Latest news with #Jiménez
USA Today
15 hours ago
- Politics
- USA Today
Activist Cristina Jiménez talks new book and why 'the migration story is about love'
Activist Cristina Jiménez talks new book and why 'the migration story is about love' PASADENA, CA − Cristina Jiménez, an author and co-founder of United We Dream, the largest immigration youth-led organization in the U.S., did not expect her memoir to be published under the Trump administration. "I didn't plan for the book to be released under these conditions," the award-winning community organizer said during a sold-out book signing event June 2 at Pasadena's historic Vroman's Bookstore. "Dreaming of Home: How We Turn Fear into Pride, Power, and Real Change" (St. Martin's Press, pp. 320, out now) is more than a memoir, "it's about the story of many undocumented and courageous people," Jiménez said, and an invitation for readers to organize and dream of a more just place for all. "I had dreamed of a better world and for this book to be in a different context, but here we are," Jiménez said, sounding determined. "I think about this book as an organizing tool, as a story and as a way for us to come together to remember that we do have power." INTERVIEW: Cristina Jiménez Moreta helped get DACA, now she helps young immigrants find their voice Jiménez's parents brought her to New York from Ecuador when she was 13, she said. When she was in the 11th grade in New York City's Queens borough and ready to apply for college, she found out that due to her undocumented status, the road to higher education would look different than that of her peers. Although Jiménez recalls feeling defeated then, she said her mother, who was proudly in attendance at her daughter's book event, was the one who told her not to back down and fight for the necessary resources to pursue her educational goals. Those small but significant seeds of courage and community have led her to this moment. "Community is what's going to give us the energy, ideas and strategies for what we need to do to move us forward," she added. That, and love. MUST READS: 13 books to break down the immigration debate amid Trump's return to power Why love is at the center of 'Dreaming of Home' During the Q&A, led by actress Francia Raisa, Jiménez opened up about the effects of migration, how climate change plays a role in people seeking a new place to call home, and why love is at the heart of her new memoir. "So much of the migration story is the story about love, and we barely think about immigrants and our conversations about immigrants as stories of love," she said. USA TODAY's The Essentials: 'How I Met Your Father' star Francia Raísa talks Selena Gomez friendship, comfort food essentials Jiménez said she wanted to shed light "on the fact that love is at the center of the courageous act of leaving everything behind for your loved ones. "Love is at the center when immigrant communities are doing the best and struggling to accomplish dreams, to lift each other up, to do better for their families. And when I think about my parents and many of the parents that had to leave everything behind to come here and take on great risk, I think it was love at the center of their courage and their ability to make that scary decision." 'Why do we even have such a thing as migration?' Jiménez asked attendees to examine their thoughts and preconceptions around immigration. "What I also wanted to do with this book is to really pull the curtain and let the reader have an opportunity to understand why do we even have such a thing as migration and people being forced out?" she said in response to a question from Francia about the impact of climate change on migration patterns. "So much of what we, as migrants and as immigrants, get from the media and from everything we hear is that somehow we are bad − that we are criminals because we migrated to seek a better life, to seek safety," she said. "I wanted to really talk about what's underneath migration: unjust laws, violence, corruption and increasingly more and more now, climate change." More: The U.S. already has millions of climate refugees. Helene and Milton could make it worse. She added: "If you care about our democracy, if you care about climate change, if you care about having a world that we all can share, you have to deal with immigration." Cristina Jiménez immigration advocacy work knows no bounds In 2020, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, USA TODAY named Jiménez one of its Women of the Century for her work in helping establish Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, and inspiring young immigrants to find their voice. Jiménez cofounded United We Dream, which became the country's largest immigrant-youth-led network with 400,000 members across 100 local groups and 28 states. More: Paola Ramos explores the effects of Trumpism on the Latino vote in her book 'Defectors' The group pressured then-President Barack Obama to protect young immigrants brought to the U.S. as children. In 2012, his administration created DACA, which allowed these young immigrants to obtain work permits, get driver's licenses, and go to college. The organization helped change public perception of undocumented youth. Contributing: Nicole Carroll, USA TODAY
