Latest news with #Aguayo
CBS News
08-03-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Farmer's market vendors in San Francisco grapple with uncertainty over tariffs
Uncertainty of tariffs and trade between key trading partners is forcing some farmers and local producers to increase their prices as President Trump hits pause on 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico, which supply a host of materials for American farming methods. At the Heart of the City Farmers Market at Civic Center, affordability is key. Serving a neighborhood with limited access to fresh, affordable produce, the market is a vital resource for low-income families. But with rising supply costs, farmers find themselves caught between soaring expenses and the need to keep prices low for their customers. Joel Aguayo of Castellanos Farms knows this struggle firsthand. His farm offers a variety of fruits, including mandarins, grapefruits, and oranges, but the rising cost of materials is squeezing his bottom line. "I feel like once the prices go up, they're never going to come back down," Aguayo said. "And it's not like we can just raise the price on produce, because then the people won't be able to afford it. The farmers are eating the cost." At Castellanos Farms, planting season has arrived, but tariffs and supply chain disruptions with Canada, Mexico and China have already pushed up the prices of essential materials like drip tape and metal stakes by at least 30%. Despite these challenges, Aguayo remains committed to keeping prices low. "We're not complaining, we're just talking about it," he said. "We have to buy it. There's no other way around it." While some farmers, like Aguayo, are absorbing the increased costs, others have no choice but to raise prices. Uriel Castillo, another vendor at the farmers market, said he has resisted price hikes for as long as possible but can no longer avoid them. "Maybe raise the prices a little bit," Castillo said. "You can see on my table, the prices are very, very low. I think I'm the only one, but I need to go up now. We need to do that." The economic uncertainty is making it difficult for farmers to plan ahead. Dan Sumner, a professor of agricultural economics at the University of California, Davis, said it's still too early to determine the full impact of tariffs and supply chain disruptions on local farmers. The worst thing right now is the uncertainty of it," Sumner said. "What we do know — and there's no debate about it among economists — is that putting on tariffs raises costs for consumers and producers, and the economy as a whole loses." For vendors like Castillo, the uncertainty is unsettling. "We are nervous right now," he said. "If we increase prices, it's going to be bad for everyone." Despite the economic pressures, Aguayo prefers to focus on his work rather than politics. "We're busy working at the farm and at the farmers market to even know what's going on," he said. "Hopefully, it turns out for the best. Hopefully, customers have more money in the long run, and we're able to jump the price up a little bit — even like 50 cents helps out a lot." If costs continue to rise, farmers worry that it won't just be their profits at risk—it could also mean the loss of affordable produce for the communities that need it most.
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Freeze on funding to help green card holders get citizenship stirs uncertainty
The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights in Los Angeles, or CHIRLA, is one of a number of organizations that serve immigrants by helping lawful permanent residents earn U.S. citizenship. But those services were jeopardized last month, when the coalition got a notification from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) stating that their congressionally approved funding had been put on hold. The funding freeze meant disruptions to students receiving civics instruction, taking classes to learn English and getting ready for citizenship interviews and exams. Over a hundred other organizations have also had their services interrupted, with no end in sight. 'It's not fair,' Karla Aguayo, director of legal services at CHIRLA, told NBC News on Friday. The notification, which was received via email on Feb. 4, was no longer than five sentences. It read: 'Effective immediately, your grant from USCIS is frozen in accordance with the pause in activities,' generally citing a Jan. 28 memo from the Department of Homeland Security without specifics. 'Payments are not available at this time. We recognize this will have an impact on your organization. We are unable to provide a timeline on this freeze.' CHIRLA hasn't heard from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services after that email, Aguayo said. On Friday, 35 Democratic members of Congress sent a letter to USCIS Acting Director Kika Scott and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem seeking answers on the funding freeze. 'There has been no indication, evidence or even outright allegation that grantees have failed to meet their commitments or contractual obligations in good faith — raising serious concerns over the justification for disrupting their ability to provide crucial services,' reads the letter, which was first obtained by NBC News. If USCIS funding is not reinstated to this program, it will erase the progress made in reducing naturalization backlogs in recent years, the lawmakers said in the letter, spearheaded by Rep. Jimmy Gomez, D-Calif., whose parents immigrated from Mexico. If backlogs grow, the time it takes to process citizenship applications will likely double. USCIS told NBC News in an email the agency has "nothing further to add on this matter" in addition to what's in the memo, which cites "concerns that these grants may not be an efficient use of government resources" as a reason for the funding freeze. DHS has not responded to a request for comment. As grantees of the Citizenship and Assimilation Grant Program, CHIRLA was set to receive $450,000 in federal funding from USCIS from October 2023 until September of this year to help hundreds of green card holders. "We want to create as many citizens as we can," Aguayo said. The funding freeze has sent the coalition on a race to find alternate funding to afford the labor needed to assist immigrants with their citizenship applications. 'We're not waiting because it's already been over a month, and we haven't heard anything' from USCIS. 'We can't now abruptly pass on this inconvenience to the students. We can't just say, 'Oh, sorry, no more funding. Today is the last day of class,'' she said. In the letter, the lawmakers said the grant program has improved efficiency by "equipping eligible applicants with the tools to navigate the naturalization process more effectively — saving USCIS valuable time and resources otherwise spent resolving errors, issuing requests for evidence, or reprocessing applications." Lawful permanent residents, or green-card holders, who may be eligible to become naturalized citizens this year may find the situation "disheartening," according to Aguayo. But "we always encourage people to apply despite the circumstances," she said. This article was originally published on
NBC News
07-03-2025
- Politics
- NBC News
Freeze on funding to help green card holders get citizenship stirs uncertainty
