• U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla (D-California) introduced legislation to expand a pathway to permanency for long-term U.S. residents, according to a Sept. 28 statement from the senator’s office. The Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929 would update the existing registry statute so an immigrant may qualify for lawful permanent resident status if they have lived in the U.S. continuously for at least seven years before filing an application for permanent resident status and are of good moral character. The legislation would provide a much-needed pathway to a green card for up to 8 million people, including Dreamers, temporary status holders, children of long-term visa holders, essential workers, and highly skilled H1-B visa holders who have been waiting years for a visa to become available. If the undocumented individuals covered in this bill became citizens, they would contribute approximately $83 billion to the U.S. economy annually and about $27 billion in taxes, according to fwd.us estimates. “Our outdated immigration system is hurting countless people and holding back America’s economy,” Padilla said in a statement. “My bill would update the registry cutoff date for the first time in more than 35 years so that more immigrants can apply for legal permanent residence. This could have a profound impact on millions of immigrants, some who have been living, working, and contributing to the United States for decades, by allowing them to live freely without the fear of an uncertain future.”
• U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal joined San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Bruce Gibson to highlight the improvements to public safety in the Central Coast that will be made with a $5.6 million investment secured by Carbajal in the 2022 federal funding bill signed earlier this year, according to a statement from the congressman’s office. The new investment will help the county upgrade its communications system used in public safety, crime response, fire, and emergency medical first response. “These communications upgrades will also improve response to emergencies in our harder-to-reach rural areas, where untreated threats could threaten our entire region. I don’t just promise to support our first responders; I work to give them the resources they need to succeed, and I’m proud to have done so here,” Carbajal said in a statement. Specifically, the investment will replace a 50-year-old communications tower, establish new coverage in rural areas with little to no reception, and expand existing radio channels used by the county for emergency response—including a new channel dedicated to law enforcement and first responder use. “We are most grateful that Rep. Carbajal went to bat for public safety in SLO County,” SLO County Supervisor Gibson said in a statement. “These communication improvements will provide crucial coverage in remote areas of our county and make a big difference for our law enforcement and fire protection agencies and our residents.”
• Gov. Gavin Newsom announced an emergency management and mass care specialist deployment to Florida to support the state’s response to Hurricane Ian’s impact, according to a Sept. 29 statement from the governor’s office. “California stands with the people of Florida,” Newsom said in a statement. “Our state is all too familiar with the impact of natural disasters and we stand ready to provide any needed aid and support to the communities impacted by this horrific storm.” Responding to a request from the Florida Division of Emergency Management, Newsom directed the California’s Office of Emergency Services to send an initial five-person team of mass care experts to facilitate shelters for those displaced by the hurricane as well as emergency operations center staff to support Florida’s state operation center in Tallahassee. Hurricane Ian came ashore as one of the strongest storms ever to strike Florida, and as of Sept. 26, it continued to move across the state with damaging winds, heavy rains, and storm surges that left people trapped. Flooding and power outages impacted communities across the state, and homes, businesses, and public infrastructure sustained significant damage. California has indicated to Florida that it will make additional personnel and resources available should they be needed.
This article appears in Oct 6-13, 2022.
