Helping People Gain Power
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Grassroots Leadership files FOIA litigation against ICE to obtain T. Don Hutto contract
AUSTIN — Community members and advocates gathered Tuesday to announce litigation filed Monday in their ongoing campaign to close the T. Don Hutto detention center and end the abuse and confinement of 512 immigrant women who remain detained there. Read more about Grassroots Leadership files FOIA litigation against ICE to obtain T. Don Hutto contract
New regulation would allow migrant children and families to be held indefinitely in detention camps
AUSTIN, Tex. — The Trump administration announced earlier today a new regulation that would allow the government to detain children and families caught crossing the border indefinitely. Read more about New regulation would allow migrant children and families to be held indefinitely in detention camps
Freedom Cities Report Reveals APD Failure to Comply with Policies
Austin, TX -- Austin’s Freedom City Policies went into effect on November 1, 2018 to reduce discretionary arrests for citation-eligible offenses and racial disparities in arrests overall. Last Friday, August 9, 2019, the Austin Police Department (APD) issued its second round of quarterly reports covering the April - June timeframe as required by the Policies. In response, a coalition of community groups issued the following statement: Read more about Freedom Cities Report Reveals APD Failure to Comply with Policies
Travis County Commissioners vote on public defender office budget and oversight board
Members of the Indigent Legal Services Working Group outside the Commissioners Court, May 7, 2019
AUSTIN, Tex. — Earlier today, the Travis County Commissioners Court voted on two items related to the establishment of a public defender office. The first item establishes an oversight board composed of community members and those involved in the criminal justice system while the second item lays out the budget that cuts funds from the initial proposal for 24/7 magistration and four full-time staff critical to the success of a public defender office, including an immigration attorney.
The following is a statement by Grassroots Leadership in response to this vote: Read more about Travis County Commissioners vote on public defender office budget and oversight board
Violent attacks against Austin couple likely stem from escalating anti-homeless rhetoric; coalition raising money to protect people targeted by the attacks
AUSTIN, Tex. — The following is a statement from the Homes Not Handcuffs coalition concerning the most recent apparent hate-motivated attack targeting two Austin homeless residents Wednesday afternoon: Read more about Violent attacks against Austin couple likely stem from escalating anti-homeless rhetoric; coalition raising money to protect people targeted by the attacks
