in New York City filed several emergency petitions with the State Department in support of all Afghan applicants in the SIV program. The organization is demanding the U.S. protect and evacuate these vulnerable allies and their families, therefore fulfilling its legal obligation under the Afghan Allies Protection Act.
It’s not the first time the United States has scrambled to protect allies. News footage over the past few weeks has been a reminder of times past for some Vietnamese Americans who immigrated to the United States as refugees during and after the fall of Saigon in 1975.
Rules for refugee resettlement in the 1970s were different from what is in place today — the Refugee Act that created the current system did not become law until 1980.
Despite the bureaucratic differences, Bonita resident Duong Nguyen feels that President Biden, who was a state senator when the United States withdrew troops from Vietnam, is making a similar mistake to what happened in the 1970s by not properly evacuating allies before withdrawing troops from Afghanistan.
Nguyen was a helicopter pilot for the South Vietnam air force when Saigon fell in 1975\. He and his family were evacuated by helicopter to the aircraft carrier Midway, which then carried them to Guam and across the Pacific before arriving at Camp Pendleton.
“I think we have to have them (come here) because they’re the ones who most suffered from our country’s political policy,” said Nguyen, who is now the CEO of DS Fibertech Corp. “We have a duty to help them out.”
Rancho Penasquitos resident Dr. Sony Vo escaped Vietnam in 1980, five years after the collapse of Saigon and just a few years after graduating as a medical student.
“We didn’t have food to eat, we didn’t have clothes to wear (in Vietnam) — we didn’t have any right to do anything,” said Vo, who has an internal medicine practice on El Cajon Boulevard. “(Coming to America), it looked like coming from hell and going to heaven.”
American allies in Afghanistan, he said, also deserve the chance at the happiness he has been so lucky to enjoy.
“It’s terrible seeing the people in the airport (in Kabul),” Vo said. “What’s happening in Kabul makes me remember South Vietnam in April 1975, but you cannot compare. It’s too different.”
## Resettled
Given the potential for more arrivals, San Diego County’s four resettlement agencies are preparing as best they can.
Since Aug. 6, Jewish Family Service has resettled 59 people from 11 families, according to Etleva Bejko, director of refugee resettlement.
Donna Duvin, executive director of International Rescue Committee, San Diego, said her organization has helped six families made up of 33 people over the past month, including a family who arrived Thursday.
Appaswamy “Vino” Pajanor, CEO of Catholic Charities in San Diego, said that so far his nonprofit has received 12 Afghans under emergency processing by the State Department.
Typically, refugee resettlement agencies have about two weeks’ notice before someone arrives in San Diego. With the current situation of people coming from Afghanistan, resettlement agencies sometimes only know a day or two in advance as SIV applicants are arriving in the United States as quickly as they can.
“It’s a very rapidly evolving circumstance,” Duvin said.
At least one Afghan who recently received SIV approval was scheduled to fly to San Diego this week, but his flight was canceled amid the chaos. His family members already in the U.S. are waiting anxiously to find out if and when he will be able to leave.
And, for those like the Habibs, the prospect of reunification is even less certain.
Even without clear options at the moment, Nargis Habib still has hope that her family will be able to find a way out and come to the United States.
“All I want for my mom is to be here with me, for my siblings to be here with me. All I want is for my kids to be able to say, ‘Hey, it’s Friday night. Can we go visit grandma? Can we go sleep over at grandma’s?'” she said. “That’s a dream of mine, sending my kids to my mom’s house for a sleepover.”
Originally Published: August 22, 2021 at 8:55 AM PDT
### Years after escaping Afghanistan, refugee advocate calls for immediate humanitarian response
URL: https://www.panasd.org/years-after-escaping-afghanistan-refugee-advocate-calls-for-immediate-humanitarian-response/
Last updated: 2026-02-14T23:23:19.000Z
**LEX 18 News - Lexington, KY (WLEX)**
[Years after escaping Afghanistan, refugee advocate calls for immediate humanitarian responseThe humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan is growing more dire, with thousands displaced from their homes, banks shut down, and aid workers forced to flee.LEX 18 News - Lexington, KY (WLEX)](http://web.archive.org/web/20250426105717/https://www.lex18.com/news/national/years-after-escaping-afghanistan-refugee-advocate-calls-for-immediate-humanitarian-response)
Source: Wayback availability API
0:00
/3:33
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SAN DIEGO, Calif. — The humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan is growing more dire, with thousands displaced from their homes, banks shut down, and aid workers forced to flee.
Homayra Yusufi, with the [Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans](https://web.archive.org/web/20250426105717/https://www.panasd.org/) (PANA), has been working to help refugees desperate to leave the country, fielding calls from family members left feeling hopeless.
“Right now, I’m thinking about what can be done immediately. How do we reduce harm? How do we protect people’s lives immediately, right now?” asked Yusufi.
The nation's history is a painful indicator of what may come.
“The country has gone through 40 years of war and devastation," said Yusufi. "My parents had to leave Afghanistan when a bomb hit our street, and they had three kids whose lives were in danger. And they were the lucky ones.”
Her organization is part of the [Afghan-American Coalition](https://web.archive.org/web/20250426105717/http://www.afghanamericancoalition.com/), formed in response to the crisis. They're mobilizing nonprofits to amplify the needs of those most at risk, like women, children, and ethnic and religious minorities persecuted by the Taliban.
"We’re really prioritizing a humanitarian response right now, recognizing all of the issues happening right now--the lack of humanitarian aid, the lack of water, food, shelter for the internally displaced, as well as the basically stopping of the economy for everyone else in Afghanistan," said Yusufi. "And trying to make sure that our families are able to survive this.”
As the Taliban took over the country, hundreds of thousands were forced to flee their homes.
"They don’t have very many options. They can’t go hide right now. They're trying to find basic food, water, shelter, feed their families.”
The coalition released a call to action advocating for immediate steps to be taken by the U.S. government:
**Prioritize emergency evacuations for Afghans:**
- Leverage U.S. influence to secure the Karzai International Airport in Kabul and supply additional government-run evacuation flights for Afghans.
**Expand and expedite processing P-1/P-2/Special Immigrant Visas:**
- Broaden eligibility and remove unnecessary barriers to meet strict P1, P2, and SIV requirements that significantly delay the approval process and increase processing capacity.
- Create a special humanitarian parole program to meet this urgent need.
- Use diplomatic channels to urge allies to drop visa requirements.
**Deliver immediate humanitarian assistance:**
- Provide urgent humanitarian assistance to vulnerable communities in Afghanistan, including internally displaced persons (IDPs), women-focused non-governmental organizations (NGOs), persecuted ethnic and religious groups targeted by the Taliban, and others.
- Help establish a humanitarian corridor and secure a guarantee from the Taliban to allow humanitarian NGOs and their supply chains to operate freely in all areas.
**Welcome Afghan refugees:**
- Increase the annual refugee allocation by 100,000 and reassess based on need.
- Instate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for all Afghan refugees.
The [International Rescue Committee](https://web.archive.org/web/20250426105717/https://www.rescue.org/country/afghanistan#what-caused-the-current-crisis-in-afghanistan) (IRC) says more than 18 million people in Afghanistan need humanitarian assistance.
The Afghan-American Coalition says Americans who want to help should call their representatives in congress. They have [tools online](https://web.archive.org/web/20250426105717/https://afghanamericancoalition.com/) to help people figure out who their lawmakers are and how to voice their support for an immediate humanitarian response.
Yusufi also suggests donating or volunteering for local organizations serving refugees.
“I would say that history will be counting the number of innocent lives at stake right now," said Yusufi. "And that providing a humanitarian response to this catastrophe is the only thing that we can do at this moment.”
Copyright 2021 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
### Afghanistan needs humanitarian aid for civilians and homes for refugees
URL: https://www.panasd.org/opinion-afghanistan-needs-humanitarian-aid-for-civilians-and-homes-for-refugees/
Last updated: 2026-02-14T23:22:46.000Z
**San Diego Union-Tribune**
[Afghanistan needs humanitarian aid for civilians and homes for refugeesYusufi is an Afghan American who grew up in San Diego. She is the deputy director for the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA) and lives in San Marcos. To prevent a humanitarian …San Diego Union-Tribune](http://web.archive.org/web/20260211154639/https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2021/08/20/afghanistan-needs-humanitarian-aid-for-civilians-and-homes-for-refugees/)
Source: Wayback availability API
**Yusufi* is an Afghan American who grew up in San Diego. She is the deputy director for the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA)* and lives in San Marcos.
To prevent a humanitarian catastrophe in Afghanistan, we must prioritize rapid refugee resettlement and humanitarian assistance.
I grew up as part of the millions of Afghans who are scattered around the world due to 40-plus years of war. I was born in Afghanistan during the Soviet invasion, and my parents made the decision that every parent fears the most, leaving everything they knew behind and risking their family’s lives in pursuit of safety and a chance of survival for their children. As an immigrant growing up in San Diego, I vowed as a child to go back and be part of rebuilding my homeland.
In the 1990s, we watched the civil war that brewed back home and the takeover of the Taliban regime, then the American troops entering Afghanistan in October 2001\. My parents were hopeful for a moment but soon realized that America was not there to save the Afghan people as we had hoped but was there for its own [geopolitical gains](https://web.archive.org/web/20260211154639/https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.nytimes.com%252F2010%252F06%252F14%252Fworld%252Fasia%252F14minerals.html&data=04%257C01%257Claura.castaneda%2540sduniontribune.com%257C1ac20b155274435055a908d96396fb96%257Ca42080b34dd948b4bf44d70d3bbaf5d2%257C0%257C0%257C637650322383613631%257CUnknown%257CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%253D%257C1000&sdata=8kQGGlksdw5j0aSeaSUmt83oKtxiZ6Sa6dzwQQ1IbA8%253D&reserved=0). We witnessed the Bush administration and its conservative counterparts co-opt[ feminist language ](https://web.archive.org/web/20260211154639/https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%253A%252F%252F2001-2009.state.gov%252Fg%252Fdrl%252Frls%252F6185.htm&data=04%257C01%257Claura.castaneda%2540sduniontribune.com%257C1ac20b155274435055a908d96396fb96%257Ca42080b34dd948b4bf44d70d3bbaf5d2%257C0%257C0%257C637650322383613631%257CUnknown%257CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%253D%257C1000&sdata=XUEfIP4nOYJuB7Vgu%252F9cuO37h6rvOlEiYdwgiROgBmg%253D&reserved=0)as a justification of the post-9/11 invasion of Afghanistan.
I pursued an education in political science and attended UC Berkeley’s Public Policy Masters program with a focus on international development. Through my studies, I had the opportunity to meet with leaders within the World Bank and the U.S. Agency for International Development working in Afghanistan, as well as other international development efforts. What I learned was that the United States’ primary interest was in counter-insurgency and there was no substantive intent to rebuild a nation nor protect its people. My disillusionment in the geopolitical landscape of Afghanistan led me to focus on immigrant and refugee communities here at home.
As deputy director for the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA), a nonprofit organization that advocates for refugees in San Diego and across the country, I work to ensure that refugee communities are able to rebuild their lives with dignity.
It’s now been two decades since the United States entered Afghanistan as part of the “war on terror,” with[ trillions of dollars spent](https://web.archive.org/web/20260211154639/https://watson.brown.edu/costsofwar/figures/2021/human-and-budgetary-costs-date-us-war-afghanistan-2001-2022) and[ hundreds of thousands of lives lost](https://web.archive.org/web/20260211154639/https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%253A%252F%252Fwatson.brown.edu%252Fcostsofwar%252Fcosts%252Fhuman%252Fcivilians%252Fafghan&data=04%257C01%257Claura.castaneda%2540sduniontribune.com%257Cc6ff7f6a0c71404dca1b08d962de93c1%257Ca42080b34dd948b4bf44d70d3bbaf5d2%257C0%257C0%257C637649530390437803%257CUnknown%257CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%253D%257C1000&sdata=G75NcORfE0b1K0qN9Mje7kExl9jG0lJTid%252BFpaTlzG4%253D&reserved=0). The United States government and its allies have packed their bags and have left Afghanistan seemingly without any care for Afghan lives. At this moment, I find myself and my community in desperation as we witness a humanitarian catastrophe in the making. The international community has stopped all [humanitarian aid](https://web.archive.org/web/20260211154639/https://www.defenseone.com/threats/2021/08/there-no-afghan-government-nato-stops-aid-afghanistan-taliban-take-over/184586/) to Afghanistan and the banks are no longer open. My family in Kabul is unable to retrieve its money to purchase basic needs, and we can no longer send them financial support. Meanwhile, the non-government organization (NGO) infrastructure has collapsed in Afghanistan, and there is no clear path to support the millions who remain.
The global response at this moment needs to be narrowly focused on humanitarian protection. As part of the[ Afghan American Coalition](https://web.archive.org/web/20260211154639/https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%253A%252F%252Fafghanamericancoalition.com%252F&data=04%257C01%257Claura.castaneda%2540sduniontribune.com%257Cc6ff7f6a0c71404dca1b08d962de93c1%257Ca42080b34dd948b4bf44d70d3bbaf5d2%257C0%257C0%257C637649530390447759%257CUnknown%257CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%253D%257C1000&sdata=9wBptmXlf3sn9aligM49nkM2ZDzqem8gsSSsyNPTHnM%253D&reserved=0), we are calling on the U.S. government to provide immediate humanitarian assistance to civilians in Afghanistan. This may be achieved through establishing a humanitarian corridor and securing a guarantee from the Taliban to allow humanitarian NGOs and their supply chains to operate freely in all areas of the country. We must not make the mistakes of the past of instating draconian sanctions that [exacerbate humanitarian crises ](https://web.archive.org/web/20260211154639/https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.brookings.edu%252Fresearch%252Feconomic-sanctions-too-much-of-a-bad-thing%252F&data=04%257C01%257Claura.castaneda%2540sduniontribune.com%257Cc6ff7f6a0c71404dca1b08d962de93c1%257Ca42080b34dd948b4bf44d70d3bbaf5d2%257C0%257C0%257C637649530390447759%257CUnknown%257CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%253D%257C1000&sdata=ZTI6nOMCBXP0RMBTEFmaHFFXbYIKkeAVZ%252B6DXbKO02g%253D&reserved=0)and primarily harm innocent civilians.
We must open our doors and welcome Afghan refugees fleeing for safety. We call on the administration to exponentially increase the refugee allocation to meet the imminent needs. The international community cannot simply wash its hands clean of Afghanistan and allow for the loss of innocent life. The United States Refugee Admissions Program and its partners must be fully funded so that vetting processes may be expedited for all P-1, P-2 and Special Immigrant Visas to meet the current needs.
San Diego is home to one of the[ largest refugee](https://web.archive.org/web/20260211154639/https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%253A%252F%252Fcalmatters.org%252Fjustice%252F2017%252F07%252Fsan-diego-welcomes-refugees-california-county%252F&data=04%257C01%257Claura.castaneda%2540sduniontribune.com%257Cc6ff7f6a0c71404dca1b08d962de93c1%257Ca42080b34dd948b4bf44d70d3bbaf5d2%257C0%257C0%257C637649530390457705%257CUnknown%257CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%253D%257C1000&sdata=kv6wl%252F3nNfaUjxB0nflinliiz9F7nqZz81il2z2k4Fg%253D&reserved=0) communities in the country. Our county must work with federal partners in the Office of Refugee Resettlement to ensure that refugees receive the support needed to meaningfully rebuild their lives in San Diego.
### Afghan-American Coalition Releases Call to Action for U.S. Government Assistance to Afghanistan
URL: https://www.panasd.org/afghan-american-coalition-releases-call-to-action-for-us-government-assistance-to-afghanistan/
Last updated: 2025-10-10T19:06:01.000Z
**PRESS STATEMENT**
**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**
August 17, 2021
Media Contact: Homayra Yusufi, homayra@panasd.org, (619) 363-6948
[afghanamericancoalition@gmail.com](mailto:afghanamericancoalition@gmail.com)
**August 17, 2021** \-- Decades of conflict and the execution of the U.S. military withdrawal in Afghanistan have all contributed to this worsening humanitarian catastrophe. The [Afghan-American Coalition](https://afghanamericancoalition.com/?ref=panasd.org), an alliance of organizations advocating for humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, is releasing a call to action advocating for immediate steps to be taken by the U.S. government.
1. **Prioritize emergency evacuations for Afghans:**
- Leverage U.S. influence to secure the Karzai International Airport in Kabul and supply additional government-run evacuation flights for Afghans.
2. **Expand and expedite processing P-1/P-2/Special Immigrant Visas:**
- Broaden eligibility and remove unnecessary barriers to meet strict requirements for P1, P2, and SIVs that significantly delay the approval process, and increase processing capacity.
- Create a special humanitarian parole program to meet this urgent need.
- Use diplomatic channels to urge allies to drop visa requirements.
3. **Deliver immediate humanitarian assistance:**
- Provide urgent humanitarian assistance to vulnerable communities in Afghanistan, including internally displaced persons (IDPs), women-focused non-governmental organizations (NGOs), persecuted ethnic and religious groups targeted by the Taliban, and others.
- Help establish a humanitarian corridor and secure a guarantee from the Taliban to allow humanitarian NGOs and their supply chains to operate freely in all areas.
4. **Welcome Afghan refugees:**
- Increase the annual refugee allocation by 100,000 and reassess based on need.
- Instate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for all Afghan refugees.
The Afghan-American Coalition will serve as a hub for action and resources to directly address the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. The group amplifies short and long term local, state, and national efforts to achieve policy goals that expedite protection for vulnerable and targeted communities within Afghanistan. Coalition members include the [Afghan-American Foundation](https://www.afghanamericans.org/?ref=panasd.org), [Afghan-American Women's Collective](https://aawomenscollective.org/?ref=panasd.org), [Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans](https://www.panasd.org/), [Afghans for a Better Tomorrow](https://www.weareafghans.org/?ref=panasd.org), [Afghan-American Community Organization](https://aa-co.org/?ref=panasd.org), [Afghan Diaspora for Equality and Progress](https://adeprogress.org/?ref=panasd.org), and [The Samovar Network](http://www.thesamovarnetwork.com/?ref=panasd.org), among others.
To find your member of Congress and advocate for assistance to Afghanistan, please visit: [afghanamericancoalition.com](https://afghanamericancoalition.com/?ref=panasd.org).
**Afghan-American Coalition boilerplate**
The Afghan-American Coalition is an alliance of organizations and community advocates championing humanitarian assistance to Afghans both within Afghanistan and those seeking refuge in the U.S. Members are mobilized to amplify the needs of Afghan communities at risk. For more information on the Coalition’s call to action and resources, please visit: [afghanamericancoalition.com](https://afghanamericancoalition.com/?ref=panasd.org), [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/CoalitionAfghan/), [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/coalitionafghan/?ref=panasd.org) or [Twitter](https://twitter.com/CoalitionAfghan?ref=panasd.org).
###
**About Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA)**
PANA is a research, community organizing, and public policy hub dedicated to advancing the full economic, social, and civic inclusion of refugees and Muslims in the region, throughout California, and across the country. PANA is committed to working with refugee communities in owning their power to bring about social change at the local, regional and national level. For more information, visit[www.panasd.org](https://panasd-dot-yamm-track.appspot.com/Redirect?ukey=1maTp0eFn09BKvNawifbfquc3kGmOcWIY9KrT98AhxbM-2082601453&key=YAMMID-27758798&link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.panasd.org&ref=panasd.org). On social media @PANASanDiego
### Decision on ShotSpotter contract delayed in San Diego
URL: https://www.panasd.org/decision-on-shotspotter-contract-delayed-in-san-diego/
Last updated: 2026-02-14T23:22:17.000Z
**cbs8.com**
[Decision on ShotSpotter contract delayed in San DiegoCommunity activists are calling for more oversight of the gunfire detection system but the mayor's office says it could be expanded in other neighborhoodscbs8.com](http://web.archive.org/web/20250313123747/https://www.cbs8.com/article/news/crime/decision-on-shotspotter-contract-delayed-in-san-diego-gunfire-detection-system-city-council-police-tool/509-dc7b0c82-7c82-40c5-bf0e-0007fafd87bd)
Source: Wayback availability API
Community activists are calling for more oversight of the gunfire detection system but the mayor's office says it could be expanded in other neighborhoods
SAN DIEGO — The San Diego City Council delayed making a decision Tuesday on a police tool that some consider controversial.
[ShotSpotter](https://web.archive.org/web/20250313123747/https://www.shotspotter.com/), an audio detection tool that sensors gunfire, is in more than 100 cities nationwide, and has been in Southeast San Diego since 2016.
The audio sensors are placed on light poles to detect nearby gunshots.
“The ShotSpotter contract is bad for San Diegans, it's ineffective and it's costly,” said Homayra Yusufi, Deputy Director for [Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans](https://web.archive.org/web/20250313123747/https://www.panasd.org/) (PANA) and [Trust SD Coalition](https://web.archive.org/web/20250313123747/https://sandiegotrust.org/).
ShotSpotter is in a 3.6-square-mile radius in Southeast San Diego neighborhoods police say have the highest number of gun-related crimes.
They are located in Lincoln Park, Skyline, Valencia Park, and O’Farrell which are predominantly Black and Brown communities.
“This is indicative of systems that have failed our communities over and over again and have over-policed and has created mass incarceration,” said Tasha Williamson, community activist.
During Tuesday’s city council meeting the $1.1 million ShotSpotter program was up for renewal up to four years but was sent back to staff for further review.
“The ShotSpotter item was returned to staff in order to evaluate further amendments to the contract, including potentially expanding the use of this public safety tool to other Council Districts and, at the request of the Councilmember, removing this technology from Council District Four,” said Jen Lebron, Director of Communications, Office of Mayor Todd Gloria.
She adds that gun violence is increasing across the city.
San Diego police say gang-related shootings are up 129% and many of those cases are connected to illegal and untraceable weapons called ghost guns.
[Trust SD](https://web.archive.org/web/20250313123747/https://sandiegotrust.org/) Coalition, a surveillance watchdog organization applauds the delay but says ShotSpotter should be delayed.
Last fall the council unanimously approved regulatory measures on surveillance ordinances that still need to be implemented.
“We don't believe the city should be considering contracts such as ShotSpotters until there is a community oversight board,” said Yusufi.
In a San Diego Police [PowerPoint](https://web.archive.org/web/20250313123747/https://onbase.sandiego.gov/OnBaseAgendaOnline/Documents/ViewDocument/SST%2520PowerPoint%2520Final.pdf?meetingId=4500&documentType=Agenda&itemId=199852&publishId=500697&isSection=false) for council members, it says officers responded to 417 ShotSpotter activations in a two-year period and 62 were connected to gun-related crimes.
Attorney Jonathan Manes with the [MacArthur Justice Center](https://web.archive.org/web/20250313123747/https://www.macarthurjustice.org/) in Chicago [questions](https://web.archive.org/web/20250313123747/https://www.macarthurjustice.org/shotspotter-generated-over-40000-dead-end-police-deployments-in-chicago-in-21-months-according-to-new-study/) the nationwide data and said false alerts create unnecessary tension.
“It creates dangerous situations every time police are sent out, thinking they are entering an extremely dangerous situation,” said Manes.
The mayor’s office says the ShotSpotter is not being disabled.
“We have every intent of bringing this item back to the City Council, as we believe it’s a valuable tool that can help address gun violence and catch perpetrators of gun violence. Our objective remains preventing senseless gun violence throughout our city and improving public safety in all neighborhoods," said Lebron.
San Diego police declined to comment about ShotSpotter.
Shot Spotter sent News 8 a statement in response to critics claims:
*Accuracy & Lack of Explaining False Positives and False Negatives:*
*“In the ShotSpotter system, an alert is deemed a “false positive” alert when ShotSpotter alerts law enforcement to what it determines is a gunshot, police are deployed to the location of the alert, and they confirm the sound was something else – seeing evidence of fireworks for example. An alert is deemed a “false negative” if gunfire is not detected but then is later found to have occurred in the coverage area.*
*We know from our customers that the ShotSpotter system exceeds our guarantee of at least 90% detection accuracy because customers report false positives or negatives directly to the company. This enables us to honor our service level guarantee as well as continually improve the system. Over the last two years, ShotSpotter has maintained a 97% accuracy rate including a 0.5% false positive rate aggregated across all customers.*
*Additionally, each sound detected as potential gunfire by our sensors is reviewed in our Incident Review Centers (IRCs). ShotSpotter rigorously trains and tests every individual reviewing real-time gunfire incidents at the company to ensure they are performing at a level consistent with the company’s quality objectives.”*
*Response to Assertion that ShotSpotter Creates High-Tension Situations Where Police Assume Someone is Armed:*
*“Actually, the opposite is true. When a police officer is provided more information about a gunshot incident, they arrive at the scene more situationally aware than they typically would. Information equates to preparation and better responses. ShotSpotter equips police officers with more information than they might typically have when arriving at the scene of a gunshot incident. For example, ShotSpotter can inform police officers if there are multiple shots fired and even multiple shooters.”*
*Response to Unnecessary Community Surveillance Remark:*
*“ShotSpotter has developed its technology and policies to enhance public safety while respecting individual privacy. A* [*Brookings Institution*](https://web.archive.org/web/20250313123747/https://www.brookings.edu/research/the-geography-incidence-and-underreporting-of-gun-violence-new-evidence-using-shotspotter-data/) *study found that more than 80% of gunfire incidents are not called into 911 so police are not able to respond to gunshots. ShotSpotter fills that gap.*
*The ShotSpotter system is a tool that gives officers an opportunity to make a greater impact on gun violence. By itself, it is not a cure-all, but when used as part of a comprehensive gun crime response strategy, it can contribute to positive outcomes for the police and the community.*
*For example, ShotSpotter helps police find victims of gun violence quickly when no one calls 911\. In 2020 in Oakland, California, 101 victims of gun violence were found and aided by police because of a ShotSpotter alert. Not one of those shootings was reported to 911.*
*In recent remarks regarding his administration’s gun crime prevention strategy,* [*President Biden highlighted gunshot detection systems*](https://web.archive.org/web/20250313123747/https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2021/06/23/remarks-by-president-biden-and-attorney-general-garland-on-gun-crime-prevention-strategy/) *as a prevention strategy that community mayors should have access to in order to “better see and stop gun violence” in their communities.”*
*Response to MacArthur Justice Report cited by Jonathan Manes:*
*“The MacArthur Justice Center Report draws erroneous conclusions from researchers’ interpretation of police report categorizations, falsely equating them with no shots fired. ShotSpotter has been in operation for 25 years, serves more than 110 cities and has earned trust and high renewal rates from many police departments because the system is effective in helping save lives, reducing gun violence, and making communities safer. 911 call center data alone provides an incomplete and misleading picture of ShotSpotter’s accuracy and effectiveness."*
### Advocates Urge San Diego City Council To Delay Vote On Surveillance Technology Contract
URL: https://www.panasd.org/advocates-urge-san-diego-city-council-to-delay-vote-on-surveillance-technology-contract/
Last updated: 2026-02-14T23:21:46.000Z
**KPBS Public Media**
[Advocates Urge San Diego City Council To Delay Vote On Surveillance Technology ContractCouncilmembers are set to vote on whether to keep using ShotSpotter, a system that is supposed to detect when gunshots are fired. Advocates say the technology is flawed and creates community distrust.KPBS Public Media](http://web.archive.org/web/20250723160341/https://www.kpbs.org/news/2021/jul/26/san-diego-city-council-delay-vote-surveillance/)
Source: Wayback availability API
A ShotSpotter audio sensor on the corner of 65th Street and Varney Drive. July 26, 2021\.
Published July 26, 2021 at 2:52 PM PDT
This story was published more than 3 years ago.
Community advocates want the San Diego City Council to hold off on extending the city’s contract with ShotSpotter, a Bay Area-based company that provides the San Diego Police Department with controversial audio surveillance technology.
First installed in San Diego in 2016, the ShotSpotter system is a series of audio sensors on top of buildings and light posts that detects and records the sounds of shots fired and locates where they were fired. The company claims the system sends sounds to a control center where individuals confirm that it is a gunshot and then notifies the police in less than a minute.
Advocates Urge San Diego City Council To Delay Vote On Surveillance Technology Contract KPBS Public Media
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Listen to this story by Cristina Kim.
[**RELATED: Chula Vista Police Drones Can Now Cover 100% Of City For Emergency Calls**](https://web.archive.org/web/20250723160341/https://www.kpbs.org/news/2021/mar/19/chula-vista-police-drones-100-city-emergency-calls/)
The sensors have been deployed in a 3.6-square-mile area in predominantly Black and Latino Southeast neighborhoods of San Diego -- including Lincoln Park, Valencia Park, Skyline and O'Farrell.
The city council is scheduled to vote on whether to approve a new contract with ShotSpotter on Tuesday. The proposal calls for the contract to be renewed for one year with an option for four more years at a total cost to taxpayers of $1.1 million.
Local members of the Transparent and Responsible Use of Technology San Diego, or TRUST SD Coalition, question whether the technology works as advertised, and regardless, see it as an infringement on people’s civil rights.
“There are real questions about the efficacy of these ShotSpotters,” said Homayra Yusufi, Deputy Director of The Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA). “Part of the problem right now is the police department isn't producing those reports, they aren’t saying how effective ShotSpotters are.”
An analysis of ShotSpotter activations between 2016-2020 by the news outlet[ Voice of San Diego](https://web.archive.org/web/20250723160341/https://www.voiceofsandiego.org/topics/public-safety/shotspotter-sensors-send-sdpd-officers-to-false-alarms-more-often-than-advertised/) showed that of the 584 alerts 72 (or 12.3%) were unfounded, meaning the sound was likely something else other than a gunshot.
[**RELATED: Pros And Cons Of San Diego’s Gunshot Detection System**](https://web.archive.org/web/20250723160341/https://www.kpbs.org/news/2019/jun/19/pros-and-cons-gunshot-detection-system/)
A nationwide investigation by[ VICE News this month](https://web.archive.org/web/20250723160341/https://www.vice.com/en/article/88nd3z/gunshot-detecting-tech-is-summoning-armed-police-to-black-neighborhoods) found persistent racial disparities wherever the technology is deployed. Data from Kansas City, Cleveland, Atlanta and Chicago, all of which use ShotSpotter technology, show that the sensors are located in predominantly Black and Latino communities, according to VICE News.
Yusufi is concerned that the city council will be voting on the ShotSpotter contract without the regulatory measures put in place last November, when the city council unanimously approved[ two surveillance-focused ordinances](https://web.archive.org/web/20250723160341/https://www.voiceofsandiego.org/nonfeature/council-approves-surveillance-oversight-ordinances/).
Authored by TRUST SD and Councilmember Monica Montgomery-Steppe, one of the ordinances established an oversight process for the city’s use of surveillance tools, including impact studies and community engagement meetings. The second created a privacy advisory board to oversee and manage the review process. Both ordinances are still undergoing a review by labor groups before they can be finalized.
“The reality is that we are living in an even more technological world and we need to have a process in which the city is able to determine which kinds of surveillance technologies make sense and doesn’t make sense,” Yusufi said. “Ramming ShotSpotters through the process is not how we do that, that’s not responsible governing.”
In June the SDPD officials highlighted[ a 129% increase](https://web.archive.org/web/20250723160341/https://www.kpbs.org/news/2021/jun/30/san-diego-police-six-month-surge-violent-crime/) in gang-related shootings since the beginning of 2021\. Monday, SDPD officials declined KPBS’ request for further comment on why they would like to continue to use this technology.
However, in a letter to the city council on July 1st, the SDPD Police Chief David Nisleit and Chief Operating Officer Jay Goldstone wrote that the system “enables a new normal where police can provide a consistent, rapid and precise response,” which will lead to increased community trust.
Khalid Alexander of Pillars of the Community said the technology not only unfairly targets San Diego’s Black and Latino communities, but can also perpetuate violence since police enter communities expecting gunfire.
“ShotSpotters are just another excuse to overpolice our neighborhoods, to come in and pull people over and essentially come into places where they haven’t been asked to come,” Alexander said.
Council members will discuss and vote on the contract at Tuesday’ virtual meeting, which is open to the public at 11AM. [Click here](https://web.archive.org/web/20250723160341/https://www.sandiego.gov/city-clerk/view-live-meetings) to view the meeting live.
### Digital Equity Gap In Refugee Community Makes Recovering From Pandemic Challenging
URL: https://www.panasd.org/digital-equity-gap-in-refugee-community-makes-recovering-from-pandemic-challenging/
Last updated: 2026-02-14T23:21:05.000Z
**KPBS Public Media**
[Digital Equity Gap In Refugee Community Makes Recovering From Pandemic ChallengingOur partners at inewsource report that for San Diego’s refugees, digital barriers could imperil their economic recovery even as the pandemic wanes.KPBS Public Media](http://web.archive.org/web/20240614152815/https://www.kpbs.org/news/2021/may/24/digital-equity-gap-refugee-community-makes-recover/)
Source: Wayback availability API
Growing up in Syria, Douha Alhalabi rarely had to use a computer, let alone Google. Back then and there, things were handled “in paper.”
Today her home is El Cajon, where she’s been trying to find work, attend college, apply for rental assistance — all online. It’s left her deeply frustrated.
When someone sent her to a “www dot” internet address, she didn’t know what “dot” meant and didn’t find the web page. When she tried to Google something, she didn’t know what exactly to type.
“It does damage my family, yes, because we have no idea how to use technology,” she said.
As with the [thousands of other refugees who live in San Diego County](https://web.archive.org/web/20240614152815/https://inewsource.org/2020/10/15/san-diego-refugees-covid-19/), that “damage” has reverberated across Alhalabi’s life this past year during the COVID-19 pandemic.
She and her husband haven’t been able to work remotely. Telehealth appointments became impossible without a translator. Online unemployment and rental assistance applications were so daunting, she gave up figuring them out on her own. The family became vulnerable to exploitation by “professional” people, as Alhalabi called them — third parties who helped them fill out those “hard applications” for hefty fees.
Now, as vaccination rates rise and in-person schools and businesses reopen, many experiences that shifted online may stay that way. That puts some of the region’s refugees at risk of being shut out of the economic recovery, because they lack the digital skills and adequate internet access that are as essential to life in San Diego as understanding traffic rules and being proficient in English.
That digital inequity has also contributed to deep job losses in San Diego’s refugee communities. According to one nonprofit, the unemployment rate in the fall of 2020 among refugees was more than three times higher than the county average at that time: 22% versus 6.6%.
Homayra Yusufi, interim executive director of the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans, is shown in this undated photo.
What’s next for those families? Perhaps eviction, perhaps not finding new jobs because of big gaps in their resumes, said Homayra Yusufi, the interim executive director of [Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans](https://web.archive.org/web/20240614152815/https://www.panasd.org/), a local community organizing, research and public policy nonprofit.
“I think it's going to definitely play out worse for those folks who have digital inequities,” she said.
