Categoría: Geovanny Vicente

MOSCOW, Feb. 11, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — PhosAgro CEO Andrey Guryev was awarded the 15th national Director of the Year Prize in the category «Contribution to the Development of a Culture of ESG».

The aim of the national Director of the Year Prize, established in 2006, is to recognise the personal contribution of directors to the development of corporate governance systems and to promote best practices for the work of boards of directors in Russian companies.

The winners are selected by the Prize’s Expert Council from among participants in the annual ratings of best directors prepared by the Independent Directors Association (IDA) and the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RUIE) in partnership with PwC.

The Expert Council includes Alexander Shokhin, President of the RUIE; Andrei Sharonov, Dean of the Skolkovo Moscow School of Management; Alexey Mordashov, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Severstal; Bella Zlatkis, Deputy Chair of the Executive Board of SberBank; Vladimir Gerasimov, Executive Director of Interfax Group; Yury Denisov, Chairman of the Executive Board of Moscow Exchange; Oleg Vyugin, independent director at Rosneft; Andrey Bugrov, Deputy Chairman of the Board of Directors of Norilsk Nickel; Alexander Ikonnikov, co-founder of the IDA; Vitaly Podolsky, independent director at LSR Group; Oleg Tsvetkov, Corporate Secretary at SberBank; and Elena Dubovitskaya, Director of Corporate Governance and Sustainability at PwC.

In presenting the award, the RUIE’s Mr Shokhin noted that the «Contribution to the Development of a Culture of ESG» nomination, which has been granted for the first time, will become an annual award.

«For a long time, all RUIE members have adopted the practice of regularly submitting non-financial reports and sustainable development reports. It is no coincidence that an RUIE company has won the award this year.»

Head of PwC’s Corporate Governance Practice Alexey Fegetsyn stressed that thanks to its commitment to the principles of ESG, PhosAgro not only invests in the development of its own business but makes a much broader overall contribution to sustainable development.

«This year marks our company’s 20th anniversary, and throughout this entire 20-year period, sustainable development issues have been a key priority for PhosAgro,» said Mr Guryev, a member of the RUIE’s Management Board. «The three letters of ‘ESG’ are part of the DNA of our company – they are our mission. The growing focus on these principles is a macro trend that will continue to shape the coming decades. ESG does not only cover our social and environmental policies and aspects of our corporate governance, it shapes our entire lives and those of all the stakeholders around us.

«We are one of the first companies in Russia to create a Sustainable Development Committee under our Board of Directors, which is headed by PhosAgro Independent Board Member Irina Bokova, who previously served as Director-General of UNESCO for eight years. The combination of her expertise and the humanist values that she applies to her work have profoundly influenced me personally and the entire Board of Directors of the company.

«It is gratifying to note that today an increasing number of leading Russian companies are paying attention to ESG issues. That makes this award all the more meaningful for me and for the entire PhosAgro team. I would like to thank the organisers of the Corporate Governance Forum and the Prize’s Expert Council for acknowledging our progress.»

«This recognition by the Expert Council of the Director of the Year Prize is a well-deserved celebration of Andrey’s strategic vision and skills as a Chief Executive and a further validation of PhosAgro’s environmentally sustainable Strategy. The Company’s commitment to the objectives of the United Nations is an integral part of our 2025 Strategic Plan as we directly contributed to 11 of its 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

«PhosAgro PJSC will continue its investment program in that area as part of its commitment to the Planet’s food security and the supply of environmentally-friendly mineral fertilizers free of toxic concentrations of carcinogenic heavy metals and other substances hazardous to human health. PhosAgro PJSC currently distributes its products to 102 countries around the world,» said Chairman of the PhosAgro Board of Directors Xavier Rolet KBE, commenting on Mr Guryev receiving the national Director of the Year Award.

In the «Best Corporate Secretary» category, the 15th national Director of the Year prize was awarded to PhosAgro’s Corporate Secretary Sergey Samosyuk.

PhosAgro’s ESG-related activities were highly rated in 2020 in prestigious Russian and international ratings and awards competitions.

