 Information talk or "charla" by Jesus Aguilar at 9th Street at Bonnie Brae. |
1986 CARECEN strengthens its immigration services and provides social services for refugees throughout the year, including food distribution, ESL classes, a refugee children’s art project, and basic counseling as well as referrals on housing, health care and tenant’s rights. Congress passes the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA). A significant number of Central Americans apply for amnesty under IRCA. Years of organizing lead to the City Council declaring Los Angeles a City of Sanctuary ("refugio") for Central Americans fleeing torture and political persecution in their homelands. A special order states that Los Angeles police should not work in collaboration with the INS to persecute and deport refugees. CARECEN joins the national campaign "Stop U.S. Bombing in El Salvador." CARECEN establishes earthquake relief committees to aid the thousands of October earthquake victims in El Salvador. Salvadoran refugees in Los Angeles denounce Salvadoran military operations, which includes the massacre in El Salvador of thousands of peasants in the countryside and the escalation of 500 pound U.S. bombs dropped on Salvadoran civilians. |