Immigrant Legal Aid Policies in the United States encompass a set of regulations and initiatives designed to provide legal assistance and support to individuals navigating the complex immigration system. These policies aim to ensure that immigrants, regardless of their status, have access to fair representation, information, and resources. Legal aid organizations collaborate with government agencies, pro bono attorneys, and community partners to offer services such as legal consultations, representation in immigration court proceedings, and advocacy for the protection of immigrants' rights. These policies reflect the commitment to upholding the principles of justice, fairness, and inclusive, recognizing the importance of a robust legal framework to address the diverse needs of the immigrant population in the United States.

FTH 2024: Supported Nonprofit Organizations

Here are the nonprofit organizations that will be supported by this year's FTH auction. Many of these orgs will be familiar from last year's list, but we've cycled in some new groups as well. In particular, because it's a major election year in the US, we've brought in (or brought back) organations focusing on voter enfranchisement.

If you are a FTH creator and you want to ask your bidders to support an organization that’s not on the list, please read our policy on outside organizations here.

Bellingcat *

Bellingcat is an independent investigative collective of researchers, investigators and citizen journalists brought together by a passion for open source research in the public interest.

Civil Rights Education and Enforcement Center *

The Civil Rights Education and Enforcement Center (CREEC) is a nonprofit legal organization that fights for liberation and equity through the lens of intersectional disability justice.

In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda *

A national-state partnership focused on lifting up the voices of Black women leaders at the national and regional levels in our fight to secure Reproductive Justice for all women, girls, and gender-expansive individuals, NBWRJA delivers proactive advocacy and policy solutions to address issues at the intersections of race, gender, class, sexual orientation and gender identity.

Life After Hate

LAH provides support to people leaving hate groups, and providing pluralism education and training to vulnerable young people.

Middle East Children's Alliance *

MECA is a nonprofit organization working for the rights and the well-being of children in the Middle East. They collect funds in order to provide direct aid, financial support for community projects, water purification systems, and university scholarships, and also create educational and cultural programs in the US and internationally to increase cultural understanding.

National Network to End Domestic Violence *

NNEDV offers a range of programs and initiatives to address the complex causes and far-reaching consequences of domestic violence.

Never Again Action *

A Jewish-led mobilization against the persecution, detention, and deportation of immigrants in the United States, NAA takes on campaigns against detention centers and ICE training programs, and organizes mutual aid and deportation defense.

Razom *

Razom initiates short and long-term projects, or collaborates on existing projects with partner organizations, which help Ukraine stay on the path of fostering democracy and prosperity

Sherlock’s Homes Foundation *

SHF provides housing, employment opportunities, and a loving support system for homeless LGBTQ+ young adults so that they can live fearlessly as their authentic selves. Within these homes, young adults learn about responsibility, accountability, financial independence, life skills, and how to love themselves

Spread the Vote

STV helps eligible voters make their voices heard through voter education, supporting voters through the process of getting necessary ID, and advocating against voter suppression laws.

Violence Policy Center *

VPC works to stop gun death and injury through research, education, advocacy, and collaboration; exposes the profit-driven marketing and lobbying activities of the firearms industry and gun lobby, and offers unique technical expertise to policymakers, organizations, and advocates.

VoteRiders

VR works to help all citizens exercise their right to vote. It informs and helps citizens to secure their voter ID as well as inspires and supports organizations, local volunteers, and communities to sustain voter ID education and assistance efforts.

Umbrella: Environmental orgs

For the past four years, FTH has supported one “umbrella” cause: we invite participants to donate to their own local grassroots organization, while also suggesting a handful of exemplary organizations working in communities where the need is especially acute. This year our umbrella category is environmental organizations.

Pollinator Partnership *

Deploy/Us *

Together Bay Area

Wildlands Restoration Volunteers

Coral Restoration Foundation *

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Organizations marked with an asterisk (*) allow for international donations directly through their websites. The orgs without asterisks may take international donations through a paypal or venmo account. If you are a non-US-based bidder/donor and you are having trouble finding an organization to which you can donate, please email us directly at fandomtrumpshate @ gmail . com.

The Marvel Trumps Hate 2023 auction has officially begun! View auctions and place bids at marveltrumpshate.com.

Remember, we have 152 creators and 264 auctions offering all types of works and all types of universes, fandoms, ships, and characters. Follow the suggestions below to find the perfect auction(s) for you and figure out your bidding strategy:

See all of the auctions on our website

Filter auctions through several different ways (work type, rating, universe, character, ship, and gen relationship), using the tags on our tag list and our tips on finding specific auctions such as auctions offering "teen-rated 616 Steve/Tony" or "all ships in the GotG fandom" on our search guide. You can also look at special auction categories we spotlighted here

Check out our list of creators

Read our bidding guide and Bidders FAQ

Consider matchmaking if you can't find what you're looking for or pod bids if you have a tight budget but still want to bid

If you're on our MTH offerings Tumblr, click the auction link on a creator’s post to bid on that specific auction on our site

The auction will close at 11:59:59 PM ET on Saturday, October 28 (what time is that for me?). Check out the countdown here.

For more information, check out our About | FAQ | Schedule | How to Participate | Supported Organizations pages, or get in touch with us!

See our charity spotlights here:

Current Events

Environment & Natural Disasters

Health

LGBTQ+

Civil Rights Advocacy & Litigation

Women's Rights

Education

Immigration & Refuge

Equity & Access

Best of luck, everyone! Have fun and most importantly, remember that all winning bids will be going directly to great nonprofit organizations that work tirelessly to make the world a better place.

Fandom Trumps Hate is an annual fanworks auction that raises money for a number of small, progressive nonprofits: organizations that support trans rights, that advocate for immigrants and refugees, that protect pollinators and work on habitat restoration, support people seeking abortions, and more. (You can see the full list of 2024 organizations here.) Over the past seven years, thousands of fans have come together through the auction to raise nearly $240,000.