Yahoo
7 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Illinois Senate to consider bill prohibiting public schools from denying access based on immigration status
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — In the final days of the spring legislative session, Illinois lawmakers this week advanced a bill to the Senate that would prohibit public schools from denying a student access to free education based on that child's immigration status or that of the child's parents — a move aimed at reinforcing long-standing constitutional federal protections amid renewed scrutiny of immigrant rights at the state level. The bill, sponsored in the House by Chicago Democratic Rep. Lilian Jiménez, would prohibit a child within Illinois from being deprived of free public education through high school 'based on the child's perceived or actual immigration status or the child's parent's or guardian's perceived or actual citizenship or immigration status.' The legislation also says a school must not exclude a child 'from participation in or deny a child the benefits of any program or activity' for those same reasons. The proposal comes as the Tennessee state Senate earlier this year passed a bill requiring citizenship or immigration documentation for schoolchildren in the state. Though that legislation has since fizzled for now because of pushback from opponents, including immigration rights advocates, according to news reports, it has highlighted a broader national tension. The Illinois measure, which seeks to create clear statutory language protecting immigrant school-age children or children of undocumented immigrants, passed Wednesday night by a 70-40 vote through the Democrat-led House. Two Democrats sided with Republicans in voting against it: Diane Blair-Sherlock of Villa Park and Michael Kelly of Chicago. The bill is now in the Senate for its consideration. In a brief interview Thursday morning, state Rep. John Cabello, a Republican from Machesney Park, said he voted against the bill because he believes free education should be reserved for citizens. 'I'm Mexican, but I still believe that you should be a tax-paying citizen to receive anything free from the government,' he said. 'Why would we give people that are not from our country free schooling?' Jiménez said she grew up with a parent who was undocumented, and after Donald Trump's second presidential victory, she feared for the future of families like hers. During the House floor debate, Jiménez noted that federal law prohibits denying or eliminating access to public education based on immigration status but said that the right to public education 'is eroded whenever people are afraid to exercise it.' 'In our state, there are parents who are afraid to send their children to school and children afraid to be at school. This is not conducive to learning,' said Jiménez. 'It impacts all of our schools, families and communities. This bill is an opportunity to reassure families and students that their schools are safe as can be and to restore a proper learning environment.' State Rep. Dagmara Avelar, a Democrat from Bolingbrook, recalled growing up as an undocumented student. She said not a day went by without her fearing immigration authorities would go after her parents at work. 'This was something that I was thinking about when I was a young person,' she said in support of the bill. 'Yet, decades later, it seems that we're seeing the same struggle and the same trauma with children happening right now.' The bill would require a school to develop procedures for reviewing and authorizing requests from law enforcement agents trying to enter a school by July 1, 2026. It would also allow anyone aggrieved by a violation of the measure to file a civil lawsuit up to two years after the alleged infraction occurred. Chicago Public Schools has maintained a firm, clear policy to not allow U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to access school facilities unless they present a criminal judicial warrant signed by a federal judge. The district will also not share student information with ICE without a court order or parental consent. In a statement, a CPS spokesperson said that 'in alignment with state and federal law, CPS strictly prohibits any form of discrimination or harassment and ensures that no student is denied access to educational services based on their immigration status. 