Workers call for safety net benefits for undocumented Californians. ‘It’s a human right’

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Since last fall, agricultural workers in California’s Central Valley have had less work due to prolonged rain storms and the resulting flooding.

But undocumented immigrants are ineligible for unemployment insurance, disaster relief and many other safety

Bills aim to extend safety net to undocumented Californians Assemblyman Eduardo Garcia, D-Coachella, introduced the Excluded Workers Pilot Program last year. Under the program, undocumented workers who had lost their job or had their work hours tilting the economy away from fossil fuels. The IRA also intersects with a separate national security objective: to free the U.S. and its allies, as much as possible, from dependence on supply chains it sees as vulnerable to China. In addition to batteries, products of concern include semiconductors, pharmaceutical ingredients and green energy components.

The IRA is “creating American manufacturing jobs and strengthening our energy and national security,” Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in a statement.

How aggressively Washington pursues its goals has been closely watched by the auto industry, with its complex and long-di stance supply chains spanning mines from to battery-cell makers. Legacy manufacturers including Ford and EV market leader Tesla have plans to build new battery plants in the U.S. that may leverage Chinese intellectual property.

The Biden administration gave automakers some wiggle room in its interpretation of the legislation, following an intense lobbying blitz since it was passed in August. While this has eased concerns of some big automakers and trade partners, it’s angered supporters of the bill, particularly Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia, who was key to getting the IRA passed.

The IRA extends as much as $7,500 in consumer tax breaks for cars that meet criteria on how much they cost, how much their buyers earn and where the vehicles are assembled. The most detailed, and controversial, requirements are focused on the component and minerals within the battery.

Specifically, the rules split the credit in two, with $3,750 available for vehicles with at least half of their battery components from North America, and the remainder if 40% of the value of raw materials in the battery are extracted or processed domestically, or in countries with U.S. free-trade agreements. Those requirements will ramp up over time.

Treasury has been vague on how to define what the law refers to as foreign entities of concern, although the administration officials said it will include Chinese companies. No tax breaks are available for vehicles containing battery components or critical minerals from foreign entities of concern starting in 2024 and 2025, respectively.

Biden’s plan has a hard road ahead for competing with China on batteries, which analysts at UBS have likened to the 21st century version of oil.

Chinese battery firms led by Contemporary Amperex Technology and BYD accounted for just over 50% of the market last year. By the end of the decade, nine of the 10 biggest battery makers will come from China, BloombergNEF has forecast.

“China’s dominance in the battery supply chain – from critical mineral processing to EV adoption – cannot be understated,” said Andrew Wang at Intercalation, a London-based battery industry research organization. “The implementation of the IRA will need to strike a delicate

Virgin Orbit ceases operations after failing to find funding

BloomBerg

Virgin Orbit Holdings, the satellite launch company tied to British billionaire Richard Branson, is ceasing operations indefinitely, succumbing to growing cash-crunch pressures that have paralyzed start-ups in many emerging technologies.

The company said in a filing Thursday that it was cutting 675 jobs, or about 85% of its workforce, “in order to reduce expenses in light of the company’s inability to secure meaningful funding.” A spokesperson for Virgin Orbit said the remaining 15% of employees will work on winding down the business. The move punctu- ates a rapid fall after its high-profile launch failure in January and a collapse in its stock price. Virgin Orbit temporarily suspended operations earlier this month while it sought additional capital.

The firm – part of Branson’s empire that includes airline Virgin Atlantic and spaceflight company Virgin Galactic Holdingshasn’t turned a profit as a public company. Virgin Orbit shares fell 45% in extended New York trading as of 7:20 p.m., trading at just 19 cents each. The stock was worth more than $7 a year ago.

Charges will amount to about $15 million, consisting primarily of $8.8 million in severance pay and employee ben- balance by incentivizing the decoupling of supplychain reliance, without forcing a decade of lessons in scaling to be relearned.” qualify for assistance.

