Hispanic/Latino Quality of Life Resource Advisory Commission - Feb. 22, 2022
Hispanic/Latino Quality of Life Resource Advisory Commission Regular Meeting of the Hispanic Latino Quality of Life Resource Advisory Commission - Hybrid virtual and in-person meeting
REGULAR MEETING OF THE HISPANIC/LATINO QUALITY OF LIFE RESOURCE ADVISORY COMMISSION TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2022 AT 5:30 PM PERMITTING AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER - ROOM 1203 6310 WILHELMINA DELCO DR, AUSTIN, TX 78752 Some members of the Commission may be participating by videoconference Public comment will be allowed in-person or remotely by telephone. Speakers may only register to speak on an item once either in-person or remotely and will be allowed up to three minutes to provide their comments. Registration no later than noon the day before the meeting is required for remote participation. To register: Call or email the board liaison at Amanda.Jasso@austintexas.gov or 512-974-9107. The information required is the speaker name, item number(s) they wish to speak on if applicable, email address and telephone number (must be the same number that will be used to call into the meeting). AGENDA CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS: Amanda Afifi, District 2, Chair Sharon Vigil, District 7, Vice-Chair Ricardo Garay, District 3 Jesus Perales, District 8 Zaira R. Garcia, District 4 CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL Each speaker will have three minutes to speak Maria C. Solis, District 5 Felicia Peña, Mayor Sandy Ramirez, District 6 Daniela Silva, District 1 District 9 - Vacant District 10 - Vacant 1. APPROVAL OF JANUARY MEETING MINUTES 2. STAFF BRIEFINGS a. Intergovernmental Relations Office – Overview of 87th Legislative Session & three special sessions, with legislation passed that impacts City of Austin. Presenter: Brie L. Franco, Intergovernmental Relations Officer 3. PUBLIC BRIEFINGS a. American Gateways – Overview of outcomes and successes related to legal services and partnership with the City. Presenter: Natalia Drelichman, Co-Director of Programs and Operations 4. NEW BUSINESS a. Discussion – Welcome Commissioner Silva, District 1 b. Discussion and possible action regarding budget engagement forums 5. OLD BUSINESS Discussion and possible action: a. Economic Development and Access to Affordable Housing work group (Commissioner Garcia) b. Health Work Group (Commissioner Garay) c. Representatives to Joint Inclusion Committee (Chair Afifi and Vice-Chair Vigil) d. Representatives to Commission on Seniors (Commissioner Solis) e. Budget and Policy Priorities Work Group (Chair Afifi, Vice-Chair Vigil, and Commissioner Peña) f. COVID-19 Work Group (Vacant) g. Education Work Group (Chair Afifi, Vice-Chair Vigil, and Commissioner Garcia) h. Public Safety Work Group (Chair Afifi and Commissioner Peña) i. Arts and Culture Work Group (Chair Afifi) j. Strategic Initiatives and HLQOL Report (Vice-Chair Vigil, Chair Afifi, and Commissioners Garay, Perales, and Solis) …
OUR WORK IN 2021 Hispanic/Latinx Quality of Life Resource Advisory Commission 02/22/2022 WHO ARE WE? Serving the Austin community for over 30 years - since 1987 Originally known as the Political Asylum Project of Austin (PAPA) 501(C)(3) non-profit Providing immigration legal services, advocacy, and education OUR LEGAL SERVICES... Legal Representation ● Survivors of crime & family violence ● Asylum ● DACA ● Family-based Immigration ● Deportation defense Pro Se representation ● Translations ● Legal orientation at detention centers & Immigration Court ● Coordination of pro bono representation Outreach ● Legal clinics & workshops ● Community education for immigrant community & service providers 15,000+ We empowered over 15,000 individuals with legal information and services in 2021 - in 23 counties and four federal detention centers $800,000+ Over $800,000 worth of volunteer and pro bono attorney hours leveraged to assist our clients Mrs. S lives in Austin with her husband and young daughter. Originally from Iraq, Mrs. S is a legal resident and petitioned for her husband’s residency with American Gateways’ help. During the application process, Mrs. S worked seven days a week to avoid seeking public benefits, fearful that receiving benefits would negatively affect her husband’s pending case. Her husband, an electronic and electrical engineer by trade, was unable to legally work while his case was pending. American Gateways aided Mrs. S and her husband in navigating the restrictive Trump-era public charge rule; her husband was the first-named plaintiff in a lawsuit challenging the implementation of the rule. The new administration’s reversal of the public charge rule created a path for Mrs. S and her family. Now, her husband has his legal permanent residency. ASYLUM CLINICS FOR AFGHAN EVACUEES Central Texas anticipates welcoming over 1,000 Afghan evacuees in 2022, many whom will need legal support filing for asylum. In partnership with local non-profits, American Gateways will be offering free asylum clinics to Afghan families in 2022. A past asylum clinic, pre-COVID TEMPORARY PROTECTED STATUS (TPS) CLINICS In the fall 2021, we partnered with Casa Marianella to offer a Temporary Protected Status clinic for Haitians DACA CLINICS FOR DREAMers We have been offering virtual DACA clinics for eligible applicants. Our DACA renewal clinics pre-COVID. OUTREACH TO AUSTIN COMMUNITY DURING OUR 2021 CONTRACT WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN… ❏ 40 new individuals received legal representation, including 18 in removal proceedings, most of whom are asylum-seekers ❏ We continued legal representation for 140 individuals, …