'CPS policies firmly uphold that every child residing in Chicago — regardless of background — is entitled to a high-quality education in a safe and supportive environment,' the statement said. For the Illinois legislation, Jiménez is among 30 House Democratic sponsors of her bill, a group that includes House Speaker Emanuel 'Chris' Welch. There are also 12 Democratic Senate sponsors of the measure so far. In an interview this week, Jiménez said her legislation is especially important in light of the Trump administration's decision to rescind a Biden-era policy to protect certain areas like churches and schools from immigration enforcement. She also noted how last month, agents from ICE tried to enter one or two schools in Los Angeles but were not let in. Jiménez also noted there were double-digit percentage drops in attendance in certain schools in January in her district, which includes schools with large Latino populations in Chicago's Humboldt Park, Belmont Cragin and Hermosa areas. Her district includes undocumented and 'mixed-status' families, she said. Data obtained by the Tribune through a Freedom of Information Act request shows that attendance rates fell at all schools across CPS the week of Jan. 20, when the 47th president was sworn in. Over 50% of students attending the 10 schools that experienced the biggest attendance drops are Latino, according to enrollment data on the district's website. The names of the schools are being withheld at the request by CPS out of concern for potential retaliation from the federal government. Erika Méndez, director of pre-K-12 policy at the Latino Policy Forum, cheered the legislation's advancement. 'Right now, in our communities, immigrant parents and their children are under incredible stress and anguish when considering whether it is safe to go to school. Schools should be safe and nurturing environments where all students, regardless of their immigration status, can thrive, and where parents can trust that they will see their children at the end of the school day,' Mendez said. 'The Safe Schools for All Act would help give parents and children that peace of mind.' The bill, Jiménez said, remains a priority for the legislative Latino Caucus. She added that she has been working with the Illinois attorney general's office to make the bill more resistant to any federal action. For her, it is personal. Her mother was undocumented for the majority of her life 'because of the difficulties with the immigration system,' Jiménez said. Though her mother never had a criminal record and was an 'exemplary' volunteer in her community, Jiménez said someone else in the same situation as her mother 'is being targeted right now.' She wants to ensure that families in that same situation have peace of mind amid so much uncertainty. 'They're knocking on people's doors. They're going to schools,' Jiménez said of the Trump administration. 'Also, the fact that they're throwing due process out the window … Everything they're doing in the courts is completely unprecedented.' _______ (Laura Rodriguez Presa reported from Chicago.) _______
Yahoo
7 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Illinois Senate to weigh measure prohibiting public schools from denying students based on immigration status
In the final days of the spring legislative session, Illinois lawmakers this week advanced a bill to the Senate that would prohibit public schools from denying a student's access to free education based on that child's immigration status or that of their parents — a move aimed at reinforcing long standing constitutional federal protections amid renewed scrutiny of immigrant rights at the state level. The bill, sponsored by Chicago Democratic Rep. Lilian Jiménez, would prohibit a child within Illinois from being deprived of free public education through high school 'based on the child's perceived or actual immigration status or the child's parent's or guardian's perceived or actual citizenship or immigration status.' The legislation also says a school must not exclude a child 'from participation in or deny a child the benefits of any program or activity' for those same reasons. The proposal comes as the Tennessee state Senate earlier this year passed a bill requiring citizenship or immigration documentation for schoolchildren in the state. Though that legislation has since fizzled for now because of pushback by its opponents, which include immigration rights advocates, according to news reports, it highlighted a broader national tension. The Illinois measure, which seeks to create clear statutory language protecting immigrant school-age children or children of undocumented immigrants, passed Wednesday night by a 70-40 vote through the Democrat-led House. Two Democrats sided with Republicans in voting against it: Diane Blair-Sherlock of Villa Park and Michael Kelly of Chicago. The bill is now in the Senate for its consideration. In a brief interview Thursday morning, state Rep. John Cabello, a Republican from Machesney Park, said he voted against the bill because he believes free education should be reserved for citizens. 'I'm Mexican, but I still believe that you should be a tax paying citizen to receive anything free from the government,' he said. 'Why would we give people that are not from our country free schooling?' Jiménez said she grew up with a parent who was undocumented, and, after Donald Trump's second presidential victory, she feared for the future of families like hers. During the House floor debate, Jiménez noted that federal law prohibits denying or eliminating access to public education based on immigration status but said that the right to public education 'is eroded whenever people are afraid to exercise it.' 