U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers remove immigrants after an early morning raid in Duarte, June 6, 2022. Photo: Damian Dovarganes, AP Photo
Good morning, Inequality Insights readers. I’m Wendy Fry.
Proposition 36, on California’s 2024 ballot, would reclassify some retail theft and drug offenses with multiple convictions as felonies. The bill aims to overturn a portion of Proposition 47, a 2014 law that reduced such crimes to misdemeanors to reduce prison overcrowding. Supporters have raised nearly $15 million, three times as much as opponents, and 71% of likely voters support the measure, making it almost certain to pass in November.
But not everyone is enthusiastic about Proposition 36. Lawyers representing Californians in federal immigration court have warned that the move could lead to further deportations, including of refugees and green card holders.
Prop. 36 introduces a new category of crimes called “mandatory-to-treat felonies” that allow people to avoid incarceration by completing court-ordered drug treatment. Failure to complete treatment could result in up to three years in prison. For immigrants with criminal records, this could mean a simple drug possession charge being upgraded to an “aggravated felony” in immigration court. And that could lead to deportation, with no chance of re-entry to the U.S., said Griselle Lewis, supervising attorney at the Immigration Legal Resource Center. In a state where nearly half of all children have at least one immigrant parent, Proposition 36 could have a life-changing impact on families and communities, she and other advocates said.
Supporters of Prop. 36, including law enforcement and major retailers such as Walmart and Target, argue that increases in shoplifting and property crimes are a direct result of Prop. 47. They argue the new ballot measure will help reduce these crimes and hold repeat offenders accountable. They also argue that concerns about increased deportations are overblown. Yolo County District Attorney Jeff Reisig described the “immigration controversy” as a “red herring” and said prosecutors are already taking steps to ensure immigrants don’t face unfair consequences for minor crimes. Check out my latest article on how Proposition 36 will affect immigrants in California.
Don’t miss it
Immigrant workforce. Our former Divide colleague Nicole Foy reports in depth on how America denigrates immigrant workers, even though our economy depends on them for essential jobs and skilled labor. I am doing it. Her first article for ProPublica investigated how undocumented workers at a shipyard in Houma, Louisiana, face safety concerns and labor violations without a safety net. When a person tragically dies, his family receives no compensation and has to raise funds to pay for his funeral. Immigration rhetoric. Even as anti-immigrant rhetoric has become more prominent and extreme at the national level, Californians continue to feel less inclusive, according to new research from the University of California, Berkeley’s Institute for Othering and Belonging and the Immigrant Rights Coalition. I understand that you are expressing your opinion. Key views expressed in the survey include the idea that immigration is central to the definition of national character and that the fundamental rights of immigrants must be upheld, regardless of their immigration status. Enrolled in university. The Los Angeles Times reported internal records showing how the University of Southern California admitted the children of wealthy and well-connected potential donors through alternative admissions pathways with acceptance rates of up to 90%. Fact check. “Yes” and “No” spending across 33 campaigns totaled more than $140 million. Proposition 33 would repeal a state law that prohibits local governments from regulating rents for single-family homes, homes built after 1995 (and in some cases before), and when a tenant moves out. CalMatters fact-checked some of the extensive claims made by both sides. Harmful omission. In Auckland, where up to 83% of rental homes can contain lead, millions of dollars have been allocated to reduce toxic substances. But these funds have gone unspent for years, an El Timpano investigation found, despite the grave crisis affecting Latino immigrant neighborhoods. Housing division. Over the past decade, Asian Americans and Latinos have experienced the largest increase in homeownership rates across major demographic groups (4 percentage points). Black homeownership also increased, but more modestly (2.5 percentage points). That’s according to a new analysis of California home ownership data by the Public Policy Institute of California.
Thank you for following the work of the California Divide team. Let me know what kind of stories you’d like to read while you’re here. Please contact us by email.
Thank you for reading,
Wendy and the California Divide Team
“CalMatters sets the bar high, offering dedicated coverage and expert reporters who ask the tough questions and hold leaders accountable.”
Montrose, Marisela
Featured CalMatters Members
Our members make our mission possible.
div{flex-basis: unset ! important;flex-grow: 1 ! important;}.single-post .cm-cta.cm-cta-testimonial h6{text-align: left;}.cm-cta.cm-cta -testimonial .cm-cta-center-col{align-items: center ! important;gap: 12px;}.cm-cta.cm-cta-testimonial .primary-cols.wp-block-columns{gap: 40px;} .cm-cta.cm-cta-testimonial .btn-col{flex-basis:fit-content;flex-grow:0;}.cm-cta.cm-cta-testimonial .cm-cta-center-col > div {flex-basis: auto;}.cm-cta.cm-cta-testimonial .wp-block-buttons{min-width: 98px;}@media screen and (max-width: 782px){.single .cm-cta .cm-cta-testimonial .cm-cta-center-col > div{flex-basis: min-content;}.cm-cta.cm-cta-testimonial > .wp-block-group__inner-container{grid-template- Column: auto;}.cm-cta.cm-cta-testimonial .wp-block-button.btn-light .wp-block-button__link{Padding: 7px 24px;}div.cm-cta.cm-cta-testimonial{ Padding: 16px;}.cm-cta.cm-cta-testimonial h6{text-align: left;}.cm-cta.cm-cta-testimonial .primary-cols.wp-block-columns,.cm-cta. cm-cta-testimonial .cm-cta-center-col.is-not-stacked-on-mobile{gap: 16px;}.cm-cta.cm-cta-testimonial .btn-02-detail-05{font- size: 12px;line-height: 16px;}.cm-cta.cm-cta-testimonial .mob-p-12{padding: 12px;}}]]>
Wendy Frye is an Emmy Award-winning multimedia investigative journalist who reports on poverty and inequality for the California Divide team. Based in San Diego and Mexico, Wendy has covered California.