There are two ways to participate in Fandom Trumps Hate:

sign up to create fanworks. Fan creators are the ones who make the auction happen by offering their time and talents to other fans. You'll have space to tell potential bidders what kinds of things you're especially excited to create, as well as what kinds of things fall outside your sphere of interest or comfort. You'll also have the chance to narrow down the list of organizations that your auction will support, if you feel strongly about a couple of causes in particular. Signups are open through February 19th. You have the full year to create your piece for your bidder!

bid on creators who are offering to make ATLA fanworks. Is there a tumblr shitpost you'd love to see turned into a fic? A scene in your head you'd love to see captured in art? A fic you'd love to get a culture picker or translation or beta reader for? Bidding on another fan creator is a great way to make that happen! If you win an auction for a given creator's work, you'll make a donation to one of the organizations that creator has identified, and then you and that creator can get started dreaming up the fanwork that will hit your sweet spots. Bidding will be run from March 5th-March 9th.

We've had a handful of prior ATLA fics written for the auction in prior years (including two by me! And a few more for Legend of Korra!), as well as even more art, and it would be amazing if there lots more this year! If you are a lover of ATLA fic (or gifsets, or vids, or art, or any other kind of non-tangible fanwork) please consider signing up as a creator, or taking part as a bidder!

Please reblog to spread the word to other ATLA fans and creators!

Far-right extremists have spent the past week harassing and threatening migrants on the United States border with Mexico while making money by livestreaming it on YouTube and Rumble.

“Anybody in there,” said Dennis Yarbery, one of the YouTubers, as he approached a migrant camp at night in Jacumba Hot Springs, California, near the border last week. Yarbery was livestreaming to thousands of people. “Come out, come out wherever you are.”

Yarbery is one of three men who split off from the Take Our Border Back convoy in Texas and, according to their livestreams, spent days driving along the border in Arizona and California to harass migrants and volunteers with nonprofit groups.

“We’re illegal hunters,” Yarbery told a store clerk while livestreaming at a Subway sandwich counter in Jacumba Hot Springs. “I’ve hunted a lot in my life, but I’ve never actually hunted people, and that’s what we’re doing now.”

Yarbery, who is known online as both MasterGrifter and Big D and says he joined the People’s Convoy, a group that protested Covid lockdown measures and disrupted traffic, in 2022, was joined by Josh Fulfer, known as OreoExpress, and Joe Felix, known as Taco Joe, who runs 1st Responders Media, an outlet focused on livestreaming far-right events.

Throughout the hours-long broadcasts from the border in Arizona and California, these livestreamers regularly asked for donations from their supporters, which they claimed was being used to continue their work “covering” the crisis.

Even while in the middle of harassing the migrants, the livestreamers could still be heard thanking those who were sending them money via YouTube’s Super Chat function or through other platforms like Venmo and the Christian-aligned crowdfunding site GiveSendGo. In one situation, while Fulfer was shouting at migrants in Arizona telling them to go home, he stopped briefly to call out a supporter who had sent him $50 on Venmo.

These livestreamers come after weeks of inflamed rhetoric from both the far-right community and Republican lawmakers about immigration at the Texas border with Mexico. This year, the situation has erupted: After Texas governor Greg Abbott refused to heed the Biden administration’s calls to remove razor wire along the border, a dozen GOP governors publicly declared support for Abbott, and the Take Our Border Back convoy traveled from Virginia to Texas. Though the convoy petered out, the violent anti-immigrant rhetoric, which experts have warned would have long-term impacts, has only heightened.

“The post-convoy terror campaign against immigrants at the border follows an all-too-familiar pattern we’ve tracked for the past couple of decades,” Devin Burghart, the executive director at the Institute for Research and Education on Human Rights, tells WIRED. “Public bragging about ‘hunting people’ is a descent into a dangerous new low for armed vigilantes. Left unchecked, armed far-right vigilantes will spill more blood.”

After the livestreamers left Texas, they went to Sasabe in Arizona and a migrant camp run by No More Deaths, a humanitarian organization that provides support for migrants crossing the border.

During an hours-long livestream at night, Yarbery, Fulfer, and Felix all shouted at the migrants and accused them of human trafficking. Yarbery even tried to sell cigarettes to the migrants for $20 each. At one point, Fulfer threatened violence against a migrant who was shining a torch at their cameras.

The trio also verbally attacked a volunteer who worked with the organization, following her around as she phoned for help from US Border Patrol, according to livestreams of the incident viewed by WIRED before they were taken offline.

Yarbery, Felix, and Fulfer didn’t respond to WIRED’s requests for comment about their actions at the border.

Laurie Cantillo, a board member from Humane Borders, says the organization, which maintains water stations along migrant routes near the border, is aware of the allegations of harassment. “We have noticed an increase in vandalism of our permitted water stations along the border,” Cantillo tells WIRED. “Our 55-gallon barrels have been shot, stabbed, drained, and stolen. It’s a sad state of affairs when someone sabotages water that can save a human life.”

US Border Patrol and No More Deaths did not respond to multiple requests for comment about the incident. One former volunteer with No More Deaths, who did not want to be identified due to safety concerns, told WIRED that they were not surprised no one replied, as the organization “may not want to draw extra attention to this event.”

After departing Arizona, the trio of livestreamers headed to California, where they continued to try and track down migrant camps. On several days their searches were fruitless, though they continued to broadcast and solicit donations through YouTube.

After Fulfer and Felix departed, Yarbery continued to “hunt,” as he called it, and during one broadcast over the weekend, he livestreamed with his partner and their baby while driving toward the border in Jacumba Hot Springs.

While there, Yarbery met with locals to discuss the migrant situation, and in one conversation a man could be heard on the livestream saying, “I say we shoot ’em all,” before Yarbery told him to be quiet as he was broadcasting live on YouTube.

YouTube told WIRED that it terminated Fulfer and Felix’s accounts after WIRED asked about the livestreamers, but it did not take action on Yarbery’s account. All of Yarbery’s videos, YouTube said, were set to private by the account holder. Yarbery has also created a backup channel, and told his followers in a YouTube chat where they could continue to follow him on the platform.

