Introducing El Tímpano's Weekly Dispatch: Your stop for Bay Area immigration news

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The Weekly Dispatch

Community-powered immigration news from the Bay Area.

I’m Erica Hellerstein, El Tímpano’s senior immigration, labor and economics reporter, and I’m thrilled to be kicking off our inaugural weekly dispatch with you.

I wanted to use today’s edition to explain why we’re launching an immigration newsletter when we’re all already drowning in an endless barrage of news alerts and headlines. If you’re reading this, we probably don’t need to tell you that immigration policy is changing fast. These shifts are having tangible and lasting effects on immigrant and refugee communities across the country, including here in the Bay Area.

Since the inauguration of President Donald Trump last month, the administration has acted swiftly on campaign promises to dramatically reshape the immigration system and aggressively pursue a mass deportation agenda.

Already, Trump has issued executive orders and directives seeking to end birthright citizenship, seal the Southern border, massively expand the scope of immigration enforcement and cancel the temporary legal status of hundreds of thousands of immigrants. He’s signed legislation allowing officials to detain and deport people convicted but not charged with theft and violent crimes. These are just a few of the changes the administration has made in the past few weeks.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed trying to keep up, you’re not alone. We launched this newsletter to help make sense of how the rapidly shifting immigration landscape is trickling down to the Bay Area and what it means for the many Latino and Mayan immigrants who call this place home. Our newsletter will offer analysis of the week’s biggest immigration headlines, share community perspectives and stories from the people directly affected by the federal immigration landscape and examine the responses of local leaders and policymakers.

Drawing on our innovative journalism model and deep relationships with Spanish and Mam-speaking immigrants across the Bay Area, we’ll bring you an on-the-ground look at how members of our community are navigating these changes in real-time, all while living their rich and multifaceted lives: working to provide for themselves and their families, creating art and culture, building community and holding onto joy and beauty in the face of challenges.

Most importantly, you’ll hear from Latino and Mayan immigrants in their own words. Our newsletter’s “Ear to the Ground” section will feature direct quotes, stories, and questions from community members who have given us permission to share their experiences. This approach is rooted in El Tímpano’s mission of amplifying the voices and stories of the Bay Area’s diverse Latino and Mayan immigrant communities.

Finally, we’re excited to use this space to share our newsroom’s community-based reporting. Just this week, we held two in-person events: a live immigration conversation I moderated with Bay Area radio station KALW and a panel on Oakland’s lead crisis, moderated by reporter Jasmine Aguilera. And next week, reporter Ximena Loeza will participate in an Oakland mayoral candidates forum with Oaklandside.

We hope you’ll consider joining us at a future event, sharing this newsletter with your network, and following along with our reporting. And feel free to always reach out to me with tips, questions, or story ideas: ehellerstein@eltimpano.org.

Thanks for reading, and see you next week!

— Erica Hellerstein

Ear to the Ground

El Timpano’s text-messaging (SMS) service reaches 5,600 Spanish-speaking immigrants across the Bay Area on a weekly basis. Since Trump took office, we’ve asked our community what’s on their minds. Here are a few of their responses.

“I am concerned about the fate of immigrants without legal status in this country, especially since I’ve heard that the new president’s plan includes mass deportations.”

— San Francisco resident

“My concern is that the new president will carry out mass deportations without taking into account the good moral character of each person. I hope he will soften his anti-immigrant rhetoric and grant citizenship to TPS and DACA beneficiaries.”

— Richmond resident

“I am concerned about the access that Trump wants to have to federal databases, such as those from Medi-Cal and the DMV, which would allow him to access information about people without immigration status.”

— Pittsburg resident

“I am concerned that returning would put us at risk in our home region. We come from Michoacán and are seeking asylum here.”

— Brentwood resident

From the El Tímpano newsroom

A shortage of bilingual educators leaves English learners with too few qualified teachers

A critical shortage of bilingual educators leaves English learners without much-needed support. Ximena Loeza reports from Contra Costa County.

