Thread by @UCLA_CILP

DYK CA allows its jails to hand people to @ICEgov for deportation *after* their sentence is over? It does! And, as our latest research shows, that policy is rooted in anti-Asian racism.

A 🧵on our report + why the #VISIONAct can help undo the harm: 1/10 bit.ly/3AcVJl0

The #VISIONAct, which CA Senate will vote on w/in weeks, would protect immigrants from the horrors of deportation by stopping all transfers to @ICEgov.

A couple of key points on why we our research shows it should be passed 👇 2/10 bit.ly/3bMnaJa

Tying immigration enforcement to criminal convictions has a sordid, racist history. The country’s first deportation laws were rooted in anti-Asian racism.

Sadly, California legislators played a key role in developing these laws. 3/10

In 1915, a U.S. Congressman from California supported barring immigration from Asia because “California being on the shores of the Pacific seems to be a dumping ground for the undesirable from Asia.” bit.ly/3LidBNN 4/10

In 1922, CA Rep Arthur M. Free said that the narcotics situation was worse in California “because we have more orientals there, and orientals are great at this drug game.” bit.ly/3Po6xm6 5/10

These CA congressmen used racial slurs to justify laws making it easier to deport immigrants living in CA. The legacy of these laws is still felt by AAPI Californians, as well as Latinx & Black communities. By allowing transfers to @ICEgov, CA remains complicit in this legacy. 6/

But what about public safety, you say? Overwhelming empirical evidence establishes that cooperation btw local law enforcement & ICE does NOT enhance public safety. There are LOTS of studies on this. We ask #CALeg to take this evidence into account as they vote on #VISIONAct. 7/10

Our report also finds that *hundreds* of US veterans facing deportation proceedings (& at least dozens already deported), mostly due to criminal convictions.

Stopping transfers to ICE will protect & honor these noncitizen veterans. bit.ly/3QreKFF 8/10

CA’s ICE transfer laws continue to tear families & communities apart.

“My mom, to this day, because her husband was detained and deported, she lives in fear of getting picked up by the police,” says Tina in a @SEARAC and @NAPAWF report. bit.ly/3vOpfv0 9/10

The #VISIONAct is an impt step toward ending CA's complicity in this legacy of racist immigration laws.

“Every person detained or deported because of these transfers represents a devastating loss to our state and its communities.” @ahilan_toolong 10/10 bit.ly/3bMnaJa