These gaps could soon impact even more refugees in San Diego County. This month, President Joe Biden raised the limit on how many refugees the U.S. admits, more than quadrupling this year’s cap set by the Trump administration, from 15,000 to 62,500.
Community organizations say they are trying to help refugees by teaching digital literacy classes, donating computers, translating websites and converting their employees into internet navigation mentors.
Yusufi said her nonprofit and other groups are offering a “kind of patchwork relief, wherever we can.” That, she added, is because instead of making “real investments and foresight,” governments at all levels are underinvesting in refugee services. Nonprofits receive varying amounts of government funding to pay for some refugee programs but not enough to support the needs of all the people they serve.
“The fact that we rely on nonprofits to be providing basic services to the entire population, I think there's always going to be holes there, because we know nonprofits are also financially struggling,” Yusufi said. “There'll always be issues like that unless we can make that investment — unless the government, be it local, county, state, federal, can prioritize those things and actually put the budget behind it to address those issues.”
### Refugees in San Diego County
Based on U.S. State Department figures, 109,428 refugees resettled in California from January 2002 through August 2020\. Of those, nearly 30%, or 32,285 people, arrived in San Diego County.
None of these numbers account for the refugees who moved here after they were settled somewhere else. Nor do they count those who left. (The U.S. Census asks if someone is born abroad but not if someone is a refugee.)
The State Department figures also don’t show the number of refugees that transformed San Diego into a resettlement hub starting in the 1970s, following the end of the Vietnam War. Other world conflicts before 2002 led to more refugee migrations, including the Somali Civil War and the Gulf War.
As Ramah Awad, a community organizer with [Majdal: The Arab Community Center of San Diego](https://web.archive.org/web/20240614152815/https://majdalcenter.org/), sees it, nonprofits are filling gaps that the county government should be filling in its role to provide social services that improve the socioeconomic circumstances of those in need.
“Instead of it being embedded and integrated into the county's infrastructure, it's being outsourced to different nonprofits,” she said. “So I think there is a tension there. Who should be doing this work and is it sustainable?”
Such work is critical, she added, because families’ long-term stability hinges upon it.
Her conclusion: “If their access to applying to jobs, their access to classes for English language, if all of that is predicated on knowing how to fill out online forms, create online accounts, accessing a laptop — if all of that is predicated on digital access, then I think that it really is a steppingstone to being able to access all the other services that can get them to better socioeconomic standing in the longer term.”
**Basic digital needs unmet**
In the old days, before the pandemic, Abraham Tessema used to drive people to medical appointments and help them fill out applications.
“Most of them are farmers. They’ve never been in educational settings,” he said of the Etheopian and Eritrean families he works with at the Refugee Assistance Center in City Heights. “That's been a challenge — to even open a letter and read it and understand what it is saying. So they would bring it to us.”
During the pandemic his roles have been sharpened and focused into one: translating the internet. “The problem here is they cannot do the basic steps,” he said. “The language barrier comes first. They don't even understand what to do.”
Etleva Bejko, the director of Refugee and Immigration Services with Jewish Family Service of San Diego, a [refugee resettlement agency](https://web.archive.org/web/20240614152815/https://www.jfssd.org/our-services/refugees-immigration/), realized early in the pandemic that new immigrants must understand the internet in order to get updates about the fast changing situation.
“Imagine being new in a country, not understanding the language and on top of that a worldwide pandemic is happening,” Bejko said. “Digital literacy has become as important if not more important than any of the other topics that we require and teach in our cultural orientation.”
Etleva Bejko, head of refugee services for Jewish Family Service of San Diego, is shown in this undated photo.
The agency joined a pilot program developed by its parent nonprofit, [HIAS](https://web.archive.org/web/20240614152815/http://hias.org/), where mentors who speak Ukrianian, Farsi or Pashto teach refugees how to use a computer for online banking, telehealth, technical skills and, in parallel, English.
Bejko said of one refugee: “When she started the pilot, she didn't even know how to turn the device on. And now she's independently using it.” The local program has 10 participants and will continue for five more months. So far, she said, participants’ reactions have been “very positive.”
For every refugee who gets help and training, hundreds don’t, service providers said.
“We're just not able to get to all of them,” said Awad, with the Majdal center, adding that she and a part-time worker help two to three families a week with digital access issues. About 250 families on their roster could use help, she said.
Tessema said his organization is helping 36 families, while 200 “desperately” need support. “This is in our eyes the people that we can see,” he added. “And there are other refugee groups, like the Congolese, the Rwandans. I see that they needed help. We haven't even touched that part yet.”
**‘It's not for us’**
Digital literacy and access are, on one hand, a “bottleneck,” Tessema said. Without them, people can’t access resources, jobs or information. On the other hand, for refugees specifically, digital equity is also tangled with other challenges: language, cultural differences, fragile finances, and unfamiliarity with systems and norms in the U.S.
When the pandemic pushed many of her interactions online, Alaa Taha, 28, a refugee from Syria, didn’t trust telemedicine. That, combined with her low confidence in her English abilities, led her to opt out of doctor appointments. She’s also felt overwhelmed by her two kids’ remote classes and her own college coursework in business administration.
Alaa Taha is photographed at her home in El Cajon, March 23, 2021.
Twice since the pandemic began, she needed a doctor’s care for an acute health problem. Instead, she canceled both visits.
“It's not normal to talk with the doctor online and explain the pain, how do you feel, to the doctor. It should (be) the doctor sees the patient,” Taha said.
Dilkhwaz Ahmed, the executive director of [License to Freedom](https://web.archive.org/web/20240614152815/http://www.licensetofreedom.org/), an El Cajon nonprofit that’s been helping Taha, has also seen people give up on vital economic support because they felt overwhelmed by requirements and unfamiliar, complex websites and software.
“By the end, they say, you know what? Forget about it. It's not for us,” Ahmed said.
She recalled a man who joked that a rental assistance application had to be for a job with the U.S. State Department because it was so complicated.
“This link, it's designed for American people who know the language and they know how to access the internet so they can fill it out and they can upload,” he told her. Then, he added, “You know what? This is not for me. This program is not designed for me.” He did not apply at the time, she added.
These scenarios point to the complexity of teaching and helping refugees and other immigrants navigate the digital chasms that have been torn open during the pandemic. Their problems go beyond slow internet, or not enough devices, or not understanding how to use Zoom. It’s all of those compounded by limited language ability and overlapping layers of unfamiliarity with digital tools and with how things work in the U.S.
Shatha Dahash, a former lawyer in Iraq, helps Alaa Taha go through legal paperwork at her home in El Cajon, March 23, 2021.
Shatha Dahash, once a lawyer in Iraq and now the case manager helping Taha, said language, technical competence and trust in systems go hand in hand.
When one is missing, Dahash said, “Everything will be hard.”
More dire than health, even in a pandemic, are family finances, service providers said. Without digital literacy and access to computers or adequate internet connections for remote work, many refugees have had trouble holding on to jobs or applying for new jobs. And for those who have lost work, the same tech barriers make it hard to apply for unemployment, food stamps or rental assistance.
Yusufi, with the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans in City Heights, said digital inequity will be less of a problem with schools reopening and things like in-person doctor visits picking up. But she’s wary of expecting things to go back to “normal.” In the post-pandemic economy, some jobs aren’t coming back and others will stay remote, she said.
“I think that the bigger issue for our communities is also what does that mean, particularly for their incomes, particularly for employment opportunities and being able to have enough to sustain a family,” she said.
The results so far are not encouraging for refugees, service providers said. When industries that typically employed refugees, such as hospitality, transportation, childcare and food service, let workers go last year because of stay-at-home orders, an instant impact of the digital gap was economic. Unable to work in person or remotely, refugees lost jobs.
A forthcoming [report](https://web.archive.org/web/20240614152815/https://www.panasd.org/refugee-experiences-report) by Yusufi’s nonprofit, based on a survey last fall of 544 of the region’s refugees, says 22% were unemployed and looking for work and 51% were not looking for work because they were students or had given up job hunting.
“The biggest challenge of all is access to employment opportunities,” Bejko agreed. That’s not just the case for refugees, she added, but they tend to be isolated and not have the local context, experience or contacts that others might.
Even with support from nonprofits, the impact on refugees, including Alhalabi and her family, who are adjusting to a new way of life in El Cajon, both offline and online, has been devastating. She and her husband lost work during the pandemic, and she said they want to find jobs.
She was a childcare provider and her husband was an Uber driver, two hard-hit industries.
Because she couldn’t figure out the internet, Alhalabi missed a federal financial aid application that would have funded her ESL classes, positioning her for better work opportunities, and she said her daughter missed a college application deadline, leading to a “lost” year.
To apply for rental assistance, food stamps, unemployment and college financial aid, the family paid around $700 to a third party to help them.
Ahmed said these “fixers” are exploiting refugees. “People are asking them to pay $100 in order to help them with the applications. It's terrible,” she said. “People just try to take advantage of those people who don’t speak English by applying for them.”
**Whose problem?**
With refugees needing digital help, some community organizations said they’ve been forced to shift their focus.
Tessema said the Refugee Assistance Center had to “jump into this.”
The Majdal center, whose mission is to “uplift” its community members through advocacy and cultural programming, is now doing tech support to help people with online rental assistance applications.
“We, as a center, are not built to do the social service work … but because of the pandemic we had to pivot,” Awad said. “And so we're making do with what resources we have.”
Several local refugee groups applied to the state for a grant to combat health and digital inequity, but it was recently denied.
Bejko, with Jewish Family Service, said nonprofits step in to provide services until broader solutions from others emerge. “As everybody figures it out, what’s the best way to conduct business, the need is still there. So we do have to help our clients, even though that adds to the list of items, of services or gaps or challenges we have to help remove,” she said.
Yusufi said she wished government agencies had done more. State lawmakers responded with [Senate Bill 91](https://web.archive.org/web/20240614152815/https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill%5Fid=202120220SB91), which extends eviction protection through June, and the San Diego Unified School District equipped students with internet hotspots.
Alaa Taha checks in on her son's school assignments at her home in El Cajon, March 23, 2021.
To prevent refugees from ending up “worse off” as the pandemic wanes, she said her nonprofit advocates for “bold policy changes,” not “short-term relief programs.”
She is thinking big: reconsidering the resettlement system, helping refugees find affordable housing so [they’re not living in overcrowded conditions](https://web.archive.org/web/20240614152815/https://inewsource.org/2017/07/27/falsified-documents-san-diego-refugees-vulnerable/). These ideas extend beyond digital equity, but she said they get at the same goal: investing in refugees for their long-term success.
Bejko said the goal for refugees going through resettlement is “self-sufficiency.” The pilot program — the one that teaches everything from online banking to English — is one step in that direction. Another is emphasizing the internet is “a necessity,” she said, instead of something merely “good to have.”
Like electricity, gas and water, she added.
Along with being guided by nonprofits, some refugees are learning new digital literacy skills on their own.
Alhalabi said she has been watching YouTube videos to learn about “technology stuff,” and asks her kids and husband to explain things to her.
Taha, in her El Cajon apartment, her two young sons giggling in the next room, said she feels she has been getting more competent with each online adventure.
“It's still hard, but I learn,” she said, then opened her laptop to get some work done.
### Door knocking campaign for vaccine outreach underway in San Diego County
URL: https://www.panasd.org/door-knocking-campaign-for-vaccine-outreach-underway-in-san-diego-county/
Last updated: 2026-02-14T23:20:14.000Z
**ABC 10 News San Diego KGTV**
[Door knocking campaign for vaccine outreach underway in San Diego CountyDoor knocking campaign for COVID vaccine outreach launched in San Diego CountyABC 10 News San Diego KGTV](http://web.archive.org/web/20240305050735/https://www.10news.com/news/local-news/door-knocking-campaign-for-covid-vaccine-outreach-launched-in-san-diego-county)
Source: Wayback availability API
SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - Efforts to reach those not yet vaccinated in the county are now headed door-to-door.
Over the past three weeks, a team of 20 canvassers from nonprofit Alliance San Diego has been going door-to-door in underserved communities in San Diego, hard hit by COVID-19.
“We are confident that we will make a huge difference in the low vaccination rate among people of color in the San Diego region,” said Christopher Rice-Wilson, Associate Director of Alliance San Diego.
The outreach begins with a knock at the door. The goal is to educate help set up a COVID vaccine appointments, by overcoming barriers like technology, misinformation and language.
“When someone knocks on your door with information — who looks like you, who talks the way you talk, who lives in the same neighborhood you live in — you’re more likely to listen to them,” said Rice-Wilson.
The canvassers were hired as part of the statewide project Healthy Future California, which is partnering with UCLA. The state kicking in $20 million, in hopes of reaching those not yet vaccinated.
The other local nonprofit hired for the outreach program: Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA), which will focus on phone banking.
So far, Alliance San Diego canvassers have knocked on more than 6,000 doors in San Diego County, sometimes following up with phone calls. Rice-Wilson says the peer-to peer-appeals are working.
"The people we talked who haven’t been vaccinated … we’re seeing a 65% to 75% success rate in making appointments for them,” said Rice-Wilson.
The nonprofits have helped make more than 500 vaccine appointments.
“We want to make sure these communities are a part of the solution, and they know they’re part of the solution, and that we can all play a role in keeping our communities safe,” said Rice-Wilson.
Rice-Wilson says his team will continue to canvass five days a week, until the end of June.
Across the state, some 2,000 canvassers have knocked on more than 230,000 doors and made 13,0000 vaccine appointments.
Copyright 2021 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
### Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer Proposes Immigrant Legal Defense Program
URL: https://www.panasd.org/supervisor-terra-lawson-remer-proposes-immigrant-legal-defense-program-2/
Last updated: 2025-10-04T04:25:13.000Z
_No content available._
### Supervisor proposes legal help for people in immigration custody in San Diego County
URL: https://www.panasd.org/supervisor-lawson-remer-immigration-custody/
Last updated: 2026-02-14T23:19:34.000Z
**San Diego Union-Tribune**
[Supervisor proposes legal help for people in immigration custody in San Diego CountySan Diego County may join a growing list of local governments providing attorneys to people held in federal immigration custody.Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer has proposed a one-year pilot program w…San Diego Union-Tribune](http://web.archive.org/web/20260129024610/https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2021/04/27/supervisor-proposes-legal-help-for-people-in-immigration-custody-in-san-diego-county/)
Source: Wayback availability API
San Diego County may join a growing list of local governments providing attorneys to people held in federal immigration custody.
Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer has proposed a one-year pilot program with a $5 million budget administered through the San Diego County Public Defender Office that would offer lawyers for free to people detained at Otay Mesa Detention Center — the local federal facility for those in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Lawson-Remer called the program a lifeline to longtime residents and newly arrived asylum seekers alike.
“Our justice system should be based on facts and law, not access to wealth and resources,” she said, standing on the sidewalk outside the detention facility.
While people charged with crimes are provided government-appointed attorneys if they are unable to afford their own representation, the same is not true in immigration court.
That’s because immigration is considered a civil legal matter rather than a criminal one.
And while people waiting for immigration-court cases can only legally be held in custody if they are considered flight risks or dangerous to society, in reality many end up stuck inside because they do not have help navigating the bureaucracy of steps to get released.
Those with legal representation are four times more likely to be released from detention, according to an academic [study](https://web.archive.org/web/20260129024610/https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/research/access-counsel-immigration-court) published by the American Immigration Council.
That means, Lawson-Remer said, that the county would benefit economically from providing attorneys to those in detention. Once released, they can return to jobs and families.
Getting more people released from custody would also cut down on detention costs to taxpayers, Lawson-Remer said. The estimated average cost per day per adult from the [Department of Homeland Security](https://web.archive.org/web/20260129024610/https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/19%5F0318%5FMGMT%5FCBJ-Immigration-Customs-Enforcement%5F0.pdf) was $129.64\. That’s nearly $3,900 for one month.
Otay Mesa Detention Center has the capacity to hold more than 1,100 people in immigration custody, according to a government report released last year. The actual number of detainees has fluctuated at lower levels under the pandemic with the ongoing border closure.
ICE did not respond to a request for comment about the current number of detainees in time for publication.
Immigrants are also less likely to be ordered deported if they have legal help, according to the American Immigration Council study.
“This system is far from just,” said Adela Mason, director of the American Bar Association’s Immigration Justice Project, which gave input to Lawson-Remer’s team for the proposal.
While San Diego can’t change federal immigration laws or court practices, she said, the county can provide a guide to help people navigate their complexity.
The National Association of Immigration Judges has advocated for having more attorneys representing the people who come before them in court because, the judges say, it makes the system more efficient.
Mustafe Hassan, an asylee from Ethiopia, said he spent about four months at Otay Mesa Detention Center after he came to the border to request protection in 2017.
Through a Somali interpreter, he recalled the stress and fear of trying to navigate the system on his own as someone who did not speak English.
“I didn’t know what to do,” Hassan said. “It was like I was a blind person. I didn’t have any help.”
He also recalled the relief of finding legal help through the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans. The attorney helped him win his case in 2018\. He now has his green card and works as a security officer.
While San Diego would be the first border county to provide deportation defense, at least 43 localities around the country have already implemented similar programs. The Vera Institute has partnered with 22 local governments to create publicly funded programs in its [SAFE Initiative](https://web.archive.org/web/20260129024610/https://www.vera.org/initiatives/safe-initiative) to bring universal representation to immigration court.
Michael Garcia of the San Diego County Public Defender Office said that now is the right time for San Diego to implement its own because members of Congress have proposed legislation that could eventually send federal dollars to the program.
Supervisors will vote on the proposal on May 4\. If it passes, Garcia’s office will have 90 days to come back with an implementation plan.
### Outrage over Biden administration's apparent about-face on refugee caps
URL: https://www.panasd.org/outrage-over-biden-administrations-apparent-about-face-on-refugee-caps/
Last updated: 2026-02-14T23:19:05.000Z
**cbs8.com**
[Outrage over Biden administration's apparent about-face on refugee capsSome critics say that political pressure may be playing a part in this sudden departure from earlier promises to raise the historically low refugee capcbs8.com](http://web.archive.org/web/20230326101217/https://www.cbs8.com/article/news/investigations/beyond-the-border/biden-administration-refugee-caps/509-5c32b874-cd1c-410c-8f0d-79f55b8574d6)
Source: Wayback availability API
Some critics say that political pressure may be playing a part in this sudden departure from earlier promises to raise the historically low refugee cap
SAN DIEGO — The Biden administration came under intense fire Friday, after announcing that it planned to keep in place the Trump administration's refugee cap. That historically low level set by former President Donald Trump had allowed only 15,000 refugees to settle in the United States every year.
By late Friday, though, the Biden administration appeared to do an about-face from earlier in the day, as the White House announced President Biden would now set a new, increased refugee cap, but did not provide specific numbers.
Earlier this year, though, the President had committed to a very clear number.
"This executive order will position us to be able to raise the refugee admissions back up to 125,000 persons for the first full fiscal year of the Biden-Harris administration." Biden had stated on February 4.
But on Friday, the Biden administration appeared - at least initially - to reverse course, announcing in the morning that it planned to keep the historically low refugee cap set by the Trump administration at only 15,000 refugees admitted to the U.S. annually.
This announcement sparked outrage among refugee advocacy groups.
"Last year, there were actually just over 11,000 refugees who were able to re-settle throughout the entire country," said Homayra Yusufi, interim executive director of [PANA, the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans](https://web.archive.org/web/20230326101217/https://www.panasd.org/), a non-profit based in City Heights that advocates for refugees.
> BREAKING: After blowback from allies, White House says President Biden will move to lift Trump-era refugee caps next month. [https://t.co/hVOZUbDWbu](https://web.archive.org/web/20230326101217/https://t.co/hVOZUbDWbu)— The Associated Press (@AP) [April 16, 2021](https://web.archive.org/web/20230326101217/https://twitter.com/AP/status/1383165300191981573?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%255Etfw)
"Historically, San Diego has been one of the largest destinations for refugee resettlement," Yusufi added.
Yusufi said she is disappointed and frustrated that the new administration does not appear to be holding to its original promise.
"For us and for all of the refugees who have been waiting the past four years and longer to come here, they are facing danger, living in refugee camps all over the world," she told News 8\. "They have waited long enough!"
"It is inconsistent with the administration's commitment it has made to the international community about being a place of refuge," said Pedro Rios, director of [the American Friends Service Committee](https://web.archive.org/web/20230326101217/https://www.afsc.org/) in San Diego.
He said that in light of the attention the situation at the border has been receiving, this move to lower the refugee cap may be politically motivated.
"I think there is some political pressure," Rios added. "Probably they are thinking of the midterm elections."
"This is their opportunity to demonstrate that we can be compassionate to the asylum seekers at the border but also to refugees seeking to come to the United States and re-build their lives here," Yusufi said.
President Biden's press secretary said late Friday that the president would establish the new refugee cap by May 15\.
> BREAKING: We are deeply disappointed at the Biden Administration's decision to maintain the historically low Trump-era refugee cap of only 15,000 refugees annually. We're calling for an increased admissions goal in light of unprecedented global need. More: [https://t.co/ROs1eizTmM](https://web.archive.org/web/20230326101217/https://t.co/ROs1eizTmM)— IRC - International Rescue Committee (@RESCUEorg) [April 16, 2021](https://web.archive.org/web/20230326101217/https://twitter.com/RESCUEorg/status/1383104644537229312?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%255Etfw)
### Biden Turns His Back on Refugees Fleeing Danger
URL: https://www.panasd.org/biden-turns-his-back-on-refugees-fleeing-danger-2/
Last updated: 2025-10-04T04:26:16.000Z
**PRESS STATEMENT**
**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**
April 16, 2021
Media Contact: Homayra Yusufi, homayra@panasd.org, 858-869-3974
The Biden Administration announced today that it will not fulfill its commitment to restore the refugee resettlement program and repeal Trump’s harmful, xenophobic, and immorally low refugee admission levels. Biden made a [campaign promise](https://medium.com/@JoeBiden/statement-from-vice-president-biden-9d7305e5e97e?ref=panasd.org) to increase refugee admissions to 125,000 asylum seekers in his first year of office. Once in office, his commitment faltered, with a pledge to admit only 62,500 this year and to ramp up to 125,000 the following year. This morning, the Administration reneged completely on its campaign promise to those who put him in office: the Administration will keep resettlement program numbers at Trump’s historically low 15,000.
The United States refugee resettlement program was created post World War II with the purpose of assuring that individuals forced to flee their homes due to war, famine, and other disasters have a safe and legal path to rebuild their lives in the United States. Once a worldwide model for welcoming refugees, the United States refugee resettlement program has seen years of underinvestment and was decimated by the Trump administration through executive orders that systematically targeted key elements of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP), including an [86% reduction](https://www.wrapsnet.org/documents/PRM%20Refugee%20Admissions%20Report%20FY2020%5F09%5F30.xlsx?ref=panasd.org) in the number of refugees admitted into the U.S. between 2016 and 2020.
The Biden Administration’s announcement is a validation and continuation of this shameful trend. Instead of restoring the United State’s status as a welcoming beacon of hope for those displaced due to war and famine, the Administration now leaves refugees who have been urgently waiting for the admissions to increase with little hope for finding safety and freedom in the United States.
Homayra Yusufi, Interim Executive Director for the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans, states, “We are disappointed and dismayed by the decision to keep the refugee cap at its current historic low. The Biden administration must be bold and courageous to demonstrate that we can provide compassion to those seeking asylum at our borders as well as those seeking refuge from abroad.”
PANA urges the Biden Administration to increase the refugee admissions cap and invest in support to refugees to meaningfully rebuild their lives in the United States. To learn more about the state of refugees in San Diego County, read the [San Diego County Refugee Experiences Report](https://www.panasd.org/refugee-experiences-report).
###
**About Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA)**
PANA is a research, community organizing, and public policy hub dedicated to advancing the full economic, social, and civic inclusion of refugees and Muslims in the region, throughout California, and across the country. PANA is committed to working with refugee communities in owning their power to bring about social change at the local, regional and national level. For more information, visit[www.panasd.org](https://panasd-dot-yamm-track.appspot.com/Redirect?ukey=1maTp0eFn09BKvNawifbfquc3kGmOcWIY9KrT98AhxbM-2082601453&key=YAMMID-27758798&link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.panasd.org&ref=panasd.org). On social media @PANASanDiego
### Pandemic complicates life for refugees in San Diego - Los Angeles Times
URL: https://www.panasd.org/pandemic-challenges-san-diego-refugees/
Last updated: 2026-02-14T23:18:20.000Z
**Los Angeles Times**
[Pandemic complicates life for refugees in San Diego - Los Angeles TimesLack of affordable housing and struggles with language barriers made disruptions to education and work more pronounced for San Diego refugee communities during the pandemic, according to a new report.Los Angeles Times](http://web.archive.org/web/20250424042654/https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-04-04/pandemic-challenges-san-diego-refugees)
Source: Wayback availability API
SAN DIEGO — Famo Musa remembers the beginning of the pandemic as chaos.
It wasn’t just adapting to the online versions of her UC San Diego classes, where she had recently transferred from community college, or figuring out how to support her two children, ages 10 and 7, in their virtual classrooms.
It wasn’t just juggling one job with school and then eventually two as she took on extra work to support family members who became unemployed because of the lockdown.
And it wasn’t just fighting for a decent internet connection for work meetings and for class while her children, her aunt’s three children and her sister’s nine children used the Wi-Fi for school.
The Somali community leaned on Musa, 31, as older members struggled through language barriers to access accurate information, communicate with the unemployment office and apply for rental relief grants and other aid.
“I still can’t believe we survived it,” Musa said, recalling the first months of the pandemic. “It was really hard.”
For refugees, former refugees and their families, the interaction between the pandemic and challenges that their communities were already facing has exacerbated the stresses of the last year.
“COVID is just highlighting and making apparent the issues that we already knew existed,” said Homayra Yusufi, deputy director of the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans, or PANA.
Issues like access to affordable housing and language barriers magnified the impact that the pandemic had on education and employment for refugee families.
Unemployment was much higher in the county’s refugee communities than the general population during the pandemic, according to a survey of 544 refugees in San Diego conducted by PANA and published in March 2021\. That’s because many refugees in the region have historically worked in industries like hospitality and tourism — jobs that disappeared overnight with the lockdown last March.
Young people in particular across San Diego’s refugee communities, especially youth organizers like Musa, found themselves supporting entire networks of people in navigating life’s abrupt shifts with the rise of COVID-19.
The root of the problem, Yusufi said, is the lack of investment in long-term support for refugee communities. Refugees receive aid when they first arrive, she said, but it is short-lived and doesn’t generally allow them time to enhance their skills for better-paying or more stable work.
Yusufi said that state and local officials should consider how policies affect refugee families and invest in their long-term success as San Diego residents. That includes supporting refugees’ growth into sustainable careers, not just supporting them until they get their first jobs, she said.
“These are folks who have fled war, who have been persecuted, who are living with severe trauma, a lot of which comes from U.S. imperialism that created the situation in which they basically needed to flee for their lives,” Yusufi said.
“These are the folks that the United States selected as the folks they want to resettle here. I want folks to understand that when they come here, it’s not roses. They’re struggling, they’re struggling a lot. We need to do more.”
## A crowded house
Finding stable employment or learning in online classrooms are issues on the minds of many San Diegans, regardless of where they were born or how they came to Southern California.
What has compounded those difficulties for refugee families are issues that their communities have faced for years in San Diego.
Chief among them are high rents that lead to overcrowded housing.
Yusufi calls overcrowding “hidden homelessness” — 65% of the refugees surveyed by PANA live in overcrowded housing, meaning more than one person per room.
Nearly one-third live in severe overcrowding, meaning more than 1.5 people per room.
> “The house is always full.”
— Famo Musa
Overcrowding means that while Consolata Shabani, who is originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo, is trying to focus on her virtual class to learn English in her small apartment, her eight children are next to her in the living room or clustered on three beds squeezed into a bedroom doing their own online schoolwork.
“Talking, talking too much,” Shabani is how she describes the scene when everyone in the house is logged in at once, breaking from her Swahili translator to speak in English.
As she spoke, several of her children could be heard talking and singing from the bedroom. Her brother, the translator, got up to tell them to focus on their work.
She recalled the dream she had when she came to the United States, that her children would have better educational opportunities.
“The dream comes a little bit slowly,” she said.
One-third of the refugees interviewed by PANA said their children don’t have a quiet place to study. And 44 % didn’t have access to headphones for their children, adding to the noise in small spaces.
Musa and her two children live with her aunt, who has three children at home. Often, Musa takes the five kids to her mother’s home up the street. Her mother baby-sits for her sister, who has nine children.
Musa’s mother is not fluent in English and struggles with technology, so Musa takes charge of getting all of the children logged into their virtual classrooms before starting her own online work meetings.
“The house is always full,” Musa said.
Having all of the children in one place makes it easier for Musa to monitor them all, but the proximity to one another also creates opportunity for distraction.
“I have to keep checking on them,” Musa said. “Otherwise their attention span is really short.”
## Gain a job, lose a home
High rents also mean that refugees need jobs that pay well enough to afford the cost of living in San Diego.
Though some are able to regain the professional lives they had to leave behind when they fled their homelands — working as accountants, doctors or scientists — others [struggle](https://web.archive.org/web/20250424042654/https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/immigration/sd-me-brain-waste-20170810-story.html) to have the time and the English skills to get certified in their old occupations in their new country.
Still others arrive with disrupted educations because of the conditions they fled and are illiterate in their own languages. That makes learning English even more difficult.
Many end up in low-paying jobs in San Diego’s normally booming hospitality and tourism sectors, driving taxis or for Uber and Lyft or working as child-care providers.
All of these industries saw a dramatic drop in demand when the pandemic began, and many refugees haven’t worked since March 2020.
PANA found that 80% of the refugees surveyed had experienced significant job loss during the pandemic.
At the time of the survey, toward the end of last year, 22% were still unemployed and actively looking for work. The unemployment rate for the general population during that same time frame was 6.6%.
Others had just given up looking altogether, even though they still wanted jobs.
Every family interviewed by the Union-Tribune had experienced a job loss at some point during the Last year.
Mwibeleca Amuri, a refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo, lost his job as a dishwasher at a Marriott hotel in March 2020\. He was able to find another one in November, this time as a cashier at a 7 Eleven.
Shabani lost her job making flower bouquets and hasn’t worked since. Neither has Kawther Al Shammari, a refugee from Iraq, who worked as a hair stylist.
The PANA survey found that refugees who are still working are mostly in jobs that cannot be done virtually and are at higher risk of catching COVID-19\. At the same time, 84% of those surveyed were earning very low wages — the median income for those working full time was about $18,000 a year, Yusufi said.
Faroug Ali, originally from Sudan, was laid off from a job at the Hyatt hotel in Carlsbad during the pandemic. He managed to find another one at the NASSCO shipyard, and his wife began working there with him to help with the bills.
When it was time to re-certify their income level in late October, they discovered they were now making too much to stay in their low-income housing. They were given two months to leave.
During that time, Ali ended up catching COVID-19 on the job and spreading it to his family. He was unable to work for a month. He received only two days of sick pay because the job was so new.
Still, he wasn’t given any extra time to find a new place, and the family ended up in Clairemont with a rent more than twice what Ali used to pay.
After a difficult year, he’s praying and hoping that this year will be better.
## ‘I’m being pushed away’
Musa’s mother and aunt are both child-care providers. Their incomes dropped in March when the lockdown began.
Musa said the fear of eviction has been very real. But because the two women had Musa to help them, they were able to apply for and receive rental relief when they lost work.
Others in the community, including Shabani Esolomwa, a Congolese father of four, haven’t been able to navigate government relief applications that don’t provide support in the languages they are most comfortable speaking.
Esolomwa, who has been in the United States for five years, lost his job as a security guard after apartment complexes canceled their contracts with his employer. He thinks it was because people in those buildings hadn’t been able to pay rent.
He has tried to make ends meet as a handyman, but work is sporadic. He owes several months in rent, at least $4,800\. He’s been told that if he doesn’t pay by June, he will be evicted. He doesn’t know how to get help through rent-relief programs.
“I feel like I’m being pushed away,” Esolomwa said through a Swahili interpreter. “Whatever support is being given hasn’t come to people like me.”
He was thankful for the federal stimulus checks — without them, he would be even more behind.
Because of his limited English, he also feels unable to help his children with their online classes.
Esolomwa doesn’t think his children are doing well in school. They struggle on their own through intermittent Wi-Fi in the family’s small apartment. Sometimes one of the children sits outside on the landing for a quieter place to attend class.
“We don’t have a choice, the life that we are living in,” Esolomwa said.
Hasha Tabu’s son, Joseph Ekyoci, is a youth mentor in the Congolese community. He helped her, as he helped many other families, navigate the challenges of losing work as a child-care provider during the pandemic.
There are some tasks, such as discussing pay discrepancies with the company that contracts with her, that she could’ve handled on her own before the pandemic. Now she needs help because she’s not able to go talk to someone in person.
“That makes things worse because you don’t know how you can seek support when you can’t speak to anyone,” Tabu said with her son translating from Swahili.
## Mental health stigma
As is the case for many during the pandemic, refugee communities are experiencing increased depression and anxiety.
What’s striking for organizers like Yusufi is that refugees are admitting to it. Conversations about mental health challenges are stigmatized in many of the cultures that San Diego refugees come from. Still, in PANA’s survey, 53% reported feeling depression and anxiety.
“That was a very big red flag for us,” Yusufi said, adding that this was still probably an undercount because of the stigma.
Al Shammari, a single mother from Iraq who lost her job at a hair salon, recalled the heaviness of the last year.
“I was constantly living in fear and feeling like death was near,” Al Shammari said through an interpreter. “It was difficult to navigate the entire year.”
She has tried to keep her children focused on school while working to complete her studies in child care at Cuyamaca College.
Anxiety often kept her up at night as she worried about providing for her children. But she didn’t feel safe enough to take a new job with the mounting COVID-19 cases.
She and her friends in the Iraqi and Syrian communities have tried to stay in touch by phone. She heard from friends who own restaurants and whose businesses are crumbling. And, she heard from friends who were now dealing with increased violence in their homes because of tensions from being stuck together in small spaces for so long.
PANA found that 12% of refugee women and 4% of refugee men reported an increase in household violence during the pandemic.
Despite the struggles, Al Shammari also noted some positives from the past year. She has spent more time baking with her daughter.
And, she thinks her experiences as a refugee, the conditions that caused her family to flee first Iraq and then Syria, in some ways prepared her for the pandemic.
What she lived through as a refugee was worse, she said, than what she’s been through this last year.
“It didn’t get to the level of being in the situation as a refugee,” Al Shammari said. “It didn’t get to that point.”
## $600 grants and a learning pod
Toward the end of last summer, Musa began to notice more organizations supporting families in her community.
“I didn’t feel so alone,” Musa recalled. “It wasn’t just me out there helping people. I didn’t feel like I had the whole world on my shoulders as much.”
