News & Commentary

Every year, money bail boosts bail insurance corporations’ profits at the expense of millions of low-income people of color.

For months, the Trump administration has tried to bully local communities into signing up to become extensions of the federal deportation system. That campaign of threats and public shaming based on flawed data — which has been mostly unsuccessful — suffered another major blow yesterday. A federal court in San Francisco ruled in two cases that the president’s threats were unconstitutional, and stopped the government from carrying them out anywhere in the country. The ruling vindicates the constitutional rights of cities, counties, and states to refuse to participate in deportations. And like the court orders halting the president’s Muslim ban, the ruling shows the crucial role that courts play in preventing presidential overreach.

Did you know that California pioneered the public defender system in the early 1900s? It’s time for our state to step up again.

California incarcerates thousands of people while they await their court dates – simply because they can’t afford to post bail. Meanwhile, wealthy people can easily buy their freedom. 

One disturbing new trend is the increase in immigration arrests at state courthouses across the country. Beyond posing public safety dangers, these arrests also threaten our constitutional rights.

Two weeks ago, a mother of two was driving to church when local police pulled her over. The officer issued a fix-it ticket and within 30 minutes, immigration officers were at her door to deport her. She is now living in hiding. 

While California already has many great laws in place, there’s much work to do for civil rights and civil liberties – especially now as the Trump Administration begins its attack on the most vulnerable among us.

Knowing Trayvon Martin’s story, and the history of the struggle against racial profiling, helps us to free ourselves from the myths of racism.

When Donald Trump takes the oath of office, he will inherit an unprecedented surveillance state that includes expansive powers and databases filled with information on millions of people.