The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights in Los Angeles, or CHIRLA, is one of a number of organizations that serve immigrants by helping lawful permanent residents earn U.S. citizenship. But those services were jeopardized last month, when the coalition got a notification from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) stating that their congressionally approved funding had been put on hold. The funding freeze meant disruptions to students receiving civics instruction, taking classes to learn English and getting ready for citizenship interviews and exams. Over a hundred other organizations have also had their services interrupted, with no end in sight. 'It's not fair,' Karla Aguayo, director of legal services at CHIRLA, told NBC News on Friday. The notification, which was received via email on Feb. 4, was no longer than five sentences. It read: 'Effective immediately, your grant from USCIS is frozen in accordance with the pause in activities,' generally citing a Jan. 28 memo from the Department of Homeland Security without specifics. 'Payments are not available at this time. We recognize this will have an impact on your organization. We are unable to provide a timeline on this freeze.' CHIRLA hasn't heard from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services after that email, Aguayo said. On Friday, 28 Democratic members of Congress sent a letter to USCIS Acting Director Kika Scott and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem seeking answers on the funding freeze. 'There has been no indication, evidence or even outright allegation that grantees have failed to meet their commitments or contractual obligations in good faith — raising serious concerns over the justification for disrupting their ability to provide crucial services,' reads the letter, which was first obtained by NBC News. If USCIS funding is not reinstated to this program, it will erase the progress made in reducing naturalization backlogs in recent years, the lawmakers, spearheaded by Rep. Jimmy Gomez, D-Calif., said in their letter. If backlogs grow, the time it takes to process citizenship applications will likely double. USCIS and DHS did not respond to a request for comment. As grantees of the Citizenship and Assimilation Grant Program, CHIRLA was set to receive $450,000 in federal funding from USCIS from October 2023 until September of this year to help hundreds of green card holders. "We want to create as many citizens as we can," Aguayo said. The funding freeze has sent the coalition on a race to find alternate funding to afford the labor needed to assist immigrants with their citizenship applications. 'We're not waiting because it's already been over a month, and we haven't heard anything' from USCIS. 'We can't now abruptly pass on this inconvenience to the students. We can't just say, 'Oh, sorry, no more funding. Today is the last day of class,'' she said. For Gomez, the son of Mexican immigrants, the issue hits close to home. In the letter, the lawmakers said the grant program has improved efficiency by "equipping eligible applicants with the tools to navigate the naturalization process more effectively — saving USCIS valuable time and resources otherwise spent resolving errors, issuing requests for evidence, or reprocessing applications." Lawful permanent residents, or green-card holders, who may be eligible to become naturalized citizens this year may find the situation "disheartening," according to Aguayo. But "we always encourage people to apply despite the circumstances," she said.
Chicago Tribune
27-02-2025
- Chicago Tribune
Immigration agents detain an Acero parent on Southwest Side
A parent dropping off two students at an Acero charter school on the Southwest Side was detained Wednesday morning by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials, according to a letter from the charter network's leadership sent to parents. In a letter to parents Wednesday, Acero officials said 'Community Wellness Protocols' were immediately implemented at two schools, Victoria Soto High School and Jovita Idar Elementary, which share a campus, to 'maintain the safety and security' of the schools' community. Chicago Public Schools' Office of Safety and Security was also engaged, according to the letter signed by the schools' principals, Elizabeth Obrzut and Nicolle Macias. ICE agents did not attempt to enter either Soto High School or Idar Elementary, according to the letter. ICE did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The network of 15 charter elementary and high schools, said focused support will be made available for those impacted by the event, due to how 'stressful and upsetting' the situation may have been on the school's community, both schools will have additional social work support available for students, Helena Stangle, Chief Culture Officer at Acero Schools said in an emailed statement to the Tribune. Acero 'has and will continue to share the Civil Rights Resource Hub with all of our school communities and regularly distributes information about stand-alone Know Your Rights opportunities.' The school network's online information center, known as the 'Civil Rights Resource Hub,' is updated weekly and includes direct contact information for Acero staff members 'positioned to support our school community,' Stangle said. Three officers were spotted outside the school Wednesday morning in normal-looking cars and clothes, said Evelyn Aguayo, a member of the rapid response team for the community organizing group Increase the Peace Chicago. Aguayo said photos of the agents circulated among response groups later in the afternoon. The ICE arrest occurred about a month after CPS incorrectly reported that ICE agents tried to enter Hamline Elementary in Back of the Yards in late January. The two officers who tried to enter Hamline were later reported to be with Secret Service, not ICE. Aguayo and her team have been working to disseminate Know Your Rights information to communities like Gage Park and Back of the Yards, she said. But after Wednesday's ICE arrest, she said that work is more urgent. 'These students have a right to be dropped off without trauma,' she said. 'I do think a lot of families are going to be scared to take their kids to school.'
Yahoo
04-02-2025
- Yahoo
Odessa Police Department mourns the loss of loyal K9 Jimmie, a true hero & protector
ODESSA, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- The Odessa Police Department is mourning the loss of a beloved protector, K9 Jimmie, who was euthanized Monday morning. More than just a K9, Jimmie was a steadfast companion, a devoted protector, and, most importantly, the best friend of Corporal Aguayo. According to OPD, after retiring in 2020, K9 Jimmie enjoyed his well-earned rest. However, due to health complications, he was euthanized on Monday, February 3, and left behind a legacy that will never be forgotten. 'Though her heart is heavy, Corporal Aguayo finds comfort in knowing that K9 Jimmie is now running free and no longer in pain,' OPD wrote. OPD shared that K9 Jimmie's courage knew no bounds. With every mission, he stood by Corporal Aguayo's side, facing challenges head-on with a heart full of determination and an unbreakable bond of trust. 'K9 Jimmie had a heart full of courage and unwavering devotion that made him truly special…Rest easy, my friend,' OPD stated. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