PANA raised money to give one-time $600 grants to refugee households. Yusufi said the organization was able to help about 600 families.
“It was better than nothing, but almost everyone was calling again and again,” Yusufi said. “It just wasn’t enough.”
San Diego College of Continuing Education, which has many refugee students and had already begun to roll out a support program for its immigrant students, began hosting twice-weekly virtual forums in English and Spanish to share resources and information.
Student volunteers pick the forum topics, and students stay connected through WhatsApp group chats created by the school.
And at St. Luke’s North Park, where many refugee families are members, church staff created a “learning pod” where students could get support for their online classes.
Church staff pick up the children in the morning and drive them to the church. Inside, roughly 20 children are masked and physically distanced.
They are offered breakfast and lunch, and a group of staff and volunteers stand at the ready for when children have questions or technical issues.
Though these initiatives have not reached everyone who needs help in San Diego’s refugee communities, for the ones that they touch, the experience has been life-changing.
Nadein, Ali’s 15-year-old daughter, has been attending the learning pod since November. She said her grades improved with the additional support and motivation.
“It helps me focus,” she said. “At home I could kind of do whatever I want. Nobody is watching me. My camera is off.”
### Refugees Disproportionately Suffering From Unemployment, Hate Crimes, Mental Health Challenges, and the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic
URL: https://www.panasd.org/refugees-experiences-report-2/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:29:37.000Z
**PRESS STATEMENT**
**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**
March 22, 2021
Media Contact: Homayra Yusufi, [homayra@panasd.org](mailto:homayra@panasd.org), 858-869-3974
Jeanine Erikat, [jeanine@panasd.org](mailto:jeanine@panasd.org), 858-652-2911
San Diego, CA -- The Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA) today released preliminary findings from its biennial San Diego County Refugee Experience Report, a revealing snapshot that shows how refugees are disparately impacted by unemployment, limited housing, hate crimes, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Read the [Executive Summary here](https://panasd-dot-yamm-track.appspot.com/Redirect?ukey=1maTp0eFn09BKvNawifbfquc3kGmOcWIY9KrT98AhxbM-2082601453&key=YAMMID-27758798&link=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.panasd.org%2Frefugee-experiences-report&ref=panasd.org).
“There’s a longstanding misunderstanding among Americans that refugees fleeing poverty, violence and health crises in their home countries are relieved of hardship when they relocate here,” says PANA Deputy Director, Homayra Yusufi. “The truth is that while some experience temporary relief from the problems they left behind, most encounter new hardships unique to America’s wealth gap, lack of social services, and xenophobic immigration laws and culture.”
Zamzam Khalifa, a Somali refugee and mother states,“We fled our country due to war and famine and came to the United States for peace and safety. But I have black sons and I worry about their safety every day and every time they go out I am anxious until they come home. The refugee community in San Diego faces many issues even if they have been here a long time and pandemic has made it much more difficult for us. As a childcare provider, my family has been deeply affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Some key findings from the survey of 544 refugees across the San Diego region:
- **The unemployment rate in the refugee community is more than three times higher than San Diego County’s unemployment rate. Moreover, nearly all respondents employed throughout the pandemic earned significantly below the regional media salary; 84 percent are considered extremely low earners.**
- **65 percent of refugees in San Diego are living in overcrowded dwellings. Two-thirds of respondents are living in crowded housing with more than one person per room, and almost a third are in severely overcrowded housing, increasing the risk of transmission of COVID-19 with a lack of adequate space to isolate from infected family members or roommates.**
- **65 percent of respondents said they had experienced a hate crime since moving to the United States.** A vast majority of Afghan and African respondents reported this experience, compared to Middle Eastern and Southeast Asian participants.
- **Fifty-three percent of participants reported an experience with depression and/or anxiety**. This is significantly above the estimated 44 percent of Californians who reported mental health issues in the same timeframe.
Rebecca Fielding-Miller, Assistant Professor at the UC San Diego, who provided technical assistance on the survey and report stated, “This study is important not only because of its comprehensive nature and clear portrait of the refugee community in San Diego county, but also because it was driven and owned by the community itself.”
In the midst of calls to pass the No Muslim Ban Act and raise the cap on refugee resettlement, PANA calls on local, state, and federal lawmakers to act to address the immediate and long-term needs of refugees through resettlement policy reforms that ensure equity and inclusion. PANA's release of preliminary findings from the San Diego County Refugee Experiences Report includes [several policy recommendations](https://panasd-dot-yamm-track.appspot.com/Redirect?ukey=1maTp0eFn09BKvNawifbfquc3kGmOcWIY9KrT98AhxbM-2082601453&key=YAMMID-27758798&link=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.panasd.org%2Frefugee-experiences-report&ref=panasd.org).
###
**About Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA)**
PANA is a research, community organizing, and public policy hub dedicated to advancing the full economic, social, and civic inclusion of refugees and Muslims in the region, throughout California, and across the country. PANA is committed to working with refugee communities in owning their power to bring about social change at the local, regional and national level. For more information, visit [www.panasd.org](https://panasd-dot-yamm-track.appspot.com/Redirect?ukey=1maTp0eFn09BKvNawifbfquc3kGmOcWIY9KrT98AhxbM-2082601453&key=YAMMID-27758798&link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.panasd.org&ref=panasd.org). On social media @PANASanDiego
### Middle Eastern Communities Say Census Whitewashes Their Numbers, Needs
URL: https://www.panasd.org/middle-eastern-communities-say-census-whitewashes-their-numbers-needs/
Last updated: 2026-02-14T23:17:27.000Z
**Voice of San Diego**
[Middle Eastern Communities Say Census Whitewashes Their Numbers, NeedsSan Diego is home to large numbers of refugees from the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia – communities the census mostly classifies as White. Without detailed data, it’s nearly impossible t...Voice of San Diego](http://web.archive.org/web/20240630064326/https://voiceofsandiego.org/2021/03/18/middle-eastern-communities-say-census-whitewashes-their-numbers-needs/)
Source: Wayback availability API
San Diego, which has long been one of the largest refugee resettlement communities in California, has large populations of people from the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia.
But it’s nearly impossible to gauge just how large those populations actually are – and not knowing those numbers has meant fewer resources going to those communities and the organizations that support them.
That’s because the census, which helps the federal government determine everything from the number of congressional seats to how the federal budget is distributed to local communities, classifies many people in these communities as White.
“Being hidden in the data has historically furthered communities being left out,” said Jeanine Erikat, a community organizer with the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans, an organization that advocates for refugees and immigrants in the San Diego region. “An undercount is extremely harmful.”
Erikat’s organization, PANA, describes these populations with the acronym AMEMSA, which refers to Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim and South Asian. Others use MENA, which indicates individuals who have roots in the Middle East and North Africa.
Not having more specific data on how many people fall into these groups can limit the government resources that go toward their needs, from providing Arabic translation on forms or in public hearings to funding for community organizations that work on issues like socioeconomic development and mental health. If new immigrants from these regions who have lower incomes and limited English proficiency are lumped in with more affluent, White English-speakers in data, it doesn’t just mean the government likely won’t meet their needs – it can mean they won’t even know about them.
Not having this information can especially impact language access, said Ramah Awad, a community organizer and steering committee chair of the Majdal Center, an Arab resource and community center in El Cajon.
“At the most basic level, local government doesn’t have a sense of how many Arabic speakers or coming from the MENA region who are residing in their local city or county,” Awad said. “In terms of the things our communities are losing out on – public funding when it comes to the schooling system and basic services. They’re an invisible population.”
El Cajon, for example, is one of the main refugee resettlement communities in the county and thus, likely has a large AMEMSA or MENA population. But while 43.5 percent of the city’s population speaks a language other than English at home and 29 percent of the city is foreign born, according to census data, 58.5 percent of the city is [ethnically classified as White](https://web.archive.org/web/20240630064326/https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/elcajoncitycalifornia).
“As a small and emerging community center in El Cajon, it’s really important that we know our community so we know what resources to provide,” Awad said. “We’re relying on informal surveying, rather than being able to know that there are X number of Arabs, this is their median-income, their education level, etc. We’re just getting a sample size.”
The misclassification of these communities means many have faced roadblocks during the pandemic while seeking assistance. For example, Awad’s organization has had to step in to assist community organizations with translation to dole out rental assistance, when other communities receive that assistance directly through organizations that regularly work with them.
“We have had to be that link between the community and services,” Awad said. “In an ideal world, the needs of this population would exist when it comes to cultural relevance and accessibility. In short, we’re facing a lot of under-resourcing because we’re not visible in the data.”
Erikat says that many people in these communities work in service jobs, including in restaurants or as app-based drivers, and thus have been disproportionately impacted economically by the pandemic. But there is no data to show that, which limits the support people in the community may have access to.
“Now in a pandemic, we don’t show up in research even though we have different risks and there may be health disparities,” Erikat said.
Additionally, many people who came as refugees already grapple with post-traumatic stress disorder, Erikat said. A lack of meaningful data capturing their numbers also means inadequate funding for mental health support, which is even more concerning now as depression rates have [increased across demographics during the pandemic](https://web.archive.org/web/20240630064326/https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2020/09/depression-triples-us-adults-amid-covid-19-stressors).
In the early 1900s, many immigrant groups arriving to the United States tried to be considered White, said Loubna Qutami, a professor at UCLA. Being White meant access to jobs, housing, voting rights and more.
But after the Civil Rights movement, oppressed communities in the 1970 began to see census data as a way to redistribute government funding and resources to close racial inequities. Since the 1980s, Arab Americans and people of Middle Eastern descent have been advocating to change the way they were classified, Qutami said.
There have been multiple attempts nationally to add a MENA – Middle Eastern and North African – category to the census and other federal agencies’ efforts to collect race and ethnicity data, in general.
The Obama administration proposed changing the standards so that all [federal agencies ask about MENA](https://web.archive.org/web/20240630064326/https://www.npr.org/2017/11/22/564426420/how-the-u-s-defines-race-and-ethnicity-may-change-under-trump) as a distinct race or ethnicity from White. In a 2015 [report](https://web.archive.org/web/20240630064326/https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial/2020/program-management/final-analysis-reports/2015nct-race-ethnicity-analysis.pdf), census bureau researchers noted “it is optimal to use a dedicated ‘Middle Eastern or North African’ response category” on the 2020 census questionnaires. The census bureau under the Trump administration, however, decided in 2018 [not to include the category](https://web.archive.org/web/20240630064326/https://www.npr.org/2018/01/29/581541111/no-middle-eastern-or-north-african-category-on-2020-census-bureau-says).
“Without a MENA category, White statistics increase,” Qutami said. “It hurts all communities of color because it increases the White majority statistic, while continuing to deny MENA-based community organizations access to public resources and funds for things like youth education, domestic violence intervention and more because it erases any statistical data analysis of social, health or economic issues that these communities face.”
The implications of this discrepancy have become even starker since the War on Terror began in 2001\. Not only did the government enact policies that targeted Muslims, Quatami said, but it increased Islamophobia more generally throughout the United States.
Awad also noted that it can sometimes be difficult to report hate crimes against people in these communities because the government views them as White.
Other data provides a limited window into these communities. The American Community Survey – a demographic survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau between census years – probably has the most comprehensive data, since it collects information on languages spoken at home and location of birth, but mostly counts new immigrants and refugees and excludes generations born in the United States. The data available, however, indicates that there has been a significant increase in these communities in San Diego since the last census in 2010.
A June 2020 [report](https://web.archive.org/web/20240630064326/https://www.voiceofsandiego.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/usipc-immigrant-integration-san-diego-final-1-002.pdf) by UC San Diego and the city of San Diego found that the fastest growing foreign-born population in the city came from Syria, with a growth of 866.3 percent over the past five years. Another fast-growing population come from Iraq, with a 278.7 percent increase over the past five years.
According to a 2011, county refugee fact sheet, Iraq, Somalia, Iran, Afghanistan and Uzbekistan were among [the most predominant countries of birth](https://web.archive.org/web/20240630064326/https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/dam/sdc/hhsa/programs/phs/documents/Refugee%5FFactSheet2011.pdf) of refugees resettling in San Diego County. They largely resettled to places in the city of San Diego, El Cajon and Spring Valley. San Diego County [refugee arrival reports](https://web.archive.org/web/20240630064326/https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/hhsa/programs/sd/community%5Faction%5Fpartnership/OfficeofRefugeeCoord2.html) for the past few years indicate that Afghanistan and Iraq remain some of the top countries of origin for newly arriving refugees.
Many of the people in these communities in San Diego are refugees and immigrants who have resettled here in the past 10 years, said Awad.
In addition to federal, state and local governments not having a separate category for AMEMSA or MENA communities, Awad said there are other data barriers.
Language and digital literacy barriers can make it difficult for people from these communities to fill out census questionnaires, Awad said.
Although the census was offered in Arabic in 2020, for example, the hard copies mailed to people were always in English, with a sheet explaining in different languages how to complete the census in Arabic or other languages. Even the extra step of calling a phone number or being directed to a website in order to access the appropriate language can be a deterrent, Awad said.
Sometimes communities are also simply hesitant to provide information about themselves to the government because of past experiences in their home countries.
“Maybe back in their homeland there wasn’t this level of state bureaucracy or a centralized system for these things,” Awad said. “There maybe wasn’t a sense of trust or belief in the government running their home country, and some of that may carry into their new lives here.”
This year, PANA, the Majdal Center and other organizations that work with AMEMSA and MENA communities throughout the country did extensive census outreach to try and ensure they were counted. Rather than select “White,” they encouraged people to select “Other” and write in their nationality, like Syrian, Iranian, etc. There was a similar effort nationwide in 2010.
Not having an accurate population count can also impact community representation, Awad and Erikat said.
“When we don’t know how many people are in our communities and where they live, we can’t think about a way to give our communities more political leverage so we can vote people in who represent our interests,” Awad said. “Political representation is a huge issue because we can’t prove where our communities are.”
That’s one of the big reasons why organizations like PANA and the Majdal Center are now pushing community members to participate in redistricting processes. It’s one way they can try to distinguish their community in the government’s eyes and could have big results when it comes to voting rights and political representation.
“There are other ways to show up in redistricting aside from data,” Erikat said. “Redistricting commissions have to take into account communities of interest and you’re not required to say, ‘I’m this percent of the community.’ We can have community members call in and show there is a need that they stay together in a district. You can define yourself.”
### As smart city technology advances, community groups warn of privacy concerns
URL: https://www.panasd.org/as-smart-city-technology-advances-community-groups-warn-of-privacy-concerns/
Last updated: 2026-02-14T23:16:04.000Z
**Denver 7 Colorado News (KMGH)**
[Denver 7 Colorado News (KMGH)Streetlights are becoming as smart as our cell phones, monitoring everything from available parking to weather conditions. But capable of collecting massive amounts of data, some worry the technolo...Denver 7 Colorado News (KMGH)](http://web.archive.org/web/20250322031609/https://www.denver7.com/news/national/as-smart-city-technology-advances-community-groups-warn-of-privacy-concerns)
Source: Wayback availability API
SAN DIEGO, Calif. — Streetlights are becoming as smart as our cell phones, monitoring everything from available parking to weather conditions. Cities and countries around the world are embracing these smart city technologies.
But capable of collecting massive amounts of data, some worry the technology could harm the people it’s supposed to help.
“We serve primarily the refugee community, but also the Muslim, South Asian, Black immigrant community here in San Diego. And our communities historically have been affected by over-surveillance, especially after September 11," said Homayra Yusufi, with the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA).
Her organization became alarmed after learning about the City of San Diego's Smart Streetlights program.
“They were not only installed, thousands throughout San Diego, they had also given exclusive access to the police department, and the police department did not have a use policy for how they were utilizing this," said Yusufi.
The smart streetlights are equipped with LED bulbs, cameras, and sensors that are capable of monitoring air quality and optimizing traffic and parking. The city partnered with GE, approving the $30 million program in 2016\. City officials estimated the program would eventually pay for itself through energy cost-savings.
But unbeknownst to the public, the program evolved into a crime-solving tool for law enforcement. And instead of cost-savings, the city ultimately admitted it was plagued with cost overruns.
“There’s a real fear of these kinds of things, of being targeted, of being constantly watched outside their homes and going to the grocery store," said Yusufi.
Over 30 community organizations formed the Transparent and Responsible Use of Surveillance Technology San Diego (TRUST SD) Coalition are calling for more oversight and transparency.
“Our coalition is not about saying no to technology. Our coalition is about making sure there’s a democratic process for guiding our technologies," said Lilly Irani, a professor of communication at UC San Diego. “The LED lights make us feel like we don’t need to be paying attention, but there’s actually a whole bunch of capabilities built into this infrastructure.”
The program is now on hold as the city develops new policies with input from organizations, privacy advocates, technology experts, and other stakeholders.
“The real focus is not on the hardware, the streetlight, or the autonomous vehicle. It's about the data that it creates," said Philip Bane, managing director of the Smart Cities Council.
A global organization, they work to help cities navigate and implement smart technologies.
“We guide cities through a process. We ask them to identify stakeholders. We ask them to identify needs," said Bane. "We ask them, do you have a problem with energy consumption? Do you have a problem with carbon emissions? Do you have a problem with crime at night? We go through a list of city needs, and that's really where you have to start."
Billions of dollars are being invested around the world in smart city technologies.
“Nashville is doing something where they're putting in sensors to measure water flow, and when it’s flowing, in all these places it could be dangerous," said Bane.
Prone to urban flooding, the city is installing thousands of sensors for early warning detection.
“And the title of their project, and this is really key, is Mitigating Urban Flooding from Vulnerable Populations. That's the piece I want to concentrate on because that's the future. The future is getting the data and being able to act on how does that flooding affects somebody who's disabled or who's an immigrant doesn't speak English," said Bane.
He says the smart technology movement dates back decades when the country digitized the electric grid.
“Today, a utility will tell you your electricity is out before you pick up the phone to tell them that is a result of the technology that essentially has what we call a sensor. That sensor is located somewhere on a network. That sensor collects data," said Bane. "It's not that you collect data. It's that you act on the data."
He says smart city technologies can help solve many of the problems cities face, like poverty, traffic, public safety, energy, and water quality.
But for a program to succeed, he says they must bring all stakeholders to the table. Among them are community members, nonprofits, universities, technology experts, privacy advocates, city departments, and utilities.
Cities must also identify how they're going to use the technology and set rules for how the data will be shared.
"You may not have everybody at the table, you may not know every use for the technology, but if you figure out the rules for sharing the data, you’ll solve the first and second problem," said Bane. "And that's really the future of smart cities, is how do we share data."
Copyright 2021 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
### Mayor Gloria forms advisory group to help tackle challenges facing Black communities
URL: https://www.panasd.org/mayor-gloria-forms-advisory-group-to-help-tackle-challenges-facing-black-communities/
Last updated: 2026-02-14T23:15:34.000Z
**cbs8.com**
[Mayor Gloria forms advisory group to help tackle challenges facing Black communitiesThe advisory group will meet quarterly and hold its first meeting on Feb. 19.cbs8.com](http://web.archive.org/web/20220125075532/https://www.cbs8.com/article/news/community/mayor-gloria-black-advisory-group/509-3a1cd42c-fef3-4dd4-a84a-9a43fa1180f8)
Source: Wayback availability API
[Community](https://web.archive.org/web/20220125075532/https://web.archive.org/section/community)
The advisory group will meet quarterly and hold its first meeting on Feb. 19.
SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif. — Mayor Todd Gloria announced Wednesday the formation of a [nine-member group of advisers](https://web.archive.org/web/20220125075532/https://twitter.com/MayorToddGloria/status/1359615849758351360) that will help his administration tackle unique challenges facing Black communities.
"I'm pleased that we've been able to assemble such an accomplished group of individuals who will strengthen our efforts to create a more inclusive San Diego," Gloria said. "I recognize the disparities our Black communities face related to education, access to health care, mental health, housing, transportation, food insecurity, employment and entrepreneurship and I firmly believe their input will get us on the right track of equity."
> I’m proud to announce these accomplished leaders as members of my Black Advisory Group, which represents the first of my BIPOC advisory groups. These advisers will guide my administration, ensuring that we have more diversity, inclusion and equity across San Diego [#ForAllOfUs](https://web.archive.org/web/20220125075532/https://twitter.com/hashtag/ForAllOfUs?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%255Etfw). [pic.twitter.com/YMnSAVOr7q](https://web.archive.org/web/20220125075532/https://t.co/YMnSAVOr7q)— San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria (@MayorToddGloria) [February 10, 2021](https://web.archive.org/web/20220125075532/https://twitter.com/MayorToddGloria/status/1359615849758351360?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%255Etfw)
### The members of Gloria's Black Advisory Group are:
- Armand King, chief operating officerof Paving Great Futures, a nonprofit organization that provides young adults, substance abusers and formerly incarcerated persons with entrepreneurial training, workforce readiness training, and job placement and counseling services;
- Walter Lam, president of the Alliance for African Assistance, a refugee aid nonprofit;
- April Laster, founder and CEO of Open Heart Leaders, billed as San Diego's only Black, female-led mental health nonprofit organization offering wraparound services consisting of life coaching, counseling, resources and mediation;
- Francine Maxwell, NAACP San Diego Branch president;
- Glenn McKinney, assistant pastor of St. Stephens Church of God in Christ;
- Robbie Robinson, who serves on the Broadway Heights Community Council;
- Ramla Sahid, executive director of the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans and a City Heights community advocate;
- Nate Stewart, pastor of Greater Life Church; and
- Harvey L. Vaughn III, pastor of Bethel Memorial A.M.E.
The advisory group will meet quarterly and hold its first meeting on Feb. 19.
### African Communities Warn Language Issues Could Shut Them Out of Redistricting
URL: https://www.panasd.org/african-communities-warn-language-issues-could-shut-them-out-of-redistricting/
Last updated: 2026-02-14T23:14:21.000Z
**Voice of San Diego**
[African Communities Warn Language Issues Could Shut Them Out of RedistrictingRedistricting is a complex undertaking that can confuse even most political observers. But some African residents in San Diego are worried they will be further shut out of the process this year bec...Voice of San Diego](http://web.archive.org/web/20231129204836/https://voiceofsandiego.org/2021/02/10/african-communities-warn-language-issues-could-shut-them-out-of-redistricting/)
Source: Wayback availability API
From left to right: Nur Aden, Hindia Tahiro, Saliyo Usman, Karima Tura and her son are advocating for more language access in the redistricting process. / Photo by Adriana Heldiz
Redistricting – the once-a-decade process of redrawing political boundaries – is a complex undertaking, laden with jargon and acronyms that can confuse even most political observers. But some African residents in San Diego are worried they will be further shut out of the process this year because of language access barriers.
Nearly a dozen Somali- and Oromo-speaking residents from San Diego called into a recent state redistricting commission meeting to ask commissioners for additional translation measures to ensure that they can participate in the process.
“There are big Oromo communities in the state,” one caller said in Oromo, a language spoken in Ethiopia. “We don’t have any translators. The big issue when we go to the DMV, any public places – school, welfare – is translation. We have been suffering a lot, so we need people to work with us, with our language translated for us.”
Other callers detailed how scary it is to even go to the hospital in the times of COVID-19, when someone trusted to help translate can’t come along. Others described how they have to take their children with them everywhere they go to interpret for them.
The Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans, a San Diego nonprofit that works with immigrants and refugees in the region, has been working to mobilize these communities and others both for the Census and redistricting.
“We work hard with those communities to activate them in civic life to participate in the Census, local campaigns and now to educate them about redistricting,” said Rahmo Abdi, an organizer with Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans. “We are looking forward to being part of the redistricting process, but it’s challenging if it isn’t in their language.”
It’s particularly important for these communities to be able to participate in the redistricting process to ensure they aren’t split between voting districts, said Jeanine Erikat, a community organizer for PANA. African immigrants and refugees often are grouped with African Americans in data, although those communities may have different needs and characteristics.
Redistricting involves redrawing city council, state legislative and congressional districts. While much of the process involves looking at Census data to ensure districts are balanced, communities who think they should remain together in one district can participate in the redistricting process by advocating that their community remain united through public comments, drawing their own maps of potential districts and offering other means of public input to their local redistricting body.
“People can’t show up to the Census office and demand they be seen, but we can show up to redistricting commission meetings and make sure these communities stay together,” Erikat said. “They need to be able to draw their own maps, so they don’t get split. Almost all the Somali community in San Diego at this point are citizens who can vote, but unfortunately a lot of the African communities have been disenfranchised and had their vote diluted. They want to be a part of this process.”
The state commission decided to accommodate the state’s top 12 non-English languages, which include Arabic, Armenian, Chinese, Cambodian/Khmer, Japanese, Korean, Persian/Farsi, Punjabi, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog and Vietnamese. That means the commission’s Frequently Asked Questions, fliers and fact sheets will be translated into those languages. Non-English written public comments and online public input tools will be translated. Interpretation services will be provided for any of those 12 languages for people who want to call in to provide public input, as long as the commission is notified at least five working days before the meeting.
For languages that don’t fall into the top 12, the commission will still try to provide interpretation for public comment, though it may end up relying on community-based organizations like PANA to assist with the translation.
“It’s difficult because California is so diverse,” said Julia Marks, a voting rights attorney with Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Asian Law Caucus. “Our position and framework is the commission should make plans to meet the needs of both sizeable groups and additionally smaller language groups where there is organizing happening to take part, but language will be a barrier.”
Marks and the organizers from PANA say the state commission has already improved its language access, since several organizations statewide [sent it a letter](https://web.archive.org/web/20231129204836/https://www.voiceofsandiego.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/13%5FLanguage-Access-Recommendations-for-CCRC%5FAsian-Law-Caucus-1.22.21.pdf) in late January asking to expand language assistance.
While Somali and Oromo may not be among the most-spoken languages in the state – or even the county – there are many residents who speak those languages in San Diego, home to the largest populations of those groups in the state. There are almost 20,000 Somalis in the county, said Erikat.
While everyone is still waiting on Census data to tell us what districts and communities may be shifting this year, there are already some examples of where these communities’ voices could be particularly important, Erikat said. El Cajon, which has a growing African immigrant population, is split between two congressional districts, for example.
Those communities may, for instance, want to advocate to the state commission that they want the entire city to be part of one congressional district.
The recent state commission meeting previewed how some of the translation issues might cause problems.
It started out rough, with several calls being dropped before everyone realized that even phone directions for public comment needed to be translated before people start providing public comments. Commissioners also needed help identifying whether a caller spoke Somali or Oromo before they could bring in the right translator.
But Saliyo Usman, the Oromo translator from San Diego who translated the Oromo calls during the meeting, said people ended up bringing up important questions about why they have such difficulty accessing translation and how it has impacted their communities.
“We need those people who are in the community to describe the situation in their communities,” Usman said.
The Somali and Oromo callers were also unable to listen to the meeting, since it wasn’t translated for them.
“The community should at least know what’s happening in those meetings,” Abdi said.
Marks agreed.
“It’s our position that being able to participate in a hearing as a public commenter means to also hear the content of the hearing, too,” she said. “I was surprised that they weren’t translating the content as well.”
Marks, Abdi and Erikat also emphasized that community-based organizations need funding and compensation for taking on the work of translating written materials or providing translation during meetings.
“It’s really the responsibility of the redistricting bodies to provide translation themselves and not burden \[community-based organizations\] like PANA,” Erikat said. “Rahmo \[Abdi\] was able to get so many people out because she spent days and hours on it. She wouldn’t have been able to do that if she has to interpret people’s comments or written materials at the same time.”
Fredy Ceja, the communications director of the state’s redistricting commission, said the grant program for community organizations is still being developed. The commission will work with, community organizations, tribal organizations, ethnic media and other institutions on outreach and engagement, development and distribution of culturally appropriate and language accessible material, independent review of translated documents and interpretation of public meetings, Ceja said.
“Compensation for translation for organizations is also under consideration,” Ceja said in an e-mail.
Abdi also emphasized the need for professional translators, not just community members trying to translate meetings.
“Redistricting has a lot of technical language,” Abdi said. “Imagine having a friend or family member trying to translate, and information falls through the cracks.”
While advocates have focused on at the state level, PANA is also waiting on further information about language access at the county and city of San Diego redistricting commissions.
David Bame, the chair of the county’s independent redistricting commission, said in an e-mail that agendas and simultaneous meeting translation will be provided in Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese, Tagalog, Arabic, Japanese, Korean and Laotian. If translation is needed in another language, the commission will provide it if it gets 24 hours’ advanced notice. Written public comments can also be submitted in any language.
The city of San Diego redistricting commission did not respond to requests from Voice of San Diego about its plans for language assistance. Agendas have [only been posted in English](https://web.archive.org/web/20231129204836/https://www.sandiego.gov/staging/redistricting-commission) so far on the commission’s website.
*Adriana Heldiz contributed to this story.*
### Kaiser Permanente Pledges $100,000 for San Diego-Based Refugee Nonprofit
URL: https://www.panasd.org/kaiser-permanente-pledges-100000-for-san-diego-based-refugee-nonprofit-january-18-2021/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:29:39.000Z
_No content available._
### Streetlight Spy Cameras Have Led to a Massive Privacy Backlash in San Diego
URL: https://www.panasd.org/streetlight-spy-cameras-have-led-to-a-massive-privacy-backlash-in-san-diego/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:29:40.000Z
_No content available._
### Cops Tap Smart Streetlights Sparking Controversy and Legislation
URL: https://www.panasd.org/cops-tap-smart-streetlights-sparking-controversy-and-legislation/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:29:40.000Z
_No content available._
### Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans Challenges Trump’s Order Excluding Undocumented Immigrants from Census Apportionment Calculations
URL: https://www.panasd.org/census-apportionment-calculations/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:29:40.000Z
**PRESS STATEMENT**
**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**
July 23, 2020
MEDIA CONTACT: Contact: Ramla Sahid, [619-265-6611](tel:619-265-6611), [ramla@panasd.org](mailto:ramla@panasd.org)
On Thursday, Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA) proudly joined Common Cause, the cities of Atlanta, Georgia, and Paterson, New Jersey, and individual voters in a suit filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia challenging President Trump’s July 21 memo ordering the Department of Commerce to exclude undocumented immigrants from the apportionment of seats in Congress. This action is unprecedented and violates both the U.S. Constitution and federal statutes.
The lawsuit seeks a declaratory judgment and injunctive relief against the President, as well as the Department of Commerce, Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, and the Clerk of the House of Representatives. The four-count complaint alleges violations of several different Constitutional protections and federal statutory requirements related to the census count and the apportionment of congressional districts. The complaint makes clear that the President’s memorandum “is the culmination of a years-long effort to transfer political power *en masse* from voters of color . . . to ‘Republicans and non-Hispanic whites.’”
“If entire communities are left out of the Census count, this will have direct and negative consequences on the San Diego region, and especially for refugee and immigrant communities that rely on federal programs to facilitate successful resettlement and long-term economic self-sufficiency,” said Ramla Sahid, PANA’s Executive Director. “The President’s action is a blatantly unconstitutional attempt to yet again intimidate and exclude refugee and immigrant communities from the fabric of our democracy.”
Plaintiffs are represented by Emmet J. Bondurant of Bondurant Mixson & Elmore LLP; Gregory L. Diskant, Daniel S. Ruzumna, Aron Fischer, and Jonah M. Knobler of Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP; and Michael B. Kimberly of McDermott Will & Emery.
To read the complaint, [click here](https://www.commoncause.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Census-Apportionment-Complaint-FINAL.pdf?ref=panasd.org).
###
**Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA)** is a research, community organizing, and public policy hub dedicated to advancing the full economic, social, and civic inclusion of refugees and Muslims in the region.
### PANA Condemns Expansion of Trump’s Muslim Ban
URL: https://www.panasd.org/nomuslimbanever/
Last updated: 2025-10-10T19:06:47.000Z
**PRESS STATEMENT**
**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**
January 31, 2020
Contact: Geneviéve Jones-Wright 619.363.7382 Genevieve@panasd.org
SAN DIEGO – Three years after Trump’s first iteration of his xenophobic and Islamophobic Muslim Travel Ban, the Trump Administration announced today that they have expanded the ban to include six additional countries — Myanmar, Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Nigeria, Sudan, and Tanzania. Under the ban, immigrant visas will no longer be available to nationals from Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, and Nigeria, and nationals from Sudan and Tanzania will no longer be permitted to participate in the diversity visa program.
Just like the Ban that came before today’s expansion, some of the newly banned countries are not Muslim-majority, yet this new ban will impact Muslims the most. This is an expansion of Trump’s racist Muslim Ban, and the cruel intent behind it cannot be hidden or changed. This administration’s clear intent all along has been to keep out as many people from Muslim-majority countries as possible, whether as refugees or based on their nationality. Trump’s Ban is deeply rooted in bigotry, xenophobia, white nationalism, racism, and of course Islamophobia. His Muslim Ban coupled with his Public Charge rule serves to create a certain class and race of people who can come to the U.S. and prevent the entry of people of color and Muslims.
Half of the countries (Eritrea, Nigeria, Sudan, and Tanzania) included in the expansion are African countries that will be impacted the most. For example, this expansion of the ban will disproportionately affect[ Nigeria](https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2020/1/22/21075844/travel-ban-2019-trump-update-nigeria-explained?ref=panasd.org), the largest African country by population. In 2018, the US granted Nigerians almost 14,000 green cards and 222,000 temporary visas. By comparison, nationals from[ other countries](https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2020/1/22/21075844/travel-ban-2019-trump-update-nigeria-explained?ref=panasd.org) on the list were granted a combined total of fewer than 6,000 green cards and 28,000 temporary visas. It is also no coincidence that Nigeria has the largest Muslim population in sub-Saharan Africa.
*“Let’s remember that before our highest court sanctioned deeply rooted racism, xenophobia, and Islamophobia with its approval of Trump’s Muslim Ban, it shamefully upheld Japanese internment camps in* [*Korematsu v. U.S*](https://www.uscourts.gov/educational-resources/educational-activities/facts-and-case-summary-korematsu-v-us?ref=panasd.org)*. and the idea that people of African descent in America were not entitled to basic human dignity in its infamous* [*Dred Scott decision*](https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/dred-scott-case?ref=panasd.org)*. The bigotry of the U.S. Supreme Court and latest iteration of Trump’s Muslim Ban remind us, that we — the real Americans who fight daily for our country’s soul — must continue to fight against white nationalism, racism, xenophobia, and Islamophobia in our communities, in our courts, and in our governments. We cannot be silent or silenced*,” says Geneviéve Jones-Wright, Legal Director of PANA.
PANA strongly opposes the Muslim ban in any form. We also call on Congress to take immediate action and pass the NO BAN Act, which would ensure that no one is banned from our country based on religion or nationality. “The culmination of the President’s Executive Orders has resulted in separating countless families from their loved ones and denying visas for those most in need of safety and security based solely on their countries of origin. More than ever, we call on Congress to act now to reunite these families”.” states Homayra Yusufi, Deputy Director at PANA.
