Checkpoints

DUI check points held during the day nabbed more mothers with children than drivers under the influence. Due to exorbitant month-long storage fees, towed cars could not be retrieved or caused an economic hardship on the poorest in Pomona. ICON leaders negotiated with the Pomona Police to hold cars no more than 24 hours for people who did not have licenses. This initiative of the ICON has saved immigrant families hundreds of thousands of dollars in vehicle impoundment fees.

Parental Access to Schools

When Pomona parents tried to become volunteers in their children’s classrooms or on field trips, they met with insurmountable obstacles. Parents missed their kids’ field trips, due to long waits for processing their finger prints and volunteer application paperwork. Parents without drivers’ licenses were prohibited from volunteering—so immigrant parents were excluded. The high cost of finger printing excluded low-income parents. The ICON worked with leaders of the Pomona Unified School District to remove these obstacles and streamline the process. Identification, other than a driver’s license, was accepted, which opened access to immigrant parents. Low- income schools were given a budget to cover finger printing costs for parent volunteers. These efforts benefitted and strengthened both families and schools.