Why this issue is important
Although San Francisco is one of the most progressive cities in the
U.S., immigrants face numerous challenges living here, including:
- Lack of access to housing,
quality jobs, healthcare, and good schools
- Fear of deportation and forced
family break-up
- Employer exploitation
- Discrimination
Background
SFOP has worked over the long term to:
- Increase access to educational
and social services for immigrants regardless of documentation
status.
- Pass policies to ensure San
Francisco is a sanctuary from discriminatory state or federal
policies.
- Develop immigrant community
leaders to speak for their own community.
Measurable
Results
In the 1980’s, SFOP was part of the coalition that passed San
Francisco’s first Sanctuary City ordinance. After the 1986 federal
amnesty law was passed, this coalition also ensured that San
Franciscan residents could easily apply for amnesty and access the
English and citizenship classes necessary to fully take part in
civic life. SFOP immigrant leaders from Mission Dolores, St.
Anthony’s, Church of the Visitacion, and Corpus Christi worked in
coalition with others to create the Healthy Kids program, which
provides health coverage to children in the city regardless of
documentation status. SFOP sponsored enrollment events in the
Mission that helped enroll more than 2000 children. In 2007, St.
Peter’s Church in the Mission hosted a meeting with 450 immigrant
participants, in which Mayor Newsom reconfirmed the city’s
commitment to providing sanctuary to undocumented immigrants,
including creating more access to city services.
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