PANA will continue to fight for the dignity and respect of all persons, regardless of their religion or national origin.
###
**Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA)** is a research, community organizing, and public policy hub dedicated to advancing the full economic, social, and civic inclusion of refugees and Muslims in the region.
### New Call Center Encourages Apprehensive Immigrants To Complete The Census
URL: https://www.panasd.org/new-call-center-encourages-apprehensive-immigrants-to-complete-the-census/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:29:41.000Z
_No content available._
### The Census Sets Out To Hire Thousands Of People
URL: https://www.panasd.org/ensus-sets-out-hire-thousands-people/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:29:41.000Z
_No content available._
### Man Pleads Guilty in Attack on Syrian Refugee Who Was Speaking Arabic
URL: https://www.panasd.org/syrian-refugee-attacked-san-diego/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:29:42.000Z
_No content available._
### San Diego Police Investigating Attack on Teen Syrian Refugee as Hate Crime
URL: https://www.panasd.org/san-diego-police-investigating-attack-on-teen-syrian-refugee-as-hate-crime/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:29:42.000Z
_No content available._
### Black Immigrant Organizations on Death of Cameroonian Asylum Seeker at Otay Mesa Detention Facility
URL: https://www.panasd.org/death-of-cameroonian-npbba/
Last updated: 2019-10-19T17:11:59.000Z
**PRESS STATEMENT**
**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**
October 3, 2019
Contact: Ramla Sahid 619.363.6945 [Ramla@panasd.org](mailto:Ramla@panasd.org)
Ola Osaze 510.499.3262 [Ola@transgenderlawcenter.org](mailto:Ola@transgenderlawcenter.org)
Guerline Jozef 917.496.2248 [guerline.jozef@gmail.com](mailto:guerline.jozef@gmail.com)
Rebecca Alemayehu 805.276.3991 rebeccalalemayehu@gmail.com
SAN DIEGO – We are devastated about the death of Nebane Abienwi, a 37-year-old Cameroonian man who died on October 1st while in U.S ICE custody. Nebane presented himself at the San Ysidro port of entry on September 5th seeking asylum. He was detained in Otay Mesa Detention Center (OMDC) in San Diego before he was rushed to Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center where he died after experiencing a medical emergency in the middle of the night at OMDC.
We are a collective of Black immigrant organizations that condemn detention centers. We demand to know the circumstances under which Nebane lost his life. Black immigrants, in particular, report horrific experiences of anti Blackness, abuse, and harassment while in detention. The detention of Nebane was outrageous and without his detention, his death would have been avoided. The only way future deaths can be prevented is by closing down OMDC in San Diego and every facility that detains immigrants. Detention is inhumane, unsafe, unhealthy, and criminal.
Instead of the protection and refuge Nebane sought, he was detained at OMDC, an immigrant prison that is notorious for human rights violations and abuse. Like him, many Black migrants travel thousands of miles to the U.S. to escape from persecution and seek refuge. Instead of releasing immigrants and adhering to international human rights, ICE is further traumatizing asylum seekers.
We are deeply troubled that on the very first day of ICE's fiscal year, Nebane’s death begins the death count of detained immigrants. It is horrifying that ICE has yet another death on their hands just one year after former Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary, Kirstjen Nielson, stated “one death is too many” during her testimony before the House Judiciary Committee. For years DHS has received countless complaints of the deplorable conditions within detention facilities. Tragically, conditions continue to deteriorate and we continue to live in a reality where, under the Trump administration, over 20 immigrants have died in ICE custody, and the number of people held in detention exceeds 50,000 and continues to grow.
As a collective, we condemn the human rights abuses in Cameroon that made Nebane flee. Currently, there are five armed conflicts in Cameroon affecting 8 of 10 regions in Cameroon. This has led to the United Nations calling Cameroon the worst displacement crisis in the world. This crisis has left Cameroonian immigrants at the US border; many of whom are stuck in Mexico and face violence and further displacement. There will be a [vigil in D.C](https://www.facebook.com/events/2417020198554217/). on Monday, October 7th at ICE headquarters for thoughts and prayers for Nebane and to show solidarity with Cameroonians and allies.
No one should be locked up for seeking safety and wanting a better life. We will no longer tolerate nor sit on the sidelines in the face of cruel and inhumane practices. We call upon Congress to defund the detention of those seeking safety at our borders.
\# # #
**African Communities Together (ACT)** empowers African immigrants to integrate socially, get ahead economically, and engage civically by connecting African immigrants to critical services, helping Africans develop as leaders, and organizing our communities on the issues that matter.
**The** **African Public Affairs Committee** **(AfriPAC)** is a non-partisan political organization that advocates policies for the empowerment of the African Diaspora.
**The Alemayehu African Dream (AAD)** provides legal and humanitarian assistance to Ethiopians, Eritreans, and other immigrants of African descent.
**Black Alliance for Just Immigration (BAJI)** is a Black-led organization championing racial justice and immigrant rights.
**Black Immigrant Collective (BIC)** amplifies and makes visible the voices of Black immigrants in Minnesota by building on our power toward our collective liberation.
**Black LGBTQIA+ Migrant Project (BLMP)** builds and centers the power of Black LGBTQIA+ migrants to ensure the liberation of all Black people through community-building, political education, creating access to direct services, and organizing across borders.
**Cameroon American Council** strives to build the capacity, visibility and relevance of the Cameroonian/African community in the United States.
**Haitian Bridge Alliance (HBA**), also known as "The Bridge" is a coalition of non-profit organizations and community activists who have come together to serve the Haitian and other black immigrant community in the borderlands California and beyond.
**Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA)** is a research, community organizing, and public policy hub dedicated to advancing the full economic, social, and civic inclusion of refugees and Muslims in the region.
**UndocuBlack Network (UBN)** is a multigenerational network of currently and formerly undocumented Black people that fosters community, facilitates access to resources, and contributes to transforming the realities of our people, so we are thriving and living our fullest lives.
#
### Syrian refugee, 17, attacked on San Diego trolley by man shouting slurs, police say
URL: https://www.panasd.org/syria-refugee-san-diego-attack-report-hate-crimes/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:29:43.000Z
_No content available._
### PANA Responds to Islamophobic attack of minor on MTS Trolley
URL: https://www.panasd.org/attack-of-minor-2/
Last updated: 2019-10-16T20:45:06.000Z
### PRESS STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 16, 2019
Contact: Homayra Yusufi Sahid (619) 363-7535 homayra@panasd.org
SAN DIEGO - A 17-year old high school student beaten in an unprovoked, anti-Arab hate crime while riding MTS trolley Tuesday afternoon.
A San Diego minor and Syrian Refugee was returning home from school on the trolley during the 3pm hour on October 15th, when he was approached by a man, and asked “Where are you from? Are you Mexican?” The minor victim responded, “No, I am Arab.” The male responded by cursing and using anti-Arab, Islamophobic language, and then proceeded to violently attack the minor and continued to make racial slurs during the physical attack. The minor victim sustained injury to his face and eye. There were several witnesses, but no one intervened. The attacker, described as a male, in his 20’s, with a goatee, wearing a grey shirt and black shorts, exited the Trolley at the 62nd Street station in Encanto and is still at large.
The victim promptly reported the hate crime to the San Diego Police Department (SDPD). However, SDPD officers informed the victim that due to the location of the incident, the report would be filed as a gang related crime rather than a hate crime.
In response to the incident, PANA Legal Director, Geneviéve Jones-Wright, Esq. stated “We are very upset to learn of the incident. All children, of any ethnicity or faith, should be safe when traveling on San Diego’s public transportation. The Islamophobic and hate-filled rhetoric used against this child is unacceptable, and is, unfortunately not surprising given the rising tide of hate-based crimes in San Diego County. We call on anyone in the community with information about the incident or the attacker to come forward.”
Jones-Wright also noted, “It is problematic and troubling that this will not be classified as a hate crime when the victim was clearly physically attacked after being questioned about his race/ethnicity, and it is equally concerning that it will be reported by law enforcement as a gang crime.”
In PANA’s 2018 San Diego Refugee Experiences report, when refugees were asked about perceptions of welcome and belonging, 74% of participants reported feeling unwelcome in their housing complex, 80% reported feeling unwelcome in their surrounding neighborhood, 78% say they feel unwelcome at school, and 80% said they feel unwelcome while doing day-to-day activities.
“This hate crime occurred a week after three Muslim women wearing hijabs were attacked in Little Italy. Hate crimes like this and the growing anti-refugee sentiment and policies which limit and restrict resettlement impact our whole community. No one should be afraid that they will become targets of hate crimes and islamophobia because of who they are, where they are from, and how they worship.” Hatem Mohtaseb, Regional Organizer.
###
**Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA)** is a research, community organizing, and public policy hub dedicated to advancing the full economic, social, and civic inclusion of refugees and Muslims in the region.
### PANA and AOL on Death of Cameroonian Asylum Seeker at Otay Mesa Detention Facility
URL: https://www.panasd.org/death-of-cameroonian/
Last updated: 2025-10-10T16:21:24.000Z
### PRESS STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 3, 2019
Contact:
- Ramla Sahid 619.363.6945 Ramla@panasd.org
- Melissa Flores Melissa@alotrolado.org
SAN DIEGO – We are deeply troubled that on the very first day of ICE's fiscal year, Nebane Abienwi’s death began the death count of immigrants being held in ICE custody. It is horrifying that ICE has yet another death on their hands just one year after former Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary, Kirstjen Nielson, stated “one death is too many” during her testimony before the House Judiciary Committee. For years, DHS has received countless complaints of the deplorable conditions within detention facilities. Tragically, these conditions continue to worsen and the number of people held in detention exceeds 50,000 and continues to grow.
The death of Nebane Abienwi, a 37-year-old Cameroonian asylum seeker, reinforces what we have been saying for several years: Detention is not only unnecessary and cruel - it is deadly. Let us not forget that Abienwi was in detention because he was pursuing his legal right to asylum. We have seen firsthand the dehumanizing conditions at the Otay Mesa Detention Center. No one should lose their life pursuing their right to a life of safety and dignity. Our hearts and deep sympathies go out to the family and loved ones of Nebane Abienwi.
We believe that Abienwi’s death would have been avoided if he was not in custody. Detention is inhumane, unsafe, unhealthy, and criminal.
We call upon Congress to defund the detention of those seeking freedom and safety at our borders.
\# # #
**Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans PANA** is a research, community organizing, and public policy hub dedicated to advancing the full economic, social, and civic inclusion of refugees and Muslims in the region.
\# # #
**Al Otro Lado (AOL)** is abi-national non-profit providing legal services to deportees, refugees, and families separated by unjust immigration laws. They employ impact litigation and policy advocacy to promote systemic changes that protect immigrants’ rights.
### San Diego's smart streetlights misunderstood, officials say
URL: https://www.panasd.org/san-diegos-smart-streetlights-misunderstood-officials-say-2/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:29:43.000Z
_No content available._
### San Diego’s Climate Crisis: The Impacts Of A Warming World On Refugee Communities
URL: https://www.panasd.org/san-diegos-climate-crisis-2/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:29:43.000Z
_No content available._
### Protesters call for San Diego to suspend ‘smart streetlight’ technology, citing privacy concerns
URL: https://www.panasd.org/protesters-call-for-san-diego-to-suspend-smart-streetlight-technology-citing-privacy-concerns-2/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:29:44.000Z
_No content available._
### Policy and Campaigns
URL: https://www.panasd.org/policy-and-campaigns/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T03:10:30.000Z
PANA equips refugee and immigrant leaders with the tools and knowledge to engage directly with policymakers.
PANA transforms civic participation into a form of collective power.
Our organizing builds collective power to challenge systems that perpetuate inequality, bringing urgent attention to campaign priorities to address mass surveillance, protecting immigrants, equitable development and tenant protections, and passing policies that increase access the vote for more of our language minority communities.
Our work is about redefining who holds power and gets to shape the future --demanding greater investments in our communities, so that our youth and families have the opportunities and resources they need to thrive.
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### Geneviéve Jones-Wright named First Legal Director at PANA
URL: https://www.panasd.org/newlegaldirector-2/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:29:44.000Z
*Groundbreaking new position will help defend rights of refugees and immigrant communities*
SAN DIEGO -- The Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA) announced today that Geneviéve Jones-Wright will join the organization as its first legal director.
“We are thrilled to bring Geneviéve’s expertise, leadership and fierce drive to PANA’s fight to secure human rights, justice and freedom for everyone in San Diego,” said Ramla Sahid, executive director of PANA. “In a time where our refugee and immigrant communities are under constant attack from hateful rhetoric and policies, Geneviéve will help create cutting- edge refugee and racial justice policy and litigation to serve as a model for the rest of the country.”
As the organization’s first legal director, Jones-Wright will help PANA develop human rights and national security impact litigation. She will also lead PANA in creating a rapid response legal infrastructure in the region to respond to the growing, urgent threats to Muslim, asylee and refugee communities, including increased law enforcement harassment and requests for meetings with the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security, prolonged detention for asylum seekers, criminal charges with immigration consequences, an increased need for Know Your Rights information and more.
"Every person, regardless of their country of origin or immigration status, has a right to equal protection and justice under the law,” said Jones-Wright. “Unfortunately, our refugee and immigrant communities are being targeted, over-policed, and over-surveilled. As the new legal director of PANA, I am excited and energized to get to work with these communities and defend their rights in San Diego County."
Jones-Wright comes to PANA after serving as a deputy public defender in San Diego County for 13 years, representing individuals charged with serious criminal offenses and serving as a voice for our marginalized groups. In 2018, she ran for San Diego County District Attorney and challenged the status quo and establishment on a progressive platform that reimagined the role of the prosecutor in the criminal justice system.
Jones-Wright serves on San Diego’s Commission on Gang Prevention and Intervention, where she chairs the ad-hoc committee on gang documentation. She also serves on the board of The David’s Harp Foundation, an organization that radically transforms the lives of “at-risk” and homeless youth through the power of music. Jones-Wright is a volunteer attorney with the California Innocence Project, 2nd vice president of the San Diego branch of the NAACP, and vice president of the Earl B. Gilliam Bar Association.
Jones-Wright earned her B.A. in mass media communications from the University of San Francisco, J.D. from Howard University School of Law, and LL.M. in trial advocacy specializing in federal criminal defense from California Western School of Law. A native San Diegan, Jones-Wright grew up and lives in the Southeast San Diego community.
**About the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA):**
PANA is a research, community organizing, and public policy hub dedicated to advancing the full economic, social, and civic inclusion of refugees and Muslims in the region. For more information visit [www.panasd.org](http://www.panasd.org/). On social media: @PANASanDiego
### World Refugee Day 2019
URL: https://www.panasd.org/worldrefugeeda2019-2/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:29:45.000Z
### June 20th 2019
**Why do we celebrate World Refugee Day?**
Since the adoption by the United Nations in 2000, the commemoration of June 20th as International World Refugee Day has been observed by civil society organizations around the globe.
In a world where ever increasing violence and persecution has forced millions of people to flee their homes, we honor June 20th as a day to stand with refugees and their families, and to show our commitment to honor their dignity and human rights.
According the the latest UNHCR 2018 Annual Global Trends report, an estimated 71 million people have been forcibly displaced around the world. We are in the midst of an unprecedented crisis. From Ethiopia, Syria, Myanmar, to Venezuela, millions of refugees are having to make the heartbreaking decision to leave home and find safety in neighboring borders and countries around the world.
San Diego is experiencing this crisis first hand at our border.
**How are we celebrating this year?**
This year, we are asking our friends to commemorate World Refugee Day by giving to local groups who are providing support, assistance, and advocacy for refugees. You can support PANA by helping us reach **100** new donors on Thursday, June 20th, 2019\. Your support will ensure PANA has the resource it needs to continue to support the following efforts:
- Repeal the Ban: The *NO BAN Act*, S.1123 & H.R.2214, would repeal the Muslim bans, refugee bans, and asylum ban, and prevent the administration from setting such bans in the future.
- Get Counted! : Promoting the equal count of all communities.
- Housing for All: Protection for tenant rights.
- Meeting the 30,000 resettlement goal it set for fiscal year 2019 - already a historic low - and to resettling 95,000 refugees in 2020
**Why this is important in 2019**
According the the latest Annual Global Trends report conducted by UNHCR in 2018, an estimated 71 million people have been forcibly displaced around the world. We are in the midst of an unprecedented crisis midst of historic increases in the rate of displaced persons yet seen on a global scale. From Ethiopia, Syria, Myanmar, to Venezuela, millions of refugees are having to make the heartbreaking decision to leave their homes to find safety in other regions of the world. At the same time, we are witnessing national disregard of this global crisis with our current administration accepting the fewest
We know here in San Diego that action is needed to address these important issues.
**How are we celebrating this year?**
This year, we are asking for your help to reach **100** new donors and interested individuals to support PANA's important work. Your support will ensure that PANA is able to support refugees by holding our local and federal governments accountable
PANA is also supporting national efforts to:
- Repeal the Ban: The *NO BAN Act*, S.1123 & H.R.2214, would repeal the Muslim bans, refugee bans, and asylum ban, and prevent the administration from setting such bans in the future.
- Get Counted! : Promoting the equal count of all communities.
- Housing for All: Protection for tenant rights.
- Meeting the 30,000 resettlement goal it set for fiscal year 2019 - already a historic low - and to resettling 95,000 refugees in 2020.
[ DONATE NOW](https://www.panasd.org/worldrefugeeday2019)
### PANA Statement on Mosque Shootings in Christchurch, NZ
URL: https://www.panasd.org/hellobrother/
Last updated: 2019-03-16T00:23:36.000Z
### **PRESS STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**
March 15, 2019
Contact: Ramla Sahid 619.265.6611 ramla@panasd.org
## *We stand with the families of the victims and the Christchurch Muslim Community*
SAN DIEGO – At the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans - PANA, we’re heartbroken to hear the news of lives lost at the hands of white supremacy in New Zealand during Friday prayers on March 15th. PANA stands with the Christchurch Muslim community and our Kiwi friends in their time of mourning and pledge our support. We encourage members of our community and followers to support the families and victims of the New Zealand Mosque shootings by [**Clicking here**](https://www.launchgood.com/project/support%5Ffor%5Fthe%5Ffamilies%5F%5Fvictims%5Fof%5Fthe%5Fnew%5Fzealand%5Fmosque%5Fshootings?ref=panasd.org#!/)**.**
“No one should be afraid of entering their house of worship or practicing their religion. Unfortunately, for too many of us that has become a reality. Hate speech and hate crimes have risen in the last few years, as bigots grew emboldened by the visceral Islamophobia espoused by the Trump administration. Now is the time for San Diegans to rally around their Muslim friends, neighbors, and loved ones and show their support. We can and we must do better.” Ramla Sahid, Executive Director.
Government officials and our local lawmakers should strongly condemn white nationalist violence in all its forms. No one should fear for their safety when attending their house of worship. Call on your lawmakers today and demand that they condemn hate in all its forms including standing up in opposition of the Muslim Ban.
Contact:
- **Rep. Juan Vargas, D-San Diego**
333 F St., Suite A, Chula Vista, 91910 Local office: (619) 422-5963 Washington office: (202) 225-8045 Vargas.house.gov
- **Rep. Scott Peters, D-San Diego**
4350 Executive Drive, Suite 105, San Diego, 92122 Local office: (858) 455-5550
Washington office: (202) 225-0508 Scottpeters.house.gov
- **Rep. Susan Davis, D-San Diego**
2700 Adams Ave., Suite 102, San Diego, 92116 Local office: (619) 280-5353
Washington office: (202) 225-2040 house.gov/susandavis
### **Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans — PANA**
4089 Fairmount Ave, City Heights, CA 92105 www.panasd.org **Tel:** (619) 732-6793
We also call on every San Diegan to demonstrate acts of solidarity with our Muslim neighbors, co-workers, and friends today. PANA will be attending a press conference at the Islamic Center of San Diego 7050 Eckstrom Ave, San Diego, CA 92111 on Friday March 15th at 3:00pm. Those who would like to show support during Jumma Prayer should arrive at 1:30pm.
###
PANA is a research, community organizing, and public policy hub dedicated to advancing the full economic, social, and civic inclusion of refugees and Muslims in the region.
### Proactive Narratives
URL: https://www.panasd.org/proactive-narratives/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T03:06:16.000Z
This work powerfully weaves together storytelling, activism, and visual art to center the lived experiences of refugee and immigrant youth as they confront surveillance and broader systemic injustices in their communities.
Through personal testimony, PANA transforms abstract policy debates into deeply felt narratives rooted in emotion, memory, and cultural identity — compelling both the public and policymakers to confront uncomfortable truths.
More than a strategy, this narrative approach is an act of resistance and reclamation, challenging the dominant frameworks that have long silenced, misrepresented, and sought to control Black and Brown communities.
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### Human Rights Day of Action Highlights
URL: https://www.panasd.org/human-rights-day-of-action-wcdks/
Last updated: 2025-10-10T19:07:02.000Z
# 2017
San Diego’s interfaith community, civil and human rights groups, labor and social service organizations, and compassionate individuals joined together to affirm our commitment to make San Diego a safe haven for refugees and immigrants from around the world, especially those fleeing a crisis of violence, natural disaster, and persecution.
As a border community greatly enriched by immigrants and refugees, we affirmed the dignity and humanity of all of our families, including torture survivors, refugees, immigrants, people with special medical needs, women who head households, unsheltered people, and children, all of whom deserve to have their voices heard and to have a government that is responsive to their needs.
# 2016
Refugees and immigrants in San Diego are at the forefront of the regional housing crisis, often forced to live in substandard conditions, fighting slumlords and living as ‘[hidden homeless](https://twitter.com/PANASanDiego/status/765974548780978176?ref=panasd.org),’ crowding homes to ensure families and friends have a place to stay. The **#RightToARoof campaign** will focus on improving housing for all, especially our most vulnerable.
# 2015
## @ San Diego County Administration Building
On a Thursday night, over 350 San Diegans from the interfaith community, civil and human rights groups, labor and social service organizations, and compassionate individuals came together to affirm our commitment to make San Diego a safe haven for refugees and immigrants from around the world, especially those fleeing a crisis of violence and terror.
Featured [](https://www.panasd.org/news/2015/12/11/san-diego-free-press-san-diegans-say-no-to-hate-refugees-welcome)
Dec 10, 2015 [Guest User](https://www.panasd.org/news?author=62b4b1e2d60cea76330cbf4a#show-archive) [San Diego Free Press: San Diegans Say No To Hate, Refugees Welcome](https://www.panasd.org/news/2015/12/11/san-diego-free-press-san-diegans-say-no-to-hate-refugees-welcome) Dec 10, 2015 [Guest User](https://www.panasd.org/news?author=62b4b1e2d60cea76330cbf4a#show-archive) [Read More →](https://www.panasd.org/news/2015/12/11/san-diego-free-press-san-diegans-say-no-to-hate-refugees-welcome) Dec 10, 2015 [Guest User](https://www.panasd.org/news?author=62b4b1e2d60cea76330cbf4a#show-archive) [](http://www.kpbs.org/news/2015/dec/10/human-rights-day-san-diegans-rally-refugee-rights/?ref=panasd.org)
Dec 9, 2015 [Guest User](https://www.panasd.org/news?author=62b4b1e2d60cea76330cbf4a#show-archive) [KPBS: On Human Rights Day, San Diegans Rally For Refugee Rights](http://www.kpbs.org/news/2015/dec/10/human-rights-day-san-diegans-rally-refugee-rights/?ref=panasd.org) Dec 9, 2015 [Guest User](https://www.panasd.org/news?author=62b4b1e2d60cea76330cbf4a#show-archive) [Read More →](https://www.panasd.org/news/2015/12/10/kpbs-on-human-rights-day-san-diegans-rally-for-refugee-rights) Dec 9, 2015 [Guest User](https://www.panasd.org/news?author=62b4b1e2d60cea76330cbf4a#show-archive) [](https://www.panasd.org/news/2015/12/10/san-diego-union-tribune-san-diegans-support-refugees-on-human-rights-day)
Dec 9, 2015 [Guest User](https://www.panasd.org/news?author=62b4b1e2d60cea76330cbf4a#show-archive) [The San Diego Union-Tribune: San Diegans support refugees on Human Rights Day](https://www.panasd.org/news/2015/12/10/san-diego-union-tribune-san-diegans-support-refugees-on-human-rights-day) Dec 9, 2015 [Guest User](https://www.panasd.org/news?author=62b4b1e2d60cea76330cbf4a#show-archive) [Read More →](https://www.panasd.org/news/2015/12/10/san-diego-union-tribune-san-diegans-support-refugees-on-human-rights-day) Dec 9, 2015 [Guest User](https://www.panasd.org/news?author=62b4b1e2d60cea76330cbf4a#show-archive)
### PANA Statement on President’s Third Attempt at a Muslim Ban: Original Intent to Discriminate Remains and Is Now Indefinite
URL: https://www.panasd.org/scotus-2/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:29:50.000Z
**PRESS STATEMENT:**
**SAN DIEGO – Today’s Supreme Court decision and its endorsement of Trump’s white nationalist agenda is an incredibly dark day in our history. This ruling follows the history of past immoral Supreme Court decisions upholding slavery and interming Americans based on their Japanese ancestry.**
> **“Today and everyday, we must work to build an inclusive country where all people are afforded their full freedoms, free of discrimination, and their country’s commitment to fairness, dignity, and respect for all.” - Sahra Abdi, PANA Board Member**
> **“Silence in the face of xenophobia and racism is its own endorsement, and that it is our moral imperative -- IN THIS MOMENT -- to instead speak up and stand up against injustice.” - Lori Shellenberger, PANA Board Member**
**The Muslim Ban is just one piece of this administration’s white nationalist agenda. Our opportunity to fight back is to turnout at the polls and to hold our electeds accountable.**
**Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans - PANA and it’s partners at MPower Change, Pillars of the Community, CAIR San Diego, San Diego Border Dreamers and others have been preparing for this. Join us tonight.**
**What: #StandWithMuslims Day of Action**
**When: 7PM today, Tue Jun 26**
**Where: Edward J. Schwartz Federal Building**
**Address: [880 Front St San Diego, CA 92101](https://maps.google.com/?q=880+Front+St+San+Diego,+CA+92101&entry=gmail&source=g)**
RSVP and Share on Facebook
**\# # #**
**Led by the communities it serves, The Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans - PANA, amplifies refugee voices to increase their visibility and impact. We do this by using community organizing and leadership development to achieve policy wins and better access to justice for our most marginalized families. PANA also provides support to communicates directly affected by the Muslim Ban, including nationals from Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen. We are building a more powerful movement community of former refugee and newcomer families better equipped to take on rising authoritarianism and inequity.**
**June 26th, 2018**
**Contact: Ramla Sahid**
**619.265.6611**
**ramla@panasd.org**
### Civic Engagement
URL: https://www.panasd.org/civic-engagement/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T03:04:11.000Z
We believe that multiracial power-building is not just necessary — it is the only path forward to ensure that those most impacted by injustice are leading the fight for a truly inclusive and equitable multiracial society.
In 2020, we had direct conversations with over 47,000 African, Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim, and South Asian community members regarding the Census and the General Elections. We hired and trained 51 youth that engaged in our phone bank campaigns throughout the year.
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### KPBS: International Museum Looks Local For Latest Multicultural Offering
URL: https://www.panasd.org/kpbs-international-museum-looks-local-for-latest-multicultural-offering-2/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:29:51.000Z
_No content available._
### Workers World: San Diego solidarity with Palestine
URL: https://www.panasd.org/workers-world-san-diego-solidarity-with-palestine-2/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:29:51.000Z
_No content available._
### SD Union-Tribune: Supervisors vote to support the Trump lawsuit against California sanctuary laws
URL: https://www.panasd.org/sd-union-tribune-supervisors-vote-to-support-the-trump-lawsuit-against-california-sanctuary-laws-2/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:29:51.000Z
_No content available._
### PANA Strongly Opposes Board of Supervisors' Move to Join Trump Administration's Challenge to California's Sanctuary Laws
URL: https://www.panasd.org/pana-strongly-opposes-board-of-supervisors-move-to-join-trump-administrations-challenge-to-californias-sanctuary-laws/
Last updated: 2025-10-10T16:23:10.000Z
The Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans, PANA, is horrified that the San Diego County Board of Supervisors is considering joining the Trump administration's lawsuit against California's sanctuary laws.
The chair of the Board of Supervisors, Kristin Gaspar, announced yesterday that the Board will consider joining the Trump lawsuit, following the lead of their Orange County counterparts, saying it would be discussed at a **closed session** scheduled for April 17, 2018\. Such a move would be a sharp slap in the face to the majority of San Diego voters and residents who support more humane immigration policies. The City of San Diego recently began to create a strategic plan to better welcome and support new arrivals, and Chula Vista, the county's second largest city, is a declared "Welcoming City," officially supporting the California Values Act, as are a number of smaller cities in the County.
California's Trust, Truth, and Values Act was passed into law last year to protect the safety and well-being of all Californians by keeping local and state law enforcement out of the deportation business. The law makes sure that resources are not used to separate families, assist in mass deportations, hamper law enforcement, and damage the state's economy. The law keeps schools, hospitals, libraries, and courthouses safe and accessible for everyone in the community. Federal law enforcement agents continue to enforce immigration laws, and indeed are doing so at breakneck speed under the Trump administration.
Studies show that fear of local law enforcement's involvement in deportations has a chilling effect on victims and witnesses of crime and their willingness to come forward. This is why the San Diego Sheriff's Department issued a strong statement saying they would comply with the Trust, Truth, and California Values Act, telling the Voice of San Diego, "Our deputies work hard to make our communities safer and we want to ensure all of our residents feel safe reporting crimes or coming forward as witnesses to criminal acts."
PANA is particularly troubled that the Board is choosing to consider the matter in closed session. We believe the Board is well aware that the majority of Californians strongly support the state's approach to immigration, and deeply oppose the Trump administration's radical policy recommendations. PANA calls on all San Diego County residents to make their voices heard on this issue.
Contact your supervisors TODAY! Find their contact info at [www.sandiegocounty.gov/general/BOS](http://www.sandiegocounty.gov/general/BOS?ref=panasd.org) or call [619.531.5600](tel:%28619%29%20531-5600)."
### PANA Statement on California’s Sustainable and Affordable (CASA) Housing Act
URL: https://www.panasd.org/casa/
Last updated: 2025-10-10T17:24:16.000Z
*Optimism for a Statewide Initiative to Address Insufficient Housing for Low Income People:*
*The Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA) issues the following statement, attributable to PANA’s executive director, Ramla Sahid, in response to today’s announcement by Assemblymember Todd Gloria, Mayor Kevin Faulconer, and City Councilmembers David Alvarez and Georgette Gomez announcing Assemblymember Gloria’s proposed bill, AB 2372, to encourage affordable housing units near public transit:*
The Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans looks forward to working with state and city representatives to ensure that our low income refugee families benefit from new developments that include affordable housing.
PANA supports legislative efforts to increase the production of affordable housing units, especially along transit corridors. Our city’s three million residents are continually being pushed further and further from city centers in order to afford housing, which substantially decreases their quality of life. The lack of affordable housing leads to overcrowding, income inequality, and higher transportation costs.
Today’s announcement describes legislation that will create a statewide opt-in program to increase housing along bus, rapid transit, and trolley corridors. AB 2372 will require that at least 20% of units must be priced at 50% of the average median income. This is a welcome start to addressing the genuine humanitarian crisis that has led to increased homelessness, the outbreak of a Hepatitis A epidemic, and severe overcrowding in many people’s homes as they struggle to make ends meet.
It does not, however, address the problem of insufficient affordable housing units for larger families who are equally suffering from the housing crisis and are in danger of becoming homeless. A study conducted by PANA in 2016 found that many low income families in San Diego are paying 80% of their income on rent and housing expenses. Too many San Diegans are forced to live in substandard conditions, have to fight slumlords, or squeeze into dangerously overcrowded housing to ensure their families have a place to sleep at night.
Currently, working families cannot afford to live in the nation’s eighth largest city. Many of our city’s homeless are actually working people who cannot afford living spaces because of past inaction by civic leaders. Too often, our leaders instead have placed a priority on voting with developers’ interests. Today’s announced legislation shows a hopeful change in the right direction. PANA will be carefully monitoring the progress of the CASA Housing Act.
\# # #
*PANA’s executive director, Ramla Sahid, is available for interviews. Please contact Mariana Bustamante at 619.977-2504 to schedule an interview.*
### Voice of SD: Revisiting the Biggest Conversations of the Year
URL: https://www.panasd.org/voice-of-sd-revisiting-the-biggest-conversations-of-the-year/
Last updated: 2025-10-10T17:24:42.000Z
_No content available._
### Voice of SD: Joint Labor-Business Group Prepping a 2018 Convention Center Ballot Measure
URL: https://www.panasd.org/voice-of-sd-joint-labor-business-group-prepping-a-2018-convention-center-ballot-measure/
Last updated: 2025-10-10T17:25:07.000Z
_No content available._
### Voice of SD: Voice of the Year: Ramla Sahid
URL: https://www.panasd.org/voice-of-sd-voice-of-the-year-ramla-sahid/
Last updated: 2025-10-10T17:25:26.000Z
_No content available._
### Sacramento Bee: Refugees need more help with housing
URL: https://www.panasd.org/sacramento-bee-refugees-need-more-help-with-housing/
Last updated: 2025-10-10T17:25:53.000Z
_No content available._
### KPBS: How San Diego's Foreign Language Speakers Stay Informed About Wildfires
URL: https://www.panasd.org/kpbs-how-san-diegos-foreign-language-speakers-stay-informed-about-wildfires-2/
Last updated: 2025-10-09T17:35:35.000Z
_No content available._
### Sign-on: Human Rights Day of Action 2017
URL: https://www.panasd.org/sign-on-human-rights-day-of-action-2017/
Last updated: 2025-10-10T17:26:13.000Z
# **Organization Sign-On Statement**
San Diego County is a multinational, multicultural region with vibrant immigrant and refugee populations. With the erosion of public trust in government and increasingly uncivil public discourse, we call on our local lawmakers to stand up for all San Diegans and to ensure that the region's newcomer, immigrant and Muslim families are safe, valued and included members of our shared community.
San Diego County is home to an estimated 90,000-150,000 refugees from all over the world, including Iraq, Burma, Somalia, Vietnam, and Afghanistan. Nearly three-quarters of the county's non-citizen residents live in mixed status households in which some family members are U.S. citizens and/or legal permanent residents. Immigrants and refugees contribute one-third of California's gross domestic product and make up one-third of the workforce in San Diego & Imperial counties.
So that every San Diegan may feel safe, valued and included, our region must address the key sustainability issues of access to housing, transparent democracy, and constitutional rights to privacy and free practice of religion. For every San Diegan, and especially our new Americans who have fled dire circumstances, it is vital that they have access to affordable and sustainable housing and supportive resources in order for them to contribute their skills and experience to better our region.