In September 2020, the UN confirmed PhosAgro’s LEAD status within the Global Compact, a leading platform for socially responsible business. Only 41 companies around the world have been granted this status.

In October, the Company won the Grand Prix in the «Russian Business Leaders: Dynamics, Responsibility and Sustainability» awards held by the RUIE. The Grand Prix has been awarded only twice in the history of the awards, and both times it has gone to PhosAgro.

In November, PhosAgro was awarded its second IFA Gold Medal for its consistent commitment to continuous improvement and for its application of the best solutions in terms of energy efficiency and resource conservation, occupational health and safety and environmental protection.

In December, a leading authority on climate reporting, CDP, upgraded PhosAgro’s rating from C to B-. The influential international agency Sustainalytics, in its annual review of ESG risk ratings, improved PhosAgro’s rating considerably – from 43.8 to 26.9 points (moderate risk) – ranking the Company among the top three enterprises in the global agrochemical industry.

About PhosAgro

PhosAgro (www.phosagro.ru) is one of the world’s leading vertically integrated phosphate-based fertilizer producers in terms of production volumes of phosphate-based fertilizers and high-grade phosphate rock with a P₂O₅ content of 39% and higher. PhosAgro’s environmentally friendly fertilizers stand out for their high efficiency, and they do not lead to the contamination of soils with heavy metals.

The Company is the largest phosphate-based fertilizer producer in Europe (by total combined capacity for DAP/MAP/NP/NPK/NPS), the largest producer of high-grade phosphate rock with a P₂O₅ content of 39%, a top-three producer of MAP/DAP globally, one of the leading producers of feed phosphates (MCP) in Europe, and the only producer in Russia, and Russia’s only producer of nepheline concentrate (according to the RAFP).

PhosAgro’s main products include phosphate rock, more than 50 grades of fertilizers, feed phosphates, ammonia, and sodium tripolyphosphate, which are used by customers in over 100 countries spanning all of the world’s inhabited continents. The Company’s priority markets outside of Russia and the CIS are Latin America, Europe and Asia.

PhosAgro’s shares are traded on the Moscow Exchange, and global depositary receipts (GDRs) for shares trade on the London Stock Exchange (under the ticker PHOR). Since 1 June 2016, the Company’s GDRs have been included in the MSCI Russia and MSCI Emerging Markets indexes.

More information about PhosAgro can be found on the website: www.phosagro.ru.

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/phosagro-ceo-andrey-guryev-wins-national-director-of-the-year-prize-for-his-contribution-to-the-development-of-a-culture-of-esg-301227045.html

SOURCE PhosAgro

CIUDAD DE MÉXICO, 11 de febrero de 2021 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Las personas que estuvieron detenidas en la cárcel del condado de Los Ángeles debido a las retenciones de ICE en el período de octubre de 2010 a junio de 2014 pueden ser elegibles para participar en un acuerdo financiero para compensarlas por violaciones de derechos cometidas por el Departamento del Sheriff del Condado de Los Ángeles (LASD). Más de 18,500 personas tienen derecho a recibir una restitución del acuerdo de $14 millones de dólares. Los miembros de la clase son elegibles para recibir de $250 a $25,000 dólares según el tiempo que estuvieron detenidos y otros detalles. Para recibir una compensación, las personas deben presentar un reclamo, que no requiere que revelen su estatus migratorio, a más tardar el 10 de octubre de 2021. Toda la información presentada por los reclamantes se mantendrá confidencial.

La demanda colectiva Roy v. Condado de Los Ángeles fue presentada por inmigrantes detenidos ilegalmente por el LASD, a veces durante meses, debido a solicitudes de «retención de ICE» (también conocidas como retenciones de inmigración). Un tribunal federal dictaminó que LASD violó la constitución al encarcelar a personas únicamente por estas retenciones. Lee Baca fue alguacil de Los Ángeles durante la mayor parte del período en el que se produjeron violaciones; Baca actualmente cumple una pena de prisión de tres años por obstruir una investigación federal.