For years, extremism experts have been tracking how violent rhetoric around the border and migrants has led directly to violence, dating back to the 2000s when fear-mongering attacks on immigrants led to the mobilization of far-right paramilitary groups, one of which brutally murdered Raul Flores and his 9-year-old daughter Brisenia.

“Sadly, this cycle of violence has become so common that it tends to go unnoticed outside of the communities targeted by far-right vigilantes,” Burghart said. “This time around, the Black Mirror-like difference is that tech advances now allow [people like Yarbery, Fulfer, and Felix] to stream and monetize their cruelty to a far-right fanbase that craves more.”

Who makes the world a better place, looks gorgeous doing it, and knows how to have fun along the way?

a) The Honorable Miss Phryne Fisher

b) the fabulous, talented MFMM fanwork creators who make fanworks for the @fandomtrumpshate auction!

Fandom Trumps Hate is an annual fanworks auction that raises money for a number of small, progressive nonprofits: organizations that support trans rights, that advocate for immigrants and refugees, that protect pollinators and work on habitat restoration, support people seeking abortions, and more. (You can see the full list of 2024 organizations here.) Over the past seven years, thousands of fans have come together through the auction to raise nearly $240,000.

There are two ways to participate in Fandom Trumps Hate:

sign up to create fanworks. Fan creators are the ones who make the auction happen by offering their time and talents to other fans. You'll have space to tell potential bidders what kinds of things you're especially excited to create, as well as what kinds of things fall outside your sphere of interest or comfort. You'll also have the chance to narrow down the list of organizations that your auction will support, if you feel strongly about a couple of causes in particular. Signups are open through February 19th.

bid on creators who are offering to make MFMM fanworks. Is there a song you love which would make a perfect Phrack vid? Have you always secretly craved a Roman Empire AU, or a story about Dot's childhood? Bidding on another fan creator is a great way to make that happen! If you win an auction for a given creator's work, you'll make a donation to one of the organizations that creator has identified, and then you and that creator can get started dreaming up the fanwork that will hit your sweet spots. Bidding will be run from March 5th-March 9th.

There are a handful of MFMM fics written for the auction over the years (including one by me!) but it would be fabulous if there were lots more this year! If you are a lover of MFMM fic (or gifsets, or vids, or art, or any other kind of non-tangible fanwork) please consider signing up as a creator, or taking part as a bidder!

Please reblog to spread the word to other MFMM fans and creators!

07/10/2023 Hey please be fucking careful about sharing information about immigration and refugee issues while talking about fleeing the United States or within the country. I cannot tell you how much REAL ASS MISINFORMATION is going around.

Nonprofit groups are popping up everywhere and not all of them can help/are actually qualified to be helping people flee. I personally have had correspondence with a founder of one of those groups who is in their early 20s and has no record of experience in doing something like this - not even mutual aid. I'm not going to say the name of this one because I actually promised I wouldn't. Regardless of what work they're gonna do, I'm not going to get in the way of it. It'll be great if they can work it out.

In times of crisis, these kinds of groups pop up as a panic response. Panic responses make for weak organization. Sometimes they work out, a LOT LOT LOT of the time they don't and people get HURT. Also, OPS ARE REAL. If you have physically been in activist spaces, there's a good chance that you cannot confidently say you can tell an Op from real help.

I know Rainbow Railroad is also becoming a popular option in terms of trying to get support. I have some very loose ties to people involved with them and they have a track record of helping people flee Uganda and other death penalty countries. They have never said that they are able to help people in the United States move from one state to another. Frankly, I don't believe they have the personnel support or funding for that right now. Who knows what they'll be capable of in the future, but don't bank on them if you're looking for help moving from Mississippi to California. One of the BIGGEST pieces of misinformation that I heard JUST YESTERDAY was "Rainbow Railroad will help you move to Canada, I know because a friend of mine did it. It's that simple." NO IT IS NOT. It is NEVER that simple. They are working WITHIN the system, NOT outside of it.

Their relationship with the Canadian government is complicated. The Canadian government is taking a risk simply by accepting LGBTQ+ refugees and that support could weaken at any point. It's also extremely difficult to immigrate to Canada if you're disabled - they keep saying they're going to "fix the discrimination" and that they're "not actually discriminating against disabled people" but that's an absolute lie. And it's disability of any kind - chronic pain, mental health conditions, physical disability, anything you can think of. You have to literally prove that you won't be a burden to the Canadian healthcare system.

I've been working on a zine-esque document about fleeing trans genocide for a few months but the reality is I need collaborative partnership before I make it publically available. I refuse to put something out there that could endanger someone's life. In the meantime, here's a few tips on navigating this if you are planning on running:

Listen to people who have fleeing in their genetic memory and have cultural knowledge around what it means to flee. This means Jews, Rromani people, black Americans who are direct descendants of those held in slavery in the south and have kept that generational knowledge, refugees who have fled their countries to other parts of the world, people whose families were refugees, and people who stayed where they were while others fled.

If you listen and take into account the real trauma that you are about to go through by simply sympathizing with people who this has happened to before or currently, your transition to where you flee is going to be much, much smoother. Listening is a part of taking care of yourself.

Fleeing is going to mean different things for white trans Americans and trans Americans of color. If you're white, you MUST NOT assume that you are having the same experience just because you are trans.

Get extremely comfortable working outside of the system. The chances are you are going to have to steal, barter, trespass, and risk being arrested are going to increase over time.

Do not EVER feel bad for asking for money to get out. You are in survival mode. Fuck the people who criticize you for it.

Take care of yourself as much as you possibly can. Distress is distress, and even through massive change you still have the chance to take a deep breath.

Accept that some people are going to stay. Some of those people will be people that you love. You are not hurting them directly by leaving, and they are not hurting you directly by staying.

