San Francisco Immigrant Rights Commission

Full Commission District 11 Neighborhood Meeting

1. Call to Order and Roll Call
Imam Abu-Qadir Al Amin welcomed Commissioners, invited speakers and members of the public to the Muslim Community Center prior to the call to order.

Chair Kennelly called the meeting to order at 5:52 pm. 

Present: Chair Kennelly, Vice Chair Paz, Commissioners Enssani (6:01 pm), Fujii, Khojasteh (left at 8:00 pm), Kong, Radwan, Rahimi, Ricarte and Wong

Not present: Commissioners Gaime, Gurvits (excused), Roy (excused), Wang (excused).

Staff present: Commission Director Pon, Deputy Director Fernández Sykes, Commission Clerk Shore, Senior Communications Specialist Richardson, Office Manager Chan, Language Access Specialists Li and Cosenza, Ambassadors Munoz, Baty, Moore, Tautolo, Sing and Borres, and Willie L. Brown Fellow Khan.

2. Opening Remarks
a. Introduction to Special Hearing by Chair Celine Kennelly
Chair Kennelly welcomed community members to the Full Commission District 11 Neighborhood Meeting and introduced Rachael Tanner, Legislative Aide for District 11 Supervisor Ahsha Safaí.

b. Welcoming Remarks by Rachael Tanner, Legislative Aide to District 11 Supervisor Ahsha Safaí
Legislative Aide Rachael Tanner expressed Supervisor Safaí’s regrets in not being able to join the meeting, provided a brief overview, and stated that she would listen and relay the concerns of District 11 community members to the supervisor.

3. Action Item: Approval of previous minutes
a. Approval of March 12, 2018 Full Commission Meeting Minutes
(Information/Discussion/Action)
Chair Kennelly invited Commissioners to review the minutes from the March 12, 2018 meeting. Commissioner Rahimi motioned to approve the minutes. Vice Chair Paz seconded the motion. The minutes were approved unanimously.

4. Invited Speakers
Chair Kennelly asked each invited speaker to share the key concerns they are hearing from their respective communities.

Imam Abu-Qadir Al Amin | Muslim Community Center
“It’s not enough to have laws on the books.”
Imam Abu-Qadir Al Amin of the Muslim Community Center provided testimony on living in a climate of hysteria where children are afraid to go to school. He stated that people are being vilified because of the color of their skin, their national origin, or in the case of the travel ban, their religion. He noted that it is not enough to have laws on the books. Though the law says African Americans have equal rights as everyone else, he stated, they don’t get equal treatment. Although there have been laws on the books for years, he noted the many cases of African Americans who end up dead for minor things. He stressed the need to work to address people’s underlying beliefs and values in order to change the mindset that continues to exist. He identified economic disparities as a top concern of his community, noting the stark income inequality that exists between African American and white households in San Francisco.

Sally Kinoshita | Immigrant Legal Resource Center
“This has led to a lot of fear and panic. We’re already seeing disenrollment.”
Sally Kinoshita, deputy director of the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, provided an overview of the upcoming changes to public charge regulations. Under current law, a public charge is defined as someone who is dependent on the government for subsistence through cash assistance or long-term institutionalized care. An immigrant determined to be a public charge can be barred from entering the United States, denied a green card, or be deported. The draft regulations would expand the factors that may be considered in public charge determinations to non-cash public benefits, such as food stamps, Medi-Cal, Affordable Care Act subsidies, Section 8 housing and Earned Income Tax Credits, including the use of benefits by U.S.-citizen family members. Although the leaked changes have not been officially issued, Kinoshita noted that they have created panic among immigrant communities, and many people have already disenrolled from public benefits programs.

Commissioner Enssani, Vice Chair Paz, Director Pon, Commissioner Rahimi and Chair Kennelly asked Kinoshita about the impact of the upcoming changes. Kinoshita responded to questions and encouraged community members to follow the issue and submit individual comments during the 60-day public comment period after the regulations are published.