«Como inmigrantes, venimos de diferentes países y los cuerpos policiales actúan como si las protecciones básicas no se aplicaran a nosotros,» dijo Antonia C., quien fue detenida luego de ser acusada injustamente de robo de auto. Se le negó la libertad bajo fianza debido a una retención de ICE y estuvo en la cárcel durante 70 días en el 2012. «Rompieron mi familia y mi hogar. Cuando te encierran, te rompen. Dañaron mi salud física y mental. Todas las personas que nos vimos afectadas por este arreglo entre ICE y el Departamento del Sheriff debemos unir nuestras voces. Si bien ninguna cantidad de dinero será suficiente para reparar nuestras cicatrices, este fondo de compensación es muy importante. Necesitamos tomar lo que se nos debe y mostrarles que lo que nos hicieron, a nuestras familias, importa.»

La hija de Antonia, que prefiere permanecer en el anonimato, dijo: «Estas acciones no solo afectan a las personas que fueron encarceladas, piensen en sus familias. Yo tenía solo 11 años cuando me separaron de mi mamá. Nos separaron. Estaba llena de confusión y tristeza. Sin mi mamá a mi lado, sentía que no tenía un lugar en este mundo. Perdimos todo. Cada día que tu familiar no está ahí es doloroso. Piensen en todo lo que nos perdimos, nunca recuperaremos ese tiempo. Mi mamá es mi superhéroe personal; es fuerte y de buen corazón. Estoy muy orgullosa de ella por presentar este caso y desempeñar un papel importante en el establecimiento de este fondo de compensación. La injusticia a menudo no tiene consecuencias, por lo general no obtienes nada. Pero esto se siente diferente. Es como si mi mamá y yo, y muchas otras familias, finalmente pudiéramos obtener un cierre y justicia.»

En colaboración con la ACLU del Sur de California y el bufete de abogados de McLane, Bednarski & Litt, el Centro de los Derechos del Migrante, Inc. (CDM) está llevando a cabo actividades de divulgación pública y en los medios de comunicación para identificar a los miembros de la clase y alentarlos a presentar reclamos. CDM, una organización binacional de derechos de las y los trabajadores migrantes ha identificado exitosamente a miembros de la clase y ha ayudado en la distribución de asentamientos en demandas de inmigración de alto perfil. En este caso, la organización centrará sus esfuerzos en llegar a los miembros de la clase de habla hispana en México, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Ecuador y California.

«Este caso representa una práctica generalizada: las agencias locales de aplicación de la ley se inclinan ante ICE y socavan los derechos de las personas inmigrantes. Esta deferencia inconstitucional a las políticas de ICE tiene consecuencias brutales para las personas, familias y comunidades a través de las fronteras,» dijo Evy Peña, directora de Comunicaciones y Desarrollo del CDM. «Tenemos razones para creer que las personas pueden haber sido deportadas como resultado de las acciones del alguacil de Los Ángeles. Si bien ubicar a los miembros de la clase puede representar un desafío, dado el alcance geográfico de nuestra búsqueda, vemos esto como una oportunidad. Cada miembro calificado de la clase que fue tratado ilegalmente podrá recibir una compensación, independientemente de dónde se encuentre.»

«Dejemos que este acuerdo sea una llamada de atención para todas las agencias de aplicación de la ley en todo el país que hoy continúan encarcelando a personas ilegalmente por solicitudes sin orden judicial de ICE,» dijo Jennie Pasquarella, co-abogada del caso, directora de derechos de inmigrantes de ACLU SoCal y abogada senior. «Deberían detener o ser responsables por daños y perjuicios a todas las personas que han detenido ilegalmente.»

«Durante años, el Departamento del Sheriff del condado de Los Ángeles, la agencia de aplicación de la ley más grande de los Estados Unidos, negó cruelmente a los inmigrantes las protecciones constitucionales que se aplican universalmente a todos los demás detenidos en la cárcel, reteniéndolos injustificadamente sin causa como prisioneros,» dijo Lindsay Battles, co- abogada en el caso y socia de McLane, Bednarski & Litt. «Este acuerdo responsabiliza al departamento del alguacil por miles de encarcelamientos ilegales y proporciona una medida de compensación a cada persona lesionada por sus políticas inconstitucionales».

