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Boards and Commissions. Looking for ways to get involved in your community? Consider applying for a position on one of the City's many commissions! These bodies are important in that they enable the public to participate in Austin's government processes. Their activities help shape and influence public policy because they lend a more diverse viewpoint for the City Council to consider. Check out the vacancies listed below and apply here. The Commission on Immigrant Affairs has a great need for new commissioners! |
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- Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which enforces labor laws, will soon publish a draft proposal for a federal rule that would increase workers' protections against heat-related hazards. The City of Austin used to have an ordinance requiring employers to give workers water breaks. Workers Defense Project and other labor and immigrant rights groups pushed for the ordinance after an immigrant construction worker, Jose Lainez, died while building a bridge in June 2012. The 2012 ordinance remained in effect until Gov. Abbott signed the "Death Star" bill in 2023, overruling the ordinance and other local policies that enact broader restrictions than are in state law. Climate change has made this an increasingly serious issue for workers.
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The Biden administration recently announced a new policy known as "Parole in Place" that will grant temporary legal status and a potential path to citizenship for hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants married to U.S. citizens. Parole in Place, which would use the immigration parole authority, will provide work permits and deportation protections for these individuals. This policy will protect roughly half a million spouses of U.S. citizens and around 50,000 undocumented children under 21 whose parent is married to a U.S. citizen.
- The Biden administration announced administrative actions to make it easier for Dreamers and DACA recipients who have earned a degree at an accredited U.S. institution of higher education to become eligible for work visas in the United States. In essence, these actions would streamline D-3 waiver applications for DACA recipients and Dreamers who wish to obtain a work visa in the United States while avoiding the 3- and 10-year bars.
- The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) recently ruled that U.S. citizens’ constitutional rights do not extend to challenging spousal visa denials. The case, known as Department of State v. Muñoz, ended with a 6-3 ruling that limits the ability of U.S. citizens to present additional evidence or expert testimony to refute visa denials for their spouses.
- SCOTUS also recently ruled that immigration judges may order noncitizens deported if they do not appear for their immigration hearings even if the government never provided them with an initial Notice to Appear (NTA) with the date and time of their immigration hearing. Under Campos-Chaves v. Garland, so long as the government provides a second notice with a hearing date and time – sometimes months or years after the initial faulty NTA – a person can be ordered deported “in absentia.”
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Wednesday, July 10 @ 11:00 AM CST
Intersecting Risks: Vulnerable Populations and Climate Change in Central America and Mexico
This webinar will look at the need for the prioritization of the protection and support of individuals with disabilities, particularly in the context of climate change, forced migration, and access to medical services. Our goal is to establish an understanding of the specific needs of this group and address the disparities in access to resources and assistance, both in emergencies and in everyday life. We will look at the unique challenges faced by people with disabilities during the migration process, including the lack of resources and attention in shelters, as well as the importance of considering their medical needs during disasters. This conversation will be in Spanish with English interpretation available. Register here. |
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Wednesday, July 10 @ 1:00 PM CST
Libraries Lead the Way: Creating and Fostering Community Connections During Welcoming Week and All Year Long
Want to engage in your community's welcoming work or activate new cross-sector partnerships for local inclusion and belonging? Libraries are one of a community's greatest connectors and they can be a driving force for your welcoming efforts.
All interested welcomers are invited to join us for this webinar featuring local libraries sharing examples of their year-round welcoming work; discussing how local partnerships can be activated and convened via libraries; and sharing details of a special toolkit designed by the American Library Association that can be used to participate in Welcoming Week and more. Register here. |
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Saturday, July 13 @ 10:30 AM CST
Digital Literacy Workshop
Asian American Resource Center - 8401 Cameron Road, Austin, TX 78754
Join Trúc Việt for a free introductory Digital Literacy Workshop designed to provide basic education in digital literacy and equip adults with the tools and skills needed to become more comfortable with technology. Vietnamese interpretation available. Register here.
What You Will Learn:
- How to use personal devices like smartphones, tablets, laptops, etc.
- Navigating the internet
- Email & Internet safety
- Installing and using applications
Additional Information:
- Bring your own personal devices for one-on-one help
- Free for all participants, but participants must register
- Free lunch will be provided
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Tuesday, July 16 @ 3:00 PM CST
Digital Security 101 Training with Just Futures Law on 7/16
Just Futures Law is hosting a Digital Security 101 training for organizers and advocates working for immigrant rights. This online session will cover digital security risks for communities targeted by ICE surveillance and offer tips to keep our communities and organizing efforts safe both online and offline. Register here. |
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Wednesday, July 17 @ 1:00 PM CST
Learn About the Caring Schools Network and How to Join for the 2024-2025 School Year
We invite you to this webinar to learn about a special opportunity for schools in Welcoming America’s network and beyond to join the Caring Schools Network (CSN) for the 2024-2025 school year.
The CSN was created by Making Caring Common, a project of Harvard’s Graduate School of Education, and it is designed for K-12 schools who are interested in creating more caring school and classroom communities, improving peer and student-to-adult relationships, and supporting student emotional and moral development and mental health. Register here. |
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Wednesday, July 31 @ 6:00 PM CST
Equity Action Team Meeting
Street-Jones Building - 1000 E. 11th Street, 4th Floor Conference Room
We are excited to host you for our in-person July EAT meeting! We'll connect over a meal, and then get our meeting started by 6:30pm. Presentations to be announced. Make sure to RSVP for the meeting to receive updates. |
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The Climate Justice Collaborative is launching the Climate Displaced Leaders Organizing Program (July-Dec 2024) to build a national leadership base of immigrants and refugees displaced by climate change. The program aims to enhance the capabilities of immigrant and refugee organizations in developing climate-displaced leaders and advocating for U.S. leadership in climate migration. Interested individuals should complete an interest form. |
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A new research report published by Just Futures Law and Mijente found that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) uses AI (artificial intelligence) to automate decisions impacting detentions, deportations, and access to immigration benefits and relief. The research shows that DHS’s use of AI threatens to worsen the existing discriminatory practices of the immigration system which could impact the civil and privacy rights of millions of immigrants, families and the larger U.S. community. |
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Austin Public Health and Integral Care recently launched a public health awareness campaign in support of children's mental health and substance abuse prevention. The campaign will highlight the free Youth Mental Health First Aid Training which is generously supported by Travis County and offered by Integral Care to individuals, schools, businesses, and organizations in Austin and Travis County. Don’t miss the opportunity to participate in a Youth Mental Health First Aid training session, offered at no cost. Register here.
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