Marco Montenegro | Excelsior Works!
“How can individuals and families live and thrive … when they are facing threats to their quality of life?”Marco Montenegro, director of Excelsior Works!, painted a picture of an immigrant community in crisis. He questioned how individuals and families could thrive when they were facing threats to their quality of life and an unhealthy level of stress. Among the key issues he identified were threats of deportation, immigrants who do not have a network to rely on, and the fear of what will happen to their children if they are detained.

Montenegro identified the threat of eviction as a top concern in the Excelsior, where he stated there were 648 no-fault evictions between 2014 and 2016. He described overcrowded living conditions, with families living in garages and subtenants receiving eviction notices because they do not have proper leases. He also identified trauma as a challenge that many residents experience as a result of shootings, domestic violence and violence in their home countries.

Montenegro highlighted two efforts by the City to improve conditions: helping Latino families apply for Below Market Rate (BMR) housing with the Latino Parity and Equity Coalition; and taking a holistic approach to workforce development that includes addressing immigration concerns. He recommended that the Commission focus on services that remove barriers, including English-language classes, affordable child care, paid skills-development programs, and access to emergency funding. He also asked how the Commission could be integrated into the visioning process through the Excelsior and Outer Mission Strategy working group led by the Supervisor’s Office.

Sharif Zakout | Arab Resource & Organizing Center (AROC)
“How does sanctuary work if I can’t afford to live here?”
“We are seeing an increasing number of undocumented individuals from Arabic-speaking countries who reside outside of San Francisco … Most of these individuals could have avoided their current predicament had they been outreached to about the services and support we have accessible for them.”
Sharif Zakout, lead organizer of the Arab Resource & Organizing Center (AROC), provided testimony on the difficult conditions for Arab and Muslim communities in San Francisco over the past year and a half. He stated that he has seen an increasing number of undocumented individuals from Arabic-speaking countries who live outside of San Francisco, many of whom could have avoided their current predicament had they been outreached to about the services and support accessible to them. He noted that fewer San Francisco residents are seeking help from his organization because they can’t afford to live here anymore and questioned how a sanctuary can work if people cannot afford to live here. He noted that immigrant communities are at the intersection of housing, education, employment and police violence. Zakout spoke about the recent officer-involved shooting, noting that the SFPD and other institutions have a history of extreme force on communities of color and stated that he would like to believe there is another way.

Bahlam Javier Vigil | District 11 Youth Commissioner
“I’ve been having nightmares of my parents getting deported. If they get deported, I lose everything, I live with this trauma.”
District 11 Youth Commissioner Bahlam Javier Vigil shared his testimony as a private individual who is a first-generation Latino with immigrant parents. Vigil described growing up realizing that many parents were getting deported. He stated that as a child, he had a nightmare that his mother was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). With news of the recent immigration actions in Northern California, he stated that he continues to have nightmares about it. Vigil, who has advocated for DACA, noted that the immigrant community is not just made of DACA recipients. He stated that immigrants need resources that focus on the family unit, not just the individual.

He identified lack of information as a key challenge. Many new immigrants do not know where they can access services, he stated, noting that his parents did not know they were eligible for a green card as a result of his disabilities. He recommended creating a central body that can advocate for and provide these resources to immigrants. He noted the need to address the mental health impacts on children and youth, saying that many children may need therapy as a result of the increased stress on their families. He cautioned the Commission to focus on the entire family and not forget about the impact on children.

Julie McDevitt | Mission Neighborhood Health Center
“There is an overall level of stress on top of any other stress they have in their life. Some people are able to talk about anxiety; others are sort of numb about it. Mixed-status families have different responses within the same family.”
“The anxiety fluctuates a lot because of the news. We saw this with DACA and TPS. Every time something comes, anxiety shoots up as well.”
Julie McDevitt, Behavioral Health Manager of the Mission Neighborhood Health Center, provided testimony on the health impacts of anxiety among immigrant communities. Among the challenges she listed were lack of information about rumors of ICE presence. The Rapid Response Network is a valuable resource but the information often does not get back into the community. She stated that there was also uncertainty among community members about what it means that San Francisco is a sanctuary city. She discussed the importance of getting “Know Your Rights” information into the community and questioned how best to utilize that information beyond red cards, for example by making a family safety plan.