Se anima a las personas que creen que pueden ser víctimas a visitar www.ICEHoldCaseLA.com o llamar al 1-833-537-1192 para obtener más información sobre cómo presentar un reclamo.

Las respuestas a las preguntas frecuentes se encuentran a continuación.

¿A quiénes les afecta?

Más de 18.500 personas tienen derecho a una compensación del acuerdo que cubre las retenciones de ICE emitido desde octubre de 2010 hasta junio de 2014. Hay 3 categorías de personas afectadas:

(1) Clase de la Cuarta Enmienda: Inmigrantes que fueron detenidos más allá del tiempo en que debían ser liberados de la custodia penal únicamente en base a una retención de ICE (octubre de 2010 – junio de 2014).

(2) Clase de Igualdad de Protección: Inmigrantes cuya fianza fue de menos de $25,000 que no habrían sido ingresados en la cárcel si no hubiera una retención de ICE (octubre de 2010 – junio de 2014).

(3) Clase sin fianza: inmigrantes a quienes se les negó la fianza debido a una retención de ICE (octubre de 2010 – octubre de 2012).

¿Cuánto dinero pueden obtener los miembros de la clase?

Los miembros del grupo son elegibles para recibir desde $250 hasta $25,000, según el tiempo que estuvieron detenidos y otras circunstancias:

(1) Los miembros del grupo a los que no se les permitió pagar la fianza recibirán $250 si califican y presentan la declaración jurada correspondiente.

(2) Los miembros de la clase podrían recibir hasta $1,000 por cada día que estuvieran detenidos únicamente por una orden de detención de inmigración, hasta un máximo de $25,000.

Se prevé que muchos miembros de la clase que fueron detenidos únicamente por una orden de retención de inmigración recibirán varios miles de dólares.

Los fondos excedentes, si los hay después de que se les pague a los miembros de la clase, se destinarán a programas que brindan representación legal a personas que enfrentan consecuencias de inmigración debido a un arresto o condena.

¿Cómo obtener dinero del acuerdo?

Para recibir dinero, debe presentar un reclamo a más tardar el 10 de octubre de 2021. Puede presentar una reclamación en línea, por correo electrónico o por correo. Vaya a www.ICEHoldCaseLA.com para obtener más información sobre cómo presentar un formulario de reclamo.

¿Cuáles son mis otras opciones?

Excluirse: si desea retirarse de la demanda por completo, o si desea poder presentar su propia demanda o ser parte de una demanda diferente, debe tomar las medidas necesarias para excluirse. Debe enviar por correo su Solicitud de exclusión, con matasellos a más tardar el 10 de octubre de 2021.

Objeto: Puede seguir siendo miembro de la clase y objetar cualquier parte del acuerdo antes del 10 de octubre de 2021.

No hacer nada: si no presenta un reclamo, no recibirá dinero del acuerdo, pero aún estará sujeto a los términos del acuerdo.

Visite el sitio web www.ICEHoldCaseLA.com para obtener información más detallada.

¿Cómo sé que mi información se mantendrá confidencial?

Las partes en este caso acuerdan mantener la confidencialidad de toda la información que envíe en relación con el acuerdo. No le diremos a ICE que presentó un reclamo. Su información de contacto y la información de contacto de los miembros de su familia no se divulgarán a nadie más que a los abogados de los demandantes y al administrador del caso.

¿Cuánto tiempo llevará este proceso?

El tribunal ha programado una audiencia para el 19 de Noviembre de 2021 para decidir si aprueba el acuerdo. La moción de honorarios y costos de abogados se publicará en el sitio web después de que se presenten. Puede asistir a la audiencia por su cuenta, pero no es obligatorio. Después de la aprobación final de la corte, tomará al menos dos o tres meses o más procesar las reclamaciones, calcular la cantidad adeudada a cada miembro del grupo y comenzar los pagos.

Esto es sólo un resumen. Para obtener más detalles, visite el sitio web www.ICEHoldCaseLA.com o llame al 1-833-537-1192. El sitio web tiene enlaces a todos los documentos del acuerdo en este caso, así como a la moción de honorarios de abogados.