## **Therefore, on December 10, 2017, International Human Rights Day we call for:**
- **#RightToARoof:** San Diego County must ensure that our newcomer families, who are at the forefront of the housing crisis, have housing stability. San Diego County must include a plan and sufficient funding for housing in the County’s Refugee Resettlement legislative agenda in the upcoming 2019-2021 County of San Diego Refugee Employment Services Plan. The plan is needed to assist new refugees—those here less than 3 years—to pay no more than 30 percent of their household income towards rent.
- **Employment Opportunities:** Our county can and must build a San Diego where all families can succeed. Currently, federal funds support immediate resettlement efforts to enter the workforce by getting a first job. This means refugees are often stuck in low wage work without the ability to develop new skills or a chance for upward mobility. The County should directly fund and support innovative partnerships between the San Diego Community College District (SDCCD), the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation, and our local San Diego Workforce Partnership, to develop innovative pre-apprenticeship opportunities that target and pipeline newcomers into family-sustaining jobs. The County should address this in its upcoming 2019-2021 County of San Diego Refugee Employment Services Plan.
- **Preservation of Civil Liberties:** Finally, to protect the civil liberties of our Muslim and newcomer families, San Diego must pass and institute a County policy that ensures local law enforcement officers adhere to state and local laws when participating in federal task forces and other law enforcement collaborations.
## **We, the undersigned organizations and individuals, unite around the following principles:**
- **San Diego elected representatives must actively promote dignity and respect for all, and should draft and support legislation that respects and promotes the equality and dignity of every human being;**
- **San Diego elected representatives must effectively address the dangers inherent in the President’s xenophobic travel bans, particularly the assault on the freedom of San Diego residents to freely practice their religion and on the privacy of many who are victims of unconstitutional surveillance;**
- **San Diego elected representatives must actively seek and mobilize all possible means to provide affordable housing for people who are homeless, and other vital social services for communities of color, for low-income and underserved communities, for people with disabilities, for refugee and immigrant families, and for all who are struggling to make ends meet;**
- **We will work together to engage voters in honest and challenging conversations and move eligible non-voters to find their voices to become active voters;**
- **We recognize that for our struggle for justice, equity, fairness, and human rights to succeed, we are bound by our mutual commitment to work together because though we may work on different issues or in different fields, we all seek to abolish oppression and inequality, in matters of race, ethnicity, faith, gender, and sexuality ; and**
- **We commit to amplify refugee voices so their stories are heard by a broad public and our elected officials.**
## **Four Ways to Take Action**
1. **Show your support to [Sign on to this statement using our online form](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfAmBhERLS3IZgAVkfDu7Qru9wLE-CWoC%5FLlPD0ZoagPWT9yg/viewform?usp=sf%5Flink&ref=panasd.org).**
2. **Encourage your membership to attend the community action in large numbers:**
**Date: Sunday, December 10, 2017**
**Time: 3:30 pm - 5:00 pm**
**Where: Waterfront Park, Downtown San Diego**
**1600 Pacific Highway, San Diego, CA 92101**
3. **Share the [Facebook event](https://www.facebook.com/events/325766677893890/) as broadly as possible. [Invite people individually](https://www.facebook.com/events/325766677893890/permalink/364235244047033/).**
4. **[Share this social media sign-on Thunderclap](https://www.thunderclap.it/projects/65486-december-10-showup4humanity?ref=panasd.org) before Thursday, Dec 8th 2017\. Use hashtags #RightToARoof and #ShowUp4Refugees.**
## **Who We Are**
The Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans, United Nations Association-USA of San Diego, along with our partners:
- **Alliance San Diego**
- **American Civil Liberties Union - ACLU of San Diego and Imperial Counties**
- **American Federation of Teachers Guild - AFT Local 1931**
- **American Friends Service Committee - San Diego**
- **American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee: ADC San Diego**
- **Center for Policy Initiatives - CPI**
- **City Heights Community Development Corporation**
- **Climate Action Campaign**
- **Council on American Islamic Relations - CAIR San Diego**
- **Environmental Health Coalition**
- **Hanana Community Center**
- **Horn of Africa**
- **Huda Community Center**
- **Humankind San Diego**
- **Indivisible San Diego**
- **Interfaith Workers for Justice San Diego - IWJSD**
- **Islamic Center of San Diego**
- **Karen Organization of San Diego**
- **League of Women Voters - San Diego**
- **Mid-City Community Advocacy Network - Mid City CAN**
- **Muslim American Society - San Diego**
- **Pillars of the Community**
- **Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest**
- **Progress San Diego**
- **Public Interest Advocacy Collaborative - PIAC**
- **San Diego Building & Construction Trades Council**
- **San Diego Immigrant Rights Consortium - SDIRC**
- **Showing Up for Racial Justice - San Diego**
- **Somali Bantu Association of America - SBAOA**
- **Somali Bantu Community**
- **Somali Family Services**
- **Southern Sudanese Community Center San Diego**
- **The AjA Project**
- **Think Dignity**
- **UNITE HERE Local 30**
- **United Women of East Africa Support Team - UWEAST**
- **Women’s March San Diego**
and other allied organizations, and an interfaith committee of religious leaders created this annual community event to declare that San Diego is a safe haven for refugees and immigrants around the world, and that those who reside here are able to lead and live in dignity without discrimination. Many of our organizations focus on a single issue or concern, but we all come together recognizing that to achieve that vision to realize a community based on equality and respect, we must work collectively. We call for a public demonstration of our commitment to that vision.
## **Why We Gather**
San Diego’s interfaith community, civil and human rights groups, labor and social service organizations, and compassionate individuals come together to affirm our commitment to make San Diego a safe haven for refugees and immigrants from around the world, especially those fleeing a crisis of violence, natural disaster, and persecution.
As a border community greatly enriched by immigrants and refugees, we affirm the dignity and humanity of all of our families, including torture survivors, refugees, immigrants, people with special medical needs, women who head households, unsheltered people, and children, all of whom deserve to have their voices heard and to have a government that is responsive to their needs.
[ Sign on](https://goo.gl/forms/vyr5AVwZQ3ykgdvl1?ref=panasd.org)
### CityBeat: Refugee Renaissance
URL: https://www.panasd.org/citybeat-refugee-renaissance/
Last updated: 2025-10-10T17:26:31.000Z
_No content available._
### Meet the 6 former-refugee winners of last week's elections
URL: https://www.panasd.org/meet-the-6-former-refugee-winners-of-last-weeks-elections/
Last updated: 2025-09-27T23:42:33.000Z
\[caption id align="alignnone" width="1600"\]
Top row: Abdi Warsame, Kathy Tran, AK Hassan. Bottom row: Zak Idan, Wilmot Collins, Fartun Ahmed. \[/caption\]
4 Somali-American candidates swept elections across the state of Minnesota:
- Abdi Warsame won a seat on City Council in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
- Abdulkadir Hassan won a seat on the Park and Recreation Board in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
- Fartun Ahmed won a seat on the Hopkins School Board in Hopkins, Minnesota.
- Zak Idan won a seat on City Council in the city of Tukwila, Washington.
[4 Somali-Americans Win Local Elections](https://www.voanews.com/a/four-somali-americans-win-local-elections/4106402.html?ref=panasd.org)
---
Kathy Tran won the seat for District 42 of the Virginia House of Delegates, the lower house of Virginia's state legislature. Tran will represent approximately 79,964 people living just outside of Washington D.C. Tran becomes one of the first two Asian-Americans to win this position.
Tran and her parents left Vietnam as boat refugees when she was just 7 months old. Tran’s family sacrificed a lot in order to reach the United States and they believed that the country **“represented hope, opportunity and freedom.”**
[Vietnamese Refugee Now One of the First Asian American Women Elected to Virginia's State House](https://nextshark.com/kathy-tran-vietnamese-refugee-now-one-of-the-first-asian-american-women-elected-to-virginias-state-house/?ref=panasd.org)
---
Wilmot Collins won the race for mayor of Helena, Montana. Collins will represent approximately 28,190 people living in the capital city of the State of Montana. Collins becomes the first Black person to win this position.
Collins and his wife fled Liberia during the Liberian Civil War, where two of his brothers were killed.
"I arrived in this country with 25 cents in my pocket," Wilmot Collins says. "Do you think I was thinking of ever running for mayor? No! But I worked hard and I had the support of my family, and my community." -Wilmot Collins, Mayor-elect of Helena, MT
[Ex-Liberian Refugee Eager to Serve Montana Capital That Elected Him Mayor](https://www.voanews.com/a/liberian-refugee-eager-serve-montana-capital-that-elected-him-mayor/4108712.html?ref=panasd.org)
### Meet the 6 former-refugee winners of last week's elections
URL: https://www.panasd.org/meet-the-6-former-refugee-winners-of-last-weeks-elections-2/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:29:56.000Z
\[caption id align="alignnone" width="1600"\]
Top row: Abdi Warsame, Kathy Tran, AK Hassan. Bottom row: Zak Idan, Wilmot Collins, Fartun Ahmed. \[/caption\]
4 Somali-American candidates swept elections across the state of Minnesota:
- Abdi Warsame won a seat on City Council in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
- Abdulkadir Hassan won a seat on the Park and Recreation Board in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
- Fartun Ahmed won a seat on the Hopkins School Board in Hopkins, Minnesota.
- Zak Idan won a seat on City Council in the city of Tukwila, Washington.
[4 Somali-Americans Win Local Elections](https://www.voanews.com/a/four-somali-americans-win-local-elections/4106402.html?ref=panasd.org)
---
Kathy Tran won the seat for District 42 of the Virginia House of Delegates, the lower house of Virginia's state legislature. Tran will represent approximately 79,964 people living just outside of Washington D.C. Tran becomes one of the first two Asian-Americans to win this position.
Tran and her parents left Vietnam as boat refugees when she was just 7 months old. Tran’s family sacrificed a lot in order to reach the United States and they believed that the country **“represented hope, opportunity and freedom.”**
[Vietnamese Refugee Now One of the First Asian American Women Elected to Virginia's State House](https://nextshark.com/kathy-tran-vietnamese-refugee-now-one-of-the-first-asian-american-women-elected-to-virginias-state-house/?ref=panasd.org)
---
Wilmot Collins won the race for mayor of Helena, Montana. Collins will represent approximately 28,190 people living in the capital city of the State of Montana. Collins becomes the first Black person to win this position.
Collins and his wife fled Liberia during the Liberian Civil War, where two of his brothers were killed.
"I arrived in this country with 25 cents in my pocket," Wilmot Collins says. "Do you think I was thinking of ever running for mayor? No! But I worked hard and I had the support of my family, and my community." -Wilmot Collins, Mayor-elect of Helena, MT
[Ex-Liberian Refugee Eager to Serve Montana Capital That Elected Him Mayor](https://www.voanews.com/a/liberian-refugee-eager-serve-montana-capital-that-elected-him-mayor/4108712.html?ref=panasd.org)
### PANA Launches Build Better San Diego Coalition
URL: https://www.panasd.org/pana-launches-build-better-san-diego-coalition/
Last updated: 2025-10-10T19:07:20.000Z
In June 2016, PANA released it's first report, ["San Diego Refugee Experiences,"](https://www.panasd.org/research) the conclusion of 50 house meetings led by San Diego refugee residents to study how the community is faring in areas such as health, education, jobs and housing.
What we found was that across all of our communities, for our families fleeing conflict from Africa, Southeast Asia, or the Middle East, housing insecurity follows them here in the United States.
We know that if we can solve the housing crisis for our most marginalized communities, we can solve it for everyone. That's why on Human Rights Day in December 2016, PANA launched the [#RightToARoof campaign](https://www.panasd.org/righttoaroof) for affordable, quality homes for all.
San Diego has seen a decades-long housing crisis, so achieving this goal will require a broad coalition of community partners.That's why PANA launched [Build Better San Diego](http://facebook.com/buildbettersd), a campaign calling for homes, jobs, and transit for all. With over 20 community organization members and growing, the coalition has developed a bold and practical vision to improve San Diego's economic health and community health for the long-term.
Get updates: Like @BuildBetterSD on [Facebook](http://facebook.com/buildbettersd) and [follow us on Twitter](http://twitter.com/buildbettersd?ref=panasd.org).
### El Cajon’s New Majority-Minority Districts
URL: https://www.panasd.org/el-cajons-new-majority-minority-districts/
Last updated: 2025-10-10T19:07:40.000Z
## **A Tale of Two Neighborhoods**
PANA’s office is based in City Heights, San Diego, the most diverse neighborhood in all of San Diego County and home to historic refugee community landmarks like Little Saigon and Little Mogadishu. The neighborhood was traditionally more affordable, but in recent decades has begun to gentrify.
As a result, over the past 15 years more and more newcomer families have found homes in El Cajon, California. Situated just a 20 minutes’ drive from City Heights, it’s especially become the home to newcomer Chaldean, Iraqi, and Afghani communities. Some have dubbed downtown El Cajon “Little Baghdad.”
## **An Opportunity for Fairer Representation in 2018**
Up until the general election in November 2016, El Cajon had elected a city council like any other small community in California: each of the five councilmembers (including the mayor) has been elected by residents of any neighborhood in the city.
However, in the 2016 election, residents overwhelmingly passed “Measure S,” a proposal to proactively divide the city into four districts, similar to San Diego’s current nine city districts. The 6-month-long process involving community input resulted in four districts that will be used for the first time in 2018.
## **A Majority-Minority City**
Three of the four new districts are considered “majority-minority,” meaning that more than 50% of the residents are either not white or are not native English-speakers.
However, only one of the new districts will see a district race in 2018\. El Cajon City District 1 centers on the Fletcher Hills neighborhood, and is 51% minority by this definition. It will become the first district of El Cajon to hold a district-wide race for a council position in 2018\. The other three new districts won’t elect new council members until 2020.
## **PANA’s involvement**
In the 6 months following the passage of Measure S, PANA supported the involvement of residents in the transparent, non-partisan effort to draw up districts for the first time. And while the map that was chosen in May 2017 was not the community’s first choice, the new map means an opportunity for better representation in every future city council race.
If El Cajon continues to grow, it will need to go through a similar process of “re-districting” at some point in the future. When San Diego added it’s ninth city district in 2013, the new district became the first that allowed refugee communities in City Heights to vote in the same race.
### San Diegans say: No Muslim Ban Ever
URL: https://www.panasd.org/san-diegans-say-no-muslim-ban-ever/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:30:08.000Z
\[caption id align="alignnone" width="2400"\]
Retweet this photo - Re-share on Facebook - Share your photos on Facebook \[/caption\]
Thank you to all who joined at Fight Back #PowerHour us to stand in solidarity with our Muslim and Refugee communities to declare [#**NoMuslimBanEver**](http://panasd.org/nomuslimbanever?ref=panasd.org) last night.
Thanks to you, more than 150 San Diegans come together to learn more about Muslim BAN 3.0\. This ban is dangerous and opens the door to discriminate on the basis of faith, immigration status, and national origin.
Your passion for justice, equity, and basic fairness helps us fight back against the targeting of our communities and ensure the long-tern full inclusion of our families.
All care,
Everyone at PANA
### CityBeat: Neighborhood Watch: City Heights
URL: https://www.panasd.org/citybeat-neighborhood-watch-city-heights/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:30:08.000Z
_No content available._
### SD Union-Tribune: Women of SD: It is time to flip the script on the status quo
URL: https://www.panasd.org/sd-union-tribune-women-of-sd-it-is-time-to-flip-the-script-on-the-status-quo/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:30:08.000Z
_No content available._
### Times of SD: City Heights Gifted $20K to Boost Refugee, Immigrant Civic Participation
URL: https://www.panasd.org/times-of-sd-city-heights-gifted-20k-to-boost-civic-participation/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:30:09.000Z
_No content available._
### Fight Back
URL: https://www.panasd.org/fight-back/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:30:11.000Z
On a Tuesday night, 10 grassroots groups and 150 San Diegans gathered for tacos and an evening of cross-community solidarity, standing against the targeting and criminalization of Muslim, newcomer, and immigrant community members.On October 10, the Supreme Court of the United States will be hearing two cases about the Muslim and refugee bans, Trump v. Int'l Refugee Assistance Project and Trump v. Hawaii.
The executive orders from the Trump Administration temporarily bans travel from six Muslim-majority countries (Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen) and suspends the refugee admissions process.
The Muslim and refugee bans are discriminatory, unconstitutional and inhumane in the same vein as the Chinese Exclusion Act, the Japanese American incarceration, and special registration after 9/11\.
We must remember history and mobilize against any targeting of our communities.
### SD Free Press: Convention Center Expansion Gets Thumbs Down From PANA
URL: https://www.panasd.org/sd-free-press-convention-center-expansion-gets-thumbs-down-from-pana/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:30:11.000Z
_No content available._
### PANA Statement on Convention Center, Homelessness and Affordable Housing
URL: https://www.panasd.org/pana-statement-on-convention-center-homelessness-affordable-housing/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:30:12.000Z
Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA) has received multiple inquiries about an article in VoiceofSanDiego.org on September 22, 2017, concerning negotiations with the tourism industry and representatives of Mayor Kevin Faulconer. PANA’s response is as follows:
**1\. PANA will not be a party to any negotiations that seek to prioritize a luxury for the tourism industry over life’s basic necessities for persons who are forced to live on the streets because of years of inaction and bad judgment by the Mayor.**
San Diego is facing an unprecedented homelessness and public-health crisis that has its roots in the lack of affordable housing, shelter, and services for a substantial segment of our population. The crisis is not a surprise. For example, more than 10 years ago housing advocates tried to prevent the City of San Diego from allowing the conversion of single-room occupancy hotels (SROs) – often the last affordable-housing option for at-risk individuals and families – into luxury hotels and condos. Then-City Councilman Kevin Faulconer frequently voted with developers in support of those conversions. And over 18 months ago, U-T San Diego wrote an describing how the loss of SROs was exacerbating the homelessness problem, with long-time homeless advocate Bob McElroy reported as saying: “I have never seen this many people on the streets in the 30 years I’ve been doing this and the elimination of the SROs is a major component.”
The Mayor recently sent his representatives – one from his office, and others in the private sector acting at his behest – to negotiate with PANA and other community organizations to come up with a mutually agreeable “citizens’ initiative” for the June 2018 ballot. As they proposed it, the initiative would increase the transient occupancy tax (TOT) primarily for a convention center expansion, with not even one-third of the money set aside to address homelessness and the lack of affordable housing. The Mayor’s representatives promised that they and the Mayor would also support a separate “citizens’ initiative” focused on taxing home buyers and home owners in exchange for the community’s support for the June 2018 convention-center tax.
The Mayor and the tourism industry clearly understand that they need substantial community support for a new tax to expand the convention center. What they do not understand is that PANA will not sell out its members and constituents with half-baked promises and weak assurances of financial resources to address the real crisis. The loss of business from an un-expanded convention center – even if the Mayor and the tourism industry could prove and quantify the loss with any degree of certainty, which they cannot do – pales in comparison to the actual loss of life and the dire risk to public health that arises from our homelessness and affordable-housing crisis.
If the Mayor and the tourism industry truly care about ending the crisis, they will stop trying to combine a TOT increase for the convention center with a revenue increase for homelessness and housing. There is no moral equivalence between the two.
**2\. PANA will not be a party to any negotiations that use the human crisis created by the Mayor’s inaction and bad judgment to justify disenfranchising voters through early elections on non-emergency matters.**
Last year more than two-thirds of the City’s voters approved Measure L, which requires that citizens’ initiatives be put to voters at general elections in November when most people go to the polls in order to maximize voter participation. PANA was one of the leading voices in support of Measure L and worked tirelessly to help it pass with such a high margin, because we know that our democracy works best when the most people vote.
The Mayor and his representatives have been trying to persuade PANA that there is a genuine “need” to vote on a new tax for the convention center in June 2018 instead of waiting for November in order to take advantage of a “loophole” created by a recent court ruling. PANA does not agree that there is a loophole the Mayor can exploit. But even if there were, PANA would never go along with a scheme to disenfranchise voters – especially when the only goal is to make it possible for politicians and special interests to bend the rules to their personal advantage.
If expanding the convention center is so important, the Mayor and the tourism industry should put it on the ballot as a stand-alone item when the most people will vote. That will be in November 2018.
**3\. There is only one true emergency that warrants an election in the immediate future: raising the TOT to provide more funding to fight homelessness and increase the supply of affordable housing.**
When PANA supported Measure L, it did so with the understanding that the City Council would retain the discretion to bring forward emergency ballot measures for voter approval. In fact, the City Council voted earlier this year to reject the Mayor’s first ballot proposal for raising the TOT to pay for expanding the convention center, infrastructure, and the homeless – again, with only a pittance allocated to fight homelessness – correctly reasoning that there was no true emergency related to the convention center. (It remains mired in litigation, and the City relinquished control of the land needed for the expansion when it defaulted on its lease two years ago).
There is only one true emergency that justifies the voters going to the polls before November 2018\. That emergency is the lack of financial resources needed to pay for shelters, transitional and supportive housing, mental-health services, and public sanitation, health, and safety. It has become clear that the Mayor is not willing to be a “leader” on this issue, that he is only willing to be a “cheerleader” for the tourism industry.
The City Council should take the reins and schedule an emergency election that generates new revenues for the General Fund so that the City has the financial resources necessary to end the public safety and health crisis as quickly as possible. If the Mayor vetoes such an action and at least three members of the City Council support his view that kowtowing to the tourism industry is more important than keeping every member of the public safe, then they should have to own those votes and face the political consequences.
PANA is confident that the voters will never tolerate politicians exploiting a crisis – a genuine humanitarian crisis that has so far taken the lives of at least 16 people and has made San Diego the epicenter of America’s hepatitis A epidemic – in order to benefit special interests.
Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA) is a research, community organizing, and public policy hub dedicated to advancing the full economic and social inclusion of refugees. PANA lifts up refugee voices and builds leadership in communities to increase civic engagement and create an inclusive civil society. PANA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity based in San Diego County.
PANA is here and available to support our refugee community. Please contact us at info@panasd.org or 619-732-6793.
###
### PANA Statement on President’s Third Attempt at a Muslim Ban
URL: https://www.panasd.org/presidents-third-attempt-at-a-muslim-ban/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:30:12.000Z
**PRESS STATEMENT**
**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**
**September 24, 2017**
**Contact: Ramla Sahid**
**619.265.6611**
**ramla@panasd.org**
## **PANA Statement on President’s Third Attempt at a Muslim Ban**
*Original Intent to Discriminate Remains and Is Now Indefinite*
SAN DIEGO – President Donald Trump buried on a Sunday afternoon announcement of his new travel restrictions on visitors primarily from Muslim-majority countries just as the key portion of his prior travel ban was due to expire. This is the third time the administration has attempted the ban. In this iteration, there is no end date; its restrictions have no time limit, making it more insidious than prior versions.
The new ban places various entry bans on immigrant visas for people from eight countries: Chad, Libya, Yemen, Iran, North Korea, Syria, Somalia, and very limited Venezuelans. Sudan is no longer included in the ban. It goes into effect immediately for people from the six Muslim-majority countries (Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen), and in mid-October for those from Chad (also majority-Muslim), North Korea, and Venezuela.
“The recklessness of this president is overwhelming and disturbingly dangerous,” said Ramla Sahid, executive director of the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans. “Tweeting casually about annihilating 24 million people in North Korea, failing to address white supremacist actions here in our own country, and then trying to paint ordinary Muslims fleeing extraordinary adversity as the bogeyman is unfair, unwise, and un-American.”
This re-do of the Trump Administration’s original travel ban and its attempted replacement, still embody the discriminatory rhetoric he first tested out on the campaign trail. One of his first acts as President was to impose a ban on Muslims entering the United States. Today’s version now expands that ban to other immigrant communities for which he has similarly expressed open antipathy and prejudice. The two prior versions were blocked by federal judges, though the U.S. Supreme Court ultimately allowed it to go into effect if the administration did not block people from entering who had a “bona fide” connection to the U.S., such as family or job offers.
“President Trump has made clear to all people of color that his bias and bigotry will continue to poison his policies, in violation of the U.S. Constitution, as long as he is in office,” said Sahid. “Dividing our country on the basis of fear doesn’t ‘make America great again;’ in fact, it makes us weak. Most Americans reject his premise, and understand that only by uniting behind our shared core values and principles will we be the ‘more perfect union’ we strive to be.”
PANA rejects the president’s underlying argument about the need for the ban. President Trump seeks to stereotype communities of color and intimate that they are inherently suspicious or dangerous. The American people see through this fear-mongering. As the entire country witnessed in January when the first ban was announced, Americans of all colors, religions, ethnicities, and national origins stood together to denounce President Trump’s Muslim ban and the bigotry that inspired it.
PANA will all be reviewing the specific details of the new restrictions on travelers, but the original intent of the administration’s first ban remains clear. Indeed, Trump announced just last week that he wanted a “larger, tougher, more specific” ban. This is yet another reason the executive branch should not be addressing this issue; it is the responsibility of the United States Congress to develop comprehensive immigration reform through a deliberative and transparent process.
All of us want to be safe and secure in our communities here in the United States. But we want to be safe and buoyed by constitutional protections and by the country’s commitment to fairness, dignity, and respect for all.
The U.S. Supreme Court has canceled oral arguments that were set for next month on President Donald Trump's travel ban executive order. The Court removed the case from its oral argument calendar while both sides file new briefs on the impact of the new directive. PANA will hold a public conversation the evening of Wednesday, October 10, 2017, 5:30 p.m., with a legal analysis and reactions from affected community members.
\# # #
### SD Union-Tribune: Revived effort to expand convention center meets stiff resistance
URL: https://www.panasd.org/san-diego-union-tribune-revived-effort-to-expand-convention-center-meets-stiff-resistance/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:30:12.000Z
_No content available._
### SD Free Press: President’s Third Attempt at a Muslim Ban Condemned
URL: https://www.panasd.org/sd-free-press-presidents-third-attempt-at-a-muslim-ban-condemned/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:30:12.000Z
_No content available._
### Voice of San Diego: Power Brokers Restart Talks to Fund Convention Center
URL: https://www.panasd.org/voice-of-san-diego-power-brokers-restart-talks-to-fund-convention-center/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:30:13.000Z
_No content available._
### PANA Joins #NoMuslimBanEver
URL: https://www.panasd.org/pana-joins-nomuslimbanever/
Last updated: 2025-10-10T19:07:51.000Z
**From September 5th through October 10th, PANA is joining with thousands across the country to say [#NoMuslimBanEver](https://nomuslimbanever.com/?ref=panasd.org).**
The #NoMuslimBanEver campaign is organized by dozens of organizations across the United States including MPower Change, the MASA Organizing team, Asian Americans Advancing Justice –Asian Law Caucus, and Council of American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)’s San Francisco-Bay Area chapter.
The purpose of the campaign is to make it clear that the Muslim and refugee bans are discriminatory, unconstitutional and inhumane in the same vein as the Chinese Exclusion Act, the Japanese American incarceration, and special registration after 9/11.
In late September, PANA will take part in a nationwide Twitter Town Hall. [Follow us on Twitter](https://twitter.com/intent/follow?screen%5Fname=panasandiego&tw%5Fp=followbutton&ref=panasd.org) to stay tuned for details.
On Tuesday, October 10th 2017, PANA is hosting Fight Back #PowerHour as one of dozens coordinated nationwide events. This is the day the Supreme Court will hear legal challenges to the executive order from the Trump Administration that temporarily bans travel from six Muslim-majority countries and suspends the refugee admissions program. The Muslim and refugee bans violate the Establishment Clause and Equal Protection Clause of the United States Constitution.
# Campaign Principles
## End Criminalization
End policies, like bans, walls and raids, that treat our communities as inherently suspect and foster bigotry and hate.
## Expand sanctuary
Create safe spaces for people under threat by advocating for sanctuary policies, supporting sanctuary communities, and offering physical sanctuary.
## Center directly impacted people
Center communities directly affected by the Muslim and refugee bans, namely Muslims, refugees, and nationals from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.
## Build solidarity
The Muslim and refugee bans are on a continuum of exclusionary policies, White supremacy, xenophobia and racism. We are stronger when we understand these connections and work together.
## Raise our voice
Share your values and stories to help shift public narratives and consciousness.
Learn more at [https://www.nomuslimbanever.com](https://www.nomuslimbanever.com/?ref=panasd.org).
### Solidarity
URL: https://www.panasd.org/solidarity/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:30:17.000Z
We are thrilled to be joined by Deepa Iyer, Senior Fellow at the Center for Social Inclusion. She is the author of We Too Sing America: South Asian, Arab, Muslim and Sikh Immigrants Shape Our Multiracial Future. We will discuss the work happening at a national level impacting immigrants, refugees, and the Muslim community and how we can win at a local level.
### Human Rights Day of Action
URL: https://www.panasd.org/human-rights-day-of-action/
Last updated: 2025-10-10T17:20:10.000Z
# 2017
San Diego’s interfaith community, civil and human rights groups, labor and social service organizations, and compassionate individuals joined together to affirm our commitment to make San Diego a safe haven for refugees and immigrants from around the world, especially those fleeing a crisis of violence, natural disaster, and persecution.
As a border community greatly enriched by immigrants and refugees, we affirmed the dignity and humanity of all of our families, including torture survivors, refugees, immigrants, people with special medical needs, women who head households, unsheltered people, and children, all of whom deserve to have their voices heard and to have a government that is responsive to their needs.
# 2016
Refugees and immigrants in San Diego are at the forefront of the regional housing crisis, often forced to live in substandard conditions, fighting slumlords and living as ‘[hidden homeless](https://twitter.com/PANASanDiego/status/765974548780978176?ref=panasd.org),’ crowding homes to ensure families and friends have a place to stay. The **#RightToARoof campaign** will focus on improving housing for all, especially our most vulnerable.
# 2015
## @ San Diego County Administration Building
On a Thursday night, over 350 San Diegans from the interfaith community, civil and human rights groups, labor and social service organizations, and compassionate individuals came together to affirm our commitment to make San Diego a safe haven for refugees and immigrants from around the world, especially those fleeing a crisis of violence and terror.
Featured [](https://www.panasd.org/news/2015/12/11/san-diego-free-press-san-diegans-say-no-to-hate-refugees-welcome)
Dec 10, 2015 [Guest User](https://www.panasd.org/news?author=62b4b1e2d60cea76330cbf4a#show-archive) [San Diego Free Press: San Diegans Say No To Hate, Refugees Welcome](https://www.panasd.org/news/2015/12/11/san-diego-free-press-san-diegans-say-no-to-hate-refugees-welcome) Dec 10, 2015 [Guest User](https://www.panasd.org/news?author=62b4b1e2d60cea76330cbf4a#show-archive) [Read More →](https://www.panasd.org/news/2015/12/11/san-diego-free-press-san-diegans-say-no-to-hate-refugees-welcome) Dec 10, 2015 [Guest User](https://www.panasd.org/news?author=62b4b1e2d60cea76330cbf4a#show-archive) [](http://www.kpbs.org/news/2015/dec/10/human-rights-day-san-diegans-rally-refugee-rights/?ref=panasd.org)
Dec 9, 2015 [Guest User](https://www.panasd.org/news?author=62b4b1e2d60cea76330cbf4a#show-archive) [KPBS: On Human Rights Day, San Diegans Rally For Refugee Rights](http://www.kpbs.org/news/2015/dec/10/human-rights-day-san-diegans-rally-refugee-rights/?ref=panasd.org) Dec 9, 2015 [Guest User](https://www.panasd.org/news?author=62b4b1e2d60cea76330cbf4a#show-archive) [Read More →](https://www.panasd.org/news/2015/12/10/kpbs-on-human-rights-day-san-diegans-rally-for-refugee-rights) Dec 9, 2015 [Guest User](https://www.panasd.org/news?author=62b4b1e2d60cea76330cbf4a#show-archive) [](https://www.panasd.org/news/2015/12/10/san-diego-union-tribune-san-diegans-support-refugees-on-human-rights-day)
Dec 9, 2015 [Guest User](https://www.panasd.org/news?author=62b4b1e2d60cea76330cbf4a#show-archive) [The San Diego Union-Tribune: San Diegans support refugees on Human Rights Day](https://www.panasd.org/news/2015/12/10/san-diego-union-tribune-san-diegans-support-refugees-on-human-rights-day) Dec 9, 2015 [Guest User](https://www.panasd.org/news?author=62b4b1e2d60cea76330cbf4a#show-archive) [Read More →](https://www.panasd.org/news/2015/12/10/san-diego-union-tribune-san-diegans-support-refugees-on-human-rights-day) Dec 9, 2015 [Guest User](https://www.panasd.org/news?author=62b4b1e2d60cea76330cbf4a#show-archive)
### Standing Up For Refugees
URL: https://www.panasd.org/2nd-campaign/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:30:18.000Z
At the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA), we’re standing for positive, responsible, and fact-based policy upholding our fundamental American values. Because we know, when refugee communities are a part of our democracy, enriching diversity, and strengthening our economy, we all win.
*Thanks to the hard work of our PANA leaders, in 2016 we:*
- **engaged over 6,000 New Americans through our leadership development program,**
- **published the 2016 report on refugee experiences,**
- **registered 731 new voters,**
- **contacted over 6,400 voters,**
- **and have began to change the conversation in San Diego.**
We can't afford to stand by as our society scapegoats Muslims or be spectators as our country turns its back on refugees. We need you to #ShowUp4Refugees.
**Now is the time to invest on the ground.** Please consider supporting our work by becoming sustaining donor to grow our movement.
### PANA Helps Launch New Podcast "Flip the Script: The Future is Female"
URL: https://www.panasd.org/pana-helps-launch-new-podcast-flip-the-script-the-future-is-female/
Last updated: 2025-10-10T19:08:03.000Z
We’re thrilled to announce the launch of PANA’s new Podcast, in partnership with Climate Action Campaign: ***Flip the Script: The Future is Female.***
## About the Podcast
Flip the Script is here to shake things up and offer a new vision for how to move San Diego forward so that it is inclusive, progressive and equitable. And one of the two hosts is Ismahan Abdullahi, Director of Community Partnerships and Civic Engagement at PANA!
[Subscribe now (free)](http://flipthescriptsd.org/?ref=panasd.org)
And [check out ](https://www.flipthescriptsd.org/episodes/2017/7/25/2-council-president-myrtle-cole-first-african-american-woman-leading-city-council?ref=panasd.org)[our newest episode, just released](https://www.flipthescriptsd.org/episodes/2017/7/25/2-council-president-myrtle-cole-first-african-american-woman-leading-city-council?ref=panasd.org)!