China’s influence over the EV supply chain widens to around 90% in manufacturing and pro cessing in a number of battery materials and minerals, with CATL and BYD having spent bil lions investing in battery mineral sourcing.

China’s control of critical minerals processing – the steps required to turn mined material into usable compounds and goods – is seen as the most difficult chokepoint within the global EV supply chain to overcome. Currently, 60% to 100% of all battery minerals are processed in China, according to a report from a Washington think tank SAFE.

The White House has recently sought to expand which countries have trade agreements with the U.S. that allow them to supply critical minerals. It recently inked a deal with Japan and is working on one with the European Union. Such critical mineral deals could be a boon for the handful of companies that are already producing nickel and cobalt in Europe, while also strengthening the investment case for further expansions. Countries including Finland and Japan have an outsize role as suppliers to the U.S., and the recent deals are crucial for both sides to ensuring that trading partners aren’t locked out in the future.

They are rallying in support of a bill introduced by Sen. María Elena Durazo, D-Los Angeles, known as the Excluded Workers Program, which would allow undocumented workers to receive unemployment benefits for two years.

Gov. Newsom vetoed a similar proposal last year, citing the multi-milliondollar cost to update the Employment Development Department’s info rmation technology systems.

Approximately 1.1 million workers in California are undocumented, and collectively they contribute $3.7 billion in state and local tax revenues, reported UC Merced’s Community and Labor Center.

“Our community is affected by not having access to unemployment benefits,” Armando Celestino, Triqui interpreter with the Centro B inacional para el Desarollo Indígena Oaxaqueño (CBDIO), or the Binational Center for the Development of Oaxacan Indigenous Communities, said in Spanish. “We want this to change.”

Employment Development Department. It would provide undocumented workers with $300 weekly for up to 20 weeks of unemployment.

The bill is opposed by the California Taxpayers Association, which argued that the state’s unemployment system “does not have the financial ability to sustain any added benefits at this time,” according to an analysis by the Senate Committee on Labor, Public Employment and Retirement.

The Excluded Workers Program is among the Latino Legislative Caucus’ priorities for this year. The caucus is also prioritizing efforts to extend health and food benefits to undocumented Californians.

While these proposals wind through the legislature, Newsom’s office says it is taking other steps to support undocumented workers and communities.

The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) is “mobilizing existing funds,” from the Rapid Response Fund to provide disaster relief to immigrant Californias regardless of their docuSee Workers, Page A7 efits, and $6.5 million in other costs such as outplacement services, Virgin Orbit said in the filing.

Just two weeks ago, the company approved a severance plan for top executives, with Chief Executive Officer Daniel Hart standing to collect a payout of twice his base compensation, a cash payment equal to the prorated annual target bonus, and as much as six months of health insurance cover.

Branson injected $10.9 million by buying a note convertible into shares through his Virgin Investments, allowing the failed business to fund severance pay and other costs, Virgin Orbit said in See Virgin, Page A7 mentation status, according to the governor’s office.

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“These efforts also include ensuring mixed-status families are accessing federal and state resources that they may be eligible for,” the governor’s office said in a statement.

Lawmaker pledges support for unemployment proposal

State legislators, community advocates and farmworkers gathered at Fresno City Hall last Friday to advocate for the need for safety net benefits for all Californians.

Carranza said undocumented workers’ labor contributes to the state’s economy, so the state and local governments should do more to support workers in return.

“Even through the Covid-19 pandemic, extreme heat or cold, we farmworkers are always there on the frontline,” he said in Spanish. “We don’t back down, and we don’t give up.”

Assemblyman Joaquin Arambula, D-Fresno, attended the event and vowed to ensure the Excluded Workers Program becomes law.

“I look forward to the fight ahead where we are going to both pass SB 227 and also get it funded,” he said.

Representatives from Lideres Campesinas, Central California Environmental Justice Network and other organizations also pledged to support the Excluded Workers Program.

Oralia Maceda, CBDIO’s program director, said the continuing call to extend safety net benefits to undocumented workers isn’t “a favor” advocates are asking for.