FUENTE CLU of Southern California, the law firm of McLane, Bednarski & Litt, the National Day Laborer Organizing Network, and the National Immigrant Justice Center

MEXICO CITY, Feb. 11, 2021 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Individuals who were held in L.A. County jail based on ICE holds in the period from October 2010 to June 2014 may be eligible to participate in a financial settlement to compensate them for rights violations committed by the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department (LASD). More than 18,500 people are entitled to receive restitution from the $14 million USD settlement. Class members are eligible to receive from $250 to $25,000 based on the time they were held and other details. In order to receive compensation, individuals must submit a claim — which does not require them to disclose their immigration status — no later than October 10, 2021. All information submitted by claimants will be kept confidential.

The class action suit Roy v. County of Los Angeles was brought by immigrants unlawfully detained by the LASD — sometimes for months —  due to «ICE hold» requests (also known as immigration detainers). A federal court ruled that LASD violated the constitution by jailing people solely on the basis of these holds. Lee Baca was L.A. Sheriff for most of the period in which violations took place; Baca is currently serving a three-year prison term for obstructing a federal investigation.

«As immigrants, we come from different countries, and law enforcement bodies act like basic protections don’t apply to us,» said Antonia C., who was detained after being wrongfully accused of car theft. She was denied bail because of an ICE hold and kept in jail for 70 days in 2012. «They broke my family and home. When they lock you up, they break you. They hurt my physical and mental health. All of us who were affected by this arrangement between ICE and the Sheriff’s Department, we need to put our voices together. While no amount of money will ever be enough to mend our scars, this compensation fund is so important. We need to take what we’re owed and show them that what they did to us — to our families — matters.»

Antonia’s daughter, who prefers to remain anonymous, said: «These actions don’t only affect people who were jailed — think about their families. I was only 11 years old when my mom was torn away. They broke us apart. I was filled with confusion and sadness. Without my mom by my side, I felt like I didn’t have a place in this world. We lost everything. Every day that your family member isn’t there is painful. Think of everything you miss — we will never get that time back. My mom is my own personal superhero — she’s strong and kind-hearted. I’m so proud of her for bringing this case and playing an important role in establishing this compensation fund. Injustice often goes without consequence — you don’t usually get anything. But this feels different. It’s like my mom and I, and countless other families, might finally get closure and justice.»

In collaboration with the ACLU of Southern California and the law firm of McLane, Bednarski & Litt, Centro de los Derechos del Migrante, Inc. (CDM) is conducting media and public outreach to identify class members and encourage them to come forward with claims. CDM, a binational migrant workers’ rights organization has successfully identified class members and assisted in settlement distribution in high-profile immigration and migrant worker lawsuits. In this case, the organization will focus its efforts on reaching Spanish-speaking class members in Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Ecuador, and California.

«This case embodies a pervasive practice: local law enforcement agencies bowing to ICE and undermining immigrants’ rights. This unconstitutional deference to ICE policies has brutal consequences for individuals, families and communities across borders,» said Evy Peña, CDM’s Communications and Development Director. «We have reason to believe that people may have been deported as a result of the L.A. Sheriff’s actions. While locating class members may pose a challenge, given the geographic range of our search, we see this as an opportunity. Every qualified class member who was treated unlawfully will be able to receive compensation, regardless of where they are.»

«Let this settlement be a wake-up call to all those law enforcement agencies around the country that today continue to jail people unlawfully at ICE’s warrantless requests,» said Jennie Pasquarella, co-counsel on the case, ACLU SoCal director of immigrants’ rights and senior staff attorney. «They should stop or be held liable in damages to all the people they’ve unlawfully detained.»

«For years, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the largest law enforcement agency in the United States, callously denied immigrants constitutional protections that universally apply to all other jail detainees — unjustifiably holding them without cause as prisoners,» said Lindsay Battles, co-counsel on the case, and an attorney with McLane, Bednarski & Litt. «This settlement holds the sheriff’s department accountable for thousands of unlawful incarcerations and provides a measure of compensation to every person injured by their unconstitutional policies.»