Wherever you go, you are going to have to keep fighting. Just because you're not where you were doesn't mean that you can't fight for the people who stayed. You'll find even more people to love in finding the people who advocate for you in the place that you make new roots. And those new people will want to know about where you came from and the people that you're fighting for.

Find the drag queens.

Don't give up.

Be careful where you step.

Follow love.

I'll probably update this post when I'm able to find collaborators for what I'm working on. I'd actually really like it if people circulated this because the dangerous is getting even more dangerous. Stay as safe as you possibly can.

Dear Friends of AnySquared,

Some of you are friends we’ve featured in exhibitions, some we’ve met at events or studio days, and some we’ve collaborated with on your projects – many are friends from the community. You are why we exist and your support is essential for us to continue our work. This December marks our year anniversary of formalizing AnySquared as a nonprofit 501c3!  We are grateful to our board of directors for doing the work to make this happen–the board is made up of six dynamic individuals who are involved in community-based organizations and arts related projects. As a nonprofit, we can create new networks of support for Chicago artists and generate compelling and meaningful programming that gives artists a chance to leverage their art to organize for the greater community good. Please scroll through to see what AnySquared has been doing this year!

Artists from all over the city attend AnySquared’s weekly Wednesday Studio Days. Participants tell us that there is no other art day like ours in the City of Chicago. We provide free supplies while offering the studio space and encouraging creativity and collaboration. In 2022 we were excited to be open all year and hosted 50 Studio Days with 20–30 mostly young artists attending each week! instagram post 1 | instagram post 2 | instagram post 3

Art community events like AnySquared Art Swap Meet last February are reaching bigger audiences and more artists citywide. Over 250+ people attended the Art Swap that featured 110 artists swapping art. Block Club Article announcing Art Swap | instagram post | facebook artists album

Life & Love in Covid Times opened in March as our 1st exhibit for Art at Coles since the pandemic! Featuring 50+ artists including some we have never worked with before, it was a great way to connect in addition to Studio days. We also hosted 2 other Art at Coles later this year that hightlighted 3-4 artists each in these exhibits: Art at Coles #42 and Off the Streets! We hosted 30 art talks to check out on YouTube through March of 2022, See the fantastic lineup of artists of all experiences! AnySquared Spotlight Art Talk Series

Looking to the future as a nonprofit: Our amazing Visioning Session in June gave the whole of the AnySquared network a platform to workshop and voice ideas about the direction of our organization as a nonprofit. We continue to roll out different aspects discussed including implementing monthly meetings, opening the studio additional days, initiating the planning for the Belmont Cragin Community Mural, and creating more avenues for more artists participation in programming and proposing projects. Thank you to Studio Gang for the rooftop space! facebook video We continue to partner with Chicago artists, projects, and organizations in the community.

The annual Against Da Fence mini-art-festival is our biggest collaboration of the year and is a testimony to cooperation with Renegades of Funk and our combined communities at Project Logan. 500+ people in the community came through to see art on the fence, painting on the wall, art vending and demonstration by 75+ artists as well as participate in our art-making activity. See 2022 Facebook album with extra photos!

This year we were proud to be recruited to collaborate on two projects with Palenque LSNA — an excellent community organization that fights for affordable housing, immigration rights, and better schools. Our team created a beautiful mural banner to be carried at Palenquefest. We also organized arts programming at the May festival including artmaking for families, an artist showcase, a “here to stay” community banner painting activity, and more than a half dozen live artists. It was a true collaboration of art plus community on a rainy, but fun day!

Palenque LSNA also asked us to create community alter that honors those killed by gun violence in 2022 for the Viva La Vida: Day of the Dead event at Comfort Station in late October. Our lead artist was Cesar Luna who designed and created the beautiful ofrenda for Dia De los Muertos.

Once again we collaborated with Unity Park for Art in the Park and provided volunteers, organized the painting activities of the day, and completed the “making space for each other” banner mural painted by the community and designed by Helen Sanchez-Cortes who was also the lead organizer. It was a beautiful day of art + community.

We continue to supported up-and-coming spaces and emerging artists with our collaboration with Studio Nez for the Breakfast Show exhibit. It was great to partner with Casa Hernandez’s Nick Hernandez who donated their space for the Passions Skateboard Art Show curated by Cesar Luna! The space usually hosts Humboldt Park Solidarity Network‘s free store thanks to Nick and community members! This year we also sponsored a pilot Arts Administration Internship Program and plan to create and fund more mentorship opportunities and skills workshops in 2023. For next year we hope to create paid intern positions for communications manager and art studio manager. Internships help develop real world skills for young people interested in arts administration but we need your support to make these positions a reality.

Throughout the year we continued to amplify our fellow artists and collaborators in our wider network through 100s of social media stories and posts in the Milwaukee Avenue Arts News.

While we currently remain in our AnySquared Studio space, and are beginning the process of investigating the possibility of spaces – but we understand we need to build out our fundraising capacity. We will see rising operations costs in 2023 and have already experienced a rise in costs for art materials. We have traditionally raised money through our own efforts and in 2023 plan to make a push to seek out monthly sustainers and grants which will help us to expand our programming and provide more consistent stipends for interns and artists.

Will you join in supporting AnySquared by making a year-end donation? Help AnySquared in changing circumstances! Please consider making a generous tax-deductible donation to AnySquared. You can also become a Monthly Sustainer at $10, $20, $50, or $100 to help Anysquared move towards attaining important financial sustainability. As a monthly sustainer you help make sure we continue to do the great work we have been doing in Chicago!

Donate through Square OR PayPal. We also accept CashApp ($anysquared). Checks can be mailed to: AnySquared, 2328 N. Milwaukee, Floor 2, Chicago, IL  60647.

That's a Wrap for 2022! Next year will be AnySquared’s 13th Anniversary. We are excited about planning new projects in the new year. Look for our website update with artists' directory too!

Wishing you art plus community. Thank you for your support!

___ AnySquared.com @ne2_gallerysquared [email protected] News & Events  |  YouTube Find AnySquared on Facebook, TikTok, Twitter Supporting and nurturing artists and creating community for more than a dozen years, AnySquared is an artists collaborative and artists network. AnySquared's mission is to support, produce and promote collaborative projects that facilitate arts activities through inclusive participation.