McDevitt has observed an increased level of stress. Mixed-status families can have different responses within the same family and anxiety levels fluctuate with the news or a new policy change announcement. She is starting to hear questions about public charge, as well as about eligibility and risks of applying for programs, even non-governmental programs such as El Centro de la Raza’s emergency fund. People are afraid to go to the police as many have experienced trauma from violence in their home countries.

McDevitt noted that following the increase in unaccompanied minors fleeing violence in Central America, she has seen many women fleeing with their children from those same areas. Many don’t know they are eligible for asylum. Among the challenges she listed were lack of housing, lack of work authorization, and the trauma of fleeing their countries of origin. She has seen women in exploitative housing conditions and noted the ripple effect that immigration policy changes have had on the community. People find it hard to get employment and housing if they are undocumented; and employers don’t want to put themselves at risk by hiring undocumented workers.

Maria Elena Ramos | PODER
“La crisis es para todos. Para ellos [los inmigrantes indocumentados], es peor.”
“Immigrant communities are more vulnerable to displacement and evictions. The City does not listen to their voices in regards to development or answer their needs accordingly. We need to build 100 percent affordable housing, no matter their immigration status.”
Maria Elena Ramos, a language access promotora and staff member of PODER, provided testimony in Spanish with interpretation by OCEIA Language Access Specialist Arturo Cosenza. She stated that she has heard more immigrants expressing fears of deportation and expedited removal than ever before and noted that many immigrants are even afraid to participate in her organization’s activities.

Ramos cited affordable housing as a key challenge for immigrant communities. She stated that immigrant communities are more vulnerable to displacement and eviction and that the City does not take their needs into account when planning developments. She called for 100 percent affordable housing, regardless of immigration status, and asked government organizations to work together to help immigrant communities that are now more vulnerable than ever.

Terry Valen | Filipino Community Center
“The answer is strong community organizations so we can continue to fight this thing. For us, sanctuary is in our organizing.”
“We need 100 percent affordable housing. We don’t need to replace the neighbors we have.”
Terry Valen, executive director of the Filipino Community Center, noted that the Excelsior has the highest number of Filipinos in San Francisco. He listed gentrification as a key challenge that is impacting businesses and residents, noting that gentrification in South of Market had displaced half of the Filipino community. He called for 100 percent affordable housing. He noted the importance of language access, saying that affordable housing information had not been translated into Tagalog.

Valen called for stronger communities and stronger community organizations. He described the importance of organizing during a recent ICE raid on a community member living in a garage in Daly City. The owner of the house let ICE agents in, and they handcuffed a Filipina mother, pulling her out of the house with the door locked behind her, leaving her young daughter behind unsupervised. The woman later showed them a red card, and community members activated the Rapid Response Network. They were able to get her legal support and she was able to stay with her daughter.

Chair Kennelly thanked the invited speakers for their comments and invited Commissioners to ask questions.

Commissioners Enssani, Radwan, Rahimi and Vice Chair Paz asked questions of the speakers.

Commissioner Enssani asked Montenegro about the percentage of immigrants being evicted and whether he had partnered with City College to create English-language classes. Montenegro stated that he only had racial data on evictions. He stated that he had been in contact with City College and noted the importance of providing language classes in the community.

Commissioner Enssani asked a representative from the Muslim Community Center about the percentage of Muslim and Arab Americans. He responded that the center includes a diverse congregation including African Americans, Yemeni, Arab, Palestinian and Southeast Asian immigrants.

Commissioner Radwan asked Montenegro how the Immigrant Rights Commission could help promote a network for newly arrived immigrants. Montenegro stated that he has reached out to new immigrants through holiday celebrations for specific communities, such as Lunar New Year for Chinese immigrants or Mothers’ Day for Latino immigrants.

Commissioner Rahimi discussed the Safety Net Committee and invited community members to join their meetings. He asked for help from community members in identifying gaps in resources and how to get the City to secure resources that are missing.

Vice Chair Paz noted that fear is preventing many immigrants from accessing resources that they need, while other immigrants do not know where to go to access those services.