Individuals who believe they may be victims are encouraged to visit www.ICEHoldCaseLA.com  or call 1-833-537-1192 to learn more about how to file a claim.

The answers to frequently asked questions can be found below.

Who is affected?

More than 18,500 people are entitled to compensation from the settlement covering ICE detainers issued from October 2010 to June 2014. There are 3 categories of people affected:

1. 4th Amendment Class: Immigrants who were detained beyond the time they were due to be released from criminal custody solely based on an ICE hold (October 2010 – June 2014).
2. Equal Protection Class: Immigrants whose bail was less than $25,000 who would not have been booked into jail if there was no ICE hold (October 2010 – June 2014).
3. No-Bail Class: Immigrants who were denied bail because of an ICE hold (October 2010 – October 2012).

How much money can class members get?

Class members are eligible to receive from $250 up to $25,000, based on how long they were held and other circumstances:

1. Class members who were not permitted to post bail will receive $250 if they qualify and file the proper sworn statement.
2. Class members could receive up to $1,000 for each day they were detained solely on an immigration detainer, up to a maximum of $25,000.

It is anticipated that many class members who were detained solely on an immigration detainer will receive several thousand dollars. 

Surplus funds, if any after class members are paid, will go to programs that provide legal representation to persons facing immigration consequences because of an arrest or conviction.

How to get money from the settlement?

To receive money, you must make a claim no later than October 10, 2021. You can file a claim online, by email or by mail. Go to www.ICEHoldCaseLA.com to learn more about how to file a claim form.

What are my other options?

Exclude Yourself: If you want to remove yourself from the lawsuit entirely, or if you want to be able to file your own lawsuit, or be part of a different lawsuit, then you must take steps to exclude yourself. You must mail your Exclusion Request, postmarked no later than October 10, 2021.

Object: You can remain a class member and object to any part of the settlement by October 10, 2021.

Do nothing: If you do not file a claim, you will not get money from the settlement, but you will still be bound by the terms of the Settlement.

Visit the website www.ICEHoldCaseLA.com for more detailed information.

How do I know my information will be kept confidential?

The parties in this case agree to keep confidential all information you submit in connection with the settlement. We will not tell ICE that you submitted a claim. Your contact information and family members’ contact information will not be disclosed to anyone other than attorneys for the plaintiffs and the case administrator.

How long will this process take?

The court has scheduled a hearing for November 19, 2021 to decide whether to approve the settlement. The motion for attorney’s fees and cost will be posted on the website after they are filed. You may attend the hearing at your own cost, but you do not have to. After final court approval, it will take at least two to three months or longer, to process claims, calculate the amount due to each class member, and begin payments.

This is only a summary. For more details, go to the website www.ICEHoldCaseLA.com or call 1-833-537-1192. The website has links to all settlement documents in this case, as well as the motion for attorneys’ fees. 

SOURCE CLU of Southern California, the law firm of McLane, Bednarski & Litt, the National Day Laborer Organizing Network, and the National Immigrant Justice Center

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Feb. 11, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — When Dr. Ines Poza began tracking minority representation in Super Bowl ads twenty years ago, she found something disturbing. «Celebrities aside, only white men, white women and animals were protagonists, with Blacks or Asians filling in about 10% of background characters.»  Work testing ad concepts for the Total Market and Latino audiences piqued her interest in studying Super Bowl ads.  «I could see the population landscape changing and wondered if this would be reflected in the ultimate ad showcase – the Super Bowl. Back then, not so much.»

Poza reports an encouraging shift.  «Most ads this year featured a minority as protagonist, had minorities featured as secondary characters, with the majority of ads with celebrities featuring at least one who is also a minority.»

While this is positive, Poza notes there is still something troubling. «Almost no one in the ads looks like the nearly 52 million Latinos living in the U.S.» explaining, «Aside from two Weather Tech and an Anheuser Busch ad, no one who can readily be identified as Latino was included. Blacks, mixed-race individuals and Asians were featured throughout, which is great, but not Latinos.»