ST. ALBANS, Vt. (AP) — Authorities in Vermont say Ugandan activist who fled his home country after he says he was repeatedly tortured for his human rights work and would fear for his life if he was deported can stay another year.

Steven Tendo, a 37-year-old pastor, was granted a one-year stay on deportation or removal on Tuesday. After a meeting at a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Office in northern Vermont, he thanked the two dozen advocates and friends who gathered outside the building to show their support. The newspaper VTDigger first reported on his case from Vermont.

“You mobilized, you spoke on my behalf, you poured out your hearts,” Tendo said to the small crowd. “I mean, I can't express how I feel but I am so happy and I promise I am going to be a very successful Vermonter."

In Uganda, Tendo started the nonprofit Eternal Life Organization International Ministries, that he says, among other things, helped youths to vote, incarcerated youths and those calling for reforms to express themselves in a legal and organized manner. The Ugandan government eventually saw the organization as a threat and targeted him, he said. Starting in 2012 he says he was repeatedly tortured and that government operatives severed the tips of two of his finger. He was arrested multiple times on trumped up charges but never convicted, he said.

Emails were sent to the Embassy of the Republic of Uganda in Washington, D.C., seeking comment.

Uganda's human rights environment has declined markedly over the past year, according to the 2022 World Report from Human Rights Watch. In the spring of 2021, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the election in which longtime President Yoweri Museveni won a sixth term “was neither free nor fair." In announcing some visa restrictions, Blinken said “opposition candidates were routinely harassed, arrested, and held illegally without charge. Ugandan security forces were responsible for the deaths and injuries of dozens of innocent bystanders and opposition supporters.”

Tendo fled Uganda and in late 2018 sought asylum in the United States and protection under the Convention Against Torture. For a little over two years, he was detained at the Port Isabel Service Processing Center in Texas where a judge did not find him credible and denied him asylum. During his detention — which Tendo said was worse than the torture he endured in Uganda — his health declined. He said he was denied a diet to manage his diabetes, was not allowed to check his sugar levels and he became blind because of his uncontrolled sugar levels.

In August of 2020, 44 members of Congress wrote a letter to the acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security urgently requesting that Tendo's deportation be halted and that he be released for “life-threatening medical reasons.” Amnesty International and other organizations also called for his release, which happened in February of 2021. An email was sent to ICE seeking comment.

After his release, Tendo was invited by the Central Vermont Refugee Action Network to live in Vermont, where he now works at the DREAM Program Inc., a nonprofit that helps youth, and he has a separate night job. He had an operation to correct the vision in one eye.

DREAM Program founder Michael Foote described Tendo as “fantastic," as he stood with others outside the immigration office on Tuesday to support him.

“He exudes charisma, and leadership and so he’s been a real asset on the fundraising side, which is where he is focused, but also an important bridge to the new American community in the Chittenden County area,” he said.

Dian Kahn, a member of the Central Vermont Refugee Action Network, who helped Tendo for about nine months when he first arrived in Vermont, also stood outside the building.

“Steven is a brilliant, caring, very special person that really wants to bring community good and in Vermont those are our values here for a lot of us,” she said.

State officials have also taken on his cause. In November, Vermont's congressional delegation and Lieutenant Gov. Molly Walsh wrote letters to acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement asking her to “exercise prosecutorial discretion in Mr. Tendo’s case." Amnesty International also sent a letter saying his “removal would constitute a grave injustice and a clear breach of U.S. obligations not to return a person to possible persecution or torture.”

Tendo appealed the judge’s decision denying his asylum to the Board of Immigration Appeals and was denied, then lost his appeal for a review of that decision in federal court. He says he plans to talk with lawyers about what to do next. He is intensively grateful for all the support and says he loves Vermont and being a Vermonter.

“I have a passion to help people in need and become a solution,” he said.

DECEMBER 22, 2023

"What is missing from Congress are hearings into the decades of illegal anti-Palestinian espionage, covert action, and blacklisting of Americans within the United States by the Israeli government and its domestic collaborators—actions far more serious and damaging than campus semantics. As noted in my earlier articles for The Nation, they range from dispatching a secret agent to interfere in a presidential election on behalf of Donald Trump; to launching a covert operation within the US targeting academics and others who support a boycott of Israel; to conducting a massive operation to spy on and “crush” pro-Palestinian students throughout the country; to establishing a secret Israeli-run troll farm across the US to harass anyone critical of Israel; to hiring Americans to secretly spy on American students and report back to Israeli intelligence. And then there is Canary Mission, a massive blacklisting and doxxing operation directed from Israel that targets students and professors critical of Israeli policies, and then launches slanderous charges against them—charges designed to embarrass and humiliate them and damage their future employability. ...

...

Like its campus spy operation, Israel on Campus Coalition, Canary Mission acts as a key intelligence asset for the Ministry of Strategic Affairs, a highly secretive intelligence organization that is largely focused on the United States, and the Shin Bet security service. Not only is it intended to silence anti-Israel dissent; its list of names is also used to prevent those individuals from entering Israel and attempting to visit family, including both Jews and Palestinians, and professors as well as students. 

...

Like all of Israel’s espionage and covert operations in the United States, Canary Mission’s links to Israeli intelligence—and the Mission’s American financiers—are well hidden. But as a result of a slipup on a tax form a few years ago, those links began to be revealed. And in the process was exposed the role played by one of the wealthiest families in California, headed by publicity-shy billionaire Sanford Diller, a major Trump backer who had donated $6 million to a pro-Trump political committee. Diller was also a pro-Israel extremist, supporting a long list of right-wing Islamophobic organizations. They included the American Freedom Law Center, founded by a man who even the Anti-Defamation League said has a “record of anti-Muslim, anti-immigrant and anti-black bigotry,” and Stop Islamization of America, which “has sought to rouse public fears about a vast Islamic conspiracy to destroy American values,” according to the ADL.