Poisoned pipes and painted walls: Oakland’s pervasive lead problem

Our four-month-long investigation, led by reporters Jasmine Aguilera and Cassandra Garibay, reveals that the city of Oakland’s lead contamination persists despite a multimillion-dollar fund from a 2019 lead paint settlement.

“Strength” and “Uncertainty” / “Fortaleza” y “Incertidumbre”

In this photo essay, immigrants reflect on their expectations and trepidations a few days before Donald Trump is sworn into office for the second time.

Stories we’re following

Alameda County approves $3.5M for immigration rapid response. Alameda County is increasing its support for immigrants and refugees. On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors green-lit a $3.5 million proposal to fund legal aid, emergency services, and rapid response for refugees and immigrants in one of the most diverse counties in the United States. The funding—requested by Supervisors Nikki Fortunato Bas and Elisa Márquez—will be used to increase staffing for the county’s public defender’s immigration unit and a soon-to-be-launched rapid response hotline that will track and verify local ICE activity, and provide legal rights trainings and support to immigrant communities. The plan came out of the Alameda County Together for All Ad Hoc Committee, which held its first public hearing last week (I attended) and plans to meet twice a month moving forward.

The multimillion-dollar boost builds on a larger effort from Sacramento. Gov. Gavin Newsom recently signed a pair of bills that will invest $50 million into legal nonprofits and the state DOJ to insulate California from the administration’s immigration crackdown. The move could provide crucial financial support to the many overburdened local aid groups fighting deportations and providing legal support to immigrants – especially given the news below.

Trump administration suspends legal aid for unaccompanied children. The Trump administration has abruptly cut off legal aid for unaccompanied migrant children, ordering attorneys across the U.S. to immediately stop their work—a move expected to impact nonprofits providing legal representation to about 26,000 children nationwide. The decision, which went into effect on Tuesday, effectively halts legal aid services that help unaccompanied youth apply for asylum and other protections, leaving some as young as two years old left to navigate the complex immigration system on their own. Advocates have condemned the decision, warning that it will put vulnerable youth – including trafficking victims – at risk of being sent back to dangerous and abusive conditions in their home countries.

Local organizations are already feeling the impact. NBC Bay Area has a look at how the funding cuts are affecting Legal Services for Children, which provides legal assistance to hundreds of unaccompanied youth in San Francisco and Alameda Counties. The firm has vowed to continue representing its current clients for free as long as they can. What happens next? No one knows. “We are taking it day by day and will continue to do so for as long as we can,” said Executive Director Cathy Sakimura.

ICE Raids Could Hit LA Soon. A “large-scale” immigration raid may be headed to Los Angeles as soon as next week. An internal government document shared with the Los Angeles Times indicates that ICE is planning sweeping enforcement actions targeting people with pending removal orders or those who don’t have legal status. The operation is expected to take place before the end of the month. If it happens, it could have a massive impact on LA—until now, the region has largely avoided the kind of high-profile raids that have unfolded in other large cities in the country. We’ll be watching closely to see if this foreshadows a broader crackdown in California, including further north in the Bay Area. If you have thoughts to share about this, you can reach me securely at ehellerstein@eltimpano.org.

Resource of the week

Since taking office, Donald Trump has proposed or implemented several policies affecting immigrant communities. Before we had a clear understanding of what a “Trump 2.0” would entail, we engaged with our SMS subscribers through a series of call-outs to learn about their concerns, worries, and hopes. We received questions on a wide range of topics, including the availability of free or low-cost legal assistance, how to protect oneself from ICE raids, and the impact of Medi-Cal’s expansion on undocumented immigrants. In response, we created a Spanish-language FAQ addressing these common questions.

Do you or someone you know work with Spanish-speaking immigrants in the Bay Area? Share it with them and let them know they can text us any questions at (510) 800-8305.

Become a supporter

El Tímpano produces civic media with, for, and about the 1.8 million Latino and Mayan immigrants who call the Bay Area home. We cannot do it without your support. Become a monthly donor today.

Questions and feedback? Tips for newsroom stories? Reach out team at newsletter@eltimpano.org.

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P.O. Box 420442

San Francisco, CA 94142