The U.S. Census Bureau and Pew Research Center report Latinos comprise about 18% of the U.S. population with Blacks representing 13%, Asians 6% and non-Hispanic Whites about 60%.  As the fastest growing minority, Latinos are projected to represent nearly 30% of the U.S. by 2050. 

As to why, despite these figures, Latinos were almost completely absent from ads this year, Poza offers, «Advertisers are still trying to figure out how to reach U.S. Latino consumers, thinking multi-racial individuals featured are reasonable proxies. But there’s no substitute for meaningful representation.» adding, «This was a missed opportunity to connect with the fastest growing consumer segment. Advertisers can and should do better given the ad buy and potential market share the Super Bowl represents.»

As for continuing to monitor Super Bowl ads, Poza says, «I’m looking forward to next year!»

Dr. Ines Poza, founder of market research firm Poza Consulting Services based in Santa Monica, CA can be reached at ines@pozaconsulting.com.

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/missed-opportunity-for-advertisers–latinos-nearly-absent-from-super-bowl-ads-301226953.html

SOURCE Poza Consulting Services

MEXICO CITY, Feb. 11, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Individuals who were held in L.A. County jail based on ICE holds in the period from October 2010 to June 2014 may be eligible to participate in a financial settlement to compensate them for rights violations committed by the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department (LASD). More than 18,500 people are entitled to receive restitution from the $14 million USD settlement. Class members are eligible to receive from $250 to $25,000 based on the time they were held and other details. In order to receive compensation, individuals must submit a claim — which does not require them to disclose their immigration status — no later than October 10, 2021. All information submitted by claimants will be kept confidential.

The class action suit Roy v. County of Los Angeles was brought by immigrants unlawfully detained by the LASD — sometimes for months —  due to «ICE hold» requests (also known as immigration detainers). A federal court ruled that LASD violated the constitution by jailing people solely on the basis of these holds. Lee Baca was L.A. Sheriff for most of the period in which violations took place; Baca is currently serving a three-year prison term for obstructing a federal investigation.

«As immigrants, we come from different countries, and law enforcement bodies act like basic protections don’t apply to us,» said Antonia C., who was detained after being wrongfully accused of car theft. She was denied bail because of an ICE hold and kept in jail for 70 days in 2012. «They broke my family and home. When they lock you up, they break you. They hurt my physical and mental health. All of us who were affected by this arrangement between ICE and the Sheriff’s Department, we need to put our voices together. While no amount of money will ever be enough to mend our scars, this compensation fund is so important. We need to take what we’re owed and show them that what they did to us — to our families — matters.»

Antonia’s daughter, who prefers to remain anonymous, said: «These actions don’t only affect people who were jailed — think about their families. I was only 11 years old when my mom was torn away. They broke us apart. I was filled with confusion and sadness. Without my mom by my side, I felt like I didn’t have a place in this world. We lost everything. Every day that your family member isn’t there is painful. Think of everything you miss — we will never get that time back. My mom is my own personal superhero — she’s strong and kind-hearted. I’m so proud of her for bringing this case and playing an important role in establishing this compensation fund. Injustice often goes without consequence — you don’t usually get anything. But this feels different. It’s like my mom and I, and countless other families, might finally get closure and justice.»

In collaboration with the ACLU of Southern California and the law firm of McLane, Bednarski & Litt, Centro de los Derechos del Migrante, Inc. (CDM) is conducting media and public outreach to identify class members and encourage them to come forward with claims. CDM, a binational migrant workers’ rights organization has successfully identified class members and assisted in settlement distribution in high-profile immigration and migrant worker lawsuits. In this case, the organization will focus its efforts on reaching Spanish-speaking class members in Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Ecuador, and California.

«This case embodies a pervasive practice: local law enforcement agencies bowing to ICE and undermining immigrants’ rights. This unconstitutional deference to ICE policies has brutal consequences for individuals, families and communities across borders,» said Evy Peña, CDM’s Communications and Development Director. «We have reason to believe that people may have been deported as a result of the L.A. Sheriff’s actions. While locating class members may pose a challenge, given the geographic range of our search, we see this as an opportunity. Every qualified class member who was treated unlawfully will be able to receive compensation, regardless of where they are.»

