March 2018 - Faith in the Valley

Interfaith Voices: Trena Turner Executive Director & Curtis Smith of Faith in the Valley - radio interview

Interfaith Voices: Faith in the Valley’s Trena Turner and Curtis Smith

Faith in the Valley Executive Director Trena Turner and Faith in San Joaquin Chapter Director Curtis Smith appeared on Interfaith Voices, a local radio show hosted by Jeri Bigbee, chair of the Social Justice Committee of the First Unitarian Universalist…

Residents of Kern County were on hand to take part in the fourth annual Walk For Justice on Saturday, March 24, 2018. (Photo by KBAK/KBFX)

Hundreds Take Part in 4th Annual Walk For Justice in Bakersfield

March 28, 2018
Faith in the Valley
Blog, Kern

Hundreds of people around Kern County gathered in support of the fourth annual Walk For Justice. Faith leaders and families came together in support of those who have lost family members during encounters with police.

Trena Turner at the Latino Community Foundation event at Google

FITV Executive Director Inspires Crowd at Latino Community Foundation Event at Google

March 20, 2018
Faith in the Valley
Blog

Faith in the Valley Executive Director Trena Turner was one of the featured speakers at the Latino Community Foundation’s 3rd annual Latino Giving Circle Network Retreat at Google on March 10. The foundation fosters a community of civically engaged philanthropic leaders…

An officer sits at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement desk (Photo by Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)

They Knocked on an Atwater Door Saying They Were Cops. They Were ICE, Advocates Say

A handful of people were picked up by immigration agents in Atwater during the weekend, according to advocates and a witness. The U.S. Department of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, known as ICE, did not confirm the number of arrests from Sunday morning, but advocates for undocumented immigrants told the Sun-Star five people were picked up in deportation efforts in Atwater.

Federal Immigration Agents Arrested Nearly A Dozen Individuals In Northern California, Activists Say

March 6, 2018
Faith in the Valley
Blog

Activists claim U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrested or detained nearly a dozen individuals in Northern California this past weekend. Volunteers with “rapid response” networks — groups that monitor ICE behavior in communities and help immigrants with legal services — released a statement decrying the arrests as an “ugly campaign of intimidation from the Trump administration’s deportation force.”

Here’s What Immigrant Advocates Said About ICE Arrests in Merced County

Local advocates are calling on elected officials, law enforcement and allies in Merced County to unite against the recent deportation efforts happening in Atwater and surrounding areas. Five men in Atwater were picked up by the U.S. Department of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, on Sunday morning and advocates rallied together quickly in response to the “unjust” way the five men were taken, they say.

Stockton Working On Response To ICE Raids - CBS Sacramento

Stockton Leaders Working On Response To ICE Raids

Stockton city leaders are working with community groups to come up with a response to deal with the raids and help people understand their rights. “We are asking people, don’t give false information either, it’s better not to say anything, don’t try and change your name, for sure we don’t want you to try and run, any of those things. We just want to make sure you remain silent until you get an attorney,” said Pastor Trena Turner, executive director of Faith in the Valley.

A man calls for a “clean” Dream Act outside of the Fresno Federal Courhouse in December. (Photo by JUAN ESPARZA LOERA/Fresno Bee)

ICE Activity Dims Celebrations of Supreme Court Ruling in Favor of DACA

The Supreme Court refused on Monday to fast-track the Trump administration’s directive for DACA to end next week, buying time for nearly 700,000 people like Hernandez who have received work permits and been temporarily protected from deportation through the program. About 18,000 people in Fresno, Tulare and Madera counties qualify for DACA. “You hear they’re working on a solution, but at the same time you see all the attacks and ICE raids here in the Valley, so you don’t know what to expect.”