'In our state, there are parents who are afraid to send their children to school and children afraid to be at school. This is not conducive to learning,' said Jiménez. 'It impacts all of our schools, families and communities. This bill is an opportunity to reassure families and students that their schools are safe as can be and to restore a proper learning environment.' State Rep. Dagmara Avelar, a Democrat from Bolingbrook, recalled growing up as an undocumented student. She said not a day went by without her fearing immigration authorities would go after her parents at work. 'This was something that I was thinking about when I was a young person,' she said in support of the bill. 'Yet, decades later, it seems that we're seeing the same struggle and the same trauma with children happening right now.' The bill would require a school to develop procedures for reviewing and authorizing requests from law enforcement agents trying to enter a school by July 1, 2026. It would also allow anyone aggrieved by a violation of the measure to file a civil lawsuit up to two years after the alleged infraction occurred. Chicago Public Schools has maintained a strong and clear policy to not allow U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to access school facilities unless they present a criminal judicial warrant signed by a federal judge. The district will also not share student information with ICE without a court order or parental consent. CPS security video shows Secret Service trying to enter Hamline Elementary School In a statement, a CPS spokesperson said that 'in alignment with state and federal law, CPS strictly prohibits any form of discrimination or harassment and ensures that no student is denied access to educational services based on their immigration status. 'CPS policies firmly uphold that every child residing in Chicago — regardless of background — is entitled to a high-quality education in a safe and supportive environment,' it read. For the Illinois legislation, Jiménez is among 30 House Democratic sponsors on her bill, a group that includes House Speaker Emanuel 'Chris' Welch. There are also 12 Democratic Senate sponsors so far on the measure. In an interview this week, Jiménez said her legislation is especially important in light of the Trump administration's decision to rescind a Biden-era policy to protect certain areas, like churches and schools, from immigration enforcement. She also noted how last month, agents from ICE tried to enter one or two schools in Los Angeles but were not let in. Jiménez also noted there were double-digit percentage drops in attendance in certain schools in January in her district, which includes schools with predominantly Latino populations in Chicago's Humboldt Park, Belmont Cragin, and Hermosa areas. Her district includes undocumented and 'mixed-status' families, she said. Data obtained by the Tribune through a Freedom of Information Act request show that attendance rates fell at all schools across the district the week of Jan. 20, when the 47th president was sworn in. Over 50% of students attending the 10 schools that experienced the biggest attendance drops are Latino, according to enrollment data on the district's website. The names of the schools are being withheld at request by CPS out of concern for potential retaliation from the federal government. Erika Méndez, director of Pre-K-12 policy at the Latino Policy Forum, cheered the advancement of the legislation. 'Right now, in our communities, immigrant parents and their children are under incredible stress and anguish when considering whether it is safe to go to school. Schools should be safe and nurturing environments where all students, regardless of their immigration status, can thrive, and where parents can trust that they will see their children at the end of the school day, ' Mendez said. 'The Safe Schools for All Act would help give parents and children that peace of mind.' The bill, Jiménez said, remains a priority for the legislative Latino Caucus. She added that she has been working with the Illinois attorney general's office to make the bill more resistant to any federal action. For her, it is personal. Her mother was undocumented for the majority of her life 'because of the difficulties with the immigration system,' Jiménez said. Though her mother never had a criminal record and was an 'exemplary' volunteer in her community, Jiménez said someone else in the same situation as her mother 'is being targeted right now.' She wants to ensure that families in that situation as hers have peace of mind amid so much uncertainty. 'They're knocking on people's doors. They're going to schools,' Jiménez said of the Trump administration. 'Also, the fact that they're throwing due process out the window…Everything they're doing in the courts is completely unprecedented.'