For donations to a variety of causes, the Diller family maintains the Helen Diller Family Foundation. But in order to get a tax break, they turn the funds over to a much larger trust, the Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco, which then channels the Diller family donations. According to The Forward (formerly The Jewish Daily Forward), in 2016 the Diller Foundation donated $100,000 through the Jewish Community Federation to an obscure Israeli nonprofit called Megamot Shalom. Untraceable, off the grid, unheard of, Megamot Shalom was actually the front for Canary Mission.

....

There was a key reason for so much secrecy. Those Americans who were financially supporting Canary Mission were potentially committing a serious crime, acting as agents of a foreign power. They were financing a clandestine foreign organization with ties to Israel’s Ministry of Strategic Affairs, an Israeli intelligence agency—which was using Canary Mission to identify, detain and deport Americans entering the country, like Lara Alqasem and Professor Katherine Franke.

Not content to secretly fund Canary Mission to carry out its spying and intimidation on American college campuses, many of the wealthy donors also wanted generous federal tax breaks for their donations. The problem was that tax breaks are not allowed for donations to foreign charities, just those in the United States, and Megamot Shalom’s being in Israel would rule out the deduction. To solve the problem, years ago a family living in Israel’s illegal settlements came to the United States and set up shop in New York City as a nonprofit “charity,” calling itself the Central Fund of Israel."

2023 Supported Nonprofits

Our list of supported organizations for 2023 includes a few orgs from last year, and a host of new ones addressing issues such as climate and pollinator preservation, housing and immigration, and gun violence.

If you are a FTH creator and you want to ask your bidders to support an organization that’s not on the list, please read our policy on outside organizations here.

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Citizens Climate Education

A nonprofit, nonpartisan, grassroots advocacy climate change organization focused on national policies to address climate change; trains and supports volunteers to build relationships with elected officials, the media and their local community.

DigDeep/Navajo Water Project *

Works to ensure that every person, everywhere enjoys their human right to water. All people should have access to a sufficient quantity of safe, accessible, affordable water of good quality, and that they should understand and care for their water resources.

Life After Hate

Provides support to people leaving hate groups, and providing pluralism education and training to vulnerable young people

National Network to End Domestic Violence *

Offers a range of programs and initiatives to address the complex causes and far-reaching consequences of domestic violence

Never Again Action *

A Jewish-led mobilization against the persecution, detention, and deportation of immigrants in the United States; takes on campaigns against detention centers and ICE training programs, and organizes mutual aid and deportation defense.

Rainbow Railroad *

Works to help LGTBQI+ people facing persecution based on their sexual orientation, gender identity and sex characteristics find safety through emergency relocation and other forms of assistance.

Razom *

Initiates short and long-term projects, or collaborates on existing projects with partner organizations, which help Ukraine stay on the path of fostering democracy and prosperity.

Sherlock's Homes Foundation

Provides housing, employment opportunities, and a loving support system, for homeless LGBTQ+ young adults so that they can live fearlessly as their authentic selves. Within these homes, young adults learn about responsibility, accountability, financial independence, life skills, and how to love themselves.

The Appeal *

A news organization that envisions a world in which systems of support and care, not punishment, create public safety, The Appeal’s journalism exposes the harms of a criminal legal system entrenched in centuries of systemic racism.

Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund *

Works toward legal equality for trans people through education, public policy, litigation, and direct legal services

Violence Policy Center *

Works to stop gun death and injury through research, education, advocacy, and collaboration; exposes the profit-driven marketing and lobbying activities of the firearms industry and gun lobby, and offers unique technical expertise to policymakers, organizations, and advocates.

Xerces *

An international nonprofit organization that protects the natural world through the conservation of invertebrates and their habitats. Focuses on pollinator conservation, endangered species conservation, and reducing pesticide use and impacts.

Umbrella: Abortion Funds

For the past three years, FTH has supported one “umbrella” cause: we invite participants to donate to their own local grassroots organization, while also suggesting a handful of exemplary organizations working in in communities where the need is especially acute. This year (like last year) this umbrella category is abortion funds.

Abortion funds are grassroots nonprofits dedicated to supporting reproductive justice in their communities. These organizations provide financial, logistical and emotional support for people seeking abortions, and work to build collective power to create political and cultural change around reproductive freedom.

Our 2023 selections for the umbrella group was compiled with assistance from Kiki, a digital engagement manager for an abortion support nonprofit and the co-founder and editor-in-chief of the (now-defunct) site The Learned Fangirl. (Please feel free to reach out to her on twitter @kdc if you have any questions about abortion funds!)

Buckle Bunnies Fund

Indigenous Women Rising

Kentucky Health Justice Network

Abortion Fund of Ohio

New Orleans Abortion Fund

     _     _     _     _     _     _     _     _     _     _     _     _     _     _     _     _     _

Organizations marked with an asterisk (*) allow for international donations directly through their websites. The orgs without asterisks may take international donations through a paypal or venmo account. If you are a non-US-based bidder/donor and you are having trouble finding an organization to which you can donate, please email us directly at fandomtrumpshate @ gmail . com.

The Marvel Trumps Hate 2022 auction has officially begun! View auctions and place bids at marveltrumpshate.com.

Remember, we have 205 creators and 343 auctions offering all types of works and all types of universes, fandoms, ships, and characters. Follow the suggestions below to find the perfect auction(s) for you and figure out your bidding strategy:

See all of the auctions on our website

Filter auctions through several different ways (work type, rating, universe, character, ship, and gen relationship), using the tags on our tag list and our tips on finding specific auctions such as auctions offering "teen-rated 616 Steve/Tony" or "all ships in the GotG fandom" on our search guide. You can also look at special auction categories we spotlighted here

Check out our list of creators

Read our bidding guide and Bidders FAQ

Consider matchmaking if you can't find what you're looking for or pod bids if you have a tight budget but still want to bid

If you're on our MTH offerings Tumblr, click the auction link on a creator’s post to bid on that specific auction on our site

The auction will close at 11:59:59 PM ET on Saturday, October 29 (what time is that for me?). Check out the countdown here.

