News & Commentary

Omar Arnoldo Rivera Martinez fled to the United States from his native El Salvador to escape persecution and violence from organized gangs that use their power to extort, kidnap and kill with little consequences. He traveled thousands of miles over unforgiving terrain to seek asylum in the U.S. But what he found here was more violence and depravation – not on the streets, but in a U.S. immigration detention facility.

Last week, Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos confirmed what we have long suspected: she and President Trump are prioritizing private education at the expense of an equitable K-12 public education for all. 

Trump’s reaction to the recent London terrorist attack was not only arrogant and tasteless. It was frightening.

Imagine you just moved to Los Angeles. You can’t find a job and are temporarily homeless. And just when you think things can’t get worse, you’re arrested for blocking a sidewalk when you set up a tent to sleep. You appear at your court date and because you can’t afford a lawyer, the judge tells you to speak with a public defender.

Political action doesn’t always have to take the form of marching, holding a house party or calling your local representative. You can make a bold and necessary political statement just by buying a movie ticket.

The Los Angeles Police Commission is considering new guidelines for LAPD body camera video footage, and you have until May 7th to weigh-in. This is your chance to influence critical issues surrounding police transparency: When do body camera videos get released? Who gets to see it? Should relatives of victims play a role in these decisions? 

What are we doing to democracy ourselves?

This is not Arizona. But when it comes to police policies on immigrants across California, you wouldn’t know it.

States and localities can reject the Trump administration’s reckless and inhumane deportation agenda by ensuring that its police forces and basic public services will not be used to facilitate deportations.