2021 Bill & Budget Priorities

Protecting Immigrants and Refugees from Detention and Deportation

  • The VISION Act (AB 937-Carrillo) - Criminalized refugees and immigrants are the most vulnerable to detention and deportation by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The VISION Act will protect refugee and immigrant community members who have already been deemed eligible for release from being funneled by local jails and our state prison system to immigration detention.
  • Abolish ICE Resolution (AJR-1-Kalra) - Since its establishment almost 20 years ago, ICE has routinely engaged in violent human rights abuses, using deceptive practices and billions of dollars in federal funding to achieve its sole purpose of inhumane detention and deportation. The Abolish ICE Resolution calls for the U.S. Congress to abolish the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency. 

Ensuring Equity in Education

  • The College Access for All Act  (SB 309-Leyva) - All California high school students, regardless of income, ethnicity, or status, should have an equal opportunity to access coursework and resources that put them on the path to higher education. The College Access for All Act and the accompanying budget requests will reduce barriers to college readiness at the most underserved schools and advance equity in our educational system and economy. ​

Advancing Equitable Language Access to Worker Benefits

  • Ensuring Equitable Language Access at EDD (AB 401-Chiu) - California is currently failing residents with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) who are in many cases unable to get the information and resources they need to access their benefits. AB 401 takes steps to ensure that all Californians seeking benefits provided by the Employment Development Department (EDD) have the language support required to access the services and benefits they need.
  • ​Action: submit this letter of support for AB 401.

Keeping Our Communities Healthy 

  • Health4All (AB 4-Arambula) and (SB 56-Durazo) - Currently, many Californians are denied access to Medi-Cal coverage due to their undocumented immigration status. Health4All acknowledge that healthcare is a human right by extending Medi-Cal eligibility to those who qualify for the coverage aside from their immigration status.

Combatting Anti-Asian Hate and Violence

  • Hate Violence Victim Support Act (AB 886-Chiu) - The recent surge in anti-Asian hate and violence demands community-based solutions that invest in true safety for all of us. AB 886 will support culturally competent mental health services for victims of hate violence and restorative justice programs and expand access to victim compensation funds.
  • Action: submit this letter of support for AB 886.
Asian Americans Advancing Justice - California is a partnership of two non-profit organizations:

Advancing Justice - Asian Law Caucus

AJSOCAL
Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Asian Law Caucus (Advancing Justice – ALC) was founded in 1972 as the nation’s first legal and civil rights Asian American organization. Recognizing that social, economic, political and racial inequalities continue to exist in the United States, Advancing Justice – ALC is committed to the pursuit of equality and justice for all sectors of our society, with a specific focus directed toward addressing the needs of low-income, immigrant and underserved Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California (AJSOCAL) is the nation’s largest legal and civil rights organization for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (NHPI). Through direct services, impact litigation, policy advocacy, leadership development, and capacity building, AJSOCAL focuses on the most vulnerable members of Asian American and NHPI communities while also building a strong voice for civil rights and social justice.