NEWS LINKS

November 1

KPBS Radio: Complaints Surface of Overzealous Law Enforcement at Fire Evacuation Centers

NBC News: Fire Victims Allege Abuse, Neglect At Evac Centers: Police Promise Investigation

http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/14489512/detail.html

Voice of San Diego: Cops Blocked Media During Fires, Report Says

http://www.voiceofsandiego.org/articles/2007/11/01/news/02aclu110107.txt

North County Times: Immigrant rights advocates outline concerns during wildfires

http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/11/02/news/top_stories/20_19_0511_1_07.txt

October 29

CBS News: (The Nation) Undocumented Mexican Workers In California May Be Shut Off From Aid

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/10/29/opinion/main3424172.shtml

Fresno Bee: Migrant Workers Face a Fear Greater than Just Fire

http://www.fresnobee.com/columnists/salinas/story/176995.html

Democracy Now: The Forgotten Victims of the California Wildfires: Undocumented Migrant Workers

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/10/29/141205

October 28

San Diego Union-Tribune: Border Fire Takes Toll on Illegal Crossers

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/mexico/tijuana/20071028-9999-1m28border.html

October 27

New York Times: Glare of Fires Pulls Migrants from Shadows

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/27/us/27illegals.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

North County Times: Help for migrant workers may fall to charities

http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/10/27/news/inland/21_38_3510_26_07.txt

NPR: Fires Heighten Safety Needs of Migrant Workers

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=15634399

October 26

KPFA (Pacifica Radio): Southern California's Undocumented Immigrants Hit Hard by the Wildfires

http://fsrn.org/content/friday%2C-october-26%2C-2007

ABC News Radio: Californians Returning Home as Fires Ease

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/10/26/2071863.htm

Los Angeles Times: Katrina Comparisons Are a Different Class of Wrong

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-lopez26oct26,1,3435455.column

New American Media: The Unseen Victims of California's Wildfires

http://news.ncmonline.com/news/view_article.html?article_id=d70074999a1b81cef632488c949812aa

Mi Enlace (San Diego Union-Tribune Spanish language publication): Pruebas de fuego (Trials of Fire)

http://www.mienlace.com/?secc=14&subsecc=&idt=8566

Mi Enlace (San Diego Union-Tribune Spanish language publication): Nunca dejaron de trabajar (They never stopped working)

http://www.enlacelink.com/?secc=14&subsecc=35&idt=8547

October 25

San Diego Union-Tribune: Latino evacuees at stadium feel anxiety

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20071025-1911-bn26deport.html

KPBS Radio: Arrest of 6 Illegal Immigrants at Qualcomm Raises Concerns

http://www.kpbs.org/news/local?id=10001

AP: Wildfire Death Toll May Rise Further with 4 Charred Bodies Found in Apparent Migrant Camp

http://www.kpbs.org/news/local;id=10004

October 24

ABC News: 20/20, Dangerous Dilemma for Illegal Immigrants

http://abcnews.go.com/2020/story?id=3769989&page=1

KPBS Radio: SD Fires Take Toll on Migrant Workers

http://www.kpbs.org/news/local;id=9991

BBC World News: Mexican Migrants Refuse to Flee California Fires

http://www.theworld.org/?q=node/13542

Our system was successful in alerting vast segments of the population to danger and in saving countless lives and homes. It also provided emergency shelter, food, and water to thousands of evacuees. But our response, and human compassion, fell short in some of our most vulnerable populations including certain immigrant populations.

Read the Reports

Read the report prepared by the San Diego Immigrant Rights Consortium, American Civil Liberties and Justice Overcoming Boundaries, Firestorm: Treatment of Vulnerable Populations During the San Diego Fires.

This report highlights some of the ways in which our response fell short and human rights and civil liberties were compromised. It recommends policy changes so that we can prepare to protect everyone before disaster strikes again.

Read the companion report prepared by American Friends Service Committee, The State of Civil and Human Rights for Migrant Communities in San Diego County during the Firestorms of October 2007.

Report an Abuse

If you feel you were discriminated against or threatened with immigration enforcement during the evacuation process, please call the ACLU at 619-232-2121 x 25.

Relief Assistance

Southern California Wildfire Help Center: This website is for people who have few resources and need immediate help recovering their lives after losing their homes, jobs, and normal day-to-day routines. The site is bilingual in English and Spanish.

Centro de Ayuda - Incendios del Sur de California: Esta informacion es para personas que tienen escasos recursos y necesitan ayuda inmediata para restablecerse después de haber perdido sus hogares, empleos y rutinas cotidianas. Es un sitio bilingüe, que presenta información fácil de entender en español e inglés.

San Diego County Emergency Homepage: Information about emergency preparedness, local assistance centers and recovery resources.