Chicago Tribune
7 days ago
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Illinois Senate to weigh measure prohibiting public schools from denying students based on immigration status
In the final days of the spring legislative session, Illinois lawmakers this week advanced a bill to the Senate that would prohibit public schools from denying a student's access to free education based on that child's immigration status or that of their parents — a move aimed at reinforcing long standing constitutional federal protections amid renewed scrutiny of immigrant rights at the state level. The bill, sponsored by Chicago Democratic Rep. Lilian Jiménez, would prohibit a child within Illinois from being deprived of free public education through high school 'based on the child's perceived or actual immigration status or the child's parent's or guardian's perceived or actual citizenship or immigration status.' The legislation also says a school must not exclude a child 'from participation in or deny a child the benefits of any program or activity' for those same reasons. The proposal comes as the Tennessee state Senate earlier this year passed a bill requiring citizenship or immigration documentation for schoolchildren in the state. Though that legislation has since fizzled for now because of pushback by its opponents, which include immigration rights advocates, according to news reports, it highlighted a broader national tension. The Illinois measure, which seeks to create clear statutory language protecting immigrant school-age children or children of undocumented immigrants, passed Wednesday night by a 70-40 vote through the Democrat-led House. Two Democrats sided with Republicans in voting against it: Diane Blair-Sherlock of Villa Park and Michael Kelly of Chicago. The bill is now in the Senate for its consideration. In a brief interview Thursday morning, state Rep. John Cabello, a Republican from Machesney Park, said he voted against the bill because he believes free education should be reserved for citizens. 'I'm Mexican, but I still believe that you should be a tax paying citizen to receive anything free from the government,' he said. 'Why would we give people that are not from our country free schooling?' Jiménez said she grew up with a parent who was undocumented, and, after Donald Trump's second presidential victory, she feared for the future of families like hers. During the House floor debate, Jiménez noted that federal law prohibits denying or eliminating access to public education based on immigration status but said that the right to public education 'is eroded whenever people are afraid to exercise it.' 'In our state, there are parents who are afraid to send their children to school and children afraid to be at school. This is not conducive to learning,' said Jiménez. 'It impacts all of our schools, families and communities. This bill is an opportunity to reassure families and students that their schools are safe as can be and to restore a proper learning environment.' State Rep. Dagmara Avelar, a Democrat from Bolingbrook, recalled growing up as an undocumented student. She said not a day went by without her fearing immigration authorities would go after her parents at work. 'This was something that I was thinking about when I was a young person,' she said in support of the bill. 'Yet, decades later, it seems that we're seeing the same struggle and the same trauma with children happening right now.' The bill would require a school to develop procedures for reviewing and authorizing requests from law enforcement agents trying to enter a school by July 1, 2026. It would also allow anyone aggrieved by a violation of the measure to file a civil lawsuit up to two years after the alleged infraction occurred. Chicago Public Schools has maintained a strong and clear policy to not allow U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to access school facilities unless they present a criminal judicial warrant signed by a federal judge. The district will also not share student information with ICE without a court order or parental consent. CPS security video shows Secret Service trying to enter Hamline Elementary SchoolIn a statement, a CPS spokesperson said that 'in alignment with state and federal law, CPS strictly prohibits any form of discrimination or harassment and ensures that no student is denied access to educational services based on their immigration status. 'CPS policies firmly uphold that every child residing in Chicago — regardless of background — is entitled to a high-quality education in a safe and supportive environment,' it read. For the Illinois legislation, Jiménez is among 30 House Democratic sponsors on her bill, a group that includes House Speaker Emanuel 'Chris' Welch. There are also 12 Democratic Senate sponsors so far on the measure. In an interview this week, Jiménez said her legislation is especially important in light of the Trump administration's decision to rescind a Biden-era policy to protect certain areas, like churches and schools, from immigration enforcement. She also noted how last month, agents from ICE tried to enter one or two schools in Los Angeles but were not let in. Jiménez also noted there were double-digit percentage drops in attendance in