«Let this settlement be a wake-up call to all those law enforcement agencies around the country that today continue to jail people unlawfully at ICE’s warrantless requests,» said Jennie Pasquarella, co-counsel on the case, ACLU SoCal director of immigrants’ rights and senior staff attorney. «They should stop or be held liable in damages to all the people they’ve unlawfully detained.»

«For years, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the largest law enforcement agency in the United States, callously denied immigrants constitutional protections that universally apply to all other jail detainees — unjustifiably holding them without cause as prisoners,» said Lindsay Battles, co-counsel on the case, and an attorney with McLane, Bednarski & Litt. «This settlement holds the sheriff’s department accountable for thousands of unlawful incarcerations and provides a measure of compensation to every person injured by their unconstitutional policies.»

Individuals who believe they may be victims are encouraged to visit www.ICEHoldCaseLA.com  or call 1-833-537-1192 to learn more about how to file a claim.

The answers to frequently asked questions can be found below.

Who is affected?

More than 18,500 people are entitled to compensation from the settlement covering ICE detainers issued from October 2010 to June 2014. There are 3 categories of people affected:

1. 4th Amendment Class: Immigrants who were detained beyond the time they were due to be released from criminal custody solely based on an ICE hold (October 2010 – June 2014).
2. Equal Protection Class: Immigrants whose bail was less than $25,000 who would not have been booked into jail if there was no ICE hold (October 2010 – June 2014).
3. No-Bail Class: Immigrants who were denied bail because of an ICE hold (October 2010 – October 2012).

How much money can class members get?

Class members are eligible to receive from $250 up to $25,000, based on how long they were held and other circumstances:

1. Class members who were not permitted to post bail will receive $250 if they qualify and file the proper sworn statement.
2. Class members could receive up to $1,000 for each day they were detained solely on an immigration detainer, up to a maximum of $25,000.

It is anticipated that many class members who were detained solely on an immigration detainer will receive several thousand dollars. 

Surplus funds, if any after class members are paid, will go to programs that provide legal representation to persons facing immigration consequences because of an arrest or conviction.

How to get money from the settlement?

To receive money, you must make a claim no later than October 10, 2021. You can file a claim online, by email or by mail. Go to www.ICEHoldCaseLA.com to learn more about how to file a claim form.

What are my other options?

Exclude Yourself: If you want to remove yourself from the lawsuit entirely, or if you want to be able to file your own lawsuit, or be part of a different lawsuit, then you must take steps to exclude yourself. You must mail your Exclusion Request, postmarked no later than October 10, 2021.

Object: You can remain a class member and object to any part of the settlement by October 10, 2021.

Do nothing: If you do not file a claim, you will not get money from the settlement, but you will still be bound by the terms of the Settlement.

Visit the website www.ICEHoldCaseLA.com for more detailed information.

How do I know my information will be kept confidential?

The parties in this case agree to keep confidential all information you submit in connection with the settlement. We will not tell ICE that you submitted a claim. Your contact information and family members’ contact information will not be disclosed to anyone other than attorneys for the plaintiffs and the case administrator.

How long will this process take?

The court has scheduled a hearing for November 19, 2021 to decide whether to approve the settlement. The motion for attorney’s fees and cost will be posted on the website after they are filed. You may attend the hearing at your own cost, but you do not have to. After final court approval, it will take at least two to three months or longer, to process claims, calculate the amount due to each class member, and begin payments.

This is only a summary. For more details, go to the website www.ICEHoldCaseLA.com or call 1-833-537-1192. The website has links to all settlement documents in this case, as well as the motion for attorneys’ fees. 

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/more-than-18-500-individuals-unlawfully-detained-by-la-county-sheriffs-department-over-ice-holds-to-receive-compensation-from-14-million-settlement-301226493.html

SOURCE CLU of Southern California, the law firm of McLane, Bednarski & Litt, the National Day Laborer Organizing Network, and the National Immigrant Justice Center