Our fascinating, rare sit-down with Council President Council President Myrtle Cole is up on iTunes and Stitcher. 👌
### Meet Dhaha Nur, PANA Youth Leader
URL: https://www.panasd.org/meet-dhaha-nur-pana-youth-leader/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:30:20.000Z
My name is Dhaha Nur (pronounced taa-haa noor). My first name has an unknown meaning -the meaning is only known to God; my last name means light. I find culture, art, literature, poetry, highly engaging and stimulating. I love to smile, laugh, devour chocolate, write and perform poetry, and engage others through the world of art. I am also very data and tech-centric. I am currently pursuing a degree at SDSU in Management Information Systems. I work for Apple Inc and aim to specialize in information security or cybersecurity. I am also the Treasurer for the Muslim Student Association at SDSU, a Fellow at the Bread and Roses Feminist Research and Activism, and a Youth Leader at PANA. I aim to inspire people through my poetry, to make others feel understood, and be a champion for human rights. With my free time I like to organize youth events, play soccer, and spend time with family and friends. Here is some of the work I have done at PANA:
I represented PANA at the Youth Organizing Summit held in Washington D.C. by the Alliance for Youth Action, which focused on empowering youth to mobilize, build a movement, and make relationships with other youth leaders across the country. I attended workshops on electoral organizing, leadership development, social infrastructure, and establishing durable and responsive programs.
With the help of PANA I also represented refugees through poetry in Specific Gravity in Washington D.C. and San Diego. Specific Gravity is a multidisciplinary performance art project that explores the experiences of forcibly displaced persons through art. Our goal is to raise awareness for refugees and foster a deeper understanding and empathy towards new members of our community. Specific Gravity was part of the San Diego International Fringe Festival, and proceeds from the performances were donated to PANA.
I am currently working with PANA in conjunction with the Bread and Roses Center for Feminist Research and Activism in a collaborative community research project to better understand and serve refugee needs in the San Diego County. I am a Fellow of the Bread and Roses Feminist Activist Research Symposium which has partnered with PANA to highlight and elevate the positive economic and social contributions of refugees in San Diego.
With the support of PANA, we have created a collaborative poetry and art forum to focus and highlight issues that youth personally face. This platform has given a voice for disenfranchised youth to express themselves through creative means, and to showcase their talents to other communities. Some of the events our team has created include E Pluribus Unum, What’s Your Story, and Ramadan Revealed. Our team consists of engaged high-school and college students with an interest in vocalizing issues that impact them and their peers.
I also represented PANA at the San Diego Italian Film Festival as a panelist at the screen of “Shores of Light: Salento 1945-1947.” In this I urged the audience to research the current refugee crisis and get involved, whether it’s volunteering with one of the agencies working on refugee resettlement or influencing policy at the local, state, or national level. The film allowed us to draw parallels and similarities between the current refugee crisis and the refugee crisis following WWII.
I have also worked with PANA successfully launching voter engagement programs, such as the Get out the Vote for 2016 California primary election, and the November Civic Engagement Campaign.
Follow Dhaha on Twitter [@dhahanur](https://twitter.com/dhahanur?ref=panasd.org)
### ESSENCE: Trump’s Travel Ban Affects Black Families
URL: https://www.panasd.org/trump-travel-ban-black-muslims/
Last updated: 2017-07-19T01:01:00.000Z
_No content available._
### SD Union-Tribune: Split reaction to court's action on travel ban
URL: https://www.panasd.org/sd-me-travel-ban-20170626-storyhtml/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:30:20.000Z
_No content available._
### Benzinga: A Powerful First Impression- GetChargedUp Uses Solar Power to Empower Refugees in San Diego
URL: https://www.panasd.org/benzinga-a-powerful-first-impression-getchargedup-uses-solar-power-to-empower-refugees-in-san-diego/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:30:20.000Z
In an article entitled "A Powerful First Impression: GETCHARGEDUP Uses Solar Power to Empower Refugees in San Diego" PANA is mentioned as a resource for GETCHARGED UP, a nonprofit that supports refugees by installing a solar energy system in their home. Published on June 20, 2017.
Source:[ https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/17/06/p9633374/a-powerful-first-impression-getchargedup-uses-solar-power-to-empower-re](https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/17/06/p9633374/a-powerful-first-impression-getchargedup-uses-solar-power-to-empower-re?ref=panasd.org)
### Voice of San Diego: New Progressive Coalition Wants 2018 Vote to Fund Low-Income Housing
URL: https://www.panasd.org/voice-of-san-diego-new-progressive-coalition-wants-2018-vote-to-fund-low-income-housing/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:30:20.000Z
PANA and Build Better San Diego were featured in an article by Voice of San Diego entitled "New Progressive Coalition Wants 2018 Vote to Fund Low-Income Housing" regarding long term affordable housing, written by Andrew Keatts and published on June 5, 2017.
Source: [http://www.voiceofsandiego.org/topics/politics/new-progressive-coalition-wants-2018-vote-fund-low-income-housing/](http://www.voiceofsandiego.org/topics/politics/new-progressive-coalition-wants-2018-vote-fund-low-income-housing/?ref=panasd.org)
### Community Profile: Meet Fahad
URL: https://www.panasd.org/community-profile-meet-fahad/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:30:21.000Z
My name is Fahad Mohamed and I am a Youth Leader at PANA. I wanted to join PANA because I was inspired to be part of a team that makes a positive and effective change in my community. I want to spread knowledge and awareness to others so they can also be part of this collective change. Martin Luther King is my biggest inspiration when it comes to being a leader. I remember learning about Martin Luther King when I was in middle school and my teacher told me to be a leader not a follower. I believe that being a leader is important because it inspires people. And when people are inspired, positive change will come. I am guided by a very strong moral ethic and self discipline and I also have great influences in my life that motivate me to be authentically me and advocate for my community.
Last year was the first year I voted, before that I never understood the importance of voting and how critical it was to make a difference in the community. I was part of a team of youth to get out the vote, I was surprised to see how many people were not voting but after weeks of training at PANA I was well informed and had the necessary tools to help educate my neighbors on voting matters. Although it was a long and tedious process filled with very long walks in the summer heat and being chased by dogs I can say that it inspired me to be more civically engaged and get others to be more involved as well. I am looking forward and excited to be part of bigger projects at PANA and continue to advocate with my community.
### Community Profile: Meet Danya
URL: https://www.panasd.org/community-profile-meet-danya/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:30:22.000Z
My name is Danya Greenberg and I am a student at Muhlenberg College in PA. I am so honored to be joining the PANA team for the summer as the Membership Intern. I am double majoring in Public Health and Political Science with a large interest in public health policy. When I heard about PANA a few years back, I fell in love with their mission and vision for the inclusion of refugees through the lens of policy, but my passions at the time were elsewhere. In the past year, with the influence of the upcoming Presidential Election, my passions evolved and shifted to policy. I found myself wanting to be aware, informed, and forming my own opinions on matters; I did not want to be complacent, silent, and unsure of my values.
My passion for public health and the way inequities influence the well-being of different populations combined with my passion for policies that include and make visible vulnerable populations drew me once again to PANA. The more time I spend at PANA, the more certain I am that I want to continue working with an organization committed to the values that I share. I am ready to make meaningful contributions to a population that needs institutional support, the opportunity to share their voice, and meaningful change. I can’t wait to continue on this journey with PANA.
### PANA's Statement on Trump's Executive Order
URL: https://www.panasd.org/panas-statement-on-trumps-executive-order/
Last updated: 2025-10-10T19:08:17.000Z
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 6, 2017
Contact: Ramla Sahid, ramla@panasd.org, 619-265-6611
## **Trump’s Executive Order An Act of Violence Against Refugees and Muslim People**
## *Rhetoric surrounding new executive order betrays intent to codify religious discrimination into policy*
SAN DIEGO – Today, President Donald Trump signed an executive order targeting refugee resettlement and people from six-Muslim majority countries in a follow-up to his failed January 28 executive order which was robustly defeated in the courts.
While this executive order is limited in scope when compared to the first unconstitutional executive order, the rhetoric surrounding today’s order unambiguously points towards religious discrimination being prime motivator for this policy, rather than national security.
The new executive order outlines a 90 day ban for travelers from six predominantly Muslim countries including Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Sudan and Yemen. The revised order clarifies previous language limiting the scope of the ban to new visas, with a list of exclusions including existing visa holders, dual visa holders, foreign nationals paroled and granted asylum. Other changes include an omission of Iraq as a targeted country, as well as outlining a series of categorical waivers, and removal of the indefinite ban for Syrian refugees. The order is scheduled to go into effect on March 16, 2017.
The White House has made clear that the revised version was meant to accomplish the same goals as the first. The order continues the halt of the refugee resettlement program for 120 days and caps total refugee resettlement fo FY 2017 at 50,000\. This means that the vast majority of Iraqi refugees admitted through the refugee process will be affected and Iraqi nationals, many of whom collaborated with the U.S. government in combatting terrorism will continue to feel the negative impact of the ban. Refugees are already the most thoroughly-vetted group of travelers into the United States. The Department of Homeland Security issued a report claiming there was “insufficient evidence” to support a ban on travel from seven Muslim-majority countries and that country of origin does not predict future behavior.
“Americans value the liberties enshrined in the U.S. Constitution, particularly the first amendment which states that people should be free to practice their religion,” said Ramla Sahid, executive director of the Partnership for New Americans (PANA). “Treating people differently based on what religion they practice should be condemned by our elected leaders, not encouraged. It has serious consequences for people who are only looking for a safe place to raise their children and for Muslim people in the United States who are on the receiving end of threats by people emboldened by what they hear from the President.”
While the previous executive order had been halted from implementation since Judge James Robert issued a temporary restraining order on February 3, there has been widespread confusion and possibly willful noncompliance by government officials charged with enforcement. Several people still have not been able to reschedule travel returning to the U.S. after finding themselves effectively exiled in late January 25\. People like, Ismail Heyd’s 68 year old mother and 23 year old brother.
“The impact of these executive orders goes beyond how they’re interpreted by the courts,” added Sahid. “On one hand you have CBP officials who refused to comply when the courts first handed their rulings and on the other hand you have people who are shooting and at times killing innocent people because of the hatred they hold in their hearts. This is the result of the Trump Administration’s fear-mongering. Trump is putting Americans at risk with these actions and we must continue to condemn this administration and elected officials who would look away as our U.S. Constitution is trampled on.”
“Everybody knows that each step of the refugee security check process is time sensitive, so this pause will result in a domino effect of expiring validity periods, forcing refugees who are already approved to wait months and even years to repeat the process from the beginning.Personally, I was hoping to reunite with my sister, who is in a refugee camp in Jordan, and who had hoped to come to San Diego too. Now, it saddens me to think that might never happen.” Said Mustafa Dib, community organizer at PANA.
###
### The San Diego Union-Tribune: Refugee advocates remain skeptical of Trump's 'travel ban 2.0'
URL: https://www.panasd.org/the-san-diego-union-tribune-refugee-advocates-remain-skeptical-of-trumps-travel-ban-20/
Last updated: 2025-10-10T19:08:33.000Z
The San Diego Union-Tribune inverviewed PANA member Wedad for an article titled "Refugee advocates remain skeptical of Trump's 'travel ban 2.0'" written by Kate Morrisey and published on March 6th, 2017.
Source: [http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/immigration/sd-me-order-reaction-20170306-story.html](http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/immigration/sd-me-order-reaction-20170306-story.html?ref=panasd.org)
\[caption id align="alignnone" width="960"\]
Photo source: sandiegouniontribune.com \[/caption\]
### NBC 7 San Diego: Local Immigrants React to President Trump's Revised Travel Ban
URL: https://www.panasd.org/nbc-7-san-diego-local-immigrants-react-to-president-trumps-revised-travel-ban/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:30:24.000Z
NBC 7 San Diego interviewed Ismail, a PANA member for a video segment and article titled "Local Immigrants React to President Trump's Revised Travel Ban", written by Astrid Solorzano and published on March 6th, 2017.
Source: [http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/Local-Immigrants-React-to-President-Trumps-Revised-Travel-Ban-415522953.html](http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/Local-Immigrants-React-to-President-Trumps-Revised-Travel-Ban-415522953.html?ref=panasd.org)
\[caption id align="alignnone" width="1919"\]
Image source: http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/Local-Immigrants-React-to-President-Trumps-Revised-Travel-Ban-415522953.html \[/caption\]
### Coyote Chronicle: Who Are The Refugees?
URL: https://www.panasd.org/coyote-chronicle-who-are-the-refugees/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:30:24.000Z
\[caption id align="alignnone" width="1024"\]
Photo source: http://coyotechronicle.net/who-are-the-refugees/ \[/caption\]
Coyote Chronicle covered PANA's participation in California State University, San Bernadino Center for Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies' panel event: "Who Are The Refugees?" The article, also titled "Who Are The Refugees?" was written by Noe Ramos and published on March 6th, 2017.
Source: [http://coyotechronicle.net/who-are-the-refugees/](http://coyotechronicle.net/who-are-the-refugees/?ref=panasd.org)
### The San Diego Union-Tribune: Ramla Sahid, a refugee on a mission, works to bring refugees into San Diego's mainstream
URL: https://www.panasd.org/the-san-diego-union-tribune-ramla-sahid-a-refugee-on-a-mission-works-to-bring-refugees-into-san-diegos-mainstream/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:30:25.000Z
\[caption id align="alignnone" width="750"\]
Photo credit: John Gastaldo \[/caption\]
The San Diego Union-Tribune highlighted PANA's work in a focus article titled "Ramla Sahid, a refugee on a mission, works to bring refugees into San Diego's mainstream" written by Peter Rowe and published on February 27th, 2017.
Source: [http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/immigration/sd-me-sahid-20170216-story.html](http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/immigration/sd-me-sahid-20170216-story.html?ref=panasd.org)
### San Diego Free Press: Photo Gallery: Rally in Solidarity with Immigrants
URL: https://www.panasd.org/san-diego-free-press-photo-gallery-rally-in-solidarity-with-immigrants/
Last updated: 2025-10-10T19:08:43.000Z
\[caption id align="alignnone" width="580"\]
Photo credit: Doug Porter \[/caption\]
San Diego Free Press covered PANA's participation in a rally and march in solidarity with immigrants in San Diego. The article titled "Photo Gallery: Rally in Solidarity with Immigrants" was written by Doug Porter and published on February 18th, 2017\. The article highlights PANA's Director of Civic Engagement and Community Partnerships, Ismahan Abdullahi, who spoke during the program.
Source: [http://sandiegofreepress.org/2017/02/photo-gallery-rally-in-solidarity-with-immigrants/](http://sandiegofreepress.org/2017/02/photo-gallery-rally-in-solidarity-with-immigrants/?ref=panasd.org)
### San Bernadino Sun: Cal State San Bernardino panel discussion about refugees slated for next week
URL: https://www.panasd.org/san-bernadino-sun-cal-state-san-bernardino-panel-discussion-about-refugees-slated-for-next-week/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:30:26.000Z
San Bernadino Sun's staff covered PANA's participation in California State University, San Bernadino Center for Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies' panel event: "Who Are The Refugees?" The article was published on February 17th, 2017.
Source: [http://www.sbsun.com/social-affairs/20170217/cal-state-san-bernardino-panel-discussion-about-refugees-slated-for-next-week](http://www.sbsun.com/social-affairs/20170217/cal-state-san-bernardino-panel-discussion-about-refugees-slated-for-next-week?ref=panasd.org)
### San Diego City Council Votes 8-1 to Stand on the Right Side of History
URL: https://www.panasd.org/san-diego-city-council-votes-8-1-to-stand-on-the-right-side-of-history/
Last updated: 2025-10-10T17:27:18.000Z
\[caption id align="alignnone" width="1103"\]
Mustafa Dib, community organizer, addresses San Diego City Council \[/caption\]
This past Tuesday, [Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA](http://panasd.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=94dc4e9336666e90a276fdf25&id=1583d1a648&e=10a0eb7190&ref=panasd.org)) will join the [ACLU of San Diego & Imperial Counties](http://panasd.us11.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=94dc4e9336666e90a276fdf25&id=22a6107b86&e=10a0eb7190&ref=panasd.org), [Pillars of the Community](http://panasd.us11.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=94dc4e9336666e90a276fdf25&id=96b591a467&e=10a0eb7190&ref=panasd.org) and 28 other immigrant and refugee rights organizations to ask the City Council to sign onto an amicus curiae by the City of Chicago in support of the state of Washington in the lawsuit challenging the Muslim ban executive order, State of Washington v. Trump.
Last week, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals delivered a unanimous victory to the state of Washington, finding that there was little reason to believe that the executive order was drafted in the interest of public safety. Although it remains to be seen whether the Trump Administration will take this case to the Supreme Court, or, as rumored, draft an executive order with similar exclusions of people seeking refuge, in San Diego hundreds filled city council chambers to strongly urge council members vote the right way and ensure America’s Finest City stands on the right side of history.
The following is a statement was made by Ramla Sahid, executive director of the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans:
“Americans are standing up and fighting back. We are fighting for our families and for our nation’s soul. The spontaneous rallies at the nation’s airports, the quick legal action by our litigators, the phone calls that have shut down the Capitol switchboard, the participation of so many constituents at town hall meetings and the chorus of condemnation – all following the massive Women’s Marches, the largest demonstrations in the nation’s history -- shows that we won’t stop until 45 is stopped.”
“You either stand with our most vulnerable families and say that they belong in San Diego, where many of us have had children and have raised our children, or you label them as foreign enemies.”
Mustafa Dib, a Syrian refugee and a community organizer at PANA said: “We ask you to take the steps necessary to ensure that our city creates spaces in which all residents feel safe. We must honor our nation’s longstanding, Constitutionally-rooted tradition of protecting individual rights and freedom.”
Here are a few good links to look:
1. [KPBS](http://panasd.us11.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=94dc4e9336666e90a276fdf25&id=4899b06c6a&e=10a0eb7190&ref=panasd.org): San Diego City Council Supports Lawsuit Against Trump Travel Ban
2. [San Diego Union Tribune](http://panasd.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=94dc4e9336666e90a276fdf25&id=6e01d4c748&e=10a0eb7190&ref=panasd.org): San Diego to fight Trump's refugee travel ban
3. [10 News](http://panasd.us11.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=94dc4e9336666e90a276fdf25&id=a5986bad6b&e=10a0eb7190&ref=panasd.org):San Diego to help resist Trump's travel ban
### KPBS: San Diego City Council Supports Lawsuit Against Trump Travel Ban
URL: https://www.panasd.org/kpbs-san-diego-city-council-supports-lawsuit-against-trump-travel-ban-2/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:30:27.000Z
KPBS quoted PANA's executive director Ramla Sahid's San Diego City Hall testimony in an article titled "San Diego City Council Supports Lawsuit Against Trump Travel Ban" written by Andrew Bowen published on February 15th, 2017.
Source: [http://www.kpbs.org/news/2017/feb/14/san-diego-city-council-supports-lawsuit-against-tr/](http://www.kpbs.org/news/2017/feb/14/san-diego-city-council-supports-lawsuit-against-tr/?ref=panasd.org)
### KPBS: City Heights Groups Want East African Immigrants To See A Doctor Before They Need One
URL: https://www.panasd.org/kpbs-city-heights-groups-want-east-african-immigrants-to-see-a-doctor-before-they-need-one-2/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:30:27.000Z
PANA's executive director Ramla Sahid was quoted in a KPBS article titled "City Heights Groups Want East African Immigrants To See A Doctor Before They Need One", written by Tarryn Mento and published on February 15th, 2017.
Source: [http://www.kpbs.org/news/2017/feb/14/city-heights-area-clinic-wants-east-african-immigr/](http://www.kpbs.org/news/2017/feb/14/city-heights-area-clinic-wants-east-african-immigr/?ref=panasd.org)
### The San Diego Union-Tribune: San Diego to Fight Trump's Refugee Travel Ban
URL: https://www.panasd.org/the-san-diego-union-tribune-san-diego-to-fight-trumps-refugee-travel-ban-2/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:30:28.000Z
The San Diego Union-Tribune covered public testimony by two PANA staff in a video segment accompanying the article "San Diego to Fight Trump's Refugee Travel Ban" by Gary Warth published on February 14th, 2017\. Testimony by Ismahan Abdullahi, Director of Civic Engagement and Community Partnerships, and Ramla Sahid, Executive Director is included in the segment.
Source: [http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/politics/sd-me-refugee-brief-20170214-story.html](http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/politics/sd-me-refugee-brief-20170214-story.html?ref=panasd.org)
### Voice of San Diego: Morning Report: Story Behind SANDAG’s ‘WTF’ E-mails
URL: https://www.panasd.org/voice-of-san-diego-morning-report-story-behind-sandags-wtf-e-mails-2/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:30:29.000Z
\[caption id align="alignnone" width="800"\]
Photo credit: Vito Di Stefano and Andrew Bowen, KPBS \[/caption\]
Voice of San Diego produced an audio interview on the Voice of San Diego podcast episode titled "SANDAG's OMG Moment," highlighted in an article titled "Morning Report: Story Behind SANDAG’s ‘WTF’ E-mails" by Maya Srikrishnan published on February 11th, 2017.
[Listen to the podcast](http://traffic.libsyn.com/force-cdn/highwinds/vosd/VOSD%5FPodcast%5F20170210%5FFULL%5Fmixdown.mp3?ref=panasd.org).
Source: [http://www.voiceofsandiego.org/topics/news/morning-report-the-story-behind-sandags-wtf-e-mails/](http://www.voiceofsandiego.org/topics/news/morning-report-the-story-behind-sandags-wtf-e-mails/?ref=panasd.org)
### Voice of San Diego: VOSD Podcast: SANDAG’s OMG Moment
URL: https://www.panasd.org/voice-of-san-diego-vosd-podcast-sandags-omg-moment-2/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:30:29.000Z
\[caption id align="alignnone" width="800"\]
Photo source: http://www.voiceofsandiego.org/topics/government/vosd-podcast-sandags-omg-moment/ \[/caption\]
Voice of San Diego quoted Ramla Sahid in a segment called "Nonprofit Exec: San Diego Leaders Aren’t Doing Enough for Refugees" in the article titled "VOSD Podcast: SANDAG’s OMG Moment" by Kinsee Morlan published on February 10th, 2017.
The passage:
There’s a lot of new energy and interest related to San Diego’s refugee population since President Donald Trump’s controversial travel ban.
But Ramla Sahid, executive director of the nonprofit [Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans](http://www.panasd.org/), said San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer and other elected local leaders have yet to react to the refugee ban as passionately as other people in the community.
“We don’t see folks like Kevin Faulconer stepping up to the plate and saying, ‘These are our neighbors, these are our community members,'” Sahid said. “As a city we \[should make a\] commitment to protect and ensure that they feel welcome. I think that’s a missed opportunity and we just need to call that out.”
PANA is a relatively new nonprofit that serves refugees through research, public policy and community organizing. Sahid joined Lewis and Keatts this week to talk about the issues facing the estimated 82,000 refugees who’ve resettled in San Diego since 1975.
###
[Listen to the podcast](http://traffic.libsyn.com/force-cdn/highwinds/vosd/VOSD%5FPodcast%5F20170210%5FFULL%5Fmixdown.mp3?ref=panasd.org).
Source: [http://www.voiceofsandiego.org/topics/government/vosd-podcast-sandags-omg-moment/](http://www.voiceofsandiego.org/topics/government/vosd-podcast-sandags-omg-moment/?ref=panasd.org)
### #FridayFlashback: Remembering Human Rights Day 2015
URL: https://www.panasd.org/fridayflashback-remembering-human-rights-day-2015/
Last updated: 2025-10-10T19:12:00.000Z
#FridayFlashback: Remember when 350 San Diegans stood together with refugee and Muslim neighbors against hate and fear? And [Hanif Mohebi](https://www.facebook.com/mohebi.h) of [CAIR San Diego](https://www.facebook.com/CairSanDiego/) pointed out that a Muslim ban would be "the beginnings of fascism?"
With yesterday and today's ICE raids and continued scapegoating of our communities, this is where we are, and our fight for justice continues. #CantStopWontStop
### Protecting Our Refugee and Muslim Families
URL: https://www.panasd.org/protecting-our-refugee-and-muslim-families-2/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:30:31.000Z
**It's been a tough few weeks.**
Our families who had planned to be reunited with family members just a short few weeks ago, now have little hope to see their children, parents, and loved ones.
As you can imagine, the threats to the community are urgent and real, and the fear and distrust in the community is widespread. Our intention is to respond quickly and intentionally.
**Here is what PANA did over the weekend:**
- Hosted an emergency multi-ethnic town hall attended by more than 250 refugees and their families to understand the impact the Executive Order will have on them (see photos below!).
Check out this [CBS video story of the event](https://www.facebook.com/panasandiego/posts/1168892463178869?utm%5Fsource=PANA+Updates&utm%5Fcampaign=fd28471eb0-EMAIL%5FCAMPAIGN%5F2017%5F02%5F01&utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fterm=0%5Ff6260a552a-fd28471eb0-).
**We have also:**
- Worked with the ACLU to ensure that refugees detained at airports in the U.S. and being denied access to flights to the U.S. from abroad are getting the representation they need;
- Gathered stories of community members with family stuck abroad who are unable to return home;
- Supported SB 54 (de León) - The California Values Act, and
- Responded to seven press inquiries and worked to ensure that refugee stories and voices are being represented in the press.
We thank you for your support and value your partnership. If you haven't already, we invite you to join this battle, follow us on [**Facebook**](http://facebook.com/PANASanDiego?utm%5Fsource=PANA+Updates&utm%5Fcampaign=fd28471eb0-EMAIL%5FCAMPAIGN%5F2017%5F02%5F01&utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fterm=0%5Ff6260a552a-fd28471eb0-), [**Twitter**](http://twitter.com/PANASanDiego?utm%5Fsource=PANA+Updates&utm%5Fcampaign=fd28471eb0-EMAIL%5FCAMPAIGN%5F2017%5F02%5F01&utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fterm=0%5Ff6260a552a-fd28471eb0-), [**Instagram**](http://instagram.com/panasandiego?utm%5Fsource=PANA+Updates&utm%5Fcampaign=fd28471eb0-EMAIL%5FCAMPAIGN%5F2017%5F02%5F01&utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fterm=0%5Ff6260a552a-fd28471eb0-) and [**LinkedIn**](https://www.linkedin.com/company/pana-partnership-for-the-advancement-of-new-americans-?utm%5Fsource=PANA+Updates&utm%5Fcampaign=fd28471eb0-EMAIL%5FCAMPAIGN%5F2017%5F02%5F01&utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fterm=0%5Ff6260a552a-fd28471eb0-), & [**donate to our cause**](http://www.panasd.org/sustainer?utm%5Fsource=PANA+Updates&utm%5Fcampaign=fd28471eb0-EMAIL%5FCAMPAIGN%5F2017%5F02%5F01&utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fterm=0%5Ff6260a552a-fd28471eb0-).
### San Diego Jewish Journal: San Diego Jewish Community Convenes in Support of Immigrants and Refugees
URL: https://www.panasd.org/san-diego-jewish-journal-san-diego-jewish-community-convenes-in-support-of-immigrants-and-refugees-2/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:30:32.000Z
\[caption id align="alignnone" width="526"\]
Photo source: https://www.facebook.com/LeichtagFoundation/photos/gm.296754084075368/1590030761026932/?type=3&theater \[/caption\]
San Diego Jewish Journal mentioned PANA in an article highlighting Leichtag Foundation's event "We Were Refugees, Too." The article, titled "San Diego Jewish Community Convenes in Support of Immigrants and Refugees" was written by Natalie Jacobs and published on January 31st, 2017.
Source: [http://sdjewishjournal.com/sdjj/february-2017/san-diego-jewish-community-convenes-in-support-of-immigrants-and-refugees/](http://sdjewishjournal.com/sdjj/february-2017/san-diego-jewish-community-convenes-in-support-of-immigrants-and-refugees/?ref=panasd.org)
### CBS News 8: San Diegans continue protests against Trump's ban (VIDEO)
URL: https://www.panasd.org/cbs-news-8-san-diegans-continue-protests-against-trumps-ban-video-2/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:30:32.000Z
PANA's director of civic engagement and community partnerships Ismahan Abdullahi was interviewed by CBS News 8 in the segment "San Diegans continue protests against Trump's ban", aired on Jan 29, 2017 as part of *Top Story at 5:00*.
Source: http://www.cbs8.com/clip/13062795/san-diegans-continue-protests-against-trumps-ban
### The San Diego Union-Tribune: Attorneys outline bleak reentry prospects to worried Somalis
URL: https://www.panasd.org/union-tribune-attorneys-outline-bleak-reentry-prospects-to-worried-somalis-2/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:30:33.000Z
PANA's director of civic engagement and community partnerships Ismahan Abdullahi was quoted by by The San Diego Union-Tribune in the article "Attorneys outline bleak reentry prospects to worried Somalis", published on Jan 29, 2017 by James DeHaven.
The passage:
Ismahan Abdullahi, an event organizer who fled war-torn Somalia with her family in 1992, pulled no punches in describing the effort as a “Muslim ban.”
“We are not afraid to stand up as a community and fight,” Abdullah said. “The Muslim ban is unconstitutional, unethical, immoral and unjust. We condemn it in the strongest possible terms.” “We are saying today that we will not stay silent in the face of such injustice.”
###
Source: http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/immigration/sd-me-muslim-ban-20170129-story.html
\[caption id align="alignnone" width="2048"\]
Photo credit: Fayaz Nawabi \[/caption\]
### San Diego Free Press: Trump’s Long Shadow Falls on San Diego Immigrants, Refugees, Muslims
URL: https://www.panasd.org/san-diego-free-press-trumps-long-shadow-falls-on-san-diego-immigrants-refugees-muslims-2/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:30:33.000Z
PANA's Community Town Hall event on executive orders was covered by San Diego Free Press in the article "Trump’s Long Shadow Falls on San Diego Immigrants, Refugees, Muslims", published on Jan 30, 2017 by Anna Daniels.
The passage:
A few hours earlier a town hall took place in the mid-city community of City Heights, where 38% of the residents are foreign born immigrants and refugees. PANA (Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans) had assembled civic leaders to address the questions raised by over 300 hundred people who packed the East African Community Center.
City Height’s Sudanese and Somali residents were the most heavily represented of the seven Muslim majority countries specified in the ban. Some had refugee status, while others were green card holders (permanent resident status) and others were American citizens.
If the airport protests later that evening represented what America looks like, the concerned faces in that town hall meeting reflected how the Trump administration has set about attacking that very thing.
I arrived at the town hall meeting too late to hear who was providing legal analysis to the group. The clearest message was directed to green card holders and those with dual citizenship who were counseled to not leave the country if at all avoidable. Legal advisors felt that it would take some time to get legal clarity on who was ultimately affected by the executive order.
###
Source: http://sandiegofreepress.org/2017/01/trumps-long-shadow-falls-on-san-diego-immigrants-refugees/
### Add Your Name: #ShowUp4Refugees Sign-On Statement
URL: https://www.panasd.org/add-your-name-showup4refugees-sign-on-statement-2/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:30:41.000Z
### Add your name and receive updates from Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA).
[ Add Your Name](http://www.panasd.org/sign)
## Amplify This Message
> Add Your Name: We must reject fear & islamophobia & protect refugees.
>
> Like, RT, and Sign On >> [https://t.co/xE6mKjx3yN](https://t.co/xE6mKjx3yN?ref=panasd.org) [#ShowUp4Refugees](https://twitter.com/hashtag/ShowUp4Refugees?src=hash&ref=panasd.org) [pic.twitter.com/aWSTEHUZHJ](https://t.co/aWSTEHUZHJ?ref=panasd.org)[January 27, 2017](https://twitter.com/PANASanDiego/status/825125471658520576?ref=panasd.org)
### Action: Urge Your Senators & Representatives to Oppose President Trump’s Pending Refugee Announcement
URL: https://www.panasd.org/action-urge-your-senators-representatives-to-oppose-president-trumps-pending-refugee-announcement/
Last updated: 2025-10-10T19:04:02.000Z
Various media outlets are reporting that President Trump will issue an executive order that would slash refugee admissions by more than half, grind all resettlement to a halt, indefinitely ban Syrian refugees, and prioritize religious minorities over all other refugees. These proposed changes fly in the face of our best values of freedom, fairness, and compassion. With more than 65 million forcibly displaced in the world--the worst in our global history--it is more important than ever to urge our elected leaders to weigh in TODAY to oppose such an announcement.
Barring refugees from certain countries and narrowly preferencing religious minorities is tantamount to a Muslim ban. The proposed pause would force refugees who already went through the rigorous screening process and who were set to arrive in the United States soon to instead wait months and even years to go through fingerprinting, interviews, health screenings, and multiple security checks all over again, all while their lives are in danger. It would also keep in danger Iraqis and Afghans who served the U.S. military and now face persecution.
These announcements would be gut-wrenching for our community members who are waiting to be reunited with family members, and for refugees overseas with no other options for safety than to be resettled in the U.S. Resettlement is the hardest way to come to the United States. Refugees undergo biographic and biometric checks, medical screenings, forensic document testing, and in-person interviews. It is critical that Members of Congress hear their constituents decry these announcements and weigh in directly with President Trump to urge him to immediately abandon these plans. We must urgently show our elected officials that we believe in a country that stands up to fear and stands for freedom and being a beacon of hope for the persecuted.
CALL YOUR SENATORS & REPRESENTATIVES TODAY!
(202) 224-3121\*
\*Please call this line 3 times to be connected with your 1 Representative and 2 Senators
Sample Script: “I’m your constituent from \[City, State\], and I support refugee resettlement in the U.S. I am strongly opposed to the announcement expected from President Trump that would slash refugee admissions, grind all resettlement to a halt, stop resettling refugees from certain countries, and preference religious minorities. This discriminatory announcement flies in the face of core American values and this country’s founding principles. It does not reflect the welcome for refugees I see in my community every day. Please urge President Trump to abandon this plan and do everything in your power to stop this announcement.”
One of the best ways to make your voice heard is by commenting on a post on the White House Facebook page: Facebook.com/WhiteHouse or submit an electronic message at whitehouse.gov/contact.
Tweet @realDonaldTrump @WhiteHouse, @POTUS and @ your Senators/Representatives: “.@\[HANDLE\], my community standsw/refugees! Support resettlement for ALL refugees! #RefugeesWelcome”
### KPBS: San Diego Groups Await Trump’s Executive Orders On Refugee Program
URL: https://www.panasd.org/kpbs-san-diego-groups-await-trumps-executive-orders-on-refugee-program-2/
Last updated: 2025-10-09T17:37:54.000Z
PANA leader Ammar Kawkab was quoted by by The San Diego Union-Tribune in the article "San Diego Groups Await Trump’s Executive Orders On Refugee Program", published on Jan 26, 2017 by Tarryn Mento.
The passage:
Ammar Kawkab, a Syrian refugee of Kurdish origin, said he thinks the proposal comes because people don’t know enough about what it’s like to live in the war-torn country. Kawkab said he arrived in San Diego last June because he was a vocal opponent of the Bashar al-Assad regime.