certain schools in January in her district, which includes schools with predominantly Latino populations in Chicago's Humboldt Park, Belmont Cragin, and Hermosa areas. Her district includes undocumented and 'mixed-status' families, she said. Data obtained by the Tribune through a Freedom of Information Act request show that attendance rates fell at all schools across the district the week of Jan. 20, when the 47th president was sworn in. Over 50% of students attending the 10 schools that experienced the biggest attendance drops are Latino, according to enrollment data on the district's website. The names of the schools are being withheld at request by CPS out of concern for potential retaliation from the federal government. Erika Méndez, director of Pre-K-12 policy at the Latino Policy Forum, cheered the advancement of the legislation. 'Right now, in our communities, immigrant parents and their children are under incredible stress and anguish when considering whether it is safe to go to school. Schools should be safe and nurturing environments where all students, regardless of their immigration status, can thrive, and where parents can trust that they will see their children at the end of the school day, ' Mendez said. 'The Safe Schools for All Act would help give parents and children that peace of mind.' The bill, Jiménez said, remains a priority for the legislative Latino Caucus. She added that she has been working with the Illinois attorney general's office to make the bill more resistant to any federal action. For her, it is personal. Her mother was undocumented for the majority of her life 'because of the difficulties with the immigration system,' Jiménez said. Though her mother never had a criminal record and was an 'exemplary' volunteer in her community, Jiménez said someone else in the same situation as her mother 'is being targeted right now.' She wants to ensure that families in that situation as hers have peace of mind amid so much uncertainty. 'They're knocking on people's doors. They're going to schools,' Jiménez said of the Trump administration. 'Also, the fact that they're throwing due process out the window…Everything they're doing in the courts is completely unprecedented.'
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Flamingo physics shocks science world as birds form fish-catching tornadoes
Though flamingos often appear to feed serenely in shallow lakes, their hunting behavior is anything but passive. A new study reveals that these birds create swirling underwater vortexes to trap and consume live prey like brine shrimp, disproving their reputation as simple filter feeders. A research team at the University of California, Berkeley uncovered how flamingos use a coordinated sequence of footwork, head motion, and beak mechanics to engineer tiny underwater whirlpools that draw in their prey. 'Flamingos are actually predators, they are actively looking for animals that are moving in the water, and the problem they face is how to concentrate these animals, to pull them together and feed,' said Victor Ortega Jiménez. 'Think of spiders, which produce webs to trap insects. Flamingos are using vortices to trap animals, like brine shrimp.' In collaboration with Georgia Tech, Kennesaw State University, and the Nashville Zoo, the team studied Chilean flamingos both in captivity and through lab simulations. Using laser imaging and 3D-printed models of flamingo feet and beaks, they discovered that the birds stir up sediment with their webbed, floppy feet, generating spinning flows. Then, by pulling their heads upward through the water, the birds lift these whorls to the surface. While submerged upside down, the birds rapidly chatter their angled beaks—flattened and L-shaped—to create even finer vortexes that guide prey toward their mouths. Their beaks work like a pump, using these flows to suck in moving organisms and filter out unwanted particles. 'It seems like they are filtering just passive particles, but no, these animals are actually taking animals that are moving,' Jiménez said. At UC Berkeley, the researchers fitted a real flamingo beak to an actuator and used a small pump to simulate tongue action. 'The chattering actually is increasing seven times the number of brine shrimp passing through the tube,' he said. 'So it's clear that the chattering is enhancing the number of individuals that are captured by the beak.' 'We observed when we put a 3D printed model in a flume to mimic what we call skimming, they are producing symmetrical vortices on the sides of the beak that recirculate the particles in the water so they actually get into the beak,' Ortega Jiménez said. 'It's this trick of fluid dynamics.' This unique feeding strategy has potential applications beyond biology. The principles could help design better systems for filtering microplastics, self-cleaning filters based on vortex chattering, or locomotion techniques for robots in watery or muddy environments. 'Flamingos are super-specialized animals for filter feeding. It's not just the head, but the neck, their legs, their feet and all the behaviors they use just to effectively capture these tiny and agile organisms," Jiménez concluded. The findings have been published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