Youth Commissioner Vigil suggested that the Youth Commission partner with the Immigrant Rights Commission to draft a resolution on the effect of immigration policy on young people, and present the resolution together to the Board of Supervisors.

5. Public Comment
Chair Kennelly invited members of the public to share their testimonies.

Kenneth Chen | District Office of Assemblymember David Chiu
“We don’t know what’s going to happen but please stay tuned.”
Kenneth Chen, field representative for the District Office of Assemblymember David Chiu, provided an overview of state bill AB 2184 (Chiu, D-San Francisco), the Immigrant Business Inclusion Act, which would require local governments to accept alternatives to social security numbers for local business licenses. He also provided an update on AB 450 (Chiu, D-San Francisco), the Immigrant Worker Protection Act, one of three state laws that is being challenged in a lawsuit by the Department of Justice. Chen encouraged Commissioners and community members to continue to follow developments in the case.

Nicky Trasviña
“When I retired last year, there was one career counselor.”
Nicky Trasviña, a retired advisor with San Francisco State University, provided testimony on the lack of career resources at the university. She stated that as of last year, there was one career counselor for the entire university, noting that no large companies come to the university’s career days.

Brenda Storey | Mission Neighborhood Health Center
“For the first time in 20 years, I am concerned that there might be a mandate coming down to Federally Qualified Health Centers about our ability to serve immigrant communities.”
Brenda Storey, executive director and CEO of Mission Neighborhood Health Center, discussed the upcoming changes to public charge. She stated that she was concerned that Federally Qualified Health Centers may be mandated to stop serving immigrant communities. She asked if the City and County of San Francisco could actively monitor this issue.

Shreya Kumar
“This is my 25th day as a U.S. citizen.”
Shreya Kumar provided testimony as a newly naturalized U.S. citizen, noting that this was his 25th day as a U.S. citizen. He stated that he learned about the Commission from Chair Kennelly’s speech at his recent naturalization ceremony. An engineer at Uber, Kumar stated that he had established a resource group for immigrants in the company.

Menelik Abdul | Muslim Community Center
“They are undercutting the requirement for people in extremely low income categories.”
Menelik Abdul of the Muslim Community Center identified affordable housing as a key concern for his community, noting that he lives in Hunters Point, where many African Americans moved from the South to work in the shipyards. Abdul argued that the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Development was out of compliance with the law that guarantees affordable housing to people in lower income categories, and discussed the importance of the oversight committee to hold them accountable.

Chair Kennelly invited Commissioners to ask questions of members of the public.

Commissioner Enssani stated that she would bring the issue of career counseling to the office of the president of San Francisco State. Commissioner Rahimi stated that he could help facilitate the connection between large employers and San Francisco State.

Kinoshita announced the Catalyst Fund, a new fund to support services for undocumented students at California community colleges and state universities.

Commissioner Khojasteh asked Director Pon about the status of the Immigrant Support Hub. Director Pon stated that the hub is live and in beta mode.

6. Ad-Hoc Committee Report Back
(Information/Discussion/Action)
Chair Kennelly invited Commissioners to share updates on their committees.

a. Safety Net / Health & Well-Being
Vice Chair Paz stated that Commissioners would use the information from the Neighborhood Commission Meeting to inform the Safety Net Committee’s work at their next meeting. He noted the importance of making sure the Immigrant Support Hub represents the diversity of resources in San Francisco.

b. Immigration Policy and Muslim Ban
Commissioner Rahimi discussed the Immigration Policy Committee’s planned actions items.

c. Communications
Commissioner Ricarte stated that the Communications Committee is working on strategies and will have more to report at the next meeting.

7. Old Business
a. Staff Report (Director Pon and OCEIA Staff)
Director Pon stated that the next SF Pathways to Citizenship workshop is April 21, 2018 at Microsoft. Commissioners interested in volunteering may contact staff or register on the volunteer line.

b. Immigrant Leadership Awards Event Update
Director Pon announced that the Immigrant Leadership Awards would take place on June 11, 2018 at San Francisco City Hall.

8. New Business
There was no new business.

9. Adjournment
Chair Kennelly adjourned the meeting at 8:04 pm.