For more information, check out our About | FAQ | Schedule | How to Participate | Supported Organizations pages, or get in touch with us!

See our charity spotlights here:

2022 Current Events

Environment

Health

LGBTQ+

Civil Rights Advocacy & Litigation

Women's Rights

Education

Immigration

Equity & Access

Best of luck, everyone! Have fun and most importantly, remember that all winning bids will be going directly to great nonprofit organizations that work tirelessly to make the world a better place.

All we can learn about NeighborsLink

Immigrant families today face a range of challenges as they navigate life in a new country. From language barriers and cultural adjustments to legal complexities and economic disparities, these families often encounter significant hurdles on their journey toward integration and stability. Access to education, healthcare, employment opportunities, and social services can be limited, exacerbating the difficulties of settling into a new community. Despite these challenges, immigrant families demonstrate resilience and determination as they strive to build better lives for themselves and contribute positively to their adopted societies.

NeighborsLink stands out as a supporting organization for immigrant families in the numerous community of Miami, Florida. It offers essential services, resources, and opportunities to navigate life in a new country. This nonprofit organization plays an important role in addressing the unique challenges faced by immigrant communities, while fostering inclusivity and integration.

Addressing Challenges Faced by Immigrant Families

Language barriers for immigrant families can hinder access to education, healthcare, and employment opportunities. NeighborsLink provides language classes that give individuals an opportunity to communicate effectively and participate more fully in their new communities.

“Language is a tool for communication, as well as a gateway to opportunity and integration,” emphasizes Michael Shvartsman, a successful businessman with an immigrant background. “By offering language classes, NeighborsLink helps immigrant families break down barriers and access essential services.”

Navigating legal complexities is another challenge for immigrant families. NeighborsLink offers legal assistance and guidance to help families understand their rights and responsibilities, ensuring they can access the necessary resources and support.

“Educating immigrant families about their legal rights is crucial for fostering a sense of security and empowerment,” notes Michael Shvartsman. “NeighborsLink’s legal services provide vital support to those navigating complex immigration processes.”

Economic disparities often impact immigrant families, limiting their ability to secure stable employment and housing. NeighborsLink provides job training programs and resources to enhance employability and financial stability, empowering individuals to achieve economic independence.

Supporting Immigrant Families through Community Engagement

NeighborsLink serves as more than just a service provider. It fosters community engagement and social connections. The organization hosts community events that celebrate diversity, promote cultural exchange, and strengthen social bonds among immigrant families and local residents.

“Community events create opportunities for immigrant families to share their culture and traditions while fostering understanding and acceptance,” explains Michael Shvartsman. “NeighborsLink’s efforts build bridges between diverse communities and promote a sense of belonging.”

But like many nonprofit organizations, NeighborsLink faces challenges in funding and resource allocation. Limited financial resources can restrict the organization’s ability to expand its programs and reach more individuals in need. Additionally, ensuring long-term sustainability and maintaining community partnerships require ongoing effort and support.

NeighborsLink demonstrates the importance of community-driven initiatives in supporting and empowering immigrant families. Through its comprehensive programs and community engagement efforts, NeighborsLink addresses key challenges faced by immigrant communities and promotes integration, diversity, and social cohesion. By working together, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and local communities can create a more inclusive and supportive environment for immigrant families to thrive and succeed.

Learn more:

Financial Support for Newcomer Entrepreneurs in Canada: Expert Tips

Are you considering starting a business in Canada? It’s worth noting that immigrants to Canada are more likely to become business owners within 5 to 7 years of arrival, with entrepreneurship offering a promising path to career development.

Newcomers, in particular, enjoy greater flexibility in launching businesses in Canada, with various funding options available to support their entrepreneurial endeavors. Engaging top financial consulting services in Airdrie becomes crucial when seeking funding for your business.

Let’s explore some of the funding avenues accessible to startups in Canada:

Government Grants: A well-crafted business plan is essential for securing funding. Whether you’re launching a startup or a small business, proper funding is crucial to avoid financial hurdles within the first few months of operation. Develop a comprehensive business plan highlighting aspects like value proposition, market analysis, financial projections, and growth strategies to attract potential investors and increase your chances of securing funding.

The Canadian government offers numerous funding programs and grants to support newcomer entrepreneurs, covering areas such as innovation, market expansion, and research and development. The Start-up Visa program is designed to attract innovative entrepreneurs, providing them with an opportunity to obtain permanent residency in Canada. Additionally, the government provides loan programs tailored to specific communities and industries, with information available on the Government of Canada website.

Angel Investors and Venture Capitalists: Canada boasts a thriving ecosystem of angel investors and venture capitalists keen on supporting promising startups. These investors provide essential funding, industry connections, mentorship, and more, making them attractive options for startups seeking financial backing.

Crowdfunding: Crowdfunding platforms offer startups an alternative funding option to traditional methods. Peer-to-peer lending and crowdfunding campaigns allow entrepreneurs to raise funds from the public, showcasing their unique business ideas and attracting support from interested individuals.

Canada Small Business Financing Program (CSBFP): The CSBFP, a government-sponsored initiative, provides loans of up to $1 million CAD to newcomer entrepreneurs in Canada. Financing is available for purchasing equipment, business vehicles, renovations, and other essential expenses, with loans capped at $350,000 CAD.

Futurpreneur Canada: Futurpreneur Canada, a national nonprofit organization, offers mentoring and financing support to aspiring entrepreneurs aged 18 to 30. Collateral-free loans are available at competitive interest rates, with funding of up to $15,000 CAD per business.

In Conclusion: Securing funding for your business in Canada can be challenging, but with the right guidance and support from financial consulting services, you can increase your chances of success. By exploring various funding options and leveraging available resources, you can embark on your entrepreneurial journey with confidence and pave the way for business success.