"I want you to understand that the Syrian people are going through a very extremely harmful tragedy and the people of Syria are waiting for the world to wake up and to take action to save them from this tragedy," Kawkab said, speaking through translator Taha Hassane, an imam and director at the Islamic Center of San Diego.
Kawkab said he would like to share his experiences of living in a war-torn country with politicians, including those in Congress and even the president himself.
Before he and his family arrived to the U.S. and resettled in San Diego's City Heights neighborhood, Kawkab said he was detained by government forces for a month in Syria and endured horrific conditions.
"Torture is a soft term to use describing my experience inside the jail in Syria," Kawkab said. "The treatment that we have received in the jail makes you wish that you are an animal living in Europe or in the West. You will have as an animal more rights than human beings in the jails of the Syrian regime."
Kawkab's parents and two of his siblings are still in Syria. His three other siblings and their families are in Lebanon.
###
\[caption id align="alignnone" width="700"\]
Credit: Tarryn Mento/KPBS \[/caption\]
Source: http://www.kpbs.org/news/2017/jan/26/san-diego-groups-await-executive-orders-refugee-pr/
### The San Diego Union-Tribune: San Diegans welcome, reject, news of Trump immigration action
URL: https://www.panasd.org/san-diego-union-tribune-san-diegans-welcome-reject-news-of-drumpf-immigration-action-2/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:30:42.000Z
PANA's executive director Ramla Sahid was quoted by by The San Diego Union-Tribune in the article "San Diegans welcome, reject, news of Trump immigration action", published on Jan 24, 2017 by Kate Morrisey.
The passage:
“I can't fathom the loss and sadness families must be feeling who are separated from loved ones in refugee camps and urban centers and who now will have no hope of seeing them again,” said Sahid, whose group advocates for inclusion of refugees. “Our work will be difficult but we must resist. We have to fight this and any effort to turn our backs on human beings at a time when they are most in need of safety and welcome.”
She added, “We must affirm the dignity and humanity of over 65 million people who have been forced to flee home who deserve our compassion. This is what we do as Americans. We stand in opposition to any announcement which turns our backs on refugees at a time when they are most in need of safety.”
###
Source: http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/immigration/sd-me-trump-reaction-20170124-story.html
### The San Diego Union-Tribune: Trump to sign executive orders enabling construction of border wall and targeting sanctuary cities
URL: https://www.panasd.org/san-diego-union-tribune-drumpf-to-sign-executive-orders-enabling-construction-of-border-wall-and-targeting-sanctuary-cities/
Last updated: 2025-10-10T17:27:47.000Z
PANA's executive director Ramla Sahid was quoted by by The San Diego Union-Tribune in the article "Trump to sign executive orders enabling construction of border wall and targeting sanctuary cities", published on Jan 24, 2017 by Jerry Markon, Robert Costa, Abigail Hauslohner.
The passage:
Ramla Sahid, executive director of the San Diego-based Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans, said the U.S. should continue to welcome refugees.
“I can’t fathom the loss and sadness families must be feeling who are separated from loved ones in refugee camps and urban centers and who now will have no hope of seeing them again,” said Sahid, whose group advocates for inclusion of refugees. “Our work will be difficult but we must resist. We have to fight this and any effort to turn our backs on human beings at a time when they are most in need of safety and welcome.”
###
Source: http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/immigration/sd-trump-immigration-20170124-story.html
### We Must Affirm the Dignity and Humanity of Refugees
URL: https://www.panasd.org/we-wust-affirm-the-dignity-and-humanity-of-refugees/
Last updated: 2025-10-10T17:28:37.000Z
We must affirm the dignity and humanity of over 65 million people who have been forced to flee home who deserve our compassion. This is what we do as Americans. We stand in opposition to any announcement which turns our backs on refugees at a time when they are most in need of safety. Providing protection to people seeking safety is one of our nation's proudest traditions.
#ShowUp4Refugees
# Amplify this message
Like & retweet on Twitter:
> It's time to [#ShowUp4Refugees](https://twitter.com/hashtag/ShowUp4Refugees?src=hash&ref=panasd.org). [#RefugeesWelcome](https://twitter.com/hashtag/RefugeesWelcome?src=hash&ref=panasd.org)
>
> Amplify this message: [https://t.co/7NDHNzjECr](https://t.co/7NDHNzjECr?ref=panasd.org) [pic.twitter.com/k8AV90OFOn](https://t.co/k8AV90OFOn?ref=panasd.org)[January 25, 2017](https://twitter.com/PANASanDiego/status/824099091609165824?ref=panasd.org)
Like & share on Facebook:
### Commit Today to Sustained Resistance to Support Refugees
URL: https://www.panasd.org/commit-today-to-sustained-resistance-to-support-refugees/
Last updated: 2025-10-10T17:28:56.000Z
### We are committed to taking a strong stand against hateful rhetoric and discriminatory legislation and call on our public and elected officials and each other to take responsible action to welcome and protect refugees.
### By signing up, you are committing to working with others to take sustained actions of resistance.
\* indicates required First Name Email Address \* Phone Number (Optional) \* **I am interested in:**
- Planning meetings and actions
- Attending public events
- Phonebanking
(function($) {window.fnames = new Array(); window.ftypes = new Array();fnames\[1\]='FNAME';ftypes\[1\]='text';fnames\[2\]='LNAME';ftypes\[2\]='text';fnames\[0\]='EMAIL';ftypes\[0\]='email';fnames\[4\]='MMERGE4';ftypes\[4\]='phone';}(jQuery));var $mcj = jQuery.noConflict(true);
> “If a small minority in the Tea Party can stop President Obama, then we the majority can stop a petty tyrant named Trump.”
>
> — The Indivisible Guide, A Practical Guide for Resisting the Trump Agenda
### Six Things We Accomplished Together in 2016
URL: https://www.panasd.org/six-things-we-accomplished-together-in-2016/
Last updated: 2025-10-10T17:29:14.000Z
### Thanks to hundreds of new and longtime supporters, PANA had a remarkable year in 2016.
We engaged over 5,641 individuals this year, speaking over 18 languages including Amharic, Arabic, Burmese, Dinka, Karen, Kareni, Kizigwa, Neur, Pashto, Somali, Swahili, and Tigrinya. Here are a few example of what we accomplished:
It's thanks to supporters and donors like you with a passion for justice, equity, and basic fairness that make it possible for us to advance fact-based policies to ensure refugee inclusion and affirm human dignity in San Diego. Your ongoing support is critical to help us strengthen our ability to protect our newcomer families.
If you haven't already, we invite you to [become a monthly sustainer](http://panasd.org/sustainer?ref=panasd.org), [subscribe for updates](http://panasd.org/get-involved?ref=panasd.org), and follow us on [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/panasandiego/), [Twitter](https://twitter.com/panasandiego?ref=panasd.org), [Instagram](http://instagram.com/panasandiego?ref=panasd.org) and [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/10061583?ref=panasd.org). Happy 2017!
### Recap: #RightToARoof Launch on Human Rights Day of Action 2016
URL: https://www.panasd.org/recap-righttoaroof-launch/
Last updated: 2025-10-10T19:10:32.000Z
Saturday, Dec 10, 2016 - 300 San Diegans came together to launch the #RightToARoof campaign for affordable, quality homes for all of our families.
Together, we marked International Human Rights Day for the second annual community-led "Human Rights Day of Action" event. We filled a vacant lot in Southeast San Diego and held space as local residents who have experienced poor quality, unaffordable housing and homelessness shared their stories. San Diego City District 9 councilmember Georgette Gomez announced she will prioritize action on affordable, quality housing within her first 30 days in office.
## Get Involved
The #RightToARoof campaign calls for urgent action by San Diego representatives to address the longstanding housing crisis affecting our families.
On Human Rights Day, residents made a commitment pledge to join the campaign. In addition to those who attended the Human Rights Day of Action launch event, these organizations have signed on to the campaign statement: Justice Overcoming Boundaries in San Diego County (JOB San Diego), Karen Organization of San Diego, Muslim American Society - San Diego Chapter, The Global ARC, Somali Bantu Community of San Diego, The AjA Project, Southern Sudanese Community Center San Diego, Humankind San Diego, United Women of East Africa Support Team (UWEAST), and American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee: ADC San Diego Chapter.
If you are an organization, [sign on to our statement](https://goo.gl/forms/UdtIpN1MQjmkWzZv2?ref=panasd.org).
If you are a supporter, [subscribe for action updates](https://goo.gl/forms/2WIEKJHnJaTRa3lp1?ref=panasd.org).
### Advisory: #RightToARoof Campaign Launch Today
URL: https://www.panasd.org/advisory-righttoaroof-campaign-launch-today/
Last updated: 2025-10-10T19:05:25.000Z
**PANA and Justice Overcoming Boundaries to Hold Rally Launching #RightToARoof Campaign in San Diego Today**
*Grassroots groups protesting San Diego’s housing crisis and its effect on refugee and immigrant communities on Human Rights Day 2016*
WHAT: Today the **Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA)**, Justice Overcoming Boundaries (JOB, pronounced jōb), **Councilmember-elect Georgette Gomez** and other partners and organizations are holding a Human Rights Day 2016 rally in the Mt. Hope neighborhood to call for more serious conversation and urgent action around **housing standards and affordability for immigrants and refugees in San Diego**.
The rally, which is expected to draw hundreds - [as it did last year](http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/border-baja-california/sdut-refugee-event-san-diego-2015dec10-story.html?ref=panasd.org) \- will be symbolically held at the future site of a housing development project that will offer affordable options for San Diegans.
Refugees and immigrants in San Diego are at the forefront of the regional housing crisis, often forced to live in substandard conditions, fighting slumlords and living as ‘[hidden homeless](https://twitter.com/PANASanDiego/status/765974548780978176?ref=panasd.org),’ crowding homes to ensure families and friends have a place to stay. The **#RightToARoof campaign** will focus on improving housing for all, especially our most vulnerable.
WHEN: **Today December 10 from 10:00 a.m. - noon (PST)**
WHERE: **464 47th Street, San Diego, CA 92102 -** [**View Map**](https://goo.gl/maps/1spnc2kn98N2?ref=panasd.org)
WHO: Set to speak at the rally are:
- San Diego District 9 Councilmember-elect Georgette Gomez
- Ken Herman of Justice Overcoming Boundaries
- Ramla Sahid and Ismahan Abdullahi of the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans
- Mariam Ali, community member impacted by lack of housing
- Cesar Loya, community member impacted by lack of housing
Other [#RightToARoof](https://www.facebook.com/events/331833590499564/) community partner organizations in attendance will include:
- [Karen Organization of San Diego](https://www.facebook.com/Karen-Organization-of-San-Diego-207147749314774/)
- [Muslim American Society - San Diego Chapter](https://www.facebook.com/massandiego/)
- [The Global ARC](https://www.facebook.com/The-Global-ARC-10150111065350076/)
- [Somali Bantu Community of San Diego](https://www.facebook.com/Somalibantucommunittofsandiego/)
- [The AjA Project](https://www.facebook.com/ajaproject/)
- [Southern Sudanese Community Center San Diego](https://www.facebook.com/ssccsd/)
- [Humankind San Diego](https://www.facebook.com/humankindsd/)
- [United Women of East Africa Support Team](https://www.facebook.com/Uweast1/)
**VISUALS:** Hundreds of diverse community members from all walks of life, ethnic, religious and economic backgrounds all rallying for a #RightToARoof in San Diego, supporting refugees and immigrant rights to fair housing.
Here are examples of some coverage from last year’s Human Rights Day Rally on December 10, 2015:
- CBS 8 San Diego: Hundreds Rally to [Support Refugees and Immigrants](http://www.cbs8.com/story/30721360/hundreds-rally-to-support-refugees-and-immigrants?ref=panasd.org)
- KPBS: On Human Rights Day, [San Diegans Rally for Refugee Rights](http://www.kpbs.org/news/2015/dec/10/human-rights-day-san-diegans-rally-refugee-rights/?ref=panasd.org)
- NBC 7 San Diego: [San Diego Demonstrators Speak Against Refugee Discrimination, Islamophobia](http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/San-Diego-Demonstrators-Speak-Against-Refugee-Discrimination-Islamophobia-361526591.html?ref=panasd.org)
- San Diego Union Tribune: [San Diegans Support Refugees on Human Rights Day](http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/border-baja-california/sdut-refugee-event-san-diego-2015dec10-story.html?ref=panasd.org)
###
[The Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans](https://www.panasd.org/) (PANA) promotes the fair treatment and equitable inclusion of refugee communities using organizing to achieve collective impact and policy change. Founded in 2014, has been a powerful voice for refugees in San Diego, including [leading efforts to create a powerful refugee voter participation block](http://www.scpr.org/news/2016/03/09/58356/california-counts-mobilizing-the-state-s-refugee-v/?ref=panasd.org), educating and advocating against recent anti-refugee legislation in congress, and supporting [the City of Encinitas](http://www.encinitasadvocate.com/news/2016/feb/25/encinitas-joins-effort-welcoming-refugees/?ref=panasd.org) in joining the White House [Building Welcoming Communities Campaign](https://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/immigration/new-americans?ref=panasd.org). Learn more at PANASD.org
[Justice Overcoming Boundaries](http://www.justicesandiego.org/?ref=panasd.org) (J.O.B.) supports and develops grassroots community leadership by empowering lower income and other marginalized, often immigrant and people of color in San Diego, with the tools, skills, and resources to shape the public policies that directly impact them, their families, and communities. JOB works with community institutions and faith based organizations, engaging and building leaders across race, class and geographic barriers in our region. Learn more at JusticeSanDiego.org
### San Diego Jewish Journal: Assessing the Status of Syrian Refugees in San Diego and Beyond
URL: https://www.panasd.org/san-diego-jewish-journal-assessing-the-status-of-syrian-refugees-in-san-diego-and-beyond-2/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:31:01.000Z
PANA's event was covered by San Diego Jewish Journal in the article ["Assessing the Status of Syrian Refugees in San Diego and Beyond"](http://sdjewishjournal.com/sdjj/natalie-jacobs/assessing-the-status-of-syrian-refugees-in-san-diego-and-beyond/?ref=panasd.org), published on Nov 18, 2016 by Natalie Jacobs.
### NBC 7 San Diego: Humanitarian Groups Discuss Impact of Election on Refugees
URL: https://www.panasd.org/nbc-7-san-diego-humanitarian-groups-discuss-impact-of-election-on-refugees-2/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:31:01.000Z
PANA's event was covered by NBC 7 San Diego in the video segment ["Humanitarian Groups Discuss Impact of Election on Refugees"](http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/Humanitarian-Groups-Discuss-Impact-of-Election-on-Refugees-401794665.html?ref=panasd.org), published on Nov 17, 2016 by Arty Ojeda.
[Watch the video](http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/Humanitarian-Groups-Discuss-Impact-of-Election-on-Refugees-401794665.html?ref=panasd.org)
### KUSI News: Refugees In America (VIDEO)
URL: https://www.panasd.org/kusi-news-refugees-in-america-2/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:31:02.000Z
PANA was covered by KUSI News in a video segment titled ["Refugees In America"](https://youtu.be/AwGnz3dGqoM?ref=panasd.org)[,](https://youtu.be/AwGnz3dGqoM?ref=panasd.org) where reporter Lisa Remillard interviews Ramla Sahid, executive director of PANA, and David Murphy, executive director of IRC in San Diego. The video was published online on Nov 17, 2016.
[Watch the video](https://youtu.be/AwGnz3dGqoM?ref=panasd.org)
### Dec 10: Human Rights Day of Action #RightToARoof
URL: https://www.panasd.org/dec-10-human-rights-day-of-action-righttoaroof-2/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:31:03.000Z
Let's get together as neighbors and invest in better homes in San Diego.
Join us on Saturday, December 10th at 10am in Southeast San Diego to launch the #RightToARoof campaign.
[ RSVP](https://www.facebook.com/events/331833590499564/)
### Daily Trojan: Panel talks Trump’s impact on immigrants
URL: https://www.panasd.org/daily-trojan-panel-talks-trumps-impact-on-immigrants-2/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:31:04.000Z
\[caption id align="alignnone" width="845"\]
Image source: http://dailytrojan.com/2016/11/18/panel-talks-trumps-impact-immigrants/ \[/caption\]
The Daily Trojan covered PANA's participation in a panel event in an article titled "Panel talks Trump's impact on immigrants," by Tomás Mier, published on November 18th, 2016\. The article quotes PANA's Director of Civic Engagement and Community Partnerships, Ismahan Abdullahi.
Source: [http://dailytrojan.com/2016/11/18/panel-talks-trumps-impact-immigrants/](http://dailytrojan.com/2016/11/18/panel-talks-trumps-impact-immigrants/?ref=panasd.org)
### El Cajon Voters Pass Measure S
URL: https://www.panasd.org/victory-for-the-refugee-vote-el-cajon-passes-measure-s-2/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:31:04.000Z
The voters of El Cajon have spoken.
Last night, El Cajon voters turned out in strong support of Yes on Measure S. The initiative passed in a landslide with nearly 70% voting yes. The initiative requires elections of City Council members by geographic districts in which they reside beginning in the November 2018 election.
El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells supported the measure, saying "Individual districts will allow each Councilmember to focus their attention on their own neighborhood within the city. It will give individual citizens improved access to their elected representative. It will empower residents by making sure their collective voice is heard through an elected representative who lives in their neighborhood."
PANA thanks our amazing team of canvassers and volunteers who helped educate about Measure S and get out the vote in El Cajon. Next up: ensuring meaningful community engagement in the process of drawing up El Cajon's first ever city districts.
### Save the Date: Dec 10th is Human Rights Day of Action
URL: https://www.panasd.org/save-the-date-dec-10th-is-human-rights-day-of-action-2/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:31:05.000Z
https://www.facebook.com/events/331833590499564/
[ RSVP](https://www.facebook.com/events/331833590499564/)
### Shanah Tovah – Happy New Year
URL: https://www.panasd.org/shanah-tovah-happy-new-year/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:31:05.000Z
By Mark Greenberg, PANA Board Member
\[caption id align="alignnone" width="400"\]
Mark Greenberg, PANA Board Member \[/caption\]
Jews around the world are in the midst of our High Holidays-- what we call the “Days of Awe” – the period from Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year) and Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement). These are considered the most sacred days on the Jewish calendar.
As I’ve become more involved with PANA and interacted with and learned more about San Diego’s refugee community, I’ve been increasingly struck by the similarities between the Islamic and Jewish faiths. The most basic is that both religions follow a lunar calendar with most holidays beginning and ending at sundown. And many holidays overlap or have similar roots. Muslims commemorated the story of Abraham being commanded to sacrifice his son during Eid Al-Adha; Jews read this story on Rosh Hashanah.
This week, as Muslims around the world will commemorate Ashura beginning Monday night and fasting from dawn to sundown on Tuesday. Tuesday night, will also be the beginning of Yom Kippur, many Jews will go to synagogue and recite the Kol Nidre prayer, perhaps the most well-known and holiest prayer in our canon. Translated to “all vows,” this prayer begins a period of fasting, repentance and reflection where we ask God to cancel the vows or promises we have made in the previous year and grant us forgiveness for sins against God.
But while our sins against God are forgiven through prayer, we must seek specific forgiveness from people we have wronged or offended. It is not enough to simply pray those sins away. Yom Kippur will conclude at sunset Wednesday when we will hear the call of the Shofar (a rams horn) signaling the end of the observance and the fast. From there, many Jews will gather among family and friends to “break the fast.”
But aside from the holidays, we also share a history as refugees. Whether it was Moses leading the Jews out of Pharoah’s Egpyt and spending 40 years wandering in the desert before being allowed into Canaan – today’s Israel – or Jews seeking safety from the horror of Hitler’s Germany, Jews throughout history have been a displaced or refugee people.
I was struck recently by the discovery that Otto Frank, the father of Anne Frank, one of the more well-known victims of the Holocaust through the publication of The Diary of Anne Frank, sought visas for his family to escape Nazi occupation but ran into restrictive American immigration policies. The Frank family later died in concentration camps.
There are many similarities between the general American feelings of anti-semitism then and in today’s attitudes regarding refugees, particularly Muslims. Fear of “the other” being the most analogous.
In Judaism, we are taught the concept of Tikkun Olam, meaning “repair the world.” Through acts of kindness, we individually and collectively work to make the world a better place. I’m proud to carry these teachings forward through my work with PANA.
And if you run into any Jewish friends or colleagues in the coming days, feel free to wish them a Shanah Tovah – Happy New Year.
> “Through acts of kindness, we individually and collectively work to make the world a better place.”
>
> — Mark Greenberg, PANA Board Member
### PANA’s Statement on the Shooting of Alfred Olango
URL: https://www.panasd.org/panas-statement-on-the-shooting-of-alfred-olango/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:31:06.000Z
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Stephen Heverly, [619-886-0926](tel:619-886-0926)
### Refugee Advocacy Organization, PANA’s Statement on the Police Shooting of Unarmed and Disabled Refugee, Alfred Olango in El Cajon, San Diego County, California
The following statement can be attributed to executive director of the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA), Ramla Sahid, a first generation Somali-American and daughter of refugees.[ PANA](http://www.panasd.org/) lifts up the refugee voices and advocates for the full economic, civic, and social inclusion of refugees in the San Diego County.
“Police violence unfortunately touches many communities in our country, and it has now touched us directly with the shooting of #AlfredOlango, an unarmed member of our community, and a refugee from Uganda.”
“Refugees are here because of they're victims of violence and persecution abroad, and it's critical that our law enforcement respond to this tragedy, supporting our refugee community with compassion and with care.”
“PANA calls on our public safety, elected and community leaders to come together and take bold action in the wake of this ongoing tragedy of violence. Together, we must:
- [End police violence](http://www.joincampaignzero.org/?ref=panasd.org#vision) in our county.
- Support our refugee communities with the mental health care they need.
- Speak out against[ xenophobia and racism](https://twitter.com/JaredWyand/status/781059544541720576?ref=panasd.org) that is occurring due to the tragedy.”
*"On behalf of our members and community, our thoughts and prayers are out to Alfred's grieving family and friends."*
[Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans ](http://www.panasd.org/)(PANA) is a research, community organizing, and public policy hub dedicated to advancing the full economic and social inclusion of refugees. PANA lifts up refugee voices and builds leadership in communities to increase civic engagement and create an inclusive civil society. PANA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity based in San Diego County.
PANA is here and available to support our refugee community. Please contact us at info@panasd.org or [619-732-6793](tel:619-732-6793).
### Welcoming week
URL: https://www.panasd.org/welcome-week/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:31:06.000Z
> **Thu, Sep 22, 2016**
Join us on Twitter at #WelcomingWeek #PowerHour.
Other optional hashtags: #ShowUp4Refugees #RefugeesWelcome #SanDiego
12:00 PM - Question 1
Introduce yourself and/or your organization by sharing how or why you are celebrating
12:10 PM - Question 2
What is your vision for a more welcoming San Diego? What responsibility do our elected leaders have to better support our newcomer community?
Tip: Take a moment to search the #WelcomingWeek hashtag and reply to or retweet at least one post.
12:20 PM - Question 3
How is our community better off in a more welcoming world? I.e. Innovation, vibrancy, shared values, friendliness, humanity, dignity, etc
### Let's Change The Story Together
URL: https://www.panasd.org/lets-change-the-story-together/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:31:07.000Z
\[caption id align="alignnone" width="2500"\]
Credit: Dave Mathisen \[/caption\]
Our voices together can — and must — change the story about refugees.
As the global refugee crisis [continues to break records](http://panasd.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=94dc4e9336666e90a276fdf25&id=4ad43b67a4&e=10a0eb7190&ref=panasd.org) and the November election draws nearer, we in San Diego have a unique opportunity to lead the national conversation.
And together, thanks to you and so many other supporters, we have already begun:
- **A year ago this week**, dozens of PANA #PowerHour supporters joined thousands more voices nationwide to [call on President Obama](http://panasd.us11.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=94dc4e9336666e90a276fdf25&id=57ba144a05&e=10a0eb7190&ref=panasd.org) to welcome 65,000 Syrian refugees to the U.S. in 2016\. The petition was answered with a pledge for 10,000.
- **Now last week in San Diego**, the [10,000th Syrian refugee arrived in the United States](http://panasd.us11.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=94dc4e9336666e90a276fdf25&id=227d39f000&e=10a0eb7190&ref=panasd.org), continuing [our rich local history of refugee resettlement](http://panasd.us11.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=94dc4e9336666e90a276fdf25&id=3bcbda636d&e=10a0eb7190&ref=panasd.org). San Diego has now received [the most Syrian refugees of any U.S. city](http://panasd.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=94dc4e9336666e90a276fdf25&id=4979c74ee9&e=10a0eb7190&ref=panasd.org) — about 600 individuals.
**The world is watching San Diego, and we must #ShowUp4Refugees like never before.**
These resilient families are now our San Diego neighbors, and their stories are already [appearing in video](http://panasd.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=94dc4e9336666e90a276fdf25&id=a3dcf124c8&e=10a0eb7190&ref=panasd.org) on [local TV broadcasts](http://panasd.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=94dc4e9336666e90a276fdf25&id=54460d68bf&e=10a0eb7190&ref=panasd.org) and in [international](http://panasd.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=94dc4e9336666e90a276fdf25&id=103253045d&e=10a0eb7190&ref=panasd.org) [news](http://panasd.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=94dc4e9336666e90a276fdf25&id=a2253c427a&e=10a0eb7190&ref=panasd.org).
**We must affirm the dignity of our new neighbors.** San Diegans know from decades of experience: refugee families are powerful and brave individuals, not nameless political scapegoats. We must act together in welcoming and solidarity to build a more just world.
And it starts here. We hope you will join us again this fall to lift up our voices together through our soon-to-be-launched welcoming campaign: #NewcomerLife. Stay tuned for details!
### Syrian Community Day At The Zoo
URL: https://www.panasd.org/syrian-community-day-at-the-zoo/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:31:07.000Z
> **Sat, Aug 27, 2016**
With the help of 20 amazing volunteers, PANA hosted a full-day trip to the San Diego Zoo with over 300 Syrian refugee newcomers.
### Interview with Saleem Spindari
URL: https://www.panasd.org/interview-with-saleem-spindari/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:31:08.000Z
By Deborah Jenkins
*Saleem Spindari serves as manager of Refugee Settlement Support Projects at [MOSAIC](https://www.mosaicbc.org/?ref=panasd.org), a multilingual non-profit organization assisting immigrants and refugees in their integration into Canadian society.*
\[caption id align="alignnone" width="471"\]
Saleem Spindari, Manager of Refugee Settlement Support Projects at MOSAIC. Credit: MOSAIC \[/caption\]
**How did you come to work with MOSAIC?**
Oh, I loved MOSAIC from day one! I came to Canada as a refugee and with a background in translation, interpretation, and teaching. I came to MOSAIC to get one of my documents officially translated and I was amazed by the number of services and programs that they offer. Couple of years later, I started working at MOSAIC. Supporting refugees and immigrants is close to my heart. They pretty much pay me to do what I like.
**What is working well in terms of resettlement and long term inclusion? I know you have mentioned the employment program has been really successful.**
The whole community is mobilizing to support newcomers and everyone is coming up with new ideas to support their settlement and integration into the community. Busy professionals are putting resources together. University students are fundraising. Neighbors are joining each other to sponsor refugees. High school students are going silent for a day to raise funds. Elementary students are preparing care packages for refugee kids. Everybody is a part of this big movement. It is beautiful. If I wanted to imagine something, then this would be exactly it. It makes our life and our work much easier.
> “Everybody is a part of this big movement. It is beautiful. If I wanted to imagine something, then this would be exactly it.”
**How are refugee communities experiencing life after resettlement in terms of housing, jobs, education, and civic participation?**
It varies. They have a strong hope of returning to their country of origin. Many of the refugees here still have family members waiting in other countries. At MOSAIC we find private sponsors for refugees who have family members in British Columbia. The community feels that the community would be richer by having different cultures here so people practice their own cultures, religions and beliefs without any fear. But as some refugees’ social statuses changes it affects their morale and leads go to a depression cycle.
Everything is new to the refugees. It takes them a while to familiarize themselves with the new culture. Families must adjust to role changes. Women may go to work sooner than the men and children may translate for their parents. These are some of the challenges they face but employment has been great because many people are offering job opportunities for refugees. The economy is great in Canada and in British Columbia in particular.
**Where are systems or policy opportunities to innovate in the refugee resettlement process?**
The government told people to rise up to support refugees. The people rose but now the government cannot accommodate all of the requests. The federal government is trying their best to support refugees and bring them here but people have begun to feel they are not doing enough. I think this is where the advocacy piece is key.
The advocacy groups are innovative in their ways of asking for change. If the federal government is supportive then it trickles down to the provincial and municipal governments, and vice versa. The local cities organize refugee forums to bring people to have a conversation around what needs to happen and how to do that. I think our advocacy work is becoming much easier and we see more of a response because of this.
Housing is a big issue in Vancouver, not only for newcomers but for everyone. For example, many of the groups welcoming Syrian refugees did not expect to welcome so many big families. But it has been wonderful to see that people are being really creative and try to address those challenges. A credit union offered 7 year interest free loans to individuals remodeling their houses and offering rental units to refugees. A retired couple whose children were away attending universities offered four bedrooms to take in refugees. The challenges are there but it is much easier to deal with them because there is a collective response.
Every time I think an initiative cannot be topped something else will come up and more creative people will come forward. I have been really overwhelmed with the generosity of everybody in the community.
**How might Canadian and US communities and stakeholders work together to grow a culture of welcoming refugees?**
In Canada, people celebrate each other’s differences which enriches our communities and allows everyone to take part. We could learn many good lessons from the States and the States could learn at least this lesson from us.
When we had a more right leaning government we faced many challenges because of the way they stereotyped refugees. Building fear in people did not lead to a solution so the government changed the national conversation about refugees and focused more on housing affordability and helping. This helped us come together as a community. I think in the United States, the outcome would be much better if they changed some of those types of conversations.
When those conversations happen on a national level then it will be easier for people to follow. Ordinary people rely heavily on the media and whoever is the loudest speaker.
**That was my last question. I have really enjoyed visiting Vancouver and have noticed that it seems like there is less prejudice in Vancouver than in the cities I have been to in the States.**
In Canada, a Jewish synagogue sponsored three Muslim Syrian refugee families. I do not know if this would happen anywhere else. Each party was suspicious why the other was helping. They put aside their fears, uncertainties and suspicions and said “we will help anyone”. We have Chinese Christians who sponsored a Muslim family. The first thing they told them is “the closest mosque to your house is this and we rented this house for you because it is closer to your community and there is a Halal meat store where you can buy your own ethnic groceries and this the mosque, you can actually go and walk there”. I think this shows how communities are really supportive of each other.
*[MOSAIC](https://www.mosaicbc.org/?ref=panasd.org) is a multilingual non-profit organization assisting immigrants and refugees in their integration into Canadian society.*
### KPBS: Backpacks Help San Diego Refugees Head Back To School
URL: https://www.panasd.org/kpbs-backpacks-help-san-diego-refugees-head-back-to-school/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:31:08.000Z
PANA research was cited in an article by KPBS titled "Backpacks Help San Diego Refugees Head Back To School" by Megan Burks, published on August 18th, 2016.
Source: [http://www.kpbs.org/news/2016/aug/19/event-helps-refugee-children-go-back-school/](http://www.kpbs.org/news/2016/aug/19/event-helps-refugee-children-go-back-school/?ref=panasd.org)
### Associated Press: Former refugees look to Election Day with a sense of duty
URL: https://www.panasd.org/associated-press-former-refugees-look-to-election-day-with-a-sense-of-duty/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:31:09.000Z
\[caption id align="alignnone" width="460"\]
Photo credit: AP Photo/Kathy Willens \[/caption\]
Associated Press quoted PANA executive director Ramla Sahid in an article titled "Former refugees look to Election Day with a sense of duty" by Exra Kaplan published on August 14th, 2016.
Source: [http://www.bigstory.ap.org/article/bb1defed4fe84dc798d40bb98aca35d0/former-refugees-look-election-day-sense-duty](http://www.bigstory.ap.org/article/bb1defed4fe84dc798d40bb98aca35d0/former-refugees-look-election-day-sense-duty?ref=panasd.org)
### Syrian Community Know Your Rights
URL: https://www.panasd.org/syrian-community-know-your-rights/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:31:09.000Z
> **Aug 9, 2016**
With the help of CAIR San Diego, PANA hosted an informational evening for the Syrian newcomer refugee community to share experiences, ask questions and learn about civil liberties in the U.S.
### Solana Beach Welcomes
URL: https://www.panasd.org/solana-beach-welcomes/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:31:10.000Z
\[caption id align="alignnone" width="2500"\]
Credit: PANA \[/caption\]
On Wednesday, Jun 13th 2016 in Solana Beach City Hall, eleven supporters including many local community members showed up in support of Solana Beach joining the Building Welcoming Communities Campaign, an initiative of the White House. With eight individuals offering unanimous supportive testimony, and 18 letters of support written in by residents and community organizations, the measure passed City Council with a unanimous vote.
PANA commends Solana Beach for it's leadership on this important issue.
### Community Profile: Meet Ilhan
URL: https://www.panasd.org/community-profile-meet-ilhan/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:31:11.000Z
*Ilhan joined PANA to get out the vote in the June 7th, 2016 California primary election, she asked San Diego voters questions both on the phone and knocking on people’s doors. With Ilhan’s help and the support of the African American Civic Engagement Project, PANA successfully launched our first integrated voter engagement program prioritizing African immigrants and refugees.*
\[caption id align="alignnone" width="600"\]
Credit: PANA \[/caption\]
My name is Ilhan and I stand for diversity, integrity and honesty. I want to help the community and ensure everyone is heard. It’s our job to work together to make this a better place to live.
I called people and asked them questions, and went knocking doors to remind people to vote. Before I did this, I didn’t really care for voting or really anything that has to do with the larger community, but once I got involved I saw how important it was to vote, and how much it matters for our community for all of us to ensure that we speak out if we want something to get done.
Something that really stood out was the fact that so many people don’t vote. I had always thought voting was a right and a big privilege. And many people we spoke with would say things like “Oh, I’m not sure if I’m going to vote, I’ll see what I’m doing that day.” And so that’s why I voted: I have the right to vote, so I’m going to go out and vote.
### Community Profile: Meet Amina
URL: https://www.panasd.org/community-profile-meet-amina/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:31:11.000Z
*Amina joined PANA to get out the vote in the June 7th, 2016 California primary election, she asked San Diego voters questions both on the phone and knocking on people’s doors. With Amina’s help and the support of the African American Civic Engagement Project, PANA successfully launched our first integrated voter engagement program prioritizing African immigrants and refugees.*
My name is Amina and I’m a leader because I take others’ opinions into consideration and involve everyone in the process. I am here to help involve everyone.
