Across Santa Clara County, a new phenomenon is happening: immigrants are choosing to self-deport. It’s something immigration attorney Richard Hobbs has never seen in his 35-year career. There’s only been two people so far who have contacted his office to inform him of their decision — but Hobbs said other attorneys have told him people...
Silicon Valley officials rally to defend immigrants from ICE
San Jose resident Adilene Alvarez never expected her husband to be grabbed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) while driving their two young children to day care in April. She never expected him to be held in the Bakersfield Federal Detention Center or to be threatened by federal agents that her children would be...
East San Jose cultural district nets $50K grant
The School of Arts and Culture at Mexican Heritage Plaza is gearing up to launch San Jose’s first distinct cultural district. Housing Trust Silicon Valley, a nonprofit community development group, announced on June 11 it will award a $50,000 grant to the School of Arts and Culture at Mexican Heritage Plaza. As the plaza celebrated...
East San Jose youth center garners support for remodel
Community efforts to save the Mexican American Community Services Agency youth center in East San Jose are paying off. The Alum Rock Union School District board of trustees on Thursday voted unanimously 4-0, with Trustee Minh Nguyen absent, to extend the deadline for deciding the youth center’s fate. This will allow time for forging a...
East San Jose leaders burned out on smoke shops
San Jose leaders say stores selling tobacco, liquor and other illicit products are over concentrated on the east side of the city — and they are looking to temporarily ban new ones. Councilmembers Peter Ortiz, Domingo Candelas, Pamela Campos, George Casey and David Cohen introduced a proposal Wednesday to pause new smoke shops from opening in...
San Jose Latino businesses say ICE reports scaring customers
Immigrant-owned businesses in East San Jose have suffered huge losses in revenue and foot traffic since reports of federal ICE officers went viral earlier this year. Fear swept through the undocumented immigrant community in San Jose after the Target store on Story Road became the location of an isolated Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation in January. While...
Affordable housing to replace East San Jose abandoned building
A vacant building in East San Jose will be replaced with hundreds of affordable homes. A 100% affordable housing complex was approved at 2940 Alum Rock Ave. across from James Lick High School March 12 at Planning Director hearing. The 50,900-square-foot development would construct 400 homes and demolish two vacant buildings to make way for...
East San Jose community aims to restore youth center
An East San Jose collective has stepped in to save the Mexican American Community Services Agency youth center from demolition. The effort to repurpose the building is lead by the School of Arts and Culture and SOMOS Mayfair, representing the Si Se Puede Collective. At an Alum Rock Union School District board meeting Thursday night,...
East San Jose students stage walkout over immigration raids
East San Jose high school students and immigration advocates are protesting recent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids in San Jose. Hundreds of students from William C. Overfelt High School in East San Jose participated in a walkout Tuesday and marched to the intersection of Story and King roads, where residents reported seeing ICE agents Sunday....
East San Jose mural honors Vietnamese community
A new Vietnamese mural brings East San Jose residents agency. The mural’s three panels — which depict Vietnamese people fleeing their homeland, a woman in cultural dress and the beauty of Vietnam — is a first for the East San Jose Asian American community. The artwork evokes the history of the Vietnamese American community in...