USCIS Fee Adjustments to Boost Services

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published a final rule to adjust certain immigration and naturalization benefit request fees for the first time since 2016. The final rule will allow USCIS to recover a greater share of its operating costs and support more timely processing of new applications. The final rule is the result of a comprehensive fee review, as required by law, and follows the January 2023 publication of a notice of proposed rulemaking. The review concluded that the current fee schedule falls far short of recovering the full cost of agency operations, including the necessary expansion of humanitarian programs, federally mandated pay raises, additional staffing requirements, and other essential investments. “For the first time in over seven years, USCIS is updating our fees to better meet the needs of our agency, enabling us to provide more timely decisions to those we serve,” said USCIS Director Ur M. Jaddou. “Despite years of inadequate funding, the USCIS workforce has made great strides in customer service, backlog reduction, implementing new processes and programs, and upholding fairness, integrity, and respect for all we serve.” USCIS received over 5,400 unique public comments in response to its January 2023 notice of proposed rulemaking. USCIS took into consideration comments and feedback received during the proposed rulemaking process. Acknowledging this feedback from stakeholders, the final fee rule includes several important updates since the initial rulemaking. The final rule: - Lowers the agency’s required annual cost recovery by nearly $730 million, in part by considering the budget effects of improved efficiency measures; - Expands fee exemptions for Special Immigrant Juveniles and victims of human trafficking, crime, and domestic violence; U.S. military service members and our Afghan allies; and families pursuing international adoption; - Provides special fee discounts for nonprofit organizations and small business employers; - Allows for half-price Employment Authorization Document applications for applicants for adjustment of status and a reduced fee for adjustment of status applicants under the age of 14 in certain situations; - Expands eligibility for a 50% fee reduction for naturalization applications, available to individuals who can demonstrate household income between 150% and 400% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines; and - Implements a standard $50 discount for online filers. Every fee in the final rule is the same or lower than in the proposed rule. For most individual filers, the final rule limits how much newly established fees may increase. Under the final rule, the new fees will not increase by more than 26%, which is equivalent to the increase in the Consumer Price Index since the last fee rule was issued in 2016. With the new revenues the rule will generate, USCIS will start using innovative solutions to improve customer experience and stem backlog growth. Although the fee increases announced today will allow USCIS to better offset overall costs, congressional funding continues to be necessary to sustainably and fully address the increased volume of caseloads associated with recent border crossers, including by hiring additional USCIS personnel to help right-size a system that was not built to manage the numbers of cases USCIS receives. The new fees under the final rule will go into effect on April 1, 2024. USCIS encourages stakeholders to visit the Frequently Asked Questions page on its website to view a full list of the revised forms that will go into effect on April 1, 2024, along with the new fees. USCIS will accept prior editions of most forms during a grace period from April 1, 2024, through June 3, 2024. During this grace period, USCIS will accept both previous and new editions of certain forms, filed with the correct fee. There will be no grace period for the following new forms, however, because they must be revised with a new fee calculation. Filers should click the links below to access a preview version of each new form edition before April 1, 2024, effective date: - Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker; - Form I-129 CW, Petition for a CNMI-Only Nonimmigrant Transitional Worker; - Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers; - Form I-600A, Application for Advance Processing of an Orphan Petition (and supplement 1, 2, and 3); and - Form I-600, Petition to Classify Orphan as an Immediate Relative. USCIS will use the postmark date of a filing to determine which form version and fees are correct but will use the receipt date for purposes of any regulatory or statutory filing deadlines.   Sources: THX News & US Immigration and Immigration Services. Read the full article

Navigating the Pitfalls of Visa Extension in the U.S.

Extending your visa in the United States can be a complex process that requires careful attention. Missing your visa extension deadline can lead to serious legal consequences, including the risk of removal. This guide discusses five common mistakes individuals make during the visa extension process and provides insights on how to avoid them.

Overstaying Your Visa

One of the most common mistakes is overstaying your visa. It's a misconception that a few extra days beyond your visa expiry won't matter. However, this is far from the truth. The key lies in understanding the specific date listed on your I-94 form, which indicates the last day you are legally allowed to stay in the U.S. Ignoring this date can lead to significant legal troubles.

Underestimating Removal Risks

Many visa holders underestimate the risk of removal. Engaging in activities not permitted on your visa, like unauthorized work or getting into legal trouble, can put your stay at risk. It’s crucial to file for a timely visa extension using Form I-539 and maintain a clean legal record. This proactive approach can save you from the complexities and anxieties of removal.

Responding to Denials

Receiving a denial for your visa extension is not the end of the road. If your circumstances have changed, reapplying is a viable option. It's essential to understand why your initial application was denied and to address these issues when you reapply. A comprehensive new application, complete with all necessary documents, can often turn a previous no into a yes.

Staying Updated on Fees and Forms

Many applicants fall into the trap of overlooking updates in fees and forms. Submitting an application with the wrong fee or an outdated form can lead to immediate rejection. To avoid this, it’s important to stay informed about the latest updates and changes. Consulting with immigration professionals can also help in navigating these updates effectively.

Leveraging Support Resources

A significant number of applicants are not aware of the support available to them. From community organizations to nonprofit services and private attorneys, there’s a network of resources at your disposal. These resources can provide invaluable assistance and guidance, turning a potentially complicated immigration journey into a smoother and more successful experience.

Conclusion

Understanding these common pitfalls and how to avoid them can make a significant difference in your visa extension process. Each step you take is a crucial part of your journey in the U.S. Stay informed, seek assistance when necessary, and remember that persistence is key to overcoming challenges. With the right approach, your visa extension process can be a story of success rather than one of struggle.

If you or your family members have any questions about how immigration and nationality laws in the United States may affect you, or if you want to access additional information about immigration and nationality laws in the United States or Canada, please do not hesitate to contact the immigration and nationality lawyers at NPZ Law Group. You can reach us by emailing [email protected] or by calling us at 201-670-0006 extension 104. We also invite you to visit our website at www.visaserve.com for more information.