This was my first time doing something like this and I’d always wanted to try it, for the experience. In the beginning, when we went to go knock on doors I was thinking to myself, “What am I going to say to them?” It felt like it was going to be really hard, and people were there to help and after a while it was amazing, and things became really comfortable.
The experience really helped me with communication: whether on the phone or at someone’s house: I always had someone with me for support and it was just a really fun experience.
One thing I will take away with me was the feeling on the last day, when we were all voting, and I went home ready to vote and realized none of my family had voted yet. I told them it was important because we get to choose who will be candidates for the November election. It was very different from the enthusiasm for voting on the team, and then to go home and talk to my family about it. It was eye-opening.
I would want to do it again because it was fun work, and also sometimes we went to people’s houses and got really great responses, people thanking us for doing something good for our community. I want to see what else I can do with this.
### Urgent Action: Tell Hal Rogers To Increase Refugee Funds
URL: https://www.panasd.org/urgent-action-tell-hal-rogers-to-increase-refugee-funds/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:31:12.000Z
**Urgent Action needed:**
The Fiscal Year 2017 State and Foreign Operations Bill (#FY17SFOPS) was just released, and will be debated by the Committee on Appropriations in the U.S. House of Representatives soon.
Despite the [record-breaking refugee crisis](https://www.rt.com/news/347417-un-report-displaced-refugees/?ref=panasd.org) and the [majority of Americans agreeing we should do more for refugees](http://www.amnestyusa.org/news/press-releases/new-poll-shows-majority-of-americans-believe-us-must-do-more-for-refugees-0?ref=panasd.org), and despite [the White House's committment to increase efforts to aid Syrian refugees](http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/11/world/middleeast/obama-directs-administration-to-accept-10000-syrian-refugees.html?%5Fr=0&ref=panasd.org), the proposed budget decreases the budget for refugee resettlement in fiscal year 2017\. **We must urge our representatives to welcome refugees** by increasing, not decreasing the resources to ensure the aid we provide to refugees is as meaningful as possible.
From the [Interfaith Immigration Coalition](http://www.interfaithimmigration.org/fy17sfops/?ref=panasd.org):
> As we face the largest recorded displacement crisis in history, resettlement remains one of the key ways that the U.S. can demonstrate leadership and encourage other countries to help refugees. President Obama committed to resettling 100,000 refugees in Fiscal Year 2017, an increase from 85,000 in FY 2016\. It is critical that even this relatively small increase in refugee admissions is met with increased funds to ensure local communities have the resources they need to help refugees integrate and thrive.
The chair of the House Appropriations Committee is Hal Rogers, who recently voted in favor of HR 4038, a bill the [ACLU said](https://www.aclu.org/sites/default/files/field%5Fdocument/15%5F11%5F19%5Faclu%5Fvote%5Frecommendation%5Fopposing%5Fhr4038%5Famerican%5Fsafe%5Fact%5Fof%5F2015%5F0.pdf?ref=panasd.org) "creates a bureaucratic-review process that likely would effectively shut down resettlement of refugees from Syria and Iraq ... would prolong unnecessary suffering for both the refugees seeking protection and those family members waiting in the U.S. ... and, more broadly, scapegoat all refugees - fanning the flames of discriminatory exclusion here and abroad."
You can call the office of Hal Rogers at (202) 225-4601, or send a public post on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/RepHalRogers?ref=panasd.org) or [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/CongressmanHalRogers). Example messages:
- [@RepHalRogers](https://twitter.com/RepHalRogers?ref=panasd.org), #ShowUp4Refugees by supporting increased funds to resettle #refugees! #RefugeesWelcome #FY17SFOPS
- [@RepHalRogers](https://twitter.com/RepHalRogers?ref=panasd.org), I support #RefugeesWelcome and urge you to fight for more funds, not less in 2017! #ShowUp4Refugees #FY17SFOPS
- [@RepHalRogers](https://twitter.com/RepHalRogers?ref=panasd.org), #AmericaWelcomes & must lead the way, not turn our backs on historic #RefugeeCrisis. #ShowUp4Refugees #FY17SFOPS
Read [the bill at the official House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations website](http://appropriations.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=394623&ref=panasd.org), and learn more about [how to contact your representative](http://www.interfaithimmigration.org/fy17sfops/?ref=panasd.org).
### New Video: Refugee Resettlement 101
URL: https://www.panasd.org/new-video-refugee-resettlement-101/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:31:12.000Z
We hope you enjoy this information-packed overview of the refugee resettlement process, released in honor of World Refugee Day 2016.
### Transcript
A refugee is someone who has been forced to flee their home, due to fear of war, persecution, or natural disaster. Today, there are about 60 million displaced people, the highest number since WWII.
First, refugees must find their way to a refugee camp. Many camps are heavily guarded and surrounded by barbed wire. Most camps are operated by United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The number of people in refugee camps today is about 20 million. In some camps, the average wait time is 25 years. That means, people are born, raised, and build families in these camps.
Less than one percent of refugees worldwide are ever resettled in a third country. Officials from UNHCR interview families and only those who can prove they are escaping persecution and are unable to return home are registered as refugees. The UNHCR refers a refugee to the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP).
The Resettlement Support Center (RSC) helps families go through the application process. This includes collecting biographical information, as well as a health screening. Multiple intelligence agencies also work together to produce a full background check of each applicant. Once approved, refugees sign a travel loan, agreeing to pay back the cost of their plane ticket and are assigned to a local resettlement agency. The resettlement agency meets families at the airport, and helps them with basic needs for up to 90 days.
Refugees are authorized to work and are expected to find immediate employment. In San Diego County, families with children are immediately referred to the County for public assistance. They cover their own costs of living with limited cash aid for up to 48 months, Food Stamps, Medicaid and Medicare, and employment services for up to 60 months.
Families without children are provided employment and acculturation services for up to 60 months and just eight months of limited cash assistance to cover housing costs. Singles without children are eligible for Medicaid and Food Stamps.
After one year, refugees are required to apply to become Permanent Residents (Green Card holders). After five years, they are eligible to apply for U.S. Citizenship.
Over time, refugees contribute to our economy. According to the Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs, our country’s net gain from immigration is $37 billion per year, and Immigrant-owned businesses generated $331 million dollars in net income to Minnesota in 2000, revitalizing distressed neighborhoods.
### PANA World Refugee Day Statement
URL: https://www.panasd.org/pana-world-refugee-day-statement/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:31:14.000Z
In honor of World Refugee Day, Ramla Sahid, executive director of the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA), asked San Diego leaders to think globally and act locally.
"This World Refugee Day we have an unprecedented global crisis, with more than [65.3 million](http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/06/20/482762237/refugees-displaced-people-surpass-60-million-for-first-time-unhcr-says?ref=panasd.org) individuals forcibly displaced worldwide as a result of persecution, conflict, generalized violence, or human rights violations," said Sahid.
PANA, a local organization dedicated to advancing the full economic, civic, and social inclusion of refugees in San Diego County, is calling on our local leaders to help make San Diego a welcoming region for refugees entering the U.S. Since the 1970’s, [more than 80,000](http://www.kpbs.org/news/2016/jun/17/san-diego-groups-celebrate-world-refugee-day/?ref=panasd.org) individuals escaping violence and persecution in their countries have arrived in our County. The world attention on the refugee crisis creates an opportunity for San Diego to rethink the resettlement process for existing refugees and new arrivals.
Sahid stressed, “In addition to improving opportunities for refugees to contribute to the cultural and economic fabric of our communities, San Diego’s leaders must denounce the continued, hateful rhetoric that has animated this election year. Whether people come from the Middle East, Africa, East Asia, Latin America, or anywhere else in the world, San Diego should send the message that we protect and guarantee fundamental rights whether an individual was born in the U.S. or not. "
###
*Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA) is a research, community organizing, and public policy hub dedicated to advancing the full economic and social inclusion of refugees. PANA lifts up refugee voices and builds leadership in communities to increase civic engagement and create an inclusive civil society. PANA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity based in San Diego County.*
### World Refugee Day Social Media Kit
URL: https://www.panasd.org/world-refugee-day-social-media-kit/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:31:14.000Z
Take a #WorldRefugeeDay selfie!
1. Print the attached PDF
2. Fill in your answer
3. Take a photo
4. Share on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram with the hashtag #ShowUp4Refugees
[ Download](https://www.panasd.org/s/worldrefugeeday.pdf)
### One 2016 Election Down, One to Go
URL: https://www.panasd.org/one-2016-election-down-one-to-go/
Last updated: 2025-10-10T19:12:39.000Z
Team PANA would like to thank our 16 young leaders for completing an intense two-week voter engagement campaign. We prioritized outreach to refugee voters and reached a total of 2,491 residents and 1,463 pledged to vote in the California Primary election. Keep an eye out for our July newsletter to learn how many turned out!
We'd also like to thank our 12 first-time individual donors who contributed to our online fundraiser and together raised over $1,000 dollars in just a few weeks.
Next up: an even larger push for registration throughout the summer and into November.
### The San Diego Union-Tribune: Report details refugee struggles in San Diego
URL: https://www.panasd.org/the-san-diego-union-tribune-report-details-refugee-struggles-in-san-diego/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:31:15.000Z
\[caption id align="alignnone" width="750"\]
Photo credit: Tatiana Sanchez \[/caption\]
The San Diego Union-Tribune interviewed Yawlay Htoo, a PANA House Meeting Leader, and highlights from PANA's preliminary key findings of the 2016 San Diego Refugee Experiences report in an article titled "Report details refugee struggles in San Diego" by Tatiana Sanchez, published on June 17th, 2016.
Source: [http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/border-baja-california/sdut-refugee-resettlement-report-2016jun17-story.html](http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/border-baja-california/sdut-refugee-resettlement-report-2016jun17-story.html?ref=panasd.org)
### Community profile: Meet Aslanbek Magamadov
URL: https://www.panasd.org/community-profile-meet-aslanbek-magamadov/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:31:16.000Z
My name is Aslanbek. I'm from Grozny, in the North Caucasus in Russia. It's not big, but it's a very beautiful city. Together with my brothers, we run a small family business providing legal translations services; also we provide website development services. The greater part of our clients comprise immigrants and refugees.
\[caption id align="alignnone" width="900"\]
Masjid "Heart of Chechnya", One of the biggest mosques in Europe \[/caption\]
I’ve come to the US on an exchange program and learn to do business the American way. Over the past few days I’ve learned and seen a lot, and thanks to Ramla and Oren, as well as other PANA staff members, continue to get to know new and amazing people and concepts. This is my first experience with Somalis, and I’m pleased that the Somali community is represented here by smart, positive and energetic young leaders.
\[caption id align="alignnone" width="900"\]
Kazenoy-Am Lake \[/caption\]
During my stay in the US, I hope not only to get an experience in project management but also to get to know the American culture in all its diversity and participate in local community life.
### SD Uptown News: Local immigrants organizing ahead of election
URL: https://www.panasd.org/sd-uptown-news-local-immigrants-organizing-ahead-of-election/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:31:17.000Z
PANA was covered by San Diego Uptown News in the article ["Local immigrants organizing ahead of election",](http://sduptownnews.com/local-immigrants-organizing-ahead-election/?ref=panasd.org) published on Jun 3, 2016 by Dave Schwab.
### Preliminary Key Findings: San Diego Refugee Experiences
URL: https://www.panasd.org/preliminary-key-findings-san-diego-refugee-experiences/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:31:18.000Z
To better understand San Diego refugee experiences, we partnered with our community to explore a range of topics including housing, health, jobs and education. We learned that addressing the unique needs of this community confronted with deep poverty requires multidisciplinary policy changes and cannot be done by simply making adjustments to the existing ways of doing business.
We must rethink resettlement. We hope our research serves as a catalyst for imagining a more meaningful resettlement process. We will lead the conversation further by facilitating a community planning initiative to help achieve better outcomes for refugee families, and identify opportunities for systems-level transformation.
We're excited to share this 12-page PDF, an abridged version of the comprehensive report entitled “San Diego Refugee Experience” authored by Sheila Mitra-Sarkar, Ph.D. This abridged version is authored by Ramla Sahid, Oren Robinson, and edited by Stephen Heverly.
[ Download](https://www.panasd.org/s/may31%5Ffinal%5Fpana%5Fprelim%5Freport.pdf)
### KPBS: New Initiative Aims To Improve Experience Of Refugees In San Diego
URL: https://www.panasd.org/kpbs-new-initiative-aims-to-improve-experience-of-refugees-in-san-diego/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:31:18.000Z
PANA was covered by KPBS in the article ["New Initiative Aims To Improve Experience Of Refugees In San Diego"](http://www.kpbs.org/news/2016/jun/01/initiative-improve-refugee-experience-san-diego/?ref=panasd.org), published on June 1, 2016 By Tarryn Mento.
### KPBS: Most San Diego Candidates Fail To Respond To Racial Justice Survey
URL: https://www.panasd.org/kpbs-most-san-diego-candidates-fail-to-respond-to-racial-justice-survey/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:31:18.000Z
\[caption id align="alignnone" width="800"\]
Credit: Facebook \[/caption\]
KPBS mentioned PANA's participation in SURJ San Diego's racial justice survey in an article titled "Most San Diego Candidates Fail To Respond To Racial Justice Survey" by Megan Burks published on May 31st, 2016
Source: [http://www.kpbs.org/news/2016/may/31/survey-aims-make-racial-justice-more-prominent-san/](http://www.kpbs.org/news/2016/may/31/survey-aims-make-racial-justice-more-prominent-san/?ref=panasd.org)
### KCBX: In Low Voting San Diego Neighborhood, Refugee Groups Want 100% Turnout
URL: https://www.panasd.org/kcbx-in-low-voting-san-diego-neighborhood-refugee-groups-want-100-turnout/
Last updated: 2026-03-04T05:23:22.000Z
PANA was covered by KCBX in the article ["In Low Voting San Diego Neighborhood, Refugee Groups Want 100% Turnout"](http://kcbx.org/post/low-voting-san-diego-neighborhood-refugee-groups-want-100-turnout?ref=panasd.org) published on May 31, 2016 by Claire Trageser.
### Muslim Votes
URL: https://www.panasd.org/muslim-votes/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:31:25.000Z
**Why is faith-based organization in Muslim communities important?**
**Thursday, May 12, 2016**
#MuslimVotes #PowerHour was another night of networking and fun. This time, the panel portion featured local voices from Muslim faith-based organizing and voting rights advocacy, as well as distinguished guests from Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim-majority democracy. Dinner was a gourmet taco bar.
Moderator: Rick Ferrera, Master’s Student at UCSD's School of Global Policy and Strategy
**Panelists**
- Anggia Rini, Secretary of the Health Department at Nahdlatul Ulama (NU)
- Yusuf Risin, Commentator at Apa Kabar Indonesia (radio program)
- Rashida Hameed, Board Director at Pillars of the Community
- Tareq Purmul, Vice President of the Muslim American Society (MAS) San Diego Chapter
- Chad Peace, President at IVC Media LLC
### Rethink Refugee Resettlement
URL: https://www.panasd.org/rethink-refugee-resettlement/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:31:28.000Z
According to the California Department of Social Services, over 82,000 refugees have been resettled in San Diego, the top destination city of the top destination state nationwide. At a time with record-breaking levels of displacement globally, we have a critical opportunity in San Diego to be a world leader, and make resettlement a dignified, human-centered process.
## 3 Ways To Take Action Right Now
1. Watch and share our [short video "Rethink Refugee Resettlement"](https://www.facebook.com/panasandiego/videos/vb.651302988271155/955725957828855)
2. [Subscribe to our mailing list](http://www.panasd.org/subscribe) to get action alerts, event invitations and updates
3. Tell your friends and family why this matters to you. Use the hashtag #ShowUp4Refugees to [find and share inspiration](https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=%23ShowUp4Refugees).
## Video: Learn more
Source: Calls To Action
### Refugee Symposium Sold Out!
URL: https://www.panasd.org/refugee-symposium-sold-out-2/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:31:29.000Z
We're thrilled to share that the Refugee Symposium drew a crowd of 100 people to learn and connect around refugee reception and inclusion in San Diego, Japan, and Korea. Huge thanks to the Karen Organization of San Diego for making the event possible, and inviting PANA to co-host.
Source: Event Updates
### White House Infographic on Refugee Screening Process
URL: https://www.panasd.org/white-house-infographic-on-refugee-screening-process-2/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:31:30.000Z
The Deputy Assistant to the President for Homeland Security published this infographic on WhiteHouse.gov ([original](https://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2015/11/20/infographic-screening-process-refugee-entry-united-states?ref=panasd.org)):
### The Screening Process for Refugee Entry Into the United States
1. **Many refugee applicants identify themselves to the U.N. Refugee Agency, UNHCR. UNHCR, then:**
- Collects identifying documents
- Performs initial assessment
- Collects biodata: name, address, birthday, place of birth, etc.
- Collects biometrics: iris scans (for Syrians, and other refugee populations in the Middle East)
- Interviews applicants to confirm refugee status and the need for resettlement
- Initial information checked again
- Only applicants who are strong candidates for resettlement move forward (less than 1% of global refugee population).
2. **Applicants are received by a federally-funded Resettlement Support Center (RSC):**
- Collects identifying documents
- Creates an applicant file
- Compiles information to conduct biographic security checks
3. **Biographic security checks start with enhanced interagency security checks**Refugees are subject to the highest level of security checks of any category of traveler to the United States.
- U.S. security agencies screen the candidate, including:
- National Counterterrorism Center/Intelligence Community
- FBI
- Department of Homeland Security
- State Department
- The screening looks for indicators, like:
- Information that the individual is a security risk
- Connections to known bad actors
- Outstanding warrants/immigration or criminal violations
- *DHS conducts an enhanced review of Syrian cases, which may be referred to USCIS Fraud Detection and National Security Directorate for review. Research that is used by the interviewing officer informs lines of question related to the applicant’s eligibility and credibility.*
4. **Department of Homeland Security (DHS)/USCIS interview:**
- Interviews are conducted by USCIS Officers specially trained for interviews
- Fingerprints are collected and submitted (biometric check)
- Re-interviews can be conducted if fingerprint results or new information raises questions. If new biographic information is identified by USCIS at an interview, additional security checks on the information are conducted. USCIS may place a case on hold to do additional research or investigation. Otherwise, the process continues.
5. **Biometric security checks:**
- Applicant’s fingerprints are taken by U.S. government employees
- Fingerprints are screened against the FBI’s biometric database.
- Fingerprints are screened against the DHS biometric database, containing watch-list information and previous immigration encounters in the U.S. and overseas.
- Fingerprints are screened against the U.S. Department of Defense biometric database, which includes fingerprint records captured in Iraq and other locations.
- If not already halted, this is the end point for cases with security concerns. Otherwise, the process continues.
6. **Medical check:**
- The need for medical screening is determine
- This is the end point for cases denied due to medical reasons. Refugees may be provided medical treatment for communicable diseases such as tuberculosis.
7. **Cultural orientation and assignment to domestic resettlement locations:**
- pplicants complete cultural orientation classes.
- An assessment is made by a U.S.-based non-governmental organization to determine the best resettlement location for the candidate(s). Considerations include:
- Family; candidates with family in a certain area may be placed in that area.
- Health; a candidate with asthma may be matched to certain regions.
- A location is chosen.
8. **Travel:**
- nternational Organization for Migration books travel
- Prior to entry in the United States, applicants are subject to:
- Screening from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s National Targeting Center-Passenger
- The Transportation Security Administration’s Secure Flight Program
- This is the end point for some applicants. Applicants who have no flags continue the process.
9. **U.S. Arrival:**
- All refugees are required to apply for a green card within a year of their arrival to the United States, which triggers:
- Another set of security procedures with the U.S. government.
- **Refugees are woven into the rich fabric of American society!**
See the original on [WhiteHouse.gov](https://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2015/11/20/infographic-screening-process-refugee-entry-united-states?ref=panasd.org)
Source: Calls To Action
### The San Diego Union-Tribune: Leaders to discuss refugee integration in San Diego
URL: https://www.panasd.org/the-san-diego-union-tribune-leaders-to-discuss-refugee-integration-in-san-diego-2/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:31:36.000Z
\[caption id align="alignnone" width="750"\]
Photo credit: Nelvin C. Cepeda \[/caption\]
The San Diego Union-Tribune covered PANA's co-hosting, alongside the Karen Organization of San Diego, of the April 5th, 2016 Refugee Symposium at the Japanese Friendship Garden in Balboa Park. The article, titled "Leaders to discuss refugee integration in San Diego," was written by Tatiana Sanchez and published on April 4th, 2016\. The article quotes PANA executive director Ramla Sahid.
Source: [http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/border-baja-california/sdut-refugee-integration-symposium-2016apr04-story.html](http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/border-baja-california/sdut-refugee-integration-symposium-2016apr04-story.html?ref=panasd.org)
### KPBS: California Counts: Mobilizing the state's refugee voters
URL: https://www.panasd.org/kpbs-california-counts-mobilizing-the-states-refugee-voters-2/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:31:36.000Z
PANA research was included in an article and video segment by KPBS titled ["California Counts: Mobilizing the state's refugee voters"](http://www.scpr.org/news/2016/03/09/58356/california-counts-mobilizing-the-state-s-refugee-v/?ref=panasd.org), published March 9, 2016 by Megan Burks.
### Encinitas Advocate: Encinitas joins effort welcoming refugees, immigrants
URL: https://www.panasd.org/encinitas-advocate-encinitas-joins-effort-welcoming-refugees-immigrants-2/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:31:37.000Z
PANA was mentioned by Del Mar Times (Encinitas Advocate) in the article ["Encinitas joins effort welcoming refugees, immigrants"](http://www.delmartimes.net/encinitas-advocate/news/local-news/sdea-encinitas-joins-effort-welcoming-refugees-2016feb25-story.html?ref=panasd.org), published Feb 25, 2016 by Jared Whitlock.
### Encinitas Explores Joining Welcoming Communities Campaign
URL: https://www.panasd.org/encinitas-explores-joining-welcoming-communities-campaign-2/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:31:37.000Z
Last night, community members turned out to Encinitas City Hall in support of the city council's consideration of seven recommendations around welcoming refugee and immigrant communities in Encinitas.
The recommendations included exploration of Encinitas City officially joining the [White House Task Force on New Americans](https://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/immigration/new-americans?ref=panasd.org)' [Building Welcoming Communities Campaign](https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/docs/bwcc%5Ffact%5Fsheet%5Fupdated.pdf?ref=panasd.org).
Source: Blog Topics
### Seaside Courier: Refugee crisis sparks formation of Encinitas City Council subcommittee
URL: https://www.panasd.org/seaside-courier-refugee-crisis-sparks-formation-of-encinitas-city-council-subcommittee-2/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:31:37.000Z
PANA was covered by Seaside Courier in the article ["Refugee crisis sparks formation of Encinitas City Council subcommittee"](http://www.seasidecourier.com/news/refugee-crisis-sparks-formation-of-encinitas-city-council-subcommittee/article%5Fd52a39d6-bf35-11e5-b940-0ba55d9d64ac.html?ref=panasd.org), published on January 19, 2016 by Maggie Avants.
### San Diego Free Press: San Diegans Say No To Hate, Refugees Welcome
URL: https://www.panasd.org/san-diego-free-press-san-diegans-say-no-to-hate-refugees-welcome-2/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:31:37.000Z
PANA's event was covered by San Diego Free Press in the article ["San Diegans Say No To Hate, Refugees Welcome"](http://sandiegofreepress.org/2015/12/san-diegans-say-no-to-hate-refugees-welcome/?ref=panasd.org), published December 11, 2015 by Doug Porter.
### Human Rights Day Community Action for Refugees
URL: https://www.panasd.org/human-rights-day-community-action-for-refugees/
Last updated: 2015-12-10T05:00:00.000Z
Join us 5pm downtown at the waterfront park to demonstrate support for refugees!
We will be gathering as a community to lift up the refugee crisis, to stand up against hateful rhetoric, and to ask our public officials to take responsible action to welcome refugees.
Read the Sign On Statement and take action here:
Source: PANA Events
### Welcoming Communities Campaign
URL: https://www.panasd.org/welcoming-communities-campaign-2/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:31:39.000Z
\[caption id align="alignnone" width="976"\]
Source: https://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/immigration/new-americans \[/caption\]
The Building Welcoming Communities Campaign (BWCC) is a recommendation from the White House, through the White House Task Force On New Americans. When a city or county adopts the recommendations, it becomes a Welcoming City or a Welcoming County.
> The President is calling on local communities to join the Building Welcoming Communities Campaign and act on a set of principles to build inclusive, welcoming communities that allow all residents to thrive and advance integration efforts in three core areas: civic, economic, and linguistic integration.
## Participating Communities
Cities in San Diego County
- Encinitas, joined campaign by a city council resolution passed in Mar 2016
- Solana Beach
- Lemon Grove
Source: Archive
### The San Diego Union-Tribune: San Diegans support refugees on Human Rights Day
URL: https://www.panasd.org/san-diego-union-tribune-san-diegans-support-refugees-on-human-rights-day-2/
Last updated: 2025-10-03T00:31:40.000Z
Source: http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/border-baja-california/sdut-refugee-event-san-diego-2015dec10-story.html
### KPBS: On Human Rights Day, San Diegans Rally For Refugee Rights
URL: https://www.panasd.org/kpbs-human-rights-day-san-diegans-rally-refugee-rights/
Last updated: 2025-10-09T17:39:55.000Z
Source: KPBS
### Does your organization support refugees? Sign on here!
URL: https://www.panasd.org/does-your-organization-support-refugees-sign-on-here/
Last updated: 2015-11-30T05:00:00.000Z
*Sign on to show your support for refugees in San Diego City & County.*
*Read more about the event below.*
## Organization Sign-On Statement
- Our public officials should lead by example, promoting dignity and respect for all;
- Our elected leaders should support legislation that keeps us safe and moves us to respect and promote the equality and the dignity of every human being;
- Our elected leaders should provide shelter, sustenance, and other vital resources to refugee families fleeing to our county;
- We commit to care for the poor, vulnerable, and most marginalized in our communities and across the globe;
- We commit to speak against discriminatory policies such as HR 4038 as a form of un-American xenophobia that seems sadly reminiscent of chapters in our history when we failed to provide safe haven for those fleeing terrorists;
- We commit to work together against hateful rhetoric, punitive policies, and the scapegoating of any group, and for the advancement of racial justice and equity.
## 3 Ways to Take Action
1. Show your support and [Sign on now](http://goo.gl/forms/71mJVivpJV?ref=panasd.org)
2. Encourage your membership to attend in large numbers the community action on Thursday, Dec. 10, 5 - 7 pm, downtown at the San Diego County Administration Building (Waterfront Park), 1600 Pacific Highway (on the bay side).
3. Share the [Facebook event](https://www.facebook.com/events/1082188655138966/) as broadly as possible. Invite people individually.
4. Share this [social media sign-on link (Thunderclap)](https://www.thunderclap.it/projects/35510-showup4refugees-in-san-diego?ref=panasd.org). Use hashtags #ShowUp4Refugees and/or #RefugeesWelcome
## Who We AreThe Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans, Alliance San Diego, San Diego ACLU, United Domestic Workers, the Interfaith Center for Worker Justice, many other allied organizations, and an interfaith committee of religious leaders have created a community event to respond to the government’s shameful rejection of refugees from Syria, who are fleeing civil war, terror, and forced displacement. We call for a public demonstration of our commitment to protecting society’s most vulnerable.
## Why This MattersSan Diego’s interfaith community, civil and human rights groups, labor and social service organizations, and compassionate individuals come together to affirm our commitment to make San Diego a safe haven for refugees and immigrants from around the world, especially those fleeing a crisis of violence and terror.
As a border community inhabited by immigrants and refugees that make San Diego the great city it is, we affirm the dignity and humanity of the millions of Syrian refugees, including torture survivors, people with special medical needs, women who head households, and children, all of whom deserve our sympathy and direct support in this time of crisis.
The recent vote by three of San Diego’s congressional leaders (Reps. Hunter, Issa, and Peters) to support discriminatory and anti-refugee legislation was devastating. Congress’s fear-based and inflammatory rhetoric creates a climate that breeds distrust, hate, and violence, as evidenced by recent attacks on Muslim women here in San Diego.
As our U.S. history demonstrates, policies fueled by discrimination and fear only lead to outcomes that violate the human rights of refugees. Because San Diego resettles approximately 3,500 refugees a year, our county should lead by example by welcoming the refugees seeking sanctuary.
Source: Archive
### Op Ed / The San Diego Union-Tribune: Refugees face many challenges in resettlement
URL: https://www.panasd.org/op-ed-the-san-diego-union-tribune-refugees-face-many-challenges-in-resettlement-2/
Last updated: 2015-10-10T20:59:00.000Z
PANA executive Ramla Sahid authored the following Op Ed, published in The San Diego Union-Tribune on October 10th, 2015.
### Refugees face many challenges in resettlement
*BY RAMLA SAHID*
These are perilous times for refugees and migrants around the world. Refugees are moving in droves away from areas of conflict in the Middle East and North Africa into Europe, struggling to find better lives, and often losing their lives in the process.
Meanwhile, here in the U.S., some presidential candidates have turned against the notion that we accept “these, the homeless, tempest-tossed,” replacing acceptance for anger-driven speech designed to fire up portions of the electorate and encourage them to close the golden door, build a border wall and round up immigrants to send them back to their countries.
Fortunately, the Obama administration introduced more levelheaded policies recently, increasing the cap on refugees entering the U.S. by 30 percent in 2017.
Locally, the San Diego region is unique, located at the busiest border crossing in North America and host to one of the largest refugee populations in the U.S. Our county is home to nearly three-quarters of a million foreign-born residents, more than half of whom come from Latin America. The county has also accepted more refugees than any other county in California over the last decade, according to the state’s Refugee Programs Bureau.
These statistics showcase the opportunity to become a model community for the acceptance and growth of refugee and immigrant populations. Our local leaders should take action to welcome families caught in the flood of asylum seekers that is flowing out of the Middle East and North Africa and work to improve support systems for existing and future refugees and migrants. We must ensure that these smart, ambitious and freedom-seeking new Americans can thrive in our community and contribute to improving San Diego for all of us.
I’m the product of the desire to make it to the U.S., specifically San Diego. My family and I left Somalia and were resettled in Dallas in 1993, and relocated to San Diego shortly after. Hundreds of thousands of Somalis died from hunger, disease or the violence of civil war.
We were lucky to have the opportunity to immigrate to the U.S. as refugees and maintain a connection to the East African community, which had a large presence in Dallas but a growing presence in San Diego.
Experiencing the resettlement process exposed me to the challenges of making it as a refugee.
Many new Americans have little or no English-language proficiency, yet they need to navigate the world of nonprofit organizations and county bureaucracy, which is often hard even for Americans born and raised here.
Wages for new Americans are often low, and while some have professional or university degrees, these are not recognized in the U.S. Those with postsecondary education must restart their degrees to get ahead. Young men without education past high school are particularly vulnerable, working two or three jobs to pay rent.
We haven’t focused on the long-term resettlement and integration of these families. After living here in the U.S. for eight months, refugees lose access to basic assistance programs and we have no tracking mechanisms to see how families are doing three, five or seven years after resettlement.
Finally, housing insecurity, one of the most critical issues for all San Diegans, is high among new Americans.
City and county leaders generally lack a sense of urgency to address these issues, yet there are successful models in other cities, like Minneapolis and Dallas, focusing on refugee and immigrant workforce development – the fundamental key to success no matter where a person is from.
In Minneapolis, Somali women are empowered to open businesses, utilizing the entrepreneurial culture they depended on to survive in East Africa while devising creative capital campaigns to grow their businesses debt-free. They’re opening clothing boutiques and cafes, even becoming anchor tenants in a mall featuring many refugee-owned shops.
Meanwhile, in Dallas, a collaborative effort involving refugees, nonprofits, policy makers, workforce development agencies and the private sector, has developed a working project to drive job growth and entrepreneurship among refugees while gathering data on what drives upward mobility for the new Americans participating in the program.
I believe that all of this and more can be done here in San Diego. As one of the most business-friendly cities in California and as home to a large population of refugees, our business, community and elected leaders must step up to encourage more resettlement in San Diego and embrace the talent, diversity and entrepreneurial spirit of those forced from their former homes.
*Sahid is a first-generation American from Somalia and executive director of the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans, a nonprofit promoting the fair treatment and equitable inclusion of refugee communities in San Diego County.*
###
Source: [http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/opinion/commentary/sdut-refugee-crisis-2015oct10-story.html](http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/opinion/commentary/sdut-refugee-crisis-2015oct10-story.html?ref=panasd.org)
### Community Profile: Meet Abukar Abdirahim
URL: https://www.panasd.org/community-profile-meet-abukar-abdirahim-2/
Last updated: 2025-10-16T22:43:30.000Z
My name is Abukar Abdirahim. After a violent civil war tore Somalia apart, my family migrated to nearby refugee camps in Kenya before finally settling down in America. I was very young at the time but I remember my family staying at different people's houses before we were able to find our own.
### My culture:
The Somali culture is vibrant and values family over everything (like many other cultures I hope). Somali women love creating their own dresses and scarves with brightly colored cloth, especially for weddings.
### My Motivations:
Being a refugee motivated me to work harder in school because I felt like I was at a disadvantage. I am proud of myself for making it as far as I have. I am currently a senior at SDSU studying electrical engineering while also employed at a fine dining restaurant (hence the suit!).
Source: Calls To Action
### What was "Operation New Arrivals?"
URL: https://www.panasd.org/what-was-quotoperation-new-arrivalsquot/
Last updated: 2025-10-10T17:22:01.000Z
Learn how 1975's record-setting operation still shapes San Diego's refugee communities.When the Vietnam War ended in April 1975, there was a big problem: 130,000 Vietnamese people in Saigon who would be at risk to stay there. Over the course of 5 months in 1975, the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Army ran Operation New Arrivals to give these refugees new homes in the United States. This effort remains the largest ever resettlement in United States history-- and San Diego's Camp Pendleton openned as the first mainland processing center, and received the largest numbers resettled during the operation-- upwards of 50,000 people. This operation would make San Diego a major U.S. refugee resettlement site and City Heights the vibrant community it still is today.
While many of the people who began their American journey in Camp Pendleton's "tent city" moved away later, nearly 800,000 Vietnamese people emmigrated over the following decades, and many have stayed where there was a history in San Diego. Today about 33,000 Vietnamese-Americans call San Diego their home, and the Little Saigon District can be found along El Cajon Boulevard between Highland Ave and Euclid Ave in City Heights.
Source: Calls To Action
### 2016 Refugee Report
URL: https://www.panasd.org/2016-refugee-report/
Last updated: 2025-10-10T19:05:42.000Z
Our inaugural refugee report is a first look at how refugees experience San Diego. It utilizes both qualitative and quantitative tools across a large segment of the community at varying stages of resettlement. Over 50 focus groups convened over 600 individuals speaking 18 languages, representing 13 countries.
The report will be published in by May 2016.
Source: Blog Topics