Rupa Shenoy, a reporter for PRI's The World, recently published a story titled "Fearing detention, undocumented immigrants seek ways to appoint guardians for their children". Appleseed is humbled to have contributed to this important story about a very pressing family issue.

From the story: "Many undocumented immigrants in the US have been living with the threat of deportation for years — and those who are parents have an additional fear: What will happen to their children if they’re detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement?"

“To be honest, we did not have an answer,' said Elisa Ortiz at the Appleseed Network — a nonprofit group in Washington, DC, that works on social justice issues. They started looking into this in 2017....She said most states don’t have laws in place that allow parents to appoint guardians in the event of their detention or deportation....Activists, lawyers and immigrants across the country have been trying to find solutions."

We've been working on this issue along with our incredible pro bono partners Latham & Watkins LLP and will soon be able to share guidance with immigrant families and practitioners about standby guardianship laws in their states or U.S. territories. Please stay tuned!

Here at Appleseed, we believe the first step to meaningful systemic change is to bring an array of diverse stakeholders together to discuss social justice issues and develop sustainable solutions. As a thought leader and resource distributor, we understand the importance of bringing experts together, sharing bold ideas, and taking action for change.

It was in this spirit that Appleseed recently co-hosted our first Bold Idea Symposium at the Ford Foundation for Social Justice in New York City alongside Princeton AlumniCorps. There, we discussed a variety of immigration and forced migration issues, as well as how to effectuate real change through networks and coalitions. The event was part of a broader project with Princeton AlumniCorps, funded by a grant from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation secured thanks to the efforts of Ralph Nader, a founder of both organizations.

To learn more about our Bold Idea Partnership with Princeton AlumniCorps and the the Bold Idea Symposium, please read our July newsletter (below). As always, thanks so much for being a supporter of Appleseed and let us know if you have any questions.

On 12/5/18, Princeton AlumniCorps and Appleseed hosted a webinar presentation and Q & A on the topic of “Care for the Caregivers” of undocumented and displaced people. This webinar was the 3rd in a series as part of a partnership between Princeton AlumniCorps and Appleseed, funded by the Hewlett Foundation, which aims to promote network-based collaboration on issues facing immigrants and refugees.

WEBINAR SUMMARY – SUPPORTING IMMIGRANT STUDENTS IN UNIVERSITIES
Hosted by Princeton AlumniCorps & Appleseed
Held on 9/27/2018

PLEASE JOIN US FOR THE WEBINAR

“SUPPORTING IMMIGRANT STUDENTS IN UNIVERSITIES”
Hosted by Princeton AlumniCorps & Appleseed
Thursday, September 27 at 1 PM EDT

June 29, 2018

Over the weekend, President Trump proposed depriving undocumented immigrants of their due-process rights. In this message via Twitter, the President announced his intention to implement “zero tolerance” when it comes to immigrants crossing the border, and demanded that they be sent back immediately “with no Judges or Court Cases.”

On April 11, Princeton AlumniCorps and Appleseed hosted a webinar presentation and Q/A on the topic of trauma and mental health in immigrant and refugee communities, featuring two experts in the field. More than 160 viewers from all over the United States tuned in to listen and learn from Dr. Usha Tummala-Narra and Dr. Maria Nardone about the various aspects of trauma, including the effects of the current political climate on mental wellness and the generational impact of chronic stress on immigrant families.