“It’s a human right,” Maceda said in Spanish. “It’s a human right for all people to have a place to live and food on the table.”

CBDIO and organizations across the state that are part of the SafetyNet4All Coalition, which advocates for immigrant families’ rights, will gather at the State Capitol in Sacramento on April 13 to call for unemployment benefits and other safety net services for undocumented immigrants.

Virgin

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The Long Beach-based company is one of several space-related start-ups with once highflying valuations that have seen their shares plunge as investors shy away from untested business models and money-losing operations. Astra Space reported Thursday that its cash and cash-equivalent reserves fell by 32% in the quarter ended Dec. 31, and Rocket Lab USA said last month it expects to its quarterly loss to be three times bigger than analysts had estimated.

Virgin Orbit is still looking to sell all or part of its business, according to a person familiar with the matter. Those discussions for a possible transaction don’t include Matthew Brown, a little-known Texas-based venture capital investor who had said he was interested in

James Beck/Bloomberg file (2022) a deal earlier this month, said the person, who asked not to be identified revealing private conversations.

The Cosmic Girl b o eing 747, operated by Virgin Orbit, in england, nov. 8, 2022.

Brown had touted himself as a possible savior of a business that was worth billions just a year ago. But his financing deal collapsed over the weekend, CNBC reported Monday.

The launch company officially began in 2017 as an offshoot of Virgin Galactic before going public in 2021 through a combination with a blank-check firm. Virgin Orbit’s business centered on launching small satellites into orbit, distinct from Virgin Galactic’s focus on sending humans to the edge of space and back. nnn

Unlike some competitors that launch rockets from the ground, Virgin Orbit uses a technique known as air launch, in which its LauncherOne rocket is deployed at a high altitude from underneath the wing of a modified Boeing 747 plane. The company began developing the rocket at Virgin Galactic, years before the satellite launch business was formally created.

Virgin Orbit successfully launched its first mission to orbit in January 2021 and completed four successful flights through 2022.

The company had planned to increase its launch frequency this year but had to reassess after the failed January mission, which was slated to be the first orbital launch from British soil. Its vehicle never reached orbit after incurring a problem with a fuel filter during the flight, leading to the loss of nine small satellites.

Kane Brown and Kelsea Ballerini preside over festivities on the 2023 CMT Music Awards.

Commentary

Biden administration barely pretends to care about Syria anymore

The Biden administration seems to have forgotten about Syria these days. The only moves it has made recently were responses to February’s devastating earthquake or a recent attack on U.S. troops by an apparent Iranian drone. The administration has abdicated diplomatic leadership to Moscow and is turning a blind eye as Gulf states welcome the Assad regime back into the diplomatic fold. Privately, many Biden officials tell me they just don’t see any good U.S. policy options. Nonsense. There are several things that the U.S. government could and should do that could prevent the catastrophe in Syria from getting even worse. This week, in fact, dozens of former U.S. officials, experts and leaders of Syrian organizations sent President Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken a long list of things the administration ought to be doing right now. The letter’s signatories also explain why it matters.

“None of the issues that caused the Syria conflict have been resolved, most notably Assad regime atrocities and inability, or refusal to reform,” the letter states. “Many of the conflict’s symptoms are worsening, from human suffering, industrial-scale drug trafficking, refugee flows, terrorism, geopolitical conflict and ethnic and sectarian hostilities.”

In other words, Washington is sorely mistaken if it thinks that allowing regional players to reestablish diplomatic and economic ties with Bashar al-Assad will lead to greater stability. As the authors write: “Syria’s crisis is complex, but unconditional regime normalization is not inevitable.”

The administration claims that its policy of opposing Assad’s normalization “remains unchanged.” But Syrians are not buying it. They say that recent statements by Biden officials amount to tacit approval to supposed U.S. partners who are warming to the Syrian dictator. For example, the State Department’s top Middle East official, Barbara Leaf, said on March 9, “Our basic message has been [that] if you’re going to engage with the regime, get something for that.”

On March 19, United Arab Emirates ruler Mohamed bin Zayed al-Nahyan greeted Assad in Abu Dhabi with a 21-gun salute, particularly disturbing symbolism on the 12th anniversary of the Syrian uprising. There was no indication the UAE won any benefits for the Syrian people in return for the visit. The State Department declined to criticize the move.

“The Biden administration is failing the Syrian people,” said Mouaz Moustafa, executive director of the Syrian Emergency Task Force, a pro-opposition Syrian American aid group. “The danger of the Biden administration’s complacency and latent support for normalization with Assad is that it will invite other dictators to pursue the same policies.”

The State Department has largely ignored its most potent available tool for isolating Assad - namely, the Caesar Act, which authorized sanctions on anyone who aids the Syrian government. Their first and only use of these sanctions was this week, against drug traffickers. That’s a broken promise from Blinken, who said during the 2020 campaign that the Biden administration would fully implement the law. The leaders of both the Senate Foreign Relations and House Foreign Affairs Committees wrote to Blinken last week to lament the “disappointingly slow pace of sanctions” under the Caesar Act.

Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, lamented the Biden administration’s lack of a comprehensive strategy for Syria and urged Biden and Blinken to take the experts’ list of recommendations seriously. They recommend increasing aid volume and access to liberated areas, intensifying diplomacy, resetting relations with Turkey, addressing the ISIS detainee crisis, and maintaining pressure on Assad to stop the ongoing atrocities while pursuing accountability.

Middle East Institute Senior Fellow Charles Lister, who helped organize the list sent to Biden and Blinken, told me that the signatories don’t expect the administration to suddenly decide to ramp up its Syria engagement. But it is wrong to say that there are no good options.

“It did not need to be this way,” Lister said. “Yes, the days of forcing the Assad regime out are long gone, but there are many other things we could still be doing to have a useful and productive effect for the United States and the Syrian people.”

It’s tempting for any U.S. administration to throw up its hands when it comes to Syria. But the current strategy of passive neglect is neither stable nor sustainable. If current trends continue, the Islamic State will revive, and tensions between Turkish-backed and Kurdish-backed forces in Northern Syria will spill over into more bloodshed. Iran and Russia will expand their influence. Millions of internally displaced Syrians will suffer, and millions of refugees will never return home. Gulf partners will continue to cozy up to China. Assad will continue to slaughter. And future mass murderers will learn that there is no accountability in store for them.

It is hard to imagine that Syria could get worse - but it can and it will if U.S. interest and involvement continue to wane. The Biden administration’s lack of strategy does not absolve it of responsibility for the coming consequences of its inaction.

Josh Rogin is a columnist for the Global Opinions section of The Washington Post. He writes about foreign policy and national security. Rogin is also a political analyst for CNN. He is the author of the book Chaos Under Heaven: Trump, Xi, and the Battle for the 21st Century.

Green Valley development whittles away at natural beauty

Every morning, I drive my daughter to school and admire a field of grass with yellow mustard blooming. There are fewer and fewer of these fields in Green Valley every year. And in just the span of a couple of months, I’ve received several notices from the city of Fairfield about new development projects. I’m a parent, a public health researcher, a small business owner, and have called Green Valley my home for over 20 years now. I spend my days using research to advocate for communities who are left out of the political decision-making process. And now it’s critical that we collectively vocalize how one of these latest development proposals – a 3-story luxury apartment juxtaposed between a preschool, an elementary school and public library on a notoriously busy street – will exacerbate traffic conditions and affect our lives and our children’s well-being for years to come.

The Wiseman Company’s proposed Aurora at Green Valley apartments will compound already congested traffic along Business Center Drive. Spillover parking will deter the community from accessing the library and walking trails, which are an integral part of the community’s social fabric. Fumes from exhaust due to excess traffic – as well as from actual construction –will negatively harm respiratory health, especially for children in playgrounds just a few feet away. The congestion also means compacted and limited emergency exit route options during climate disasters like wildfires and earthquakes. Many community members are also concerned about surveillance that will be placed on children by building inhabitants. In light of ongoing mass school shootings, parents are understandably very wary about the safety and security of our children. Many of us in Green Valley are reaching a tipping point and are organizing to ensure that our concerns are addressed. We are inviting our fellow community members to join us by signing this petition: https://chng. it/7w2GpZNQDS.

Sukhdip K. Purewal Boparai Fairfield

Fix the Fairfield sidewalks, please

The city of Fairfield really needs to work on their sidewalks.

There are many sidewalks with split seams and divots, which cause tripping.

Twice, now, I have tripped while taking a walk around the creek and sidewalks near our home. I was just walking, being very careful. The first one was behind the homes around the 2900 block of Redwood Drive. There was a seam of asphalt that had pulled apart and it caught the toe of my shoe. On March 18, my toe hit a semicircle divot in the part of the sidewalk that allows for expansion on the 3000 of Redwood Drive and I tripped. These divots are not seen while walking. On March 24, I went for my walk and spotted numerous divots. Thankfully, I avoided any disasters!

Please city of Fairfield, have your Public Works crew travel around the city to look for these dangerous sidewalks. Once one’s toe hits one of these divots there is no place but down. Gravity takes over, no matter what one does to try to right their self.

Diane Ball Fairfield

Assistance available for changes coming to Medi-Cal

Everyone deserves access to health care. Yet, the complexities of the American system create barriers for many, especially low-income, unhoused or unemployed individuals. To help bridge that gap, the Medicaid program was created as part of the Social Security Act of 1965. In California, our Medicaid program is called Medi-Cal. Under normal circumstances, an individual has to confirm their eligibility for the program each year. But, as with many things, Covid-19 changed that. To provide relief as the pandemic continued disrupting American’s lives, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) suspended the normal annual reapplication process. But, with the end of the emergency declarations that defined much of Covid policy here in California and across the county, for the first time in three years, individuals on Medicaid programs will have to confirm they remain eligible and renew their coverage.

According to data from the Solano County 2021/22 budget request, the Medi-Cal application approval rate increased from 46% to 62% between February and May 2020. And, in March 2021, nearly 130,000 Solano residents were on some form of public assistance, including Medi-Cal. So as much as 30% of the population in Solano County could lose their benefits unless they take action.

Continuous enrollment ends on March 31, 2023, and individuals will receive renewal applications 90 days before their coverage is set to expire.

OLE Health is the health care provider for more than 70% of the Medi-Cal population in Solano County. We offer enrollment services to anyone who needs it, and you don’t have to be an OLE Health patient to use them. Our team of enrollment specialists can help with initial enrollment or reverification for renewal – free of charge.

If you would like help with your Medi-Cal renewal or assistance enrolling in Medi-Cal for the first time, you can call 707-254-1777 to make an appointment. Please bring any forms you’ve received with you to the appointment.

Teresa Alba, Patient Financial and Enrollment Services Manager, OLE Health Napa

Need better consideration for old town residents

I am an old town resident and I want to again address the issue that before any “event” in old town the area is cleaned, so the people from outside the town will see the beautiful marina and plaza. Meanwhile, the local taxpaying residents do not receive the same level of cleanliness and safety that the city is showing for outside visitors.

On March 18, there was a car show at the old town plaza and Main Street area. All of the benches and area in the plaza were cleared of people who had been using the area for their places to stay and shelter. These people have been in the area for months despite local residents’ complaints. At one point there were five police cars dealing with a person who was camped out on a bench along the waterfront walkway.

As an old town resident who enjoys my daily walks around the area, I, as a taxpaying resident, would like to enjoy my daily walks rather than having to go in different directions to avoid the piles of trash, and the scary and unsafe situations. The mayor, the city council and the police chief need to address this issue and respond to why the local taxpaying residents are not given the same consideration as outside visitors.

